08/16/2015
pages......almost there
I made quite good progress yesterday afternoon with the pages for my little books. More stitched samples, more pattern snippets, more puffs and more doodles all added to new pages. I would go so far as to say these ''might'' be ready, finished by tomorrow.
I have a wedding to go to later....I wonder how much I can do before then? There will be a cutting, stitching and tying marathon going on here for the next hour. Then I'll have to stop to wash my face, clean my shoes and find the confetti.
08/15/2015
folded....
I started this one ages ago...and I mean ages. It didn't look like this when you saw it though, it had white cloth at either side of the piping. Yesterday I changed that to new cloth, the lilac and some of the green I already had. There are three prairie points which refuse to lie down but that's O.K.....unruly points, I like a little bit of rebellion. I'm thinking it will become a pocket like one of these, or these. That's why I pinned it here, to see how that might work....
Once I drag myself away from this PC I am going to spend an hour or so on my little books, make progress, but before I go don't forget the new class.....not long now and oh yes, I couldn't resist creating a mosaic of today's images, they are so cheery.
08/14/2015
stems.....
Last night, buttons, stems and bullion loops with a little gimp thrown in. Buttons...continuing yesterday's video chat, bullion loops, stems and gimp...extending this piece as also seen here in it's earlier stage.
I didn't want to put this down last night, could have gone on all night....maybe I will tonight....then again I have pockets to titivate for class, panels to embroider for the body bag. Not a problem, I will just keep stitching, eventually everything will be stitched and stitched and stitched some more.
08/13/2015
button cloth....
Buttons, what to do with buttons, puffs, fabric beads, the spare ones when you make too many. Stitch them to a piece of cloth is the answer I came up with.
Thing is, I like how this cloth feels in my hand so much that I fear i'll never use these now, I will keep them like this forever, something to fondle....
Oh well, I will just have to make more if I need any.
This evening i am going to do this to all my hand made buttons, puffs, fabric beads. I am going to stitch them all securely to small pieces of cloth, group them together...I can't wait...
(the blurring ends on 8 seconds...auto adjustments)
08/12/2015
pillow.....
It's finished and in the shop. A silk pillow,, hand doodled cloth, embroidery, puffs, chain stitch, gimp, bullion knots.....
I do love working with this doodled silk as you will know if you saw yesterdays post. At the moment I am doodling on most things including Broderie Anglaise and paper. The patterning may not be perfect, as neat and precise as commercially printed cloth but the bonus with doodling pattern myself is that I get to pick and choose the fabric, the colour of the pattern, the distribution of the pattern......
08/11/2015
chain stitch, a video
More doodling on white silk and the early stages of stitch. This piece will need much more embellishment before it can be used to create a pocket. More doodling will also be needed on the surface to extend the pattern. For now there are two embroidered flowers and one leaf edged with chain stitch. The flowers are a mix of padded applique, bullion knots, running stitch and chain stitch.
I am using coloured coton a broder on this one, a mix if sizes 16 and 25. The ''25'' is very fine, the ''16'' a little thicker. I don't yet have a favourite, I'm just enjoying using this thread..... It has a softness....
Don't forget the new class....not long now!
08/10/2015
three pages
We're three pages closer to the little artists books being finished. Machine embroidered lace, hand embellished lace, gimp added, bullion knots added, padded circles, lace edged holes and a little lilac thrown in for good measure.
I'm putting these pages together almost on a rota basis. One day I embroider on something like this, the next I create a page, then it's back to something like this and then it's another page or two. I will get there eventually.
Later today I will be working on more doodled silk. There will be video evidence of that tomorrow then later in the week my pillow will be finished.......it will be titivated with puffs......wait and see.
08/09/2015
dissecting pattern, a window viewer
Do you remember I said here that one thing leads to another and that in turn leads to something else? This is another example of that. Two pieces of embroidery, one doodle sheet and one window viewer equals seven new patterns.
I am hankering after more doodled silk. Now I have seven ideas to work with, each very different. All I need to do now is transfer these images to cloth and off we go.
08/08/2015
silk, stitch and puffs....
Surface embroidery on this piece is finished now, I have even made the titivations, the puffs, the fabric beads. Later today I really, really, really want to start another of these. I'm trying to figure put if I will get all my chores done in time. It may have to be a case of one flick of the duster as opposed to two....This one might even get backed and stuffed, the beads stitched to the edge. Should it be backed with silk or patterned cloth or both? Decisions, decisions.
It's been a mad week here at Ruane towers....I am very pleased it's Saturday. Since Wednesday I have been to Fife, (Scotland, quite high up) and back. (a family thing) I have also been here and back. My little car is exhausted and I'm a tiny bit tired myself too....
08/07/2015
Buttons, cloth, embroidery and ledgers.
A glimpse for you at the past few days chez moi. To be honest every day consists of stuff laying about, piles here and there but we've talked about that before haven't we. We all have piles of stuff everywhere. Where would we be if they were banned, or taxed???
Today is my mothers birthday so I'm not here, I'm there, most likely eating cake and coveting her gifts!! Normal service will be resumed tomorrow....
(if you look hard enough you will spy my salt and pepper. An essential embroidery ingredient)
08/06/2015
piecing old cloth
Vintage Broderie Anglaise is pieced here with new Broderie Anglaise. The vintage pieces are so fragile, they rip if you look at them the wrong way!! This is the latest pocket to be created in class. There are tiny pockets embroidered on the surface but mostly I have been paying attention to the seams this week.
I have big plans for this, it will take some time. There are more patches of vintage cloth to add along with new cloth which I hope will add strength and contrast. Then there is the surface embroidery...there will be scraps placed behind eyelets, loops on seams, French knots in clusters, running stitch outlines and chain stitch........
08/05/2015
three stems and nine circles....doodling.
Yesterdays embroidery was inspired by this doodle. This doodle sheet informed this pouch. It's a never ending circle, one thing leads to another which leads to something else.
The doodle group I set up on Flickr is growing, it's full of amazing doodles. Who knew you were all such enthusiastic doodlers? Take a look here, join, don't join, just look, appreciate....
08/04/2015
new doodling on white silk
This piece was inspired by some new doodling on paper. I am going to show you the doodling tomorrow, back to front I know. What can I say, I'm a back to front kind of girl. This one was stitched using my new coton a broder 16 which isn't quite as fine as the 25 I spoke of earlier this week.
It appears I spend most of my days in raptures.....cloth raptures. Here's another that has me excited, doing tummy flips. The potential for more is scary. Meanwhile I continue to search for the day with 34 hours in it.
08/03/2015
loops on white, a video
This piece has had a little more attention. There is another run of gimp, secured with bullion loops. More gimp has been coiled across the top and loops with French knots have been stitched along the seam where there are embroidered web stitches.
I finish the bullion loops on camera today and consider what else I can add to this. I haven't decided yet, I'm still thinking.
I also realised today that I started putting my little books together in May. I can't believe it's been that long and they still arent ready. I told you not to hold your breath didn't I. They will still be a little while, at least a couple of weeks. Oh dear......I honestly don't want to rush them though and I also don't want them to become a deadline. Do you know what I mean? I don't want them to be pressured....they are too special to rush.
08/02/2015
my schoolwork
What's happening in embroidery school? Pockets....and ledgers....puffy things, oh and a lot of gimp which is fast becoming my new obsession. I resisted the urge to use gimp in this embroidered piece, piping cord won the debate. It was hard, I struggled to ignore the gimp but think it was the right decision.
The loops which secure the piping cord are stitched using my new, coloured coton a broder (25) It's quite a fine thread, beautiful to embroider with. I am sure I will be using it a lot more.
My tatting needles are still in transit. I am anxious for those to arrive as I can't wait to try it. Let's hope I'm not useless at it. This will hopefully be receiving a little more attention this week too. Watch this space.
08/01/2015
lace cloth, another page, a video.
Pages continue, another ten or so to fill on both sides before I am finished with this little batch of little books. I get a lot of pleasure picking these up for an hour every so often, adding to a page and then leaving them for a few days.
New class information is here if you missed it.
And if you didn't stop by yesterday you will have missed my new pocket.
07/31/2015
a pocket, gimp and buttons
Am I allowed to say that I am totally besotted with this pocket? I hope so, because I am. Two separate pieces of work joined together to create a safe place for my special lace. The lace I used for my daughters wedding bag is in here as is another piece I am keeping for a special occasion in the future.
I like that the loops don't catch the buttons properly, giving a sense you can fasten it but really you can't. I love the buttons, fiddle central and then some but more than worth the effort. I like that no matter how many times I look at this I will discover another piece of tied thread I hadn't seen before.....most of the fastening and final titivation on this is tied, not stitched. This will be kept very close. It will be a few weeks before I can tear myself away from it, from staring at it.
Don't forget the new class...exciting!! You can read about that here if you missed it.
07/30/2015
New Class. Sampling for stitch.
Sampling, edges, fastenings, seams, surfaces, stitch, patter, cloth.....a new class.
Tomorrow I have another finished pocket to share.
Sampling for Stitch
Begins... Monday September 7.
Duration.... 12 weeks (2 week break
after week 4 (Sunday October 4). Continuing for 8 weeks from October 19
until Sunday December 13.)
Online format.... Private password protected blog.
Access.... Unlimited. Forever.
Interaction.... 24/7 email support. Online Private forum hosted on Flickr.
Resources. Minimum four 30 minute videos weekly.
Materials required.... List sent upon registration.
This new 12 week learning programme will centre around sampling and
planning for a collection of embroidered pieces such as pillows,
pouches, needle books, wall panels and similar items. I will not
actually create all of these items, rather I aim to build a
comprehensive ''library'' of samples, of information which would allow
me to create these pieces at any time in the future. (the choice of
finished item you create is entirely yours. I will assist and support
you in the creation of your finished pieces.)
Sampling will consist
of examining shape, pattern, colour, fabric, thread, edge finishes,
fastening options and surface design and will occupy a substantial
segment of the 12 weeks enabling us to build a comprehensive library of
inspiration and samples to take beyond this class and to work from for
many years.
I will be including reference to ''trend forecasting''
relating to stitched textiles within this class. Trend forecasting is
used in industry and commerce with regard to many things such as the car
industry, food and beverage industry, literature and numerous other
areas, my concern will be as I have stated limited to stitched textiles.
Trend forecasting in this area focuses on prediction of colour,
pattern, textures, fabrics and styles for the following season. For the
purposes of this online programme I will be focusing on how samples are
created and presented for trend forecasting purposes, paying particular
attention to how ''trend forecasting'' conclusions are presented in a
physical, non digital manner. Think swatches, think mounted samples,
think thread wraps, think button selections, fastening suggestions, all
presented in a professional and easily readable format.
This class
will be held in a very relaxed an informal atmosphere. There will be no
set tasks, no deadlines, no compulsion to complete any aspect
demonstrated. Pick and choose the process which suits you. Process
learned here is transferable to all areas of stitch and can be utilised
over and over. You may wish to learn in isolation, not to participate in
group discussion or share images of your work, that is fine. This
resource will be yours to use as you wish, you are in control of your
own learning. Permanent access (forever) allows you to observe at your
own pace, to return whenever is convenient for you. I will ALWAYS be
available for guidance, questions, advice during the 12 weeks and
afterwards.
(images use here are purely an illustration of finished edges. These pieces will not be exactly replicated during this 12 week programme)
***you do not need to have participated in any of my previous online learning programmes in order to join us in ''sampling for stitch''.
No prerequisites. Suitable for the beginner and the more experienced stitcher.
And I forgot!! Happy World Embroidery Day everyone. Thanks for reminding me Rachel
07/29/2015
the beginning....
The start of a new piece, just like I said yesterday. White Broderie Anglaise backed with soft cotton cloth, a lace frill, web stitches along a seam, some swirly gimp and some straight gimp caught down with bullion knots. Actually, have you noticed? There appears to be an obsession forming with gimp. It's versatile, swirly, straight whatever takes your fancy really. What's not to get obsessed about.
This will most likely take a back seat for a few days now. I have pages to titivate and tabs to stitch for the body bag. I also have a new class almost ready for the big reveal.....tomorrow I hope.
Today though I am waiting for silk, more of this and some of these. They will be a challenge......I have never done that before.......it's exciting!
07/28/2015
gimp and patchwork, a finished pouch.
Finished, backed, lined, titivated, Prairie points, hand finished edges......sigh. It's in the shop.
I decided to use half and half or thereabouts for the lining and strips of the patterned cloth were added front and back to give a little more width and a little more interest. There are three prairie points on the top too...a finishing touch.
It's been a good week so far for finishing. In class, tomorrow, I finish a pocket and a page. I will show you those later this week. I also hope to finish another book very soon, pages will be cut today. Now so much is finished I need to think about the opposite....starting.....starting a new piece. I'm thinking, I am undecided, there is too much to choose from....pin pillow? Maybe, probably....
07/27/2015
Suffolk puffs on a page.....a video....
This weekend, amongst other things, I have been stitching tiny samples for the artist books which are in progress. There are half a dozen Suffolk puffs and a little embroidery on the surface of a piece of cloth I created some time ago which goes to prove you should never throw anything away.
I plan to cut snippets from the larger cloth piece and add them to pages for the little books but for today my warm up exercise was adding Suffolk puffs to a page, a simple task but one which has progressed the page count.
Later today I am hoping to back this and add a lining. I have yet to decide whether I will play with the lining in terms of adding strips of the patterned cloth so watch this space.
07/26/2015
rouleau loops
You last saw this here....it has moved on a lot since then in fact it will be finished in class later this week. There are two pieces here, the front and back of what will become another pocket. Rouleau loops have been added to an edge, a fastening, a fastening that is most likely only ever going to be decorative. This pocket won't ever fasten completely.
Today one of these pieces is strategically folded in order to keep something back until the girls in class have seen it. Once that is done it will be full steam ahead to decoratively joining seams and edging the top opening. You should get to see the whole thing, finished, titivated, complete by the end of the week.
07/25/2015
circles and ledger pages....
When I'm not hanging out here I can be found over in embroidery school...cracking the whip....(not really, I am such a soft touch). Today's offering shows a little of what we have been up to over there, circles, big, huge circular pockets on the surface of circular pockets. This one is edged with bullion loops and has an embroidered lining, (you can see that in the last image)
Then there is my ledger...did I mention we are learning Swedish too? I am using the most delightful children's book, bought in Sweden last December. I haven't a clue what it says but occasionally I set homework for class to translate a phrase or a sentence.....very soon we will all be fluent! Already I know how to say a very useful phrase.....i ett slott (in a castle)....who knows when I might need that in an emergency situation?
It's Saturday today, just in case you didn't know. I can't seem to be organised on a weekend, too many comings and goings so I have no idea what I am going to do later this afternoon apart from it won't be anything domestic goddess related......perhaps I'll just fiddle with a little cloth, aimlessly, wondering, thinking...who knows, an idea may jump out at me.
07/24/2015
gimp? yes....
It won, the gimp that is. Remember here I was debating the addition of gimp? Last night gimp was trailed across this piece. I'm not sure if that's it finished. I am deciding, thinking, considering.
Looking at it here has actually given me an idea. I will keep that to myself for now, think on it some more. Meantime I will play with ideas for the lining of this one. Simply lining it with white silk would work I'm sure but I also wonder if adding strips of the patterned cloth would lift that, add interest. Later today I will play, pin some pieces together, mix and match......
(the ''related posts'' thingy on this blog is becoming very irritating. It automatically suggests posts depending on the text within each blog post. It only ever suggests the same posts here no matter what I type. So, an experiment.....bullion knots, silk, patchwork, cross stitch, applique, white, loops, pins, cloth, embroidery, samples, sampling, pouch, pocket....nope....nothing.) Ok then, I will suggest other reads for you, this, this and this...maybe...if you want to.
07/23/2015
new threads
DMC
Coton a Broder 25 caught my eye. I have used it once, many moons ago
and in terms of my white stitching decided to continue with the Coton a
Broder 16. In terms of thickness the 16 suits me. Colour however is
another matter. I have always mostly used stranded cottons for adding
colour to my work, that was before the shade card you saw yesterday came
into my life. Well I can resist anything but temptation....so a few
skeins have been purchased and I'm sure that as I grow to love them the
collection will be added to.
A quick word about the lace in the first image. The off white lace was purchased in San Francisco some time ago. I used some of that when I made my daughters wedding bag. The remainder will be saved for anything equally as special which may or may not arise in the future. The white lace alongside it was extremely expensive, ( I only have about 18 inches of that) That piece is also being saved for something special in the future. I can't remember the name of the shop where I bought it apart from it was in Soho. And the reason I have those out today? I was using them to illustrate a point in class but who needs a reason anyway, it's good to just aimlessly gaze sometimes!
07/22/2015
my week
It's been a busy week, busy yet predictable. Thread, stitch, paper.....I bought a new shade card, I have already drooled on that and been forced to order several colours from there. I made rouleau loops, put pages together and of course I embroidered too.
You will notice that I continue to accumulate piles too. In my defence, the piles change regularly. Something will be picked from the top and worked on. It then generally ends up on another pile.....hey ho, what can I say? I bet you all have piles of piles too, I know it.....
07/21/2015
Gimp or no gimp
Another
patchwork piece has been appliqued to this surface with one waiting for
me to decide where I should put it. I'm now wondering what else I can
use to embellish this piece of silk...gimp? Yes or no? Probably.....
07/20/2015
adding French knots to a page
More pages, hexagons, French knots, a little gimp, a small piece of ''paperwork'', prints of embroidery, pieces of note paper, pieces of graph paper, gingham and doodles. There are three double spread pages here, not enough for one book. You may be seeing this kind of thing for some time, embroidery will be dotted in between.
07/19/2015
with added hexagons and three more flowers
I'm almost mesmerised by this hand blocked cloth. It's like nothing I've ever used before at least as the focal point for a finished piece. It lives so well on the white silk, like it belongs, like the contrast option of these two very different surfaces was begging to be explored.
Since you last saw it I added three more flower heads (not padded). They fall from below the strip of cloth I added in this video. There is also a half 'Grandmothers flower garden' hexagon piece, I think there will be more of those.
I'm considering the lining already, pieces of both joined together? Strips? Squares? Or maybe fine strips of the hand blocked cotton dotted on white silk? I am so indecisive.....I feel some sampling coming on.
07/18/2015
yesterday afternoon....
Books, pages, ledgers, artist books. Three hours yesterday afternoon devoted to putting some of these together. Numerous pages, numerous samples, numerous painted swatches, mini designs, prints, thread, needles, scissors....phew. Following my three hours paper play time I have three finished books and three more to make. The upshot? I need quite a few more pages. I haven't listed these yet, two are spoken for and I will leave the listing until I have four for the shop.
Remember yesterday I mentioned reviews? Reviews of my classes, my work, my blog? I have four now....thank you...I'm blushing. I can assure you that no money has changed hands, no bribery has taken place....yet....If you want to read those you can go here and I would really appreciate if anyone else wanted to leave one too.
07/17/2015
Making plans with gingham
I have an idea, a plan, can't say too much about it at the moment because basically I haven't got it figured out for myself yet but it's to do with sampling. Sampling cloth, sampling cloth colours, cloth pattern. It includes sampling edges and fastenings too....
I had some fun yesterday afternoon playing with gingham. I might do something similar with silk today. The only silk I have is white. I do however have white silk lace of various kinds, patterned surfaces. That might make a pretty collection, what do you think?
Tomorrow there will probably be more pages for little books. They are developing slowly like I said but I like to reconnect with those for an hour every so often. That way the pile gets bigger without me even noticing.
This morning I added a ''review'' facility to my facebook page. You can rate me out of five. I would really appreciate it if you had a look and left a little feedback maybe??? If you go here you should be able to see what I mean. If you have ever bought anything from me you could rate that, you could rate a class if you have taken one of those, you could also rate my blog.
Finally.....the doodle group on Flickr. I should have been clearer about this group. It isn't anything to do with any of my classes. I only set it up to encourage you all to doodle. I have no other input over there. It is open to everyone. Images do not have to be private like they are in my online classes...public, for anyone, for everyone....
07/16/2015
embroidered silk and an accompanying ledger page
The body bag has been getting regular attention since ''embroidered pockets, human cloth'' began. This piece is referenced by the ''human cloth'' aspect of that title....it's a human sized pocket or at least it will be when it's finished. It started life as a series of ''sampler cloths'', pieces of silk embroidered and embellished with no plan in mind, no structure as such. The silk base was a vehicle for sampling stitches and embroidery techniques such as patchwork and applique.
The ledger page shown here goes way back to the beginning of this piece, it's at least a year and a half old...I honestly can't remember exactly but I stand ready to be corrected. The ledger and the cloth have been a part of this house for so long now it seems like they have always been here, I can't remember what it was like before I began the challenge that is the body bag.
I made a pledge that each week of class, (embroidered pockets) would involve one session with this piece of work. Progress is still slow but it's steady, it's regular. I reconnect with this piece at least once a week. I love that I do that......
07/15/2015
Stitching a page
Look away now, it's another video. It's becoming quite a habit isn't it. I'm enjoying it and really hope you are too. Stitches have been added to the page from this video, like a little white ladder creeping its way skywards. It needed lifting, it was ''dull'' and if truth be told a little dreary. Just add a little white coton a broder, a needle and hey presto.....
The doodle group is making me very happy too. There are some fantastic doodles going on. I'm resisting the urge to comment, to favourite because like I said it's a group for you, I can't commit to input of any kind but I do love to look. Anyone can join, just go here to enjoy the doodles and while you are there join up if you like.
07/14/2015
a strip of cloth, a video
The piece from yesterday, a little more stitch. I decided to add a strip just under the flowers, it works for me. Sometimes sectioning a piece off like this allows you to see the whole piece more clearly. It helps me when I am considering what else to put on the surface.
This piece will rest for a few days now, other pieces need my attention. This time next week I am hoping to have another finished pocket from class. That one will be for me. That will be two I have from class and a third is under way too.
There are also pages needing attention, at least another twenty. That sounds like a lot and is quite scary unless I say it quickly!! They will be finished a few at a time, slowly......
07/13/2015
new cloth
New cloth, not the kind of cloth I usually buy. I was drawn to it, what can I say. I got it here, scroll down the page....the interesting stuff is lower down. (if you are in my class I show you this and speak about it in one of Wednesdays videos)
I figured if I buy it and use it in the same way I would a piece of Broderie Anglaise or Liberty or white then I can make it fit with ''me''. What do you think? I think so far so good. Four padded applique motifs, four chain stitch stems and a lot of bullion knots on white silk.....I think its working. I'm not sure what comes next, I'm thinking about it. A strip may figure, a thin hemmed piece of this stretching across the width, just under what's here already? Maybe....
07/12/2015
knots, cloth and drawing.....pages
French knots, snippet cloth, chain stitch, lines, black and white mark making, couched gimp.....pages. I have quite a few of these done now but still not nearly enough. I think I need at least another twenty. It will be slow, I'm fitting it in around pockets and cloth and doodling other things. I'm not in a hurry. I think if I were to work on these until they were all finished at the expense of everything else I wouldn't enjoy making them. As it is, every so often I have a nice diversion, a little paper play. That works for me.
07/11/2015
Daily doodling and a new Flickr group for you.
Remember this? I did say I would be back to finish it and here it is along with another page doodled in a similar way. I am on a bit of a mission to get you all doodling. I'm hoping you are encouraged by my paltry offerings. It doesn't have to be amazing, Picasso like, worthy of a gallery. If you get pleasure from it then that's mission accomplished. You don't even have to show anyone else. I speak about this in the video today, I like to think I am encouraging, prompting....
To help you a little more I have set up an open Flickr group, Doodling Daily for anyone to put their doodles in. I wanted to call it a ''doodle a day'' but that was already taken, never mind, ''doodling daily'' works too. I'm not going to have any other role there from now on, I merely set it up. Get over there and join, have a ball.
***the new ''doodling daily'' group on Flickr is completely separate from my online class groups. I will have no involvement in terms of comments or feedback over there. I set the group up to spur your doodling on, to encourage. Images uploaded to that group do not have to be in private mode HOWEVER please DO NOT put images in that group which are also in the private online learning groups.***
07/10/2015
gimp....
This is the guilty piece of gimp I was telling you about yesterday, the piece of gimp which had me excited, which still excites me. Gimp laid on a pocket surface, on lace, on Broderie Anglaise, couched with bullion loops and applied alongside cutwork with lace insertions. It sounds like I am reciting a recipe. I suppose I am, a recipe for a few happy hours stitching.
This will now be laid aside for a couple of days. There are pages to attend to along with a little doodling. Tomorrow there will be a video and a new place for you to share your doodles. I'm on a mission to get the world doodling.....sharpen your pencils.
07/09/2015
what's been going on.....
I haven't done this for a while, posted pictures from my phone. I take pictures all day long. Whatever I am doing, it gets photographed with my phone. It's a brilliant way to keep a record of things in progress, to look back on and remember, to plan, to tick things off lists, to remind myself that I haven't necessarily been idle for days. I don't take pictures of the ironing though, or the dust, or the debris, or the mess which usually surrounds me too. (there would be way too many of those)
In other news....we're racing away in pockets class. I have new developments from there to show you tomorrow. I got very excited about a length of gimp...yes, honestly. It's not too late...you can still join in....we're very friendly.
07/08/2015
I promised
This is what you were meant to see yesterday before I got distracted by a pencil and a piece of paper.......embroidery. This is the beginning of another pocket, a pocket being brought to life in class. There is a circle theme with this one which may not be immediately obvious but as it develops you will notice that more. So far there are circles on the surface as you can see. Cutwork circles with tiny gathered pockets along with web stitches.
I got more pleasure than you could imagine edging these with bullion loops. Needle, thread, counting wraps, on to the next one and repeat....sigh. I recommend it......
07/07/2015
distracted by a doodle
I do apologise. I was going to show you embroidery today, embroidery which is being progressed in class. Thing is I got distracted by two tiny doodles which I found in a cupboard. What can I say.....I will show you the embroidery tomorrow I promise. I will not go in any cupboards today. I will not sort through any piles of anything thus avoiding any possible distractions.
A video, about the doodles, why, when and a page with a new doodle.
07/06/2015
an embroidered lining and a button
Ta da! It's finished, I didn't think I'd make it, other things happening yesterday but here it is. What can I say? Speedy fingers? I'm just a little bit in love and am so tempted to keep it for myself but as I kept this one for myself I thought it best not to be selfish. So it's in the shop. It's a big one, 12 1/2 x 13 inches with an embroidered lining and an embroidered reverse, finished off with a hand embroidered button.
I'm getting very excited about something we are doing in class at the moment too. I am going to work on that a little more tonight and share with you tomorrow because the girls have seen it today. Think pockets, think little gathered pockets, think cutwork......
My ''related posts'' thingy which usually appears at the bottom of posts doesn't seem to be working. It's a mystery. But maybe you would like this, this and this.....button connections.
07/05/2015
an edge of cutwork
Remember the pocket top with pockets on the top? I have been itching to progress this one. The surface pockets are all titivated and secured now so it's on to the surface adornment. I added an edge of cutwork last night, inspired by something loosely similar I will be doing in class tomorrow. I have used a fine, embroidered silk in the cut away areas. It is light and adds to the overall surface without detracting from what is already happening on there.
The next stage of this is going to be a challenge. I have a plan to marry this with something which is very different, a contrasting front and back. I will speak about that in class later this week, make a decision and then I will let you know.
Today I was hoping to get all this put together on the sewing machine ready for the final embellishments. I'm not sure that will happen now so it may be a few more days until that is ready for it's final public showing.
07/04/2015
pieces of a pocket puzzle
Three pieces of embroidery, three pieces of a pocket. One is heavily embellished with applique, bumpy bits, chain stitch, web stitch, French knots and bullion loops. Two are simply embroidered with running stitch edging a strip of doodles. Doodles doodled by moi...my patterning, my pen marks.
The next step involves the sewing machine, some turning out, some edging, some titivating of edges. Don't you love it when a plan comes together? Later today I may start thinking about another one of these, such is the pleasure of working on them. First though....videos for class. They are all waiting patiently for me to get my act together. I'm on it...sharpen your pencils and thread your needles girls!!
Happy 4th of July to all my American friends and a Happy 4th of July to the rest of you too. I'm hardly NOT going to wish you a happy day now am I?
07/03/2015
continuing in black and white
The page stack is getting taller but not yet nearly tall enough. I'm in no hurry actually, I'm taking my time, enjoying. The black and white bug bit me yesterday. There was printing, cutting, doodling, pattern and lettering. (and if there's any mention of feet.....you know who you are...I will not be responsible for my actions)
My attention is moving to pockets again this afternoon so pages may well take a back seat for a while anyway....... We begin our pocket/body bag/ledger adventure again on Monday. You can still join us....just go here and take a look. We will be making all kinds of things just like this, this and this....
Out of sight I am working at getting this finished. It needs a couple more petals, a doodled lining and something whoop de doo for the final titivation. Don't ask me about the whoop de doo bit yet...I'm still thinking about that one.
07/02/2015
how one thing leads to another
A tiny page from yesterday, the one with white knots and black dots has inspired additions to a sample which has been ''completed'' for some time. That's the thing with a sample, you can move it on by beginning something new, transferring that idea to a fresh piece of cloth or paper or you can come back and add to it as and when the inspiration strikes. (you can also do both)
It wasn't my intention for these small pages to be the starting point for anything else. They were just ''pages'', stand alone components of tiny books. This one though, the black and white one pictured here seemed to belong with the piece I have had for a while, or if not belong then live side by side in some sense. The surface is transferable, the patterning complimentary.....it had to be done.
07/01/2015
three more makes six
Pages, pages for little books of colour, little books of doodle, little artist books. I now have six. I need a lot more. They are being built up slowly. I think I will just continue to make little pages until you can't move in my house because of little pages. Then I will start to put little books together.
In other news.....the laundry pile is slightly smaller today and the unpacking is done. I'm early today because I have an important lunch date............oh and I have a raging sore throat......
06/30/2015
white, pockets, loops....
White.....bullion loops, sealing pocket bottoms. This is this piece. If you compare the two you will see there are more loops, a little more embellishment. This was titivated before I went away. I am now craving needle and thread but that will have to wait until tonight, much later tonight.
I have had the most amazing time, I can't
even begin to express that, how the past five days have been. There are
a lot of pictures here. It rained on Saturday, enough to establish the mud. Aside from that the weather was glorious.
Today I'm struggling to get ''with it''. I don't party hard in an alcohol sense but I do stay up most of the night, deprive myself of sleep. So I am now slowly returning to normality, staring at the unpacking and the piles of dirty washing and wondering when those elves are going to show up and get those chores done. If you see them can you ask them to hurry up please......there's embroidery to be done and I need a clean space.
Next Monday I go back to school, another eight weeks of pocket making, doodling, working on the ''human cloth'' which is the body bag. I can't wait. If you want to join us for those eight weeks and get access to all the previous resources then the shop is now open.
(to my girls.....my girls in class. I'm coming, soon, as soon as I make sense of the piles of laundry I will be there. I missed you)
Finally....I was here, I am in this crowd. Can you see me?
06/22/2015
more pockets, tiny pockets.
Tiny pockets, a gathered pink spotty pocket and a tiny square green spotty pocket. These are on the surface of what will become a lager pocket.....watch this space.
Things are winding down here. I'm packed. Ruane towers is spotless. It's just a matter of waiting now....waiting. I will be posting on Instagram whilst I'm gone. The shop will be closing later today and if you get bored whilst I'm away??? See the categories list on the right of the blog? Just click video..there are over FIFTY videos there to keep you out of trouble.
Miss you already.....
06/21/2015
pockets...with pockets on top.
Anyone short of a pocket or two? Just pop round here, there's plenty. This is a pocket with added pockets which will be used to back the pocket in the last two pictures...they are laid side by side....You can probably get a sense of what I've been up to, yes, pockets.
Do you want to make pockets too? If you do you best be quick because the shop is shutting tomorrow. If you want access to the secret blog and private Flickr group where pockets are taking over then you only have one day to sort that out. You will have two free weeks whilst I am gone to catch up, to peruse, to fill your house with pockets!!
(I will only be away from here for one week. I will be away from class for two. I will be here tomorrow!!)
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