Calico & Ivy, Julie Arkell and the new book

I had lunch with Calico & Ivy‘s Sarah Wheatley at Fratelli Fresh the other day, and it was just so gorgeous chatting about her recent trip to France to do this course with mixed textile artist Julie Arkell, and her crafty tour of London, Paris and the Dordogne. I wish I’d stowed away in her suitcase, and am currently investigating courses I can do over the next year to expand my world, which gets a bit small and cosy at times. I’m thinking sock knitting at Calico & Ivy Balmain in late August, so I can make handmade socks for friends this Christmas (or next, more likely), a writing workshop and learning the trapeze, believe it or not. As much as I push myself to sign up, I always enjoy it when I do. The sense of new community and creativity is never not inspiring or rewarding.

I tried not banging on too much about the photo shoot we’re preparing for next week because truly, I’m starting to bore myself. I’ve signed up with HarperCollins for book five, out next year, and am simultaneously thrilled to bits and keeping all fingers and toes firmly crossed that we’re ready in time and the book is beautiful. Thankfully we’re on track for the same publication date I had with Murdoch. Moving publishers is serious work, when all the conversations one has over 18 months need to be condensed and had again in a period of a few weeks. It’s been beyond busy, but I’m hoping it makes the book simply better and am honoured to be part of the HarperCollins list and one of the first books published by my friend, new HarperCollins publisher Catherine Milne.

Anyway, it’s likely I’ll be posting sporadically until the book is safely handed in, and I have a few workshops of my own to host over the next few months (promise to update the events page soon!), but will be thinking of new favourite fabrics, materials and crafty projects to share with you, once I get through this shoot in one piece.

Wish me luck,

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