Julie Taylor

I have moved my blog to www.lovefibres.blogspot

It is so easy to use that I'm blogging much more frequently, so i won't be adding to this one anymore.

I am so pleased with myself. I have recently discovered Eco Spun Craft felt.

It is made from 100% post consumer recycled plastic bottles. How cool is that!

It is economical and comes in all the colours you would expect.

Don't get me wrong, I love 100% wool felt, but there are times when you just want to experiment , or let the kids have a craft day - and wool felt is just too precious for that. I felt bad buying acrylic felt, so now I don't have to!

I bought mine from www.craft-felt.co.uk and delivery was really quick. It feels good to handle and embroider and it cuts nicely in the Cuttlebug - even delicate scalloped edges, like the yellow circle below. 

I found using a soldering iron slightly harder work than with the original Kunin felt - delicate work might be a bit of a problem, .... or maybe I just need more practise!

I must be the world's worst blogger. I have started blogs before on this site and had to delete them as I'm so bad at keeping up the routine. This time however, I'm really going to try hard to post regularly. Having just returned from the Craft, Hobby and Stitch Trade show at the NEC in the UK, where I was so disappointed by the lack of green crafting iniatives, I feel I've got to "do my bit" to promote every new initiative that I come across ...... so here goes with the blog again...... we'll see how long it lasts!

Mmmm, the trade show at the NEC, well what can say? I really thought there would be a big emphasis on eco friendly products and buying British.On more than one occasion, when I asked questions about the provenance of an item, the rep I was talking to looked at me as though I'd grown two heads - they didn't know where the item came from or what it was made of - or perhaps they just didn't want to tell me!

The highlight of the show, for me, was the Ecochums stand. They had beautiful organic cottons from Westfalenstoffe, some of which were dyed in an environmentally friendly way.Thank you Lesley for spending time talking to me about the products and empathising with me, even though, as a designer, I wasn't a potential client. I shall be using your products. You can take a peek at www.westfalenstoffe.de  Click on the English version and then the biological cultivated fabrics section.

Personal Impressions also deserve a mention ( and my friend Lindsay who was demonstrating her rubber stamps on the stand). PI distribute the K & Co Re-Make range of cardstock. It is made from 100% post consumer waste and printed with soy ink. I have been promoting this card since last autumn and I shall continue to do so until I manage to find a British equivalent. Go to www.personalimpressions.com and search remake collection.

My overall impression  -  Britain must try harder!