For centuries women have used cloth as a tool of comfort and as an expression of beauty within their homes. Creating cloth for warmth, cloth for shelter, our female predecessors embellished these linens with hand stitch using laborious and time consuming techniques thereby enhancing the functional beauty of objects which enveloped and protected their families. Inspired by these women I hope my creations pay tribute to and recognise the devotion expressed in cloth by our female ancestors .







''the use of traditional often time consuming process alludes to the devotion of a mother''. c K. A. Ruane 2007







Saturday, August 20, 2011

embroider, embellish, create

I have taken the plunge. I have spent the last week working hard  creating a new blog, creating PDF sheets, making video tutorials, a new flickr group, a new facebook page. Why??? I am about to make an heirloom for my daughter, a white on white wrapping cloth. I would love you to make one with me, For yourself, for your daughter, for whomever you want. Yours doesn't have to be white although I would love it if it was ........ we can talk about that later......
It is available here, it will start on Monday 29th August. I am limiting it to 25 places. You all deserve my undivided attention for feedback, queries. I should be able to manage that with 25. I'm nervous, I'm excited, I'm itching to start....



just to clarify a couple of points that have arisen from e mail etc. This course will remain online for those who sign up indefinitely, a reference and resource to be used until their personal cloth is completed. You can work at my pace or at your own pace it is entirely up to you. I will be available for support and feedback via e-mail after the six weeks is over for any issue relating to this course. However,.....the instructional blog, flickr group etc will only be available to those who have signed up for the course, being password protected and by invitation only in respect of the flickr group.  I hope this helps answer any queries you may have.
For further information you feel you require please e mail me 
contemporaryembroidery@hotmail.com

15 comments:

deanna7trees said...

yay....even though i'm overloaded with things i'm doing, i wasn't about to pass this up. just signed up. can't wait. this is great.

Suztats said...

Wonderful! Looking forward to seeing your heirloom piece! Best of luck with the class.....hope it's full to bursting!

monika@mysweetprairie.ca said...

Hello Karen, what perfect timing! This is just what I am looking for. I have no training and long fo ra mentor. I have a BIG project due mid-October that I need to get a jump on. Otherwise, I could begin the course of yours a month late... or dwindle a bit at the start. Is that a problem? I am otherwise very into committing to this.
~Monika in Canada

Carol Q said...

ooh Karen how lovely. I look forward to seeing everyone's progress with interest - it won't be a closed group will it??? I'm sorry life is too busy to join in with you at the moment.

Joanna said...

I would love to do something like that but I fear that this year would be just too much. I have got too many other plans to commit to one more. One step at a time.Wish you all the best with it though as it sounds such an exciting project

Montreat Designs said...

Karen!!!

Fantastic! I am in Monika's boat with the Liturgical Arts Fair on October 10, I would have to join late. But want to if that is possible. Let me know if that might work.

Fantastic plan and offering. I know it will be a quality experience and I want to join in.

Elizabeth said...

Can't wait to see the itinerary and the way you take everyone travelling into your world.
I'm going into another direction at the moment so I'm not joining this time.

Flaming Nora said...

Oh how I wish I could join in. But I am so busy. not even for this could I squeeze any more time out of my life. Hope the 25 come away with something amazing. Can't imagine they won't. Good luck.

Anonymous said...

So that's why you've been so busy and so mysterious...!

Mary said...

Ok, I'm in. Just signed up and looking forward to it!

Anonymous said...

Aha... good for you, that sounds great. I'm sure your class will fill up in no time :-)

Jackie said...

Wow..you are amazing. Good luck with it all. It looks like you're all booked up. Best of luck. Everyone will enjoy it I'm sure.

Magpie's Mumblings said...

How I wish I could join in this!!! I have already committed to another online class AND I have 9 denim jackets needing to be made to fulfill my promises, plus I have a project of my own I'm hoping to get off the ground in the next little while. I wish you all the luck in the world and really (REALLY!!) hope you will offer this again so I can learn from you.

Doreen G said...

I'm with Mary-Anne regarding the class Karen--I would kill to be able to join in this time but I am getting ready for the Embroiderers guild exhibition at the end of September and then I will be getting ready for a 14 day cruise in November so I am unable to enrol this time---maybe next year if you do it again.
Good luck with it all and try to keep those students in line and don't let them try to be the boss.

Connie Eyberg Originals said...

Karen, I really wish I could. It just is not going to work out now. Your work is amazing and I would love to learn from you. As there seems to be an interest in another offering next year, maybe I could join in then if it comes to fruition. At any rate there will be 25 lucky people taking that class!