Bindweed (again!) and cordyline inflorescence

We recently had the fence between our front garden and that of our neighbour replaced, as it was in a sorry state. Sadly, many of the climbers and plants close to the fence did not survive the operation, but it also turned out that our neighbour’s garden was home to an incredible amount of bindweed, […]

Baskets in Madrid museums

I’m just back from a week’s holiday in Spain, starting in Bilbao and working my way down to Madrid by train and bus. I had less than a day in Madrid, arriving by train in the morning and flying home in the evening, but I managed to visit two museums with interesting baskets in that […]

London Craft Week 2023

London Craft Week is a great opportunity to see wonderful makers from further afield as well as the UK, but the brochure and website are tricky to navigate, and some “events” seem to be simply plugs for luxury brands. This year I made it to three venues. There was lots to see, but here I […]

Warped exhibition by Prism Textiles

The Warped exhibition by Prism Textiles is now in full swing at the Art Pavilion in Mile End, London. At the private view last Wednesday evening Sumi Perera gave the opening speech, dressed in an outfit that most of us instantly coveted! Some of my stitching friends (Carol and Jane) turned up wearing shibori indigo […]

Warped: Prism Textiles exhibition 2023

Where has this year gone? It’s March already and this is my first blog post of the year. I seem to have been busier than usual, as I’ve started teaching basketry evening classes at Morley College (more about this another time) and also I’ve been editing the March issue of the Basketmakers’ Association Journal. That’s […]

Inspired by Haeckel: molluscs

For my final assessment piece I could choose whatever technique or combination of techniques I liked. I decided to make a coiled piece, as I have previously had some success with coiling and it seemed perverse not to play to my strengths! My plan was to make a double-walled piece, inspired by Haeckel’s prints of […]

Rebound: hanging the bindweed

I managed to finish weaving the last of the 50 bindweed pods a couple of weeks ago. Then I had to start thinking about how to suspend them. My original idea was to use a metal grid, which would be robust enough not to bend. But my friend Magdalen suggested that it would be better […]

In Search of Possibilities, 21-31 October 2021

It’s just under two weeks until the Prism Textiles exhibition “In Search of Possibilities” opens at the Art Pavilion in Mile End, London. Our last physical exhibition was in Birmingham in October 2019 – of course, last year’s exhibition was cancelled (though we did manage an alternative version online). So it’s exciting to be back […]

First place in Basketry of the Year competition

I’m thrilled to share the exciting news with you that I have been awarded first place in the contemporary category of the Basketry of the Year competition 2021! Every year the Worshipful Company of Basketmakers organises this competition for members of the Basketmakers’ Association. The Worshipful Company of Basketmakers is one of the many ancient […]

Christiane Sand Award for Coiling 2021

I’m delighted to announce that I am one of two students who received the Christiane Sand Award for Coiling from City Lit. Christiane Sand first enrolled on the City Lit Creative Basketry course in September 2011. After completing it she was diagnosed with cancer and re-enrolled in 2015 as a therapeutic pursuit alongside her cancer […]