Gluten, dairy, soya-free baking

So what's been happening?
Lots of rain, cancelled workshop, mask making and baking.

Sadly the textiles and art journalling courses I was supposed to be running over the next 4 weeks have been cancelled, due to one parent dropping out. That may sound like over-reaction but she was also transporting another family, so accounted for 5 kids in total, well over 50% of the group. But, onwards and upwards.

I am off to L Fest next weekend, where I shall be attending the Tipping the Velvet Masquerade Ball. What more excuse does a crafty person like me need to get cracking on a mask? You can see the progress on here.

And today has been baking day as we've run out of biscuits. Today's batch are polenta biscuits from here (you have to scroll down a bit, but there are lots of other gluten-free recipes too). I used fine cornmeal (40p for 500g in ASDA Caribbean section), Vitalite sunflower spread (which is dairy and soya free), added 1/2 tsp of xanthan gum, omitted the zest and used vanilla bean paste instead, topping them off with strawberry jam. Lovely crunchy biscuits.

More workshops :-)

So it's a wet and grey Monday here in Rugby. When will this foul weather end? Hopefully in time for L Fest the weekend after next! And then, once I've moved to Coventry I'll be able to enjoy summer sunshine in my garden. Still no moving date, but there's no reason to worry. Everything appears to be going to plan (for a change)

Last week was a sewing week. I joined a steampunk facebook group (Baron Vincent Von Rictus Baines Compendium of Interesting Artefacts) and discovered, to my delight, not only a wonderful online community of fellow eccentrics, but a hat making competition. The challenge was to make a steampunk hat by 30th June. I joined with 5 days to go and set to it. I needed the impetus to get going on my costume for Asylum in September (Europe's largest steampunk convention, held in Lincoln) and it helped to crystallise my character. You have to understand, steampunk is a fantasy, loosely based on the Victorian era, but with the idea of technology having continued without the development of the silicon chip. Each steampunk has their own take on it, and there really is no right or wrong (although you always get one or two people who like to show off by telling you your cap badge is from the wrong era, so not authentic - authentic? steampunk? IT'S NOT REAL!!). So characters are wide ranging. I have opted for explorer/aviator. My imaginary character is a female explorer and adventurer who flies her own private dirigible/airship. Therefore my hat is a flying hat.

I made it from scratch out of some brown PVC I had left over from a project years ago. I thought it would be fairly easy. How wrong I was! Trying to fit slippery and fairly thick material over one's own head, unassisted is really quite hard, actually. There was some swearing, lots of sticky tape, a bit more swearing, a good deal of exasperation, and several trips back and forth between the mirror and my sewing machine. But in the end I have a hat.

Spot the mistake ...

Sight made out of a plastic lid and some brass shim

The strap is an old watch strap

I also made up the pattern and muslin for the trousers I want. I used e-sewing workshop tutorials on their 7-day free trial. Brilliantly detailed. I would love to subscribe and learn everything, but finances prevent it for now. However, the muslin fits perfectly so now all I need to do is get to the Rag Market in Birmingham and get some fabric for the final thing.

And this week sees the start of two new children's courses: textiles in the morning and art journalling in the afternoon. I will get parental consent to publish photos so you can see what we get up to.