05/02/2015
little books, extensions of design sheets...
This is what we have been up to in class....doodling, design sheets, books, tiny books, extensions of the design process. This can become quite addictive. I now want to put these everywhere......
I am at the stage of adding colourful little puffs along the back edge of my pouch for Lottie. I should definitely be able to show you that very soon. I should also be able to give details of the new class very soon too. I have the date, that's it. Then again, knowing what date I need to be ready for is pretty essential isn't it. It will begin on May 25, a Monday. That gives me a two week window to get ready after Reinventing the page finishes at the end of this week.....sounds like a plan....
05/01/2015
a white fringe and surface texture on paper
Creating texture in class, creating a fringe on my knee last night. White lives with black and white. White stitchery doodle, black and white ''play sheet'' from class...hey presto images for today. The fringe is extremely time consuming and fiddly. It's a good thing I favour fiddly. It will run along a single edge, the other edges will be titivated with cord. The play sheet is in progress. Other marvellous, wonderful things need to happen on there....I hope I can manage it.
The surface embroidery on the little pouch for Lottie was finished and damp stretched last night. Later today I hope to back it and line it. I have yet to create the titivations which will run along the back opening but they will be simple, most likely tiny puffs made out of the pink and green fabric. I am hoping to visit Lottie next week and I may then be able to share a picture with you, fingers crossed.
If all goes to plan I should have the bones of my new class ready soon, there will most likely be a video chat about my aims for those twelve weeks too.......
04/30/2015
doodle, colour, play,
I've had such a good morning, I've been doodling. It's not like I've got anything else to do.....ha.....dust four inches thick, filthy kitchen floor, pile of ironing reaching the ceiling, windows that haven't seen a shammy for months....no, nothing to do at all. I see it as prioritising, the doodling was urgent, the idea may have disappeared if I had left it in order to tackle chores.
Whilst I was working on the keepsake pouch for little Lottie last night I had an urge to develop the pattern....so doodling it was. I also referenced some other, similar stitching in the paper piece. It's got me fired up now.......there is a class coming related to all this just as soon as I can get my act together and compose an illustrative, legible, concise, clear listing for it.
The pouch itself is almost finished surface embroidery wise. I won't show you that again until it's all done and dusted. I figure another couple of hours stitching this evening along with decision making regarding added titivations for edges and then it will be good to go, to be backed, lined, put together.
In all seriousness though, I can't work in squalor so I am off to do my domestic goddess bit....kitchen floor first....see you on the other side.
1 1/2 hours later.....spotless kitchen!! Floor, check. Worktops, check. Splash backs, check!!!
04/29/2015
three hexagons and three tabs....
Three hexagons with tabs have been added to this silk cloth doodle. I like them, I think they enhance....they make me smile. The only negative as far as I'm concerned is a distinct lack of stitching in any kind of volume. I mean....three hexagons? I don't know, I have slowed down, events are conspiring against me? who knows....I want to finish this sooner rather than later because I am going to make it into a keepsake pouch for little Lottie Rose. I would like to give it to her before she is 21.
I've been making notes....(oh yes, making notes as opposed to stitching, there could be a clue to the lack of embroidery in that). Anyway, notes, lists, ideas for a new stitching adventure so watch this space. It involves doodles on cloth, Broderie Anglaise, piecing, maybe some lace and a lot of embroidery along with recognition of the body bag.
And now.....Happy Birthday to the most gorgeous girl in the world....Helen. Love you to the moon and back.
04/28/2015
paper play...
Wow, thank you so so much for the comments and e mails yesterday about the London day. I know it's been said that I should host something similar in the USA and I agree...it would be amazing but do you have any idea of how much that would cost? That is a terrifying thought......it will definitely be happening again in the UK though I promise.
I'm still playing catch up here, don't even mention housework or go on a dust hunt....I think I will need to spend a little time attending to chores this afternoon.....
Today's pictures? The top two are paper play pieces from class. I was doing more of that with them this morning too. That is actually a very lovely way to relax and gather yourself together when you are surrounded by chaos. The last four pictures are of unsold items from London which are now in the shop.
Tonight
I will stitch. I did stitch last night but only managed a handful of
bullion knots.....shame on me. I do intend to rectify that later.
04/27/2015
April 25
Wow, didn't that flash past at high speed. I can't believe it's been and gone already. Speaking for myself......it was amazing, wonderful, It was more than I ever could have hoped it would be and it wasn't scary at all.
Myself and my able assistant come tea lady Helen set up each table. A white table cloth, a pin pillow, pins, needles, tape measure, embroidery, samples, ledgers, pouches, pencils, paper, colouring in sheets, coloured fine liner pens. It looked very well organised and welcoming, (I hope). The day flew by. There was cake but I only had time for half a piece. The tea lady took the photographs as I just didn't have time. (any complaints point them in her direction).
I don't think a million photographs would have done justice to the day though. I am going to say it was a success. I am going to say it will definitely happen again. I arrived home yesterday afternoon on such a high..I feel very privileged to have had that day...thank you.
Whilst I was in London (and by the way, my feet know I have been to London!) I went to see the Alexander McQueen exhibition at the V&A. I can't recommend that highly enough. I particularly love his use of silk tulle for draped skirts, flowing layers and flounces (type his name into google images and you will see what I mean).....I've got to get some...I do....brace yourselves because if I do buy some you are likely to see nothing else for quite some time.
There are one or two things left from the selling side of Saturday and I will be putting those in the shop later today. Also, whilst I was away we had a new addition to the family...a baby girl....(see what happens when my back is turned??) can you all please say hi to tiny, tiny only five pounds in weight Lottie Rose....she is adorable. (mummy and daddy don't want her to make her internet debut yet...that's fine, she's pretty shy. As soon as I am allowed I will let you see her)
04/26/2015
Doodling 5
You will notice the absence of red from yesterday. It's in the bin! I am more than happy with this one however.
I will be home tomorrow. Did you miss me?
(and for those of you who don't know....Man Utd, Manchester United is a football team, a football team that I don't like)
04/25/2015
04/24/2015
chain stitch
Sorry if this video is a little dark. I didn't use my lamp as it was sunny outside. The next two days are also quite dark......I throw myself on your mercy.
04/23/2015
04/22/2015
Doodling 1
A quick doodle video for you.
04/21/2015
partial flower heads
The latest scrap of doodled cloth has been extended with applique. There are now two partial flower heads on this piece, each petal edged with a double row of chain stitch in two colours. I damp stretched this last night and now I will roll it onto a tube so that it can be safely taken to London with me.
I am just about ready...I think. Lace cloth has been tied to stiff card so it doesn't crease, pillows have been placed in clean bags to keep them dirt free, there is a pile of pockets and a couple of pouches waiting to be wrapped in calico. Let's hope I have room for my unmentionables. The sewing machine will be packed any minute now and then I must check my list...pins, needles, thread, scissors, wadding, cloth, pockets of cloth, name badges, table cloths, paper plates, napkins......(for the cake).....if I've left anything off there please feel free to give me a nudge.
My blog will post daily whilst I am gone as if by magic...videos....short videos and I will be posting on Instagram, probably obsessively whilst I am in London so if you want to keep an eye on me just have a look over there.
Behave yourselves when I'm gone......miss you already.
04/20/2015
Reinventing pages....
This is what has been happening in ''reinventing the page''. We have only been active for a week...wow. When I see these together like this It makes me feel exhausted, goodness knows how the group feels. I'm not a hard task master, I'm a pussy cat really. I have been cramming the first two weeks because I go away on Wednesday. There will be a mini break after tomorrow , huge sigh of relief for the group then I'm sure.
Technically we are two weeks in, video wise,instruction wise, demonstration wise with another two weeks to play when I get back. So, if you think you might want to join in it's not too late, plus you have access to the videos forever so you can have a six month break between posts if you like. You can read more here. Bear in mind that I will be closing the shop late Tuesday night until I get back.
Talking about going away...I'm not abandoning you. I have been very busy the past couple of days preparing videos, one for each day I am gone. You don't get rid of me that easily! I will still be here tomorrow though, normal posts continue for that.
04/19/2015
pen, Broderie Anglaise and stitch
It's a new one, another sample. I think I need to make an executive decision soon on what I am going to do with these pieces. I want to make them into something. It will most likely be some form of wrapping cloth or perhaps a very large pocket. Yes, a very large pocket sounds good. That won't happen for a while yet, after London I will give it more thought.
I started responding to comments yesterday, spent about an hour visiting, replying. I then discovered that a lot of the comments I posted on ''blogger'' sites hadn't posted. Oh dear. If I owe you a ''hello'' and you are on blogger and haven't heard from me can you check your spam comments and let me know? My mother taught me to be polite.....at this rate my name will be mud.
04/18/2015
an evolving white stitchery doodle
A stitchery doodle.....this one differs from the pieces in yesterdays video because there are no pen marks, there is no doodling with ink, a stitchery doodle in Karen's world is doodling with needle and thread.
You saw this piece a few days ago here. It has been titivated some more since then. I added a tiny ruffle, the one you can see in the first image. I also added knots, a bumpy bit and I have embellished edges. A tiny pocket has managed to sneak into this one too, you've got to love a pocket.
That's my London homework done then...phew.
04/17/2015
Sampling, a video, thinking out loud.
I made you a video!! It's a show and tell, a chat, a hello, a ramble. It's only six minutes long.....can't have you falling asleep.
Samples, sampling, scraps of embroidered and doodled cloth, my plans for those. Should I? Shouldn't I? Will it work? Perhaps I could do this? or that? One certainty....I do love stitching on these cloth doodles.
04/16/2015
more padded applique
Top right hand quarter, three more areas of padded applique or if you prefer 'bump buts'. That's my paltry effort from last nights stitching. I'm happy with the embroidery, unhappy with the quantity. Never mind, today is another day, tonight is another night....
You might notice that there is a little bit of bleeding happening with the pen. That happened as I was doodling not when I was damp stretching. It hasn't happened before with those pens on cloth so I'm thinking it could be because this is silk. What do you think? I don't think it spoils the piece, it just has an overall 'relaxed' air to it, a cheery feel to it.
I've also been thinking about the best way to get these to London without overly creasing them, this one and these....two of them are works in progress, one a finished, unmounted piece. I am leaning towards the ''pin to sturdy calico and roll gently'' option.
04/15/2015
tiny handkerchief puffs
Seven of yesterdays Suffolk puffs have been added to this pocket as a finishing surface embellishment, the final touch. This one has the seam on it's side, to the right in the first image. Usually the seams travel up the centre of the back. This one found it's way onto the side because of that wonderful edge on the left in the first image, that lovely scalloped piece of vintage cloth. This is another tick on the list, an amazing tick actually because I love it so much, am happy to have it here, near me, visible, touchable.
I have a lot of e mails outstanding, a lot of comments awaiting a response. I do apologise, truly. I try to respond to every comment and love to visit you too but I have been so busy this week time has ran away from me. Can I ask for your patience? Is that OK? I am hoping to set aside some time at the weekend to leisurely travel around cyber space and pop in for a cup of coffee. I won't let you down I promise.
This morning I made more videos for the new class. That Flickr group is very active already which I love. The friendships I see forming within those groups is possibly the best part of the whole experience for me so thank you, all of you.
Now I have to make pockets for London, simple pockets, white pockets.....that is how I will spend my afternoon.
04/14/2015
Thirteen
Thirteen
Suffolk puffs. There are white ones on my white doodle cloth which is
my homework for London. They run along a strip of vintage cloth down the
left hand side of that piece. The colourful ones have been stuffed,
They are ready to be tied onto this just as soon as it's finished.
Thank you for the advice yesterday, the calming words. My panic was momentary, most likely caused by someone keeping me waiting for an appointment and me sitting there thinking 'I haven't got time for this' over and over again. Calm has descended today, it's amazing what a good nights sleep can do for you along with an evening in the company of soft, Suffolk puffs.
If you are signed up for ''Reinventing the Page'' you should have received the first videos this morning. Please get in touch if you haven't yet had that mail. I am going to begin inviting you to our private Flickr group shortly...watch out for that popping into your inbox either on Flickr or your normal e mail.
Tomorrow I hope to have something finished, titivated and edged to show you so I'm off to get my sewing machine out in order to begin that process, to back that piece.
04/13/2015
gathering cloth doodles....
Oh I love these pictures.....I gathered other pieces of doodled and stitched cloth and laid them alongside the piece from yesterday, looking at the connections, the surfaces, the compatibility and the contrast. I noticed how a stem could alter if worked in wrapped cord, how a flower head might appear if it was created from a soft Suffolk puff. I am inspired all over again.
The silk piece from yesterday has more doodle marks on it. I haven't added more stitch to those yet but I have extended the patterning, given this piece more direction and more possibility for embellishment.
Today has been a bit crazy. My ''to do list'' is getting out of hand and I also had an appointment. I am going to enjoy these pieces quietly for a while, gather my thoughts before the mayhem resumes....breathe Karen breathe.....
04/12/2015
doodled cloth with added stitch
Last night, a few pens, a piece of white silk dupion, some scraps of patterned fabric and some thread. Doodle on the silk, add applique, cutwork and stitch. I could get used to this, get addicted. I'm going to doodle on this some more shortly, you will see it again tomorrow, not with more stitch but with more pen marks, more doodling, some filling in of shapes.
My week before London, (which is approaching so quickly I can't keep up) will be filled with important things like writing out descriptive tags for silk muslin, silk scrim, cotton muslin, cotton scrim. There are 20 pockets to make, simple pockets to hold the aforementioned cloth pieces. There are one or two pieces of work to be completed and more sheets to mount than you can shake a stick at. There is also a new class starting....but......despite all that I am going to find time to doodle on cloth........I am.....
04/11/2015
soft,
Applique circles, bullion knots, applique petals and tiny puffs. This piece was damp stretched last night....you can't tell. I usually dislike a piece of work that doesn't appear pristine and crisp after damp stretching but I can forgive this one. It's the vintage hankie and the vintage white, both very soft pieces of cloth that have lived long enough to know that they don't want to be stretched into crispness.
It's very soft to handle, feels fragile in your hands. I think that makes it more special. The base, the background is new Broderie Anglaise. The crispness of that cloth against the other worn pieces is a wonderful contrast. There is a little bit more work to do on this before it's finished and titivated to pocket requirements. You probably won't see it again until it's finished.
My house is now back together. I am in the midst of tackling the mountain of ironing which has grown whilst everything has been upside down. Once that is done I have big plans.....cutting cloth, piecing cloth, doodling, making plain pockets, more mounting of samples......wish me luck.
04/10/2015
another look at what's been happening....
I nearly never made it today. Typepad has been having some kind of mid life crisis and I am going out soon....for an ice cream in the sunshine here. These are more images, more things to be ticked off the list in the same way as yesterday. I added to the white collection, I nearly forgot about that. I made the buttons for this and finished another sheet, one I don't quite like as much as I should.
Things have been a bit upside down at home. I have been titivating my house. You can see pictures of that here along with a few from yesterdays birthday. We haven't actually eaten any of the cake yet, not even a tiny slither. Now that things have quietened down a bit I'm hoping to have embroidery to show you tomorrow. This has been added to and I love it a little more each day.
My weekend will be all about ''Reinventing the page'', preparation and bright ideas....
I'm off for some raspberry ice cream now, I may even have a little flake with it.
04/09/2015
labels, linings, doodling and other stuff
I need to do this regularly, collect all the images from my phone. It's like a stock taking session. It enables me to see what I have done, where I am up to, what still needs attention.
I made labels from my doodles this week and attached them with ribbon and tiny safety pins to my finished pillows, pockets and pouches. I worked on the doodle cloth, and lined and put the finishing touches to this pouch. I also finished a pocket, started another pocket and finished a few design sheets. That's quite a lot ticked off the list then.
There was more, I will tell you about that tomorrow.
Finally, the cutest little man on the block. Happy birthday James....love you to the moon and back.
04/08/2015
presentation....
The first images, the ones above, they are recently mounted embroidery samples. I have been working on these for a few days. I have another piece to mount in a similar manner, blue and white that is. These samples are from a previous class, they are all concerned with sampling for a swaddling band. Created from lace and lace cloth with silk rouleau loops and hand tied cotton thread. I love them. Below are images of mounted samples that were finished some time ago. Some of those concern swaddling too, others are from a ledger based class. All of these will be going to London with me, these and more.
04/07/2015
scallops on a vintage hankie
No thumb twiddling happening here this week. I'm mounting samples for London, doodling on the backgrounds of those and I have also put this together. It's a new pocket, a beautiful vintage hankie, some gorgeous vintage white, laid out on pristine Broderie Anglasie. Up to now there is a seam of bullion loops and a shorter seam of scallops, hand embroidered scallops.
There are videos to be made for ''reinventing the page'', more doodling, more playing with pattern, more pages to cut, paper to measure, colours to choose but this morning I made the very, very last video for Swathed in Stitch....stand by your computers girls, as soon as that is uploaded you will be getting a call to class.
04/06/2015
another one with buttons....
Another post with lots of images. I couldn't decide whether to put the buttons first or the pocket, the pocket won. Hopefully the buttons compliment the pocket and vice versa. There are bullion loops on both, French knots in the same colour thread, the same Liberty fabric....I think it works.
I now have two pockets with buttons as I have this one too. I think that's a total of five pockets. There is another one taking shape at the moment. That one will have puffs, soft Suffolk puffs, no buttons. (then again.....I could change my mind and add buttons too)
One week tomorrow ''Reinventing the page'' begins. There won't be any buttons there, at least I don't think so at the moment but you never know. Do you have a place reserved? Will you be joining us for cake? and paper play? and doodling? and pattern making? If you think you may want to then you can read more here.....
The rest of my afternoon will be spent with design sheets, mounting work, doodling for backgrounds.....Wednesday, you should see that on Wednesday. Tomorrow I will let you see my latest embroidery in progress, it's got those little scallops on it too.
04/05/2015
a white stitchery doodle...
White....sigh. I may veer off on a tangent at times and surround myself with colour but I always love to come back to white. This piece was put together on camera as a kind of homework for the London group. I thought I best get a wiggle on and add a little stitch because we don't want me to be the only one turning up without any embroidery. I'm not sure if I will take it any further before London but at least I won't be put to shame by turning up with nothing at all. Tiny scalloped stitches have been used to exhaustion up to now, around three sides of the tiny, central white pocket and on the opposite edge to a row of bullion loops. I do love to embroider those scallops......
Thanks for the encouragement regarding yesterdays piece. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate it. I just don't love it as much as I would have liked. I have put it away now. I'm not going to do anything else to it. It will come to London with me to illustrate exactly how capable I am of making mistakes. From now until then it will be a distant memory.
You will be pleased to hear that the buttons got made yesterday. They are now attached to the pocket top, this one, and that piece will hopefully get finished tonight. Its edges will be titivated and it should be ready to make its debut tomorrow.
04/04/2015
mounting samples
Despite my plans to make buttons, yesterday afternoon was spent with watercolour paints. I found a small sample which needed to be mounted so a background had to be created. Too bright I thought, how to tone it down. I slept on it. This morning I created an overlay with tracing paper, it does mute the colour, adds a depth to the whole piece. Now it's finished though I'm still not sure. Perhaps a plain white background was all that was needed. It's too late now, everything is fixed. I could rip it up, remove the stitched piece and start again but there's a lesson to be learn't here....don't attach anything permanently until you are 100 % sure.
04/03/2015
the white ones....
You may have noticed that I have been somewhat preoccupied with pillows over the last few weeks....I gave them a rest for a while but last night finished a tiny white one. That makes three white pin pillows in total. The new one, the tiny one, is positively festooned with beads, tiny glass beads that glint. Unfortunately that doesn't show up so well in the images but trust me, they're there. It also has gimp and quite a few bullion knots.
I'm not sure what to work on today. I think I need to assess my ''to do'' pile otherwise known as the pile that keeps giving. Oh I just remembered, I need to make buttons for this. That will be my first job then.
04/02/2015
mounts, prints, doodles, pattern.
I've been busy, despite the thumb twiddling I mentioned yesterday. I have mounted work, I now have nine mounted sheets with nine still to do. Even if London wasn't happening this is something that I have needed to do for a long time. This work is now safe, safe from creasing and able to be easily stored, not just put here and there loosely.
I've also been busy doodling, three pictures up, a large sheet of doodles next to a smaller sheet inspired by the bigger one to its left. Next image, the smaller sheet on its own. Final image the smaller sheet with a little bit of colour added by me last night along with some tiny blue sprigs I scattered over the background.
The second image here, the small doodle, that is A4 in size (8.3 inches x 11.7 inches) (21 x 29.7 cm). This doodle is now available to buy as a download, a PDF, for colouring in, for cutting up, for collage, print ten, print a million, it's entirely up to you. There are more details here. As we are on the subject of keeping me gainfully employed, a reminder, ''Reinventing the page''. We will be doing stuff like this in that class which begins in less than a fortnight. To read more about that one just go here.
Back to the decorating....I have worked very hard this morning, shifting things out of my bedroom, hoovering under the bed, putting precious things safely away in another room. (James bedroom...oops...sorry son!!) He doesn't know yet, he will when he gets home from work and finds his nice bachelor pad transformed into a home for all things girly and stitch related.
04/01/2015
how it might look
This is another pocket in progress, probably the last one for a while. I've been pinning it to see how it might look, front and back. Doing this also gives a better idea of where I need to add more embellishment, where there is a shortage of titivation. This one is telling me it wants buttons added too, like this one.
I'm a bit ''flat'' today. I think it's because I made the final videos for class yesterday. I'm kind of floundering, twiddling my thumbs. What would I do without any classes at all...I have no idea. There is housework of course.....but no thanks. I do actually have a lot of work which needs mounting, attaching to backings in order to protect and preserve it. I also have to do some major ''sorting out'' at home. I am having my bedroom decorated next week and there is so much ''stuff'' up there which needs moving to a safe place. I have several folios filled with work, boxes of cloth under the bed, a cabinet which holds precious things such as the cloth covering from my children's baby basket and aside from all that we need to move drawers and chests so the poor man can even access the walls!
You may be wondering why I'm getting a man in to do it, why we aren't doing it ourselves. The main reason...we're useless at it. My husband has to go to work, no time off to be had and I prefer to stitch but sadly there are too many very big walls up there and that would be too many French knots even for me.
Did you need to know all this? Probably not but that's what happens when I'm left twiddling my thumbs, I waffle.
03/31/2015
more doodled cloth
Should I apologise for having too many images today? I did question whether to put them all on but I couldn't decide which ones to leave out. This is my latest piece of doodled cloth, embroidery added. There is still a long way to go with this piece before it's used to create a mini collection of samples, buttons, pocket tops, fastening loopy things.
I do love this, working on it, adding colour. I was once told I was frightened of colour and I actually think I might have been but not any more. As a contrast to this, as something slightly more subtle with which to balance my evening embroidery I am also working on this pocket. For now I'm taking turns with each so that is most likely what you will see tomorrow.
This morning I started attempting to get organised for London. I assessed how much mounting of work needed to be done.....a lot. I have new mount board, A2. It seems I must now order A1 too. It's like a factory here, a production line. Having said that, there is a certain satisfaction in seeing all your pieces neatly and precisely mounted on a bright, white background.
The measurements in inches of A1 is 23.39 x 33.11
A2 is exactly half that size.
03/30/2015
an edge of embroidered Suffolk puffs
It's finished, ticked off the list. It has been titivated, edged, had embroidered Suffolk puffs added to its opening edge. I think this one will be happy to languish for a while, to rest.
So what's next? There is still plenty left on the pile that keeps giving that's for sure. There are two pin pillows waiting for more adornment, there is a pocket in progress and there is also another piece of this partially stitched.
I have doodling to do, to finish from class. I want to play a bit more with doodles on paper. I don't have an ''end'' in mind for that, nothing specific. It's purely self indulgence at the moment, what can I say....I like colouring in.
There are also lists to be made, lists for London. What to take, what I still need to buy....I'm talking cloth, silks....a little pocket of cloth was included in the cost you see and oh yes.....I have all those pockets to make for said cloth. Stay awake Karen, you're going to be busy.
03/29/2015
a new pocket taking shape
Another pocket, pieced and minimally embellished at this point. There is a row of bullion loops along the edge of a lace handkerchief and more bullion loops securing a piece of vintage cloth which has the most adorable, tiny label I think I have ever seen.
Strips of Liberty fabric are secured with stab stitch and running stitch. More embroidery will be added to those edges with the lace being secured with buttonhole lace. That's the plan today. I don't think it will change but you never know.
I had hoped to finish this piece last night but it wasn't to be........maybe tonight.
I'm off to watch this video over and over and over. I pay the balance for my ticket this week and I am finding it hard to contain myself.
03/28/2015
a finished cloth doodle
Accomplished, an achievement, another tick on the list.....it's finished. This one, the one I thought you may get bored with. Remember the collection I spoke about? I've started that over in class. For now it only has minimal embellishment but as soon as it has moved on a little I will show you. Speaking of class, Swathed in Stitch finishes next week, those 12 weeks have flown by. I always get a little sad when we finish. The whole experience is so amazing for me and I don't ever dare to think it can be replicated even though it always is. I am never, ever disappointed with any class but you know what it's like, you feel as if you can't take anything for granted, can't assume.
I will be taking Swathed in Stitch out of the shop next week. There is a shorter course in there which begins on April 14 for 4 weeks....what comes after that? That's the million dollar question and I don't have an answer yet.
But, back to this piece. I do love it. It's a breath of fresh air, spring like, happy. I made Suffolk puffs for the edge, unstuffed puffs, flat, like sea anemones or tiny pastries depending on your preference, cake or live creatures! Also, this one is evolving rapidly, it's almost finished and I can't wait to share it with you. My fingers will be stitching at 100 miles an hour this weekend to get that edged and titivated.
03/27/2015
two sheets
Two sheets, two doodles, one with a fabric sample, one without. The piece with the cloth hexagons came first, in class. Yesterday I had a hankering to doodle a little more and worked form that first sheet, changing a few things, size, placement, adding a little colour. It won't set the design world alight but it does give me ideas for embroidery.
I'm running a little late today. I had a VERY late night last night but I spent the evening unimaginably amazed. I was here . This is my bucket list equivalent of jumping out of an aeroplane or something else equally as exciting for others...this is my excitement. I am glued to this programme every week and it was such an honour. I had the best time ever....You can't see me, I am very much behind the scenes, something which added to the feeling of privilege I have at having been able to do this.
03/26/2015
three partial flower heads, a show and tell
This
piece is progressing, slowly ....but progressing all the same. It has
another petal cluster, that makes three. A new run of wrapped flowers is
taking shape along one edge and it won't be long before it's ready to
be backed, finished, titivated.
I made you a five minute video, a show and tell.
03/25/2015
white, red and prairie points.
One more thing ticked off the ''to do'' list. A white pouch with a top opening, prairie points and buttonhole lace edges. The red is quite stark against the white, I like it. This one is pieced mostly with vintage scraps, some more worn than others. If you look very closely when handling it you can see the evidence of it's past life in certain areas. I like that too.
I stuffed it with muslin when I took the pictures, it gave more body to the piece, allowed the top to stay open. I just noticed you can see that muslin in the last image. Oh well, it's new muslin, unused muslin and it's very clean honest.
This one is going in my cabinet now. It's going to be guarded and kept safe for London along with the other things I have made so far. Pillows, pockets, lace cloth, snippet cloth. This is the first pouch. There will only be two of those, I don't have enough time to make three. Time is marching on, only four weeks....yikes....I'm scared.
03/24/2015
doodles, mounting sheets and stitch
There's been a lot of doodling this past week, a lot of tracing, a lot of stuff on paper. I've been assessing what I need in terms of mount board, assessing which stitched samples I wish to mount and which ones I want to be free, touchable, hand held.
The doodling has led to new ideas and the stitched samples have led to more plans for stitched pieces, samples and finished works on cloth.
Then there were the parcels in the mail. I am the very happy owner of stacks of ''new to me'' vintage pieces.
The pillows? I was taking images of those, a request that I can't say much about yet.
Now I have to concentrate on linings, linings for pouches. Time to measure, cut and hand stitch.
03/23/2015
white with red dots
Red dots....and some red stitch, chain stitch, running stitch, French knots...all red. It's mainly white, the red lifts it I think. Later today this will morph into a simple pouch with prairie points at the edge...she says. That's the plan. I don't have much of the dotty fabric left so it's a case of how far that will stretch for creating the prairie points.
My plans for a ''collection'', (spoken about yesterday), I left those to one side last night to finish this. They may be laid aside a little longer whilst I progress other things but I did give the main piece from yesterday more attention and that is ready to be finished, hemmed. I am however making notes, collection themed notes....on a scrap of paper accompanied by scribbled doodles.
03/22/2015
I do hope you are not bored with this one
Like I said, I really hope you are not sick of seeing this but I am in a very happy place today because of this embroidered scrap. It's different since you last saw it, it has piping cord and coloured bullion knots, the bullion knots which I said were waiting for me in an earlier post. I love it so much I want to make more, a collection perhaps. I remember years ago having to follow a theme for assessment and that would involve several pieces, all linked, each with a different function. For example, a pocket top, a button, a collar, a garment section, all related in some way, similar patterning, same colours, similar cloth.
I am aware that I create mini collections already. The difference is that they mostly take the form of scraps, samples, they lack a reference to anything functional such as buttons, collars etc. What I want to do with this one is expand the idea differently, with reference to those earlier, functional assessment pieces. I mean, it's not like I have anything else to do is it???? That's just my way of getting my feet back on the ground because actually, I already have a million things to do and perhaps shouldn't be thinking about a new collection. BUT...what can you do if inspiration gets hold of you? Find a way to fit it in is the answer.
Going back to the images, the bullions are embroidered using two strands of stranded cotton. That, I find, is much trickier than using a single strand of coton a broder. To me they aren't that good, a little loose perhaps? I doubt they would pass an inspection by Her Majesty's Inspector of Bullion Knots. It's a good thing i haven't invited her round then. I can live with them. I will practice....
Finally, I have to say it.....this piece reminds me of these....
03/21/2015
paper
Paper, prints, tracing, doodling, a selection of the past couple of weeks playtime with paper. I love to roll paper, what can I say. I love to roll paper in the same way I love to fold cloth. It's a compulsion, it's unavoidable, it's a great way to spend five minutes!
I've been gazing at these all morning, lost in some kind of trance. I feel I should have had a blinding revelation on where to go next and it hasn't arrived. I'll just keep waiting......
Meantime, a reminder. Come doodle with me. Come and create a few pages for your ledger. I'm going to be playing more with paper, cutting it, collage and stuff like that........all good clean fun and the perfect way to keep out of mischief. You can read more about that over here.
I've got bullion knots to attend to now, colourful bullion knots wrapped around the thinnest of piping cords. I will keep one eye on these papers whilst I work those knots and who knows what will happen.
03/20/2015
two in progress
There are quite a few pieces ''in progress'' here at the moment. The coloured piece, the doodled cloth you have seen earlier this week. It was added to last night. More applique and more coloured inserts have been added to that surface. I do adore this one, trouble is I can't decide when enough is enough. I could keep going with this forever.
The second piece here, the white piece...........it's a tiny pillow top with added gimp, bullion knots and a few glass beads. What struck me this morning is how good they look together. They couldn't be more different individually but don't they look happy together? If I had nothing at all to do, if my ''to do'' pile wasn't already huge then there would have been a new piece taking shape from these images...doodled cloth with added bling.
03/19/2015
petals
Two partial flower heads consisting of three applique petals and one circular centre have have been applied to the surface of this piece. Each petal and each centre has been edged with white chain stitch, pink chain stitch and green running stitch. I still want to add another of these ''almost'' flower heads on this section before adding a final row of flowers with wrapped stalks along the remaining, unembellished strip.
This will be a pouch. At the moment I am having a debate with myself over how that pouch will be finished. Rather than have a centre opening at the back like this piece I am tempted to keep it simple, or simpler. A basic pocket construction, open at the top, almost like a paper bag but with dainty titivations along the opening....
03/18/2015
stitching on doodled cloth
This one is dainty, delicate....at least I think it is. The cloth from here that I doodled on in class has been embellished with tiny scraps of colour. The embroidery stitches have also been worked in colour, colour which I hope compliments the doodles. I most definitely want to add more to this, to finish it, to edge it, hem it, make tiny dangly things for one edge.
Then what will I do with it? I did intend to mount it, like a sample, a reference for future work but you know what.....I changed my mind. This one needs more care than that, more recognition. This one will be loosely folded and placed in my glass cabinet where I can see it and handle it regularly.....most likely every day.
03/17/2015
remember?
Do you recall I spoke about my old blog a while ago? It has mostly lay unattended since 2012 but occasionally I go back, take a look and am always amazed with at least a few of the pieces I made when I lived there. I haven't ''forgotten'' any of these, there is an instant recognition and in fact I see some of these images when I look at my flickr photostream. Looking back helps if I'm stuck creatively. It's a reacquaintance, a reminder of things that aren't necessarily in the forefront of your mind.
When I do go back, even as far back as five or six years I can always recall what was happening in my life at that point and I can always remember what happened to each piece of work. There are three pieces in today's images, various glimpses of those three pieces. One, a hanging, was sold. There is also a sample which I still own, the lacy piece with the tassel like edge and then there are two pockets from Helen's cloth, a wrapping cloth I made for my daughter. I know exactly where that is, it's across the foot of her bed.......
03/16/2015
a row of tiny flowers
One row of flowers is complete, another is partially embroidered. These have long, wrapped stems, French knots and bullion knots in colours which I hope compliment the stitching on the vintage handkerchief. I think surface embellishment on this one will consist mainly of these floral forms along with a small amount of applique, probably petal shapes.
At the moment I have plans to work the applique in white cloth, adding colour as either an outline or an embellishment or maybe both.....decisions, decisions.
In other news...I've been doodling again. Attempts are being made at putting a pattern into repeat. I can't give an estimate of when you might see that. I fear it will take quite some time. Meantime I am gathering quite a collection of paper pieces that don't work yet aren't poor enough to throw away.
03/15/2015
paper and cloth doodling
Doodles, doodling, attempts at pattern making, surface design. Who knew an ironing board could look ''pretty'', an instrument of torture could live happily with flowers and hexagons? I could get quite carried away with all this, spend hours scribbling on paper, overlaying pattern, adding a bit of colour here and there, keeping some patterns exclusively blue and white. Watch this space, there will be more.......we will be doing a lot of this in ''reinventing the page''. I already had a list of exercises ready for that class and this has thrown all that up in the air. Sampling can be dangerous, hazardous, the best laid plans get thrown away, discarded. As if there weren't enough distractions already.......
Last night I embroidered pretty flowers, almost like a little garden. I have two more stems to finish on that one before I can damp stretch it. You will see it tomorrow.
03/14/2015
and two more makes five....
They're pillows. I said I was pillowed out but these two have renewed my love for the humble pillow. When I made these three I said I needed more, tools, pin pillows for the tables at my London gathering. I think I have enough now. Five tables I think, five pin pillows it is then. There is no embroidery on these to speak of, just a few stab stitches to hold everything together.
I am feeling one million percent better now.....phew. Yesterday I went here, a pre Mothers day visit. I went to the beach and stared at the sea for a while. I think when you are born and brought up in a coastal town the love of the sea never leaves you. I then went here for a meal with, among others, these two......the best kind of company.
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