Visited the BCTF for the first time for 10 years or so. We used to show knitwear here for may years. It is now in a different venue at the Yorkshire Show Ground. My good friend Clare Cox had a stand there with her wonderful multicoloured velvet cushions and throws. It was a slow show this year due to the general downturn but some excellent work.

We made a 5 day visit to our good friends Paul and Linda who have a beautiful house in Rodia near Carcaussanne in the S. of France. We had rather grey weather but a lovely trip thanks to Paul and Linda's great hospitality.

Note the 'mad hat' gallery. Hundreds of hats in a strange nissan hut in the middle of nowhere!!

Following my earlier post a couple of weeks ago I can now say that I have moved into the new workshop in West St. Cromer and today have spent my first day working there. its all comming together well - I still need to collect a duplicate of various tools and equipment as I am still stitching at home as well. Next week I hope to get a knitting machine up in there - haven't touched one for 6 years - and incorporate a bit of knitted textile with other work.

I have been experimenting and producing a quantity of procion dyed and screen printed fabrics during the last few months. I mainly dye 3 metre lengths of silk crepe de chine, silk chiffon and silk velvet. These fabrics have a beautiful drape and take the colour fantastically well to give rich and vibrant tones. I am also screen printing single images onto the dyed fabric with discharge or pigment dyes. its a whole world of techniques to master.

I have recently signed the lease on a shop premises in Cromer - which I shall use as a textile studio. I am having an 8' x 4' print table built which can be used for screen printing and painting lengths of fabric as well as work shops and all manner of artistic type activities. It would be nice to start a local textile group and have some weekend sales etc. All very exciting. Here are a few photos of the outside and inside before we start work. We are at 26 West Street in Cromer.

December 7th. Day trip to london to see 'Treasures from Bulgaria' especially interested in Egon Schiele drawings. Alas despite being featured on the publicity there was only one drawing exhibited. Carried on up Saville Row to see Louise Bourgeois Textiles at Hauscher and Wirth. Fantastic exhibition and well worth a visit though I think it may have now finished.

Saturday Nov. 13th saw this year's ERTF conference held at Dragon Hall. The Eastern Region Textile Forum was formed about 4 years ago by Textile artists in SE England to promote textiles as a recognised art form. This years conference included talks by Debbie Lyddon - textile artist and musician and Les Bicknell - conceptual artist who was lately course leader for the NUA MA course. A really good day - packed with interesting talks and great networking opportunity.

There is to be a juried exhibition by ERTF members to be held at Dragon Hall next September.

Nov 29th 2010.

Visit to the Costume and Textile Collection, housed in Carrow House, Norwich. This is one of the most comprehensive collections in the UK. It is not on permanent display but appointments came be made to view chosen items. Our group had chosen to see embroidered shoes and hand embroidered items - mainly 18th and 19th century.

This the new book I spent last year working on. It is available Sept 1st 2010 from www.jan-horrox.com at £9.99 + 2.00 P&P

Some new drawings done at Wensum Lodge during the last 6 months - still struggling on.

I haven't written here since 2008 - what happened! I have moved onto pastures new with my work and now have a new website http://www.janhorroxtextiles.co.uk/ . I have been working with pastel drawings and sculpted textiles - recently producing a range of shoe sculptures.

These little 6 inch dolls are devised for a one hour workshop I am running at the Knit and Stitch show in Harrogate next week. They were all made from cheap light weight garden wire and scraps of this and that found around the house and in my sewing room. They have little flat stuffed heads and embroidered features. It was great fun making all the characters and I feel sure it would be an excellent project for children.

Fran Doe

Harriet Wilson

Maureen Wilson

LHS. Annleen Raubenheimer

and Fran Doe

LHS Brenda Connolly and Clare

and Sarah Slade 's

Polly and Fairy delight

LHS Brenda Taylor

Below: Fran Doe - all made since July's workshop

Pandora the Craft teacher has a huge stash of fabrics, trims, wools and beads. She loves to make all her own outfits from her stash and always carries her knitting in a bag. She has gold rim glasses and black leather shoes. She is almost free standing.

Norfolk Pixie is a jolly chap - he has a pretty elaborate tunic as well as a knitted pointy hat, mitts and socks.