Congratulations to Suzanne Jones, aka Heckadoodledo, whose design was chosen as the winner by our judge, Jackie, of Paint Your Own Ceramics with Calli's Corner.

Suzanne's lovely sea life mask template is available in our Market Place, along with the other entrants', and a couple of other masks.  Don't forget, if you order a mask, order a swatch and I'll print the patterned section and include plain fabric for the lining. (£2.50, post free.) Suzanne has put her design on both styles of mask; the 2 together fit onto a fat quarter, so if you want both, you'll need to order a fat quarter.  If the competition has inspired you to design your own mask, the templates for a folded and a fitted mask are still available.  See blog page DIY Face Masks.

One of the nice things about Dorking is the huge variety of independent shops, many of them unusual, quirky or unexpected, and many of them housed in very old buildings.  (Some of the Dorking buildings go back a very long way and include the home of one of the Pilgrim Fathers who sailed to America in the Mayflower in 1620)

I thought, since face coverings were originally brought in to be worn in shops, that it would be appropriate to ask a shopkeeper to judge the designs.  I asked Jackie of Calli's Corner to be our judge and she very kindly agreed.  Paint Your Own Ceramics with  Calli's Corner is based in South Street in Dorking, just round the corner from Print me Pretty.  At the moment, you have to book a session, but basically you go along, choose an item (all hand-made by Jackie) and paint it.  You leave it to be fired and collect it a few days later.  It's suitable for all ages - my grandchildren, aged 2 and 4, love doing it.  In fact, we're taking the 2 year old the week after next, so I can give you a personal update then!