Studio Journal

When I combine multiple images to create one complex composition, the result can be beautifully layered. but technically challenging.

At Printwear & Promotion LIVE I spent time with Robert Smith and the Wilcom team, gaining clarity on workflows that will shape my digital embroidery practice and teaching at Eau Brink Studio, proving how important it is to keep learning, even if fuelled by one Americano too many.

Once visitors began to drift in, the atmosphere truly came alive. There was a wonderful buzz conversations flowing, laughter carrying across the space, and that unmistakable energy that happens when people gather to browse, discover, and connect. At the Warehouse in Setchey.

If you’re feeling a bit stuck, or overwhelmed by half-finished ideas, consider this your gentle permission slip. You don’t have to start something new. Pick one forgotten project. One neglected fabric. One job that’s been hanging around for far too long

Sometimes the change is gradual — almost unnoticeable — and sometimes it arrives as a moment where you realise that what once fitted no longer quite does. This feels like one of those moments.

There’s a quiet shift that happens during a workshop, when nervousness gives way to confidence and a new technique begins to feel possible.

A winter studio, a frozen pond, and a small group of stitched animals quietly finding their way into the world. A reflection on making, stillness, and the little companions that keep us company.

Snow has a way of slowing everything down. In the studio, winter days invite quiet stitching, thoughtful making, and time to simply look and reflect. With tea, cake, and inspiring textile work on display, the studio is open by arrangement for those who’d like to visit.

As the year gently turns, I’m looking ahead with gratitude and curiosity. This year marks ten years of Eau Brink Studio — a decade shaped by making, teaching and shared creativity. With new workshops now live and more planned for the months ahead, it feels like the perfect time to pause, plan and make space for creativity in the year to come.

The worktable holds several pieces at different stages. Some are nearly finished, others are still being questioned. Fabrics are being handled repeatedly, stitched sections unpicked and reworked, edges refined, proportions adjusted. This stage is slow, but it is essential. It’s where intention becomes tangible.

Winter invites a different kind of creativity. It’s a season for slowing down, for returning to unfinished pieces, and for paying closer attention to materials and technique. Hand stitching, sampling, testing ideas, mending rather than starting anew

A quiet winter studio becomes a space for reflection, sampling and creative development. Anita shares how winter months are used to test workshop ideas, plan the year ahead, and create mixed-media textile art, transforming her own photographs into embroidered works for exhibition using an embroidery machine.

Discover the quiet beauty of sustainability through clothing made from repurposed textiles. From forgotten buttons to vintage fabrics, each piece carries a story of renewal, creativity and conscious making. Explore how reclaiming materials can inspire unique, meaningful garments that celebrate both individuality and the planet.

Turning a photograph into stitch isn’t as simple as pressing a button — it’s a dance between software, patience, and creative decision-making. But once the design reaches the embroidery machine, colour takes over, transforming the same piece into endless possibilities.

A quiet moment, a warm kettle and time to breathe — this month I’m slowing the pace and leaning into the calm side of creativity. Read the blog for a gentle pause and a little winter inspiration.

Don’t worry about the A47 evening roadworks — Eau Brink Studio is still open and easy to reach! Find out how National Highways’ escort system keeps access clear for evening workshops, plus discover our new late-night Thursday openings and creative gift vouchers for the festive season.

Sometimes the best creativity happens when you pause. At Eau Brink Studio, taking a moment to breathe - whether during a relaxed Social Wednesday or an Experimental Thursday full of playful mess - can be the key to fresh inspiration and renewed joy in the making.

It’s been another wonderful whirlwind at the NEC Creative Craft Show — full of laughter, colour, and shared creativity. I’ve come home with tired feet, a full heart, and a head buzzing with new ideas. Thank you to everyone who came by my stand — it’s meeting like-minded makers that makes these big shows so special.

Anita reflects on a hectic but rewarding week preparing her new range of Dancing Haberdashery needlecases. From late-night battles with Wilcom software to getting the whimsical designs (pins, scissors, irons) to behave, it’s been a rollercoaster of creativity and chaos. Today, she’s loading the van and heading to the Creative Craft Show at the NEC Birmingham, ready to exhibit on Stand K34. Visitors are invited to stop by, see the new designs, chat about textile art, and share in the fun after a week of tangled threads and triumphs.

At Eau Brink Studio, we’ve noticed a steady drop in workshop bookings during school holidays as families juggle childcare and changing term dates across the UK. Anita Rayfield shares her thoughts on adapting to this trend — including offering group bookings only during holiday periods — and invites readers to share their feedback on shaping future creative sessions.

When my mobile phone went in for repair, I didn’t expect to feel such unease. Backing up files, pressing “factory reset,” and hoping everything returns safely made me realise how much we rely on our phones — especially as small business owners and creatives. In this personal reflection from Eau Brink Studio, I explore our connection with technology and the balance between digital tools and handmade creativity.