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What are you watching? Part Two


I'm adding more suggestions for things to watch online.  YouTube films to spark your creativity, enable you to learn new skills or simply accompany a sit-down with a cuppa for a five minute rest.  Yesterday I recommended various channels, but today it's more about individual videos.  

(By the way, if you're wondering about the photos chosen, I wanted you to have something colourful to break up the paragraphs of text.  I meandered through what I've saved on Google Drive and picked out random prettiness.)

Let's kick off with a puzzle.  In particular, a Victorian purse puzzle.  All you need is a square of paper.  It helps if it's patterned on both sides, whether that's a commercially made decorative paper or something you've painted or drawn.  This video explains the process of folding a perfect puzzle purse.  Why not give it a go?  

Next up, we have a YouTuber called Bo-tique who's filmed the process of making scrappy fabric birds.  They're backed with felt and embellished with freehand machine embroidery and a white French knot for that little glint in the eye.  I've sewn a version of the birds and appliqued them on to quilt blocks, but Bo-tique sews her bird on to an elasticated bookband.  Your link is here.  
The next video's by Erhman Tapestry and features the artist Candace Bahouth who's designed needlepoint patterns for them.  I love her sense of style, and in this short film we get to see inside her home and garden.  To see not only wonderful examples of her needlepoint, but her eccentric mosaic work too.  She's American born, her mother was Italian, her father Palestinian-Lebanese, a background that inspires her in many ways.  Find her via this link.  
At just over two minutes this handy little film shows how to easily make fabric twine.  Something practical to do with long skinny lengths of scrap fabric.  Your twine link is here. 
Finally in this random round-up we have an interview with Christine Green, as part of Arnold's Attic 'Meet the Artist' series.  Her patchwork is influenced by the Gees Bend quilters, and she's a keen user of upcycled materials.  I love Christine's enthusiasm for her craft, and feel sure you'd like her too.  Find her here.

Okay, that's all my YouTube recommendations for now.  Let me know if I've goofed with any of the links and I'll correct them.  Before I go, I've polished off my third book of 2024, having finished Kate Atkinson's 'Transcription'.  I enjoyed the twist in the tale which worked in that it was entirely unexpected, but once it'd been explained, it was entirely plausible.  I'm moving on to Helen Dunmore's 'House of Orphans' which has sat patiently on my to-be-read pile for a ridiculous amount of time.  It's set in Finland, 1902, so that's a world I know nothing about.  A previous novel of hers that I read - 'Birdcage Walk' - was terrific, having a plotline that steadily grew into something deeply troubling, I won't say any more in case I spoil it but it's worth seeking out.  

I hope you enjoy your Wednesday.  I'm going to tune out the politicians waffling on during Radio 5's coverage of PMQs in the House of Commons, and sort out something for lunch before my stomach rumbles any more.  Bye!  

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