Smallbeans

Name: Smallbeans
Address: Milton Keynes, MK130, GB
Telephone: +447941547433

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This is where design and create things made from fabric and stitch. For your home and your coat. I have also made huge quilts with primary schools!

26/10/2026

I know, I know, posting this as completely the wrong time of day……not sure where my organising brain is at the memory. But the trees are made and packed, such lovely new styles and fabrics I’ve been collecting for the last few months, the ideas just kept coming! I’ll be at this Saturday, always a lovely art and makers fair, beautiful work in a great venue. Hope to see some of you there. I did my degree at Leicester, way back when it was a polytechnic……. So I feel very connected to the city.

06/10/2026

I’ve had this tile for about 10 years, bought from a charity shop £1.99 I expect. Always loved it but was just carefully wrapped up in a draw. Drawn to the trees, inspiration for my 👍. Thought it was Scandinavian but thanks to google lens (sorry) turns out to be French! I knew it was a bit special, the colours and mid century design. I must rearrange the kitchen to make space for it.

23/09/2026

Be still my beating heart 💓 This vintage beauty has come to a good home, picked up this morning from the local Scrap Store omg! I have wanted one for a long time. I did have the opportunity a few years ago but didn’t have a spare £260 (for an older one with the lovely sylko label. But this is fabulous from the 70’s and all the reels were in it, considerably cheaper. I could fill it 5x over probably (sshhhh!) It is a thing of beauty and very welcome in my studio as a prop, NFS. Perfect for the upcoming tree season, I must get on with some Christmas trees very soon but have been too busy! 🧵💜🩷💙

19/09/2026

Remember these? Three weeks ago I did a creative retreat with my fiend Cherry in a beautiful community woodland hosted by Ruth Singer. I made swiftly-swallow-like birds with eucalyptus leaves, carefully arranging and stitching into place. I then had a flash of inspiration at home and eco printed them onto some wool with walnut leaves from the same day. Thinking about migrating birds making their summer homes in our urban environments. The exhibition is only on for 2 days 12-4 at Arts Central Studios but this work will return I’m sure. Cherry Abrams Ruth Singer Heritage Open Days Save Wolverton Swifts and Martins Eco print on wool, leaf collages, appliqué and hand embroidery,

14/09/2026

I had a lovely afternoon at SGI-UK Taplow Court yesterday taking about my Saxon textiles inspired by their Saxon Mound. The weather wasn’t great, but I was very happy under a gazebo in the courtyard. I had a few interesting conversations with Buddhists regarding their belief in finding a tiny glimmer of hope in dark times.I had no idea my subject focus had that relevance to their beliefs and practice…..it just made sense to me in the dark place I found myself in and looking for glimmers hope and glimmers of gold in the excavations. A thoughtful day, thank you 🙏🏼 also thanks to Phil the head gardener for the invitation his wife Claire Rollinson Art and lovely assistant, another Claire. Some great conversations!

I set up the larger work, with information and soil studies on the table. Lots of conversations about eco printing and making oak gall ink, there was a table to try the magic of the iron water for themselves.

This was my view, a beautiful Japanese tree 🌳

The reason for going initially was to take a photo of my Taplow inspired work next to the mound. I should have taken a stylist 😂 a day in the rain did nothing for my frizzy hair and my over stuffed pockets!

Taplow Part 2, this one will be framed for the museum collection.

07/09/2026

I’ve been channeling my Saxon Stitching recently, ready for an open day on the 13th of September (next Sunday!) at the SGI-UK headquarters near Maidenhead. Taplow Mound was one of the settings from my recent residency with The Muir Trust, I loved visiting back in June and being shown round by the Head Gardner Phil. I’ve been stitching my 2nd Taplow walk and more of the ‘soil studies’ with oak gall ink and vintage threads. The garden is open from 12.30-5pm it would be lovely to see you there if you are local to the area, come and say hello!

Address

Milton Keynes
MK130

Telephone

+447941547433

Website

http://www.smallbeans.co.uk/

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