It’s almost a year since The Mobile Makery (aka Bambi) and I hit the road to take part in Stroud’s SITE Festival Open Studios which this year fall on 5th/6th and 12th/13th May.

SITE is a festival of artist-led projects that pop up in venues all across this wonderful little town which nestles in a valley on the edge of the Cotswolds. I have a big soft spot for Stroud. Not only did its mills help forge Britain's textile revolution, they literally stitched it together too as Stroud was a clattering powerhouse of pin manufacture. The town now supports dozens of artisans, boasts an abundant weekly farmers’ market and still retains links to its textile past - its home to a company that manufactures cloth for pool tables. A useful thing to know the next time you accidentally rip through the baize with your cue!

Last year I was lucky enough to team up with Atelier Stroud - a hub for a huge variety of unique creative workshops. You can learn how to put together a podcast, sew a teddy bear or fashion a reusable sanitary pad - YES - that’s right - Stroud’s always been ecologically minded! The lovely Katharina Hveger Child, who owns Atelier Stroud, responded almost immediately to my call out for a place to pop-up during open studios. She not only gave Bambi a generous spot in Atelier’s forecourt, she positively welcomed me into the creative world that she’s so carefully and imaginately curated in the town. 

She’s been a huge supporter of my Sew on the Go project and I’d like to thank her and all those who’ve encouraged me on this journey. You’ll all be thrilled to hear that we’ve funded a massive 38% of the book and we’re now tantalisingly close to the half way mark.

BRILLIANT! THANKYOU!

Please tell all your friends about Sew on the Go - and see if you can persuade them on board too. It would be great to be able to take to the highways and byways of Britain in Bambi with my new book to promote!

Mary Jane x