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Claire Chalcraft

#createandmend

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Claire Chalcraft Blog

Vintage Whisperings

Claire Chalcraft Blog

Threads Together

Positivity, Kindness, Gratitude
Creating something visually beautiful that I have imagined then sharing it makes me happy . If this then inspires, helps or pleases someone else then that’s even better – it’s my small way of putting some positivity and kindness out there into the world.more about me!
About


Please note this is a not for profit venture; any gains will be invested in sustainable projects and developing craft-based initiatives to improve individual and community health and well-being using the hashtags #createandmend or #elegantlyknackered

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Carnival Winds (Aires de Carnaval) by Cecilia Koppman"…Tan Callando" (or "At Last Beholding" by Cecilia Koppman      tallgrass prairie studio: The Running Man Thought you might like to see the cutest mini sewing machine ever - the handbag-sized Vulcan children’s chain stitch hand crank.

I visited @broad.street.vintage and fell for this tiny wee treasure… expect more mini sewing shots for the rest of the summer! 

Oh and the VANish thing is a daily snippet of life “on the road” that I’m sharing in my stories… I’m trying to challenge myself this summer to post at least once on stories - advice from my friends Olga @kott.soft.furnishings and Özge @oz...preparing materials for today’s workshop @tasteamesbury was a real treat because it gave me the perfect excuse to play!

My friend, artist, author, chef and all round superstar showed me how to play with paint and gel plate printing… and so I’ve printed enough of these experiments to be able to let folks coming to the workshop today choose whichever they like to use in their stitched piece. Or not of course 🤣

Anyway what I am trying to say is that I am in awe of @pebbleandpinecreative and @o...Curiosity. Creativity. Community. Connection … my kind of C-words.

I’m thrilled to have been invited back to @tasteamesbury and would love to see you there in person, or here in the comments ☺️… 

I love what Matt and Paul have created: Taste is a real community hub in Amesbury and if I lived closer I’d be dropping in all the time.

There’s something pretty special about gathering folk together, inspiring creativity and sharing a bit of what brings some joy and positivity, especially in thes...“Just living is not enough,” said the butterfly, “One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower”
(also cake)
~ Hans Christian Andersen, circa 1862
(obviously me)

OK lovelies - let’s be knowing:  what combination of 3 things (maximum) are your seasonal favourites for summer (or winter if that’s where you are )?

I’ll go first 😉

Linen
 (hahaha + vast quantities and oodles of thread for making delicious floaty frocks and divine textile things)

my glasses
 (to be fitted with a “find-my-...If you’re trying to BE creative, DO less, not more

Defining creativity as productive output alone is missing the point.
Here’s the thing about inspiration:

seeds of ideas & feelings need time to germinate in the ordinary;
imagination flourishes and grows stronger in the quiet, slow times 

For me this is what works when I struggle to move forward with a project or an idea . I turn the problem around and approach it from a different direction…

a bit like floating downstream rather than swim...quite the loveliest connections are those that are unexpected 

Visiting my daughters in Amsterdam is always a treat and @mchalc_ whipped out her phone to catch me (again) in the act of buying (more) linen fabric… 🤣

apparently if you pay in cash, it doesn’t count 😉

@evertgroot.interieurstoffen ‘s linens are fantastic and I fell in love with several colours, restricting myself to buying only a SMALL amount (more later about what I’m planning for this lovely stash)

(AND they ship worldwide 🥳...Je commence une série de petits projets utilisant des tissus utilitaires comme point de départ. Il s’agissait d’un vieux torchon. Je l’ai découpé en trois morceaux verticalement et je vais faire appliquer à la main pour m’amuser avec ces chutes de lin.

Ça m’étonne toujours les avantages que l’on retrouve dès qu’on arrête de s’inquiéter et d’essayer plutôt de s’amuser au lieu de créer son prochain « masterpiece »!

Hand stitching and linen scraps for the win here on a beautiful sunny evening…...Les lignes sont ouvertes… au salon @pourlamourdufil
Je poste cette mini version francophone de la « fabric obsession hotline » en l’honneur de toutes les personnes extraordinaires que j’ai rencontrées cette semaine au salon de la couture, du quilting et de l’artisanat à Nantes, France. 

Un grand merci à @elisabethfuchs_avt - amie et maîtresse de la traduction sans qui cette version n’existerait pas... Il faudra une deuxième partie car je ne parle pas aussi vite en français qu’en anglais ! 

...
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Copyright 2025 Claire Chalcraft

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