embellish.....

Progress of the slow kind is being made on the work for my new class. These pieces are being picked up and given a small amount of attention when my other white piece requires more measuring or joining and there isn't either the time or the space. So it's slow yet valuable progress and it's all progression in one way or another.

My visitors have gone, insert a sad face here...yes my little girl has gone back to London. I missed her the minute she got onto the train....and on it goes until I next see her.

Anyhow...get over yourself Karen...I now have no excuse for not stitching my fingers to the bone so it's going to be full steam ahead...

puffs......for you....yes you..

Just a quick visit today....my little girl is taking me out to Lunch.

It's that time again...you know, that time when I have a give away and take a lifetime to actually get it done and sent. Tammie, your buttons are on their way, in the capable hands of Royal Mail. The winner of the last give away....it's OK I wont be surprised if you forgot it was that long ago...is Sandi, from Impatient Cajun...postal stuff please Sandi.

So a comment is all I need....you don't even have to say anything either if you really don't want to, just leave your name....

wishing you all a lovely...free....lunch!




to read more and register for extending embellishment please go here.

extending embellishment

Yes girls, don't panic I am still joining my cloth. I've also got a little sideline going in creating pieces for the new class, extending embellishment, which starts on March 5. The piece shown here includes stitched paper, stitched cloth and some snippets of vintage cloth which are all seamlessly, (ha! don't believe it!) joined together to become what I hope is a little piece of contemporary art...There is still quite a way to go on this one and then there is the other one...also for the class. It's like a regular stitching marathon here which I love...LOVE, I really do...what's not to love?

to read more and register for extending embellishment then just go here.

playing.....

Last night I found myself with a huge cloth...partly joined and embellished...requiring more joining. I also found myself surrounded by people eating Chinese take away....(yes, take away...I cooked for them once already!!! Where does it say that I am a domestic goddess??? that must be in the same place where it says I know how to park the car...never never land then.) anyway, I digress...what to do? Yes I was being an attentive mother, chatting, making brews, getting water and juice, washing the dishes too but creativity withdrawals were going on.

So I got out my teeny tiny sketchbook and titivated a page. A little stitch, some old paper from way back when that I actually painted myself and knew would come in handy one day and voila!! A new page...love it.

I really must explain my constant presence on here when I have house guests...they go out...Blackpool today, all roller coasters and Candy Floss...tonight they are going to watch Ice Hockey...they don't need me, it's cupboard love, bed and food is all they need...I do get invited but then I get stressed about the state of my carpets...yes Kate...it's OCD...I don't deny that one...I think I have a badge somewhere! You WILL be proud of me tomorrow...I am cooking for them again...and for their friends!!! Now that's what I call Domestic Goddess behaviour...whose going to make me a badge????

to read more about extending embellishment and to register go here.

joining....

Yes I do have visitors....Yes I do have a full house....Yes I have fed everybody......Yes I have sent them all out...peace......hoovering done. Why does having more people in your house always mess up the carpets? For now we have immaculate carpets...for now. We also have quiet time to sew and join sections of my wrapping cloth...these were tacked last night and today they will receive a little TLC and be prettified even more. In a full house during daylight hours sewing time is in short supply...in the evening, even in a full house sewing can be done, on your lap whilst you converse with everyone so that's OK then....tonight I will sew too..........

register for extending embellishment here.

more knots.....French this time...

Mustn't leave anyone out ladies....so in order to keep the world happy today I give you knots of the French kind. A very small corner of my last section, about 3 x 4 inches in size, embellished with circles of knots, an edge of web stitches and embroidered prairie points thrown in for good measure.

Later today I am on e-mail answering duties and then my little girl is coming home...lots to do...more mail to send out about the new class too. If you are pondering on that we don't actually start until March which gives you lots of time to clear the decks, finish off projects....The class has it's own dedicated page on here...just look at the top of this page  but there is also lots more information here too.

Before I go...you know me...never one to suffer in silence. I would like to thank a well known supermarket for NOT gritting their car park!! Yours truly went flying yesterday and split her knee open...today I am hobbling...hobbling for England....and then to cap it all, the moist worrying thing of the whole chaotic mess that is my life....

this morning I pricked my finger on a Rose thorn......believe me I really don't have time to fall asleep for 100 years.....handsome prince or no handsome prince.

Bullion Knots...

bullion knot  noun.....  a decorative stitch in embroidery made by winding the thread several times around the needle before sewing a backstitch.

I feel a new addiction forming...bullion knots. Oh how I love these gorgeous little curly things! Of course they don't have to be curly,  they can just as easily be flat but I like curly....so curly it is. I feel as if all the little padded circles need is a face...they are just like little people...not good really when the inspiration was floral but there you go....poor artistic interpretation, you get it all here, never predictable that's for sure. 

This piece means another panel finished...one more requires embellishment and I have a feeling I will have to make more to complete my cloth so watch this space. Once I start I can't stop but never fear...I have a list! 

The wrapping cloth class....which sadly is nearly over, has to be my priority but then??? You should see the list for my new class!! Want to join in? Then just go here to read more and register if it takes your fancy!

cross stitch hearts and a pocket.....

A row of running stitch and a row of cross stitch hearts have been placed alongside my mums pocket...My pieces are slowly coming together. One or two sections on one or two panels are waiting to be embellished and I am working my way through them steadily. The girls are doing great things...really great things. The proof is here so please take a look.

I wanted to clarify a couple of things regarding the new class, Extending Embellishment. This class is NOT a continuation of the Wrapping Cloth class. I will not be making a wrapping cloth. That's not to say that you can't if you want to, I will guide you whichever way your work develops.

I will be making two 'art' pieces. The 'extending' will be in the form of creating surface for hand embroidery using fine cloth and delicate paper. It will be in the form of adding tiny mirrors to cloth, of manipulation methods involving ruching and withdrawing threads. It will be in the application of embellishment in unexpected ways....

If you sign up you will receive a suggested equipment list within 24 hours along with more detail on the class format. The class forum will go ''live'' one week before the start date giving you access to a video in which I discuss and consider options for finished pieces.

To get a sense of the things we are likely to cover you can look here , here and here. To sign up and read more go here. To view feedback from precious courses then go here....

phew! that should keep you busy!!

Knots....of the Bullion and French kind

The eagle eyed amongst you will have noticed that I have been fiddling with this blog.....I wanted to move...not as easy as you would think....so after many hours of frustration I decided that life is way too short to be spent bearing a grudge against technology....so here I stay...in a better way I hope with bigger images and less clutter. Some of the stuff has been moved ''upstairs'' to new pages...have a look upwards, they are there at the top of the page. Have a browse if you want....

I am on the beg too....for more liker's over on my new facebook page. You don't even ever have to visit, ignore it for the rest of your life....but please, if you can find it in your heart...like it first....I am putting pictures from Karen's Global Embroidery School on there every day....spreading the love.

Back to today, the pictures, Bullion Knots and French Knots, so very relaxing to embroider. I spent a lovely evening yesterday with nothing but decorative knots in my head.....wonderful. I am slowly finishing sections of my cloth...some require more work than others.....

A weekend of sampling and ''admin'' led to the completion of the early stages of prep for my new course. I am very excited about this one...I am excited about all of them but as this one is new it is a little bit of a challenge and I like a challenge. We will be creating surfaces first...surfaces for hand embroidery and we will be using the sewing machine. Those of you who know me will know that I am not the biggest fan of the sewing machine but I have to concede it has its uses. (don't panic though....the dreaded sewing machine plays a VERY small part in the bigger plan. I haven't gone over to the dark side) There has been a brilliant response so far and we are less than 24 hours in, so if you think you may want to sew with us then just pop here to register....or you could look ''upstairs'' again...there is a dedicated page up there....

Extending Embellishment

Finally, it's here. My new online class.

Creating our own unique surfaces for embroidery we will explore hand stitch over a six week period. Using simply woven cloth and delicate papers these surfaces will mimic lace and the fragile textiles of our history. Combined with complimentary fabrics of your choice techniques demonstrated can be applied to your own work or alternatively join me in creating two unique pieces of Textile Art, born from tradition yet developing into a modern, contemporary form.
This class is suitable for all skill levels as comprehensive instruction will be given throughout.
Access to all resources which include a student blog, new, improved video demonstration, PDF documents and a dedicated flickr group are available permanently, continuing after the initial six week instructional period. 
More information comprising a suggested equipment list and ''welcome'' document will be provided within 24 hours of course registration.
Registration opens Monday February 6
Learning begins Monday March 5.

Register here.