03/01/2024
ingredients
Following on from my post yesterday....I have embroidered more snippets.
I haven't got round to stitching more papers yet but having these pieces finished feels like a milestone.
The embroidered gingham was worked earlier this week. That shows the slow growing nature of these little books but it's more than worth the time........
02/29/2024
two embroidered pages
The first two pages for my next collection of hand embroidered artist books are very much in progress.
More papers need to be stitched, altered before I can go much further and I also need to make more tiny stitched snippets.
Those things are very much on my 'to do' list and I hope to get started later today.
02/27/2024
a hoop of embroidered flowers
Progress from yesterdays post.....
My embroidery hoop is now filled with flowers.
The open spaces, the unworked spaces....they are cutting out allowances.
I can't wait to start stitching these onto pages in my little books.
02/26/2024
Embroidered flowers on gingham
My little hand stitched books sold out very quickly last week, thank you again.
I have been asked if there will be any more for sale, the answer is yes.
This is the start of that process which has been explained in the short video today.
Little gingham snippets need to be created as page embellishments, the ones partially worked here will be little collections of flowers.
It's also another opportunity for me to praise the usefulness of gingham, today for its use with cross stitch.
I would have made more of these little books regardless of the possibility of selling them.
They are delightful to create and feel so very delicate in your hand.
02/23/2024
Wrapping cloth update. Two short videos.
There are two videos today, updates on my latest wrapping cloth.
The first is mainly chat and the pinning of a seam.
In the second I begin embellishment of that seam.
Wrapping cloth update. 1.
Wrapping cloth update. 2.
02/22/2024
Stitched paper, enhancing a design sheet.
In this post a few days ago I was speaking about how looking through past works never fails to inspire.
It's also a good way to look at pieces with fresh eyes to see if anything can be added.
This morning I was doing just that with paper based pieces from my last class.
I explain more in the video.
02/20/2024
hexagons
Thank you so much for loving my little books from yesterday. They have all gone! Should I make some more?
******
Do you remember in this post I was looking through some of my embroidery?
Well I found this little doodled and stitched sheet in amongst my cloth pieces. I have no idea how it got there, it shouldn't have been there and that will explain why it's a little dog eared.
Anyway, I was working with hexagons yesterday for my latest wrapping cloth and as this little sheet is a kind of hexagon doodle I was compelled to lay my hexagon pieces on it.
Has it informed? It has actually although I definitely don't need another distraction at the moment.
I will bank this one.
02/19/2024
five hand stitched Artist Books
Sold out!! Thank you so, so much x
Five hand embroidered artist books, now available in my shop.
You have seen these pieces progress over the past weeks, from the stitching of papers to create the pages to the embroidery of the tiny scraps which adorn each page along with the further embellishment of pages using masses of bullion knots, a litlle buttonhole stitch and a few French knots.
You also saw the creation of the gingham pockets which each of these lives in for safe keeping.
The description here sounds a little like a marathon but I have to say, I have loved every minute of creating these. I'm not going to stop.
There is a delicacy to each piece, beautiful to handle, fragile yet heavily embellished.
There's a closer look at these little books in the video today.
02/18/2024
a quick look through some of my embroidered pieces
My table has been full of stitched pieces today, some finished, some unfinished.
These recaps are a good way of becoming reinspired and also of reminding yourself about those unfinished pieces which have languished for far too long.
02/15/2024
Gingham love
I adore gingham, memories of gingham as a child, memories of grandmothers and gingham and apart from that.....using gingham means I am able to cut a straight line without measuring and marking.
Today, a short video showing a little embroidery on gingham along with some chat.
I apologise for my thumb too. I really should have covered it up.
My nail came off and it's healing......I promise it's clean!
(Web stitch is demonstrated more fully in this post).
02/13/2024
pouch
There has been a lot of interest in the pouch I showed yesterday in my latest video.
A couple of photos of it for you today.
The background fabric was purchased in Portugal last year.
02/12/2024
embroidery chat
Hi everyone. How are you?
A short video today about what's happening here creatively.
02/11/2024
sixteen
Sixteen embroidered snippets prepped yesterday.
The smallest of these is one and a half by a quarter inch.
The square pieces are one and a half inches by one and a half inches, the largest pieces one inch by two inches.
I speak about the creation of these little pieces on video in this post.
02/10/2024
embroidery hoops, Saturday prep
This morning I prepped some embroidery for tonight,
two hoops full of little things to stitch to fill more pages for more artist books.
Now I'm off to a party, a party to celebrate this little guy turning two last week.
Yes, there will be cake.
02/08/2024
hand stitches, process
Hand embroidery stitches. Therapeutic, relaxing, the ritual, the process.
Web stitches and three ways with a bullion knot.
02/05/2024
the reverse of stitched papers
My little books are still very much in progress.
Today I will stitch more papers, build up my stash then I can make more of these.
Meanwhile, I had an idea about the page reverses.......
It's all explained in the video.
02/02/2024
gingham pockets
Gingham pockets lined with Liberty fabric.
These will be used to hold my little artist books.
They are very simply put together and measure around five by ten inches.
I wanted to come on here today for another reason.
Yesterday I created a new Flickr group.
This group is open to anyone with a love of embroidery. There are no prerequisites to joining, it isn't linked to any of my online learning programmes, it's a space for like minded people to get together, share images, take part in discussions and generally 'hang out'.
You can have a look at 'a gathering of embroiderers' here and click 'join' if you want to tag along.
I'm signing off for the weekend as this little chap is coming for a sleepover.
02/01/2024
just a few stitches
Working my way through the pages for my little artist books, fast running out of embellishments!
Another video today, a shorter one, stitching very small pieces to enhance these pages.
(I apologise for not covering my thumb!)
01/30/2024
putting an embroidered page together, a video
A little video for you! The first for quite some time.
Putting a page together.....
01/29/2024
The white pouch
Following on from my post yesterday I have decided to use the white pouch to store the things relating to my little artist books.
The pin pillow and needlecase won't live in there, it will be the threads, papers, ribbons and other snippets.
Next up, deciding which pouch to keep my wrapping cloth things in.
01/28/2024
pouches
Three pouches, all hand embroidered, all hand finished, made over a very long period of time.
The Grandmothers flower garden pouch was made very recently, the others....wow, eons ago.
I have these out because due to having two projects very much in progress I am constantly buried under supplies and materials for both.
Surely it would make life easier if each project had it's own pouch?
One for the wrapping cloth panels, one for the soft, delicate artist book pages and the tools needed for each......threads, fabrics etc.
Two projects, three pouches? I'm in the process of deciding which one won't be needed....
01/26/2024
little stitched snippets
You have been seeing this work quite a lot recently but I hope I am showing you new pages today along with new snippets of embroidery which I will use to embellish these pages.
The little box last made an appearance here and has since been filled with more tiny stitched pieces.
I am particularly enamoured by the tiny gingham squares which each have five French knots stitched into them.
There's a collection building and I am considering selling a couple of these when they are finished.
That's if I can bear to part with them of course.
01/25/2024
wrapping cloth and artist books
There are a couple of projects in progress here.
There's my latest wrapping cloth and there are little hand made artist books taking shape.
Today I'm going to spend time with both....
01/23/2024
the next panel, a wrapping cloth
You last saw this a couple of weeks ago, my latest wrapping cloth in progress.
Since then I have embellished another panel using patchwork, hand embroidery, pleating and Suffolk puffs.
This latest panel is now pinned in place ready to be basted before I embellish the seam.
There is still quite a way to go with this cloth, there are more panels to put together and embroider.
01/22/2024
bullion knots on paper
My bullion knot addiction is resurfacing.
The papers I have been creating recently lend themselves to bullion knots.
I think it's the soft loops against the delicate background.
At thirty five wraps each my thread is running low though....I've ordered more.
01/19/2024
yesterday
Yesterday I spoke a little about altering papers with stitch.
Today I'm sharing a little of the embroidery I worked into those papers last night.
01/18/2024
altering papers
This morning has been spent on my sewing machine, altering papers, creating textured surfaces which I can then use in little artist books like this one and this one.
It is hard to emphasise enough how creating a stash of these pieces is a valuable use of your time.
Once enhanced with embroidery and tiny snippets of cloth and ribbon these pages will be even more unique than they are at this stage.
01/16/2024
Book play 2.
I mentioned in my post yesterday that I was thinking of putting another of these little books together, well here it is.
This one is much smaller measuring just seven by four inches.
Also here, a little box filled with tiny stitched pieces which are auditioning for a place on these pages.
01/15/2024
Book play
This little book was created some time ago but I thought it deserved a little more attention.
Little circles of gingham have been embroidered and they will be added to a page before I create more small samples in order to completely fill this artist book.
I'm considering putting another one together too, maybe later today.
01/11/2024
piecing Liberty fabric, adding embroidery
There's a new wrapping cloth in progress.
This one is mostly Liberty print fabric with added hand embroidery, patchwork, prairie points and lace.
The next step is a pocket for the surface.
There's still a way to go with this. More panels are needed before it gets backed and titivations are added to the edges.
01/09/2024
white and patchwork, a new hand embroidered pouch
You may have noticed my absence recently. Well I haven't been idle.
I finished the piece I showed you yesterday and I made myself a new pouch.
When I make these pouches I just embroider a square of cloth before adding a backing, (which becomes the lining). I then fold the piece, hand finish the edges and hey presto.
Usually the cente opening is left open but with this one I have added ribbon ties and vintage glass buttons.
Below are images taken before this was folded into shape.
01/08/2024
gingham and vintage cloth
Finished. This piece is now backed, embellishments have been added to two edges and there's a side pocket to hold my printed tape.
You can read more about this piece and the printed tape in this post.
01/05/2024
Grandmother's flower garden.
Wow....it's 2024. How did that happen?
There has been plenty of stitching happening whilst I have been away, a lot of it involving these little patchwork pieces.
There's a new pouch almost finished and a new wrapping cloth very much in progress.
This piece is also finished.
Hopefully I will stick around long enough to share those with you.
11/28/2023
finishing
In my last post I was speaking about extending a finished piece.
Today I'm showing you a piece which isn't yet finished, it's been unfinished for a long time.
It's time I think to back this one.
Created during one of my online classes, this one is called 'a cloth for nanna'.
Gingham holds nanna memories for me. I remember wearing little gingham skirts and things which she had made.
Yes, this one definitely deserves to be finished.
Yesterday I was doing some 'sorting out' and came across the label you can see here.
That is a quote from research I carried out during my studies years ago and I think it's quite fitting for this piece so it will be attached as I finish my 'cloth for nanna'.
''the use of traditional, often time consuming process alludes to the devotion of a mother''.
11/26/2023
an embroidered throw, a wrapping cloth
The wrapping cloth in these images has been made for quite some time.
The new work is the small piece, most visible in the foreground of the first image.
I'm considering making the finished cloth bigger, adding more embroidered pieces to one edge, the piece today being the first of those.
It will of course affect the backing of the original piece but I'm sure any extra pieces I add can be backed separately once they are attached to the main piece.
I'll keep you posted..... but bear in mind this one will be a slow burner....
11/23/2023
altering pages
My Alchemy work is taking place on sheets and in this little notebook.
The latest ideas are being worked on altered pages, it gives a different perspective.
These pages aren't finished, lots more stitching to do....
11/21/2023
11/20/2023
creating texture on paper
More paper is being stitched, the process mentioned in this post.
It's very useful to have these pieces as an enhancement for a page, a design sheet, an artist book.
I do have plans for these latest pieces but I haven't finished playing with the technique yet so should also have a pile for my stash too when I am finished.
11/18/2023
considering new directions
My table is full of stitched papers, design sheets, hand made buttons and inspiration.
I see so much potential here, potential for continuation of my Alchemy project and potential for new works.
I am so excited by all this.
The Google definition of Surface Design however fails to do this process justice.
Surface design is any type of artwork (pattern, illustration, hand lettering, etc.) made by a designer that is intended to be applied to a surface to enhance its visual appearance and/or functionality.
I'm sure they could fit the word 'exciting' in there somewhere.
11/16/2023
stitched paper as an embellishment for surface design
We've been stitching papers in Alchemy, adding thread to printed backgrounds.
These textural paper scraps are so useful for enhancing a design sheet or pages in a sketchbook.
It's quite addictive. I hadn't done this for a long time before this week and now I am itching to do it some more.
Today I started to use it in my work for class and am more than excited to progress those new pieces.
(can't show you those yet, maybe next week)
11/14/2023
lace cloth, silk velvet and gingham patchwork
I took a little time out from class work this week to finish this piece.
It has been edged with buttonhole stitch, two rows, which finishes it well I think.
I'm not sure what will happen with this going forward although I am tempted to create another, similar piece and join the two.
The base of this is lace cloth and the patchwork pieces sit on scraps of silk velvet as do the various hand stitches, the bullion knots and French knots.
11/11/2023
progress
Two hoops and a design sheet, pieces in progress here.
11/09/2023
Notebook stitches
I've been absent, sorry.
Why? Well I have been stitching my fingers to the bone for class.
My work has moved from large sheets of paper to this notebook.
Stitching into notebooks is a completely different process. It's fiddly, it's more time consuming too because although you have to take care stitching onto large paper sheets they are usually thicker than notebook pages which can crease very easily.
Going forward I am unsure how much more stitching will happen in this little book.
That's because the needs of my group are changing and I will be responding to those needs over the progression of my own body of work.
That's a good thing.
It's what's supposed to happen.
11/02/2023
a quick notebook doodle
I had a hankering last night to stitch in this little notebook.
A quick 'doodle' so to speak.
I enjoy adding to it from time to time but it's getting quite full now.....
11/01/2023
paper, ribbon apaper, ribbon and stitch
Progress......
Since returning from my break I've been moving my Alchemy pieces on.
I've started a new sheet which you can see here, taking elements from a past piece and altering them slightly.
There's still quite a way to go with this but I'm enjoying creating these works on paper.
10/30/2023
creative space
After my recent break I have been playing catch up with all things Alchemy.
This morning I was making videos and putting together our class for next week. This will continue later this week.
I've also been playing catch up with and giving nanna kisses to these two little beauties.
During my time away I went to Portugal but prior to that I taught a three day residential course on 'lace cloth'.
It was a fabulous three days with some wonderful work produced.
The images are of my space, my things because unfortunately I forgot to ask permission from the group to show their work.
10/27/2023
Ribbon, buttons and embroidered snippets.
More ribbon titivations, this time ball buttons and little snippets.
The small pieces measure around an inch.
I will use these to embellish design sheets and embroidered cloth pieces.
10/26/2023
patchwork on my mind
You have seen this work many times, it's my current work for my Alchemy online class but today I have tried to isolate the relevant areas, the patchwork areas.
Some of the patchwork you can see here is paper, some is ribbon.
It's the ribbon I'm focusing on now, the finer strips of loose ribbon on the right to be exact.
I'm hoping to create a little randon patchwork with those later today.
10/24/2023
ten embroidered samples on hand stitched pages, a gingham cloth book
This little book is finally finished. I honestly can't remember how long it has been in progress, it was a pick up and put down project for my quieter moments.
But, it's finished. Ten embroidered samples mounted on hand stitched pages with a hand embroidered ribbon page keep and small embroidered patches embellishing the covers.
It's available in my shop here.
10/12/2023
stitched and pleated paper
The latest addition to my Alchemy design project, pleated and stitched paper.
The large sheet here needs more work and I may try and squeeze something else onto the notebook pages too.
I'm signing out for a couple of weeks.
I'll see you on the other side x
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