09/29/2014
progress
It's finished, it's embroidered, embellished, titivated to death. Now it needs backing and transforming into something. I'm thinking pouch, I was debating pouch or pillow but I'm going with pouch. If it becomes a pillow and nobody wants to buy it I will have nowhere to use it as a pillow. If it 's to be a pouch however and nobody wants to buy it then I can have it.......result. You can never have too many pouches.
I'm probably going to back it later today and hand finish the edges tonight. It may be ready tomorrow. Both those things depend on my not getting distracted though because I have some ledger stuff to the side of me that is tempting me, calling for me to come play. Ink, paper, thread or cloth and edges? Dilemma.....
09/28/2014
creating, doodling, stitching....
It
It would seem I have had a productive week. I've been stitching,
looking at ledgers, cutting paper, piecing hankies, embroidering with
bling....phew. I think I'll go for a lie down. This has been a week of
clear thinking, no creative hiccups, no blanks, no brain freeze. Let's
hope I'm not speaking too soon.
Weather wise it's been gloomy, grey, dry but not bright. Hence the gloomy nature of some of these images, all of which I have taken with my phone......a record of my lack of time on the sofa watching daytime TV.
The sewing machine? Oh boy, the sewing machine. A gift from my mum for being her favourite daughter. Ok, I'm her only daughter but heck, if there were more I would be favourite. It isn't a family heirloom, it's not inherited but I don't care a jot. It's beautiful. I love it. I think it does work but before I try I am going to take it to be cleaned...properly, by the professionals. This one takes the number of antique sewing machines I own up to four. Why do I have four? Why not? They can collect dust here just as easily as somewhere else.
09/27/2014
old doodles, new ideas....
I spent yesterday looking through ledgers to feed an idea I have. It's just that at the moment, an idea. This is very early sampling based on one ledger page. I still have to doodle from a couple of pages in doodle doo that are ripe for moving forward and then there's a ledger from 2004 that is throwing up some interesting thoughts.
I am making notes. I am doodling on scraps of paper as and when something pops into my head. I have bought tracing paper, card, mountboard and silk. Hopefully, as we go through next week more of these ideas will translate into samples and you will definitely get to see those...
I've also ordered some gimp. (not from the place in the link, they just had a better image) That's for bling work though. I was desperate for that to arrive this morning so I could play......it didn't. The postman didn't bring it, he let me down.
09/26/2014
just pins
Oops, not a stitch in sight. I've been pinning the last two hankies together. This isn't all I've done. I've been playing with bling for ''5''. That should keep them busy for a while when they get it tomorrow. I've also been looking at ledgers, doodling and thinking about something new.
Later today I'm going to cut paper....how much excitement can I take? Actually, the cutting is the preparation and what comes next is very exciting. You may see that this weekend. Other plans? Tonight it will be paper and bling, two separate projects, a couple of hours on each I think. I'm hoping to fit some of this in too on Saturday or Sunday, it's taking shape, it will come together quite quickly from this point, (I think).
09/25/2014
lace, tissue and edges....
The lace piece I promised you yesterday, it's finished. I say finished, this piece is but whether it will stay like this or whether I will join it to something else I can't decide. For now I will just look, touch and scrutinise for any bits I may have missed. Every edge, every seam, every join is edged with buttonhole lace. Time consuming, very much a pleasure to stitch.
I'm off to order silk.
09/24/2014
seven together
T
In a row, folded, just to look at, all seven completed sections for my handkerchief cloth...together.
It's obvious that the dominant theme is bullion loops. There's no arguing needed about my favourite stitch at the moment. I don't think they overwhelm though. I think they fit, live here happily alongside the other titivation's. There are two more to complete and then the fun of joining begins.
I've also been working on more lace. Well actually it's net but I'm treating it like lace, another old piece evolving. Hopefully you'll see that tomorrow.
Finally, the proud owner of a new floor cloth, the winner of my printed cloth give away....Joanne Young. Details please Joanne....
09/23/2014
a ledger and a book show and tell...
A little look for you at my ledger which is taking shape over in Simply stitch 5. It is concerned with handkerchiefs......for now. Who knows what else will be in here by the time we finish. These pages are not complete, they need more. I'm working on that (in my head...)
Tiny strips of ''pretty'' embroidery are placed here alongside more stark, masculine pieces, painted backgrounds, stripes, blues.
When I post the weekly round up of images from my phone I always get asked about the books on my table. So here you are, especially for you, a show and tell of my three latest acquisitions...
and a link to some info about Annette Messager (as promised in the video)
09/22/2014
number seven of nine
Yes, I've decided on nine. Nine hankies for the handkerchief cloth. That's my mind made up for today anyway, stay alert....it could change. I like the checks placed on lines here with a little lace thrown in too. There are buttonhole edges, running stitch, French knots and there will almost certainly be some bullion loops added tonight, they seem to be my default stitch at the moment. What can I say, I love them.
Must dash. I have an appointment with the foot person. Now there's a job I could never do.
could Alice Zalik please drop me an e mail.....thanks.
09/21/2014
more bling
Who knew that I would fall in love with tiny little bits of shiny silver? Not me....I've added more to this piece, at the other side, cohesion, consistency, ensuring the embellishment flows. I hope that's what I've done anyway. We're not finished yet, still a long way to go on this one. I see more silver leather in it's future, definitely more loops and shiny stuff too. Do you see the tiny bits of silver between the loops in these pictures? I like those.
Thanks for all the comments on the give away post. You will all go in the hat and I think Wednesday will be the day I draw that so if you haven't got your name down yet you can go here and have a look, there's still time.
There's still time to sign up to Simply Stitch 5 too. We have been going for two weeks but it's very much an evolving process. There is no such thing as being behind, no such thing as too late...you have access to that forever. So far we have created ledger pages and stitched on too may handkerchiefs to even begin to count. I fear there will be a worldwide shortage soon. Later this week we're on bling, titivating with shiny stuff.......you can read more about ''5'' here.
09/20/2014
layers of lace,
So many pictures today! Why? Well because there is a lot to see on this cloth. I actually, honestly, really, truthfully do wish you could all take hold of this and inspect it. That's what I was doing last night as I searched for more areas to titivate, more seams to edge, more holes to strengthen with stitch. I had an amazing time stitching on this for the whole of the evening yesterday, five hours in total probably or thereabouts.
This piece was started ages ago, a long time, last year I think. It has grown, similar to the manner of a doodle cloth in so far as bits were added haphazardly as and when I felt the cloth needed it. That explains it's non uniform shape, it grew as it wanted to grow. There is layer upon layer of lace, some vintage some new along with mirrors, applique, French knots and so many embroidered seams I lost count.
I think I can safely say it's finished now, embellished to within an inch of its life. It's now in the shop, it was always intended for the shop it just took me a little longer than I had planned. What can I say....I got carried away......
09/19/2014
printed
Remember this? It now looks like this.
I had some cloth printed with my doodle design by spoonflower. It's not perfect, it needs tweaking but I am still delighted with it, love it in fact.
What needs changing? I want the overall pattern to be smaller, less white space with a greater density of doodling. Over the next few days I will play with that a little more.
Because I am so excited about this cloth and believe me I am VERY excited, I want to share. I am giving away one piece, 16 x 8 inches which is the overall size of a complete pattern. So if you need a new rag to clean the floor or wash the dog now is your chance. Just leave a comment, any comment. It can be about the weather, the price of cheese....anything. I will pick a winner next week sometime.
Now I really must dash, I am running very late today. That's because I was up half the night, something was happening in Scotland apparently and I didn't want to miss it.
09/18/2014
French knots and silver purl
I've been titivating! Titivating with French knots and tiny snippets of silver purl. There's quite a way to go with this piece but I'm definitely enjoying the process. As you can see I have a lot of plans for silver purl by the huge piece I have in the second picture. I'll need it, we are making ''bling'' pin pillows over in Simply Stitch 5 next week.
Aside from purl I need more silver kid leather for the piece in these pictures, in fact my shopping list grows longer by the day, silver kid leather, tracing paper, card, fabric pens, silk dupion, metallic silk tissue.....oh dear, I feel an internet ordering session coming on. Shhhhhhh, don't tell him who pays the bills.
09/17/2014
evidence
It's been a busy week, a good week, a productive week, a week of new ideas, possible plans, lots of creativity. That may surprise you seeing as how I was moaning about a lack of direction earlier in the week..........it didn't last long.
My phone is mostly overworked. It takes pictures of anything that doesn't move. If I had a cat I would most likely be chasing it all day in order to photograph it. It's a good thing cloth can't move of its own free will.
And who knew that salt and pepper were essentials for embroidery. I just noticed they are still on the table from our last meal.....oops.
09/16/2014
backgrounds and the first page
You know that first page in a ledger? The blank one? The white one? I'm over it. I worked on it, it's done, a mere memory. We have been making backgrounds over in school. We've been painting cloth and painting paper and then cutting and sticking, it's like kindergarten, nursery school.
I've stitched a bit on mine too. It came together quite well I think. Nothing wonderfully innovative or stop in your tracks immense but acceptable, useful, inspiring new work already...yes.
Next time we will doodle.
Meanwhile I am going to work more on this which is equally as exciting I think.
I thought some of you may enjoy this....Anna Sui, a catwalk collection. A little story.....I went to New York on a study trip in 2004. I went in the Anna Sui store and Anna Sui was actually there, in the flesh, really her. She chatted to my friend and me and allowed us to take photographs of the clothes, bags, accessories etc. That is unheard of. I have a great affection for her as a result of that and I adore her patterning, her surface designs. I adored them anyway. I would have adored them if she had been aloof, unhelpful. The fact that she was generous and openly giving is a bonus. The only down side.....I no longer have the photographs. I fear I may have left them at Uni on a disc.
09/15/2014
Extending cloth and a video
I think my plan worked, you be the judge. I added to the silver and white piece, extended it. It will become a pillow, maybe a pouch, I haven't decided but I like the change and especially the addition of the bright white cloth which enhances the silver in a very unexpected way. The video is very short, two minutes. It explains things in more detail.
09/14/2014
handkerchiefs and mirrors
My handkerchief cloth is progressing over in Simply Stitch 5. (which is still open for registration if you are tempted, curious, pondering.) I have cut up this mirror piece and that too is now living happily on a handkerchief. Cutting it up was painless, it's happier here. Being part of this cloth will give it permanence and purpose. The rest of the piece, the unused part will most definitely be saved, closely guarded and used in the future.
Yesterday, lacking inspiration day, thank you for the push, the suggestions, the concern. I wasn't really completely devoid of ideas, it was more that I'm wrapped up in these hankies and I was searching for something else too. I'm OK now I think, let's hope they aren't famous last words but at this moment in time I do have an idea. I'm hoping to start something later today and there will be more on that tomorrow if it is a success. Oh what the heck, if it's a failure I will still tell you.......at least then you won't think I have spent my day doing nothing, being idle.
09/13/2014
silver and off white
The white piece, the one with silver bumps, I've been playing with that a little. I was away a long time wasn't I. I forgot what time it was, didn't look at the clock. I didn't go anywhere, no holiday, no shopping spree. I did have my carpets cleaned, does that count as wildly exciting?
Oh, I did go to Manchester to see him. It was booked a lifetime ago and I had actually forgotten about it, good thing my friend nudged me and reminded me. It was good, maybe OK, not usually my kind of thing but a pleasant evening was had by all.
But sewing....I played with this like I said, now what? I am busy, busy , busy over in ''5'', embroidery, talk of ledgers, latecomers signing up but? I want something else, something to share with you too. I must get my brain in gear and create, new....fresh.......inspire me please.
09/09/2014
two down, seven or maybe ten to go....
These pieces probably look familiar. The difference is they are finished now. One of them you may recognise as a stitchery doodle, you would be right except it has now found its way onto a hankie and is hankie number one of the hankies which will become my hankie cloth. I'm not sure how big I want this to be yet, hence the number uncertainty in the title. And oops...I just noticed that I haven't removed the tacking from the lace trim on the green one, sorry about that. I have more of these in progress, taking shape and being titivated over in Simply Stitch 5.
Now a mini public service announcement. I'm taking two days away from the blog. I will be here but there won't be any posts. There are a couple of more pressing things going on and I just can't split myself in two. I wondered when that time would come. I tried to avoid it but I have to step away, two days that's all. You will barely notice I have gone.
Just to emphasise...I will be here. If you are in class it's fine, you can mail me, I will be checking flickr, I have the post ready to go for Friday.
For everyone else, you can still sign up for ''5'' and receive all the info. Heck....you can harrass me by e mail about anything.
Behave yourselves whilst I'm gone.......x
09/08/2014
silk tissue, lace and edges
Edges.......I love edges. These particular edges are time consuming, numerous, varied in shape, varied in texture. They are also wonderful to stitch, a pleasure, therapeutic. It really is possible to get lost in embroidery. To find that ''place'' in your head and just go with it.
Circles of lace, circles of silk tissue, weird shapes, teardrop shapes, all edged with buttonhole lace. This piece has been in progress for some time. It will be in progress for a little bit longer.
If you are registered for Simply Stitch 5 you should have received sign in information this morning along with an invitation to join our private Flickr group. If you didn't receive this information let me know as soon as possible.
09/07/2014
adding a bit of bling
I've been playing with this piece, the piece from the day before yesterday. Last night I added a little bling in the form of a silver bump edged with silver purl and a lot of bullion loops which are placed along seams, irregular seams but seams none the less. Although my sparkly piece is ongoing it's good to see how the same materials in terms of ''bling'' live on a surface made of different cloth, more solid cloth. I'm only sampling here, playing, filling time because most of my focus at the moment is on pieces for Simply stitch 5 which starts tomorrow, yes tomorrow. I am more than excited about that work and you will get to see it at some point this week I promise.
09/06/2014
this week
I've been busy this week yet have less images on my phone. I must have been too busy to take pictures!
09/05/2014
it started with a ledger...
The sample in the top image came about after I flicked through the ledger in the second image yesterday. I wasn't looking for ideas, I was reminding myself of ledger exercises and I just had an urge to create a bigger piece of cloth inspired by cloth swatches I had made which are in the ledger. So here it is. It was put together by pinning, tacking and then machine stitching. I have added minimal hand embroidery....I ran out of time. This morning it occurred to me that it also lives with my bling piece, hence the inclusion of that in a few images.
See what can happen just by flicking through a ledger? Where that leads? What will I do with it? I have no idea but when you get the urge to make something you just have to go with it.
(I heat set the cloth with my doodles on yesterday and then laundered a tiny piece of it. Oops...it all washed away. Never fear, I have ordered some fine tipped blue markers...permanent ones!)
09/04/2014
doodles on cloth and drooling on handkerchiefs....
I have had such a wonderful morning. There's something about these stitchery doodles, these handkerchief pieces that has gotten me all ''happy, smiley, giddy''. Control yourself Karen....seriously.
I started making videos this morning for ''5'' and these pieces will feature heavily in our first week. Well not so much these pieces, more this theme, this process. I am so excited about ''5'' and my plans for these and similar things. Please can we start today?
Do you see the blue and white cloth, the cloth with piping and bullion's and an un worked piece? That's the cloth I drew on, doodled on. I haven't laundered any yet so can't say if it's washable but I'll get on to that and let you know. There may be a lot more of that in my future.
09/03/2014
another page
The next page in the swaddling band ledger is finished, what do you think? I am already working on another one, a page for the sample with the buttonhole lace edge. Last night I doodled on fabric for that one and I'll show you that tomorrow.
This page has paper inserts and embroidered silk inserts. I say it's finished but part of me wonders if it needs something else so I'm going to keep looking at it for a few days. I have got one idea but that's still just that, an idea....we shall see.
I'm also rethinking the whole presentation of this ledger, questioning whether I should take it apart and have loose pages instead as these are quite difficult to handle. They are A2 size so not easy to turn and leaf through without the chance of creasing the page or damaging the little overlays etc. Any modifications to this work, this layout, this presentation will most likely happen in Simply Stitch 5 and that leads me to say that today is momentous.....for me anyway. Simply Stitch 4 has finished. Can you see my tears on the keyboard? The end of an era.....
09/02/2014
too tempting...
In my defence......I can resist anything but temptation. I had decided to leave these handkerchief stitchery doodles until we started Simply Stitch 5 next Monday. But......I had to, I couldn't resist and I can justify it. I need to be ahead. I need a head start. Everyone else in the group would race off, finishing their hanky cloths and leave me behind without me developing my little collection in advance and we can't have that can we.
I feel so much better for justifying myself. I actually gave a sigh of relief then.
Tomorrow it's blue and white. That is ongoing. The page from earlier this week is finished. I want to start another one but I'm dithering over ideas, composition, placement, doodling. No change there then.
(if you are registered for Simply Stitch 5 you should have received an e mail from me yesterday. If you didn't receive that mail please let me know)
09/01/2014
edges
There are a few more samples which need to go in the swaddling band ledger. These are also blue and white, it's a theme. I am excited about creating pages for them but thought I should attend to the edges first, pretty them up, neaten them, kind of sample the edges too. You learn something from all of this. Which edges work, which don't, whether close knots are best or whether knots an inch apart work better on certain pieces.
One sample has a simple buttonhole lace edge, the other, the one in the hoop, is getting the full bullion knot treatment.
It would have been ''acceptable'' to mount these pieces edges unfinished. It really is personal choice when deciding how far to take an embroidered sample. I think that I am so wrapped up in the pages I have been doing recently that I need these samples to be pristine, almost like finished pieces. The next step is to consider how I'm going to treat the page.....the samples will tell me that.
(if you are registered for Simply Stitch 5 you should receive an e mail from me today. If you do not receive that e mail please let me know.)
08/31/2014
a ledger taking shape,
The next page of my swaddling band ledger is almost complete. The collage inserts are done and silk has been embroidered for other spaces. The final embellishment will be the addition of the stitched sample which inspired this piece.
The mosaic brings together a few images of the ledger, from recent work to the pages that were created way back, when this ledger was started.
I no longer feel directionless, creatively frustrated or devoid of direction. Don't ask me why. It came back just as quickly as it left with no action on my part that I'm aware of. I will just put it down to ''one of those days''. I have also decided to give that photo promotion offer a miss. No thanks. Like someone said, ''what's in it for them''?
08/30/2014
black and white and paper
I've
had this paper piece for some time now, unfinished, needing a little
more titivation before going to live in doodle doo. As you can see it's
now done and quite by chance the page is perfect for it. I had no idea
what this page was like until I got doodle doo out this morning, the
paperwork was already cut and to me the outline of that fits perfectly
with the marks on this page.
Another thing which has happened quite by chance is this. I was asked permission for an image to be used in that post and looking at it this morning I am convinced the image they chose is this very piece in its early stages......spooky....
I'm feeling a bit lost at the moment, directionless. I am in between things. There are plenty of things I could be doing, could be progressing but I feel as if I need to be doing something else. I know that must happen to you. Do you feel guilty about the things you put to one side ''for now'' when you start something new? My hankie cloth is in view and that is so tempting. Having said that I do have a real desire to progress the page from yesterday so perhaps I could work on that some more and see how I feel after a couple of hours immersed in ledgers.
Finally, has anyone heard of this before? They have approached me with a view to marketing my photographs....not that I'm a photographer. (they say I would keep the copyright) I have done a little googling and they have aroused suspicion in some quarters yet have always made themselves available in those forums and responded positively. I am indecisive...help.
08/29/2014
the plan
I'm hoping that from these images you can get a sense of how I hope to pull this page together. The blue and white, the doodles which have happened recently along with embroidered samples from some time ago....it's all coming together. It links to this just as it links to this. My weekend will be spent working on this page and playing a little more with creating pattern for repeat.
These pieces evolved during Simply Stitch 4. That class was supposed to end this week but......it will continue into next week before Simply Stitch 5 begins on September 8. (mostly because I don't know when to stop talking. I go on and on and on and on....)
Blue and white is almost certain to feature at some point during Simply Stitch 5. To begin that new class however I will begin a new piece, drawing on all my previous work for inspiration in terms of stitch and ledgers.
I had a good visit with family yesterday. Cake, children, the beach......I would like to point out that images I post on Instagram of cake or cakes are not MY cakes exclusively. I have a big family. We have a slice each. The children take some home, ( in fact those kids get first dibs on EVERYTHING....I am insignificant, trust me) some goes in a tin for mother later in the week and I brought some home for my men.....that is still in the kitchen.
08/28/2014
a blue and white week
It's a good thing I like blue and white....adore blue and white. I am surrounded by it at the moment. It would have consumed my week completely if it weren't for the broken computer and the broken back gate. Today will be a stitch free day. I am here, probably eating cake. Tomorrow I will show you progress on the piece with letters....
and.....somebody is talking about me over here
08/27/2014
Silk, bling and a swaddling band
OK...better
late than never. The nice man came and whispered sweet nothings into my
little computer and she is now happy, working away like a proper
trouper!
Aside from blue and white there has been embroidery this week. Admittedly some of that embroidery has been blue and white but some has been bling, shiny, silver, lace, all things luscious! The blue and white piece is an evolving swaddling band which has been part of the focus for simply stitch 4, it's the reason for the blue and white ledger work, extending the design possibilities, sampling for new ideas, new directions all from this one piece of work. The past two evenings I have been adding bullion loops along a seam of that piece. There are so many of them, they are like ringlets, curls, a chain of knots.
The bling piece has new additions too, strips of silver purl, more French knots and more tiny glass beads.....It didn't occur to me until today how well these two live together.
A sad face
My computer is sick, this is sent via my phone. I have more of this to share later, when the nice computer doctor has been.
Sent from Samsung Mobile
08/26/2014
doodle and repeat, blue and white stitching....
Here it is, the cause of my excitement yesterday. I was equally as excited about the page as I was about the pattern. The first image of doodling...left the original, top right a modified version of the first piece, bottom right the repeat. I cropped the second doodle, top right, before attempting the repeat. That's why you may notice a difference. It needs work, it needs tweaking but the seed is there, I think I know what to do.
The page? I love it. It evolved in Simply Stitch 4. It took a while, a few days probably but was more than worth the time.
I am having computer issues, racing against the clock to schedule this post in case my computer dies. It is making some very strange noises. I have summoned help but don't know when that will arrive. If I go quiet that's the reason.
08/25/2014
come in....
I really wish you could come in and have a look at what's on my table today. This is just a tiny corner, I'm afraid I can't show you the rest until tomorrow. Suffice to say it's all blue and white. I have been playing with repeat patterns too. I will warn you now, think carefully before you start down that road as it could easily become an addiction.
I do have one, a repeat pattern that is but again, it will be under wraps until tomorrow. Please don't imagine that it's perfect or finished or amazing in anyway. It is to me but that's because I can't quite believe I managed to do it!
08/24/2014
doodling, stitching, blue and white
Blue and white, work in progress from Simply Stitch 4. Stitched paper, lace, zips, French knots, doodling with pen, doodling with paint. The pen piece is A3 in size, started yesterday and the result of a full afternoon and evening of relaxing scribbling in a pad. I will show you that piece in its entirety when they've seen it in school.
It has crossed my mind to put that piece into the Spoonflower software and get myself some printed fabric and even wallpaper for my bedroom. After taking a quick look over there though it appears less than straightforward in terms of getting the drawing good enough and I am a little scared, fear may get in the way of that plan. I will play though, spend a little time looking at their tools, see if I can find a magic one that does everything for you.
The french knot piece and the zip piece, they aren't finished. They will become a ledger page. The piece with the buttons, I am in the process of thinking through page options for that one. So it's still about ledgers here but more importantly my creativity is getting a kick start.
I spent all day yesterday waiting to see my new favourite band on TV, Coverage by the BBC of Reading Festival. Would you believe they cancelled that screening at the last minute? I was aghast. But I won't let a crummy set up like the BBC spoil my plans so I watched them here and you can too. And.... I was in this crowd when this was filmed (at the back by the urinals....classy).....happy days.
( please watch this if only to see the amazing flags)
08/23/2014
ledgers, a creative fix.
Thank goodness for ledgers.....the past week has been a write off embroidery wise for various reasons. I feel as if I have achieved zero. These are the images from my phone taken since last weekend, note the lack of embroidery. Ledgers ? There are quite a few of those however. That's because yesterday afternoon I decided to reignite my creativity, or at least try to and turning ledger pages generally works for that.
It also proved to be a good exercise pre simply stitch 5. It has given me a few ideas for that. If an athlete runs 10K to prepare for his next task, I turn pages...my equivalent of a 10K run.
This weekend I am hoping to make stitchery progress whilst watching this and wishing I was back at Glastonbury....
Just a quick word about flowers. It has been mentioned that I always have fresh flowers. I do, or at least I mostly do. Thing is, when we go and do our Friday ''big shop'' at the supermarket my husband likes to fill the trolley with beer. (for him, I don't drink alcohol, not for moral or religious reasons but because I can't be trusted under the influence of even the tiniest glass of wine!!) So he gets beer, I get flowers.....his treat, my treat.
08/22/2014
buttonhole stitch and colouring in
I am throwing myself on your mercy. I have very little embroidery to show you that is new. I have two rows of buttonhole lace which I stitched last night. In my defence I have had visitors. Please forgive me. I wasn't going to work on this piece again until nearer simply stitch 5 but it was easy to pick up when I had the house to myself again.
By way of compensation I thought I would show you a little of my Yves Saint Laurent colouring book, a gift from my little girl. It's gorgeous, has ledger potential, is inspirational.
I am now going to spend my afternoon doodling followed by painting, with ink.
08/21/2014
did I mention my obsession with bullion loops?
My little fingers have been working non stop.....adorning.....I love that word, it's my new favourite....adorning the seams on my body bag. One has bullion loops which as you may know I have a bit of an addiction to. The other has French knots, three colours, kind of like tiny flowers. There is two evenings work here, watching TV, specifically Netflix, mayhem in LA whilst practicing the gentle art of embroidery, quite a contrast don't you think.
adorn
08/20/2014
Astrid gets bling....
I bought this little book last year in Sweden. ''Astrid'' by Maria Jonnson is proving to be a charming base for ledger work. I have written about Astrid before, images from those posts are at the foot of today's blog in mosaic form.
I decided that Astrid needed some bling, some sparkle in her life. Last night I added a little semi circle of paper, red and white straight stitch, red and white French knots and a few sparkly glass cube beads. It extends the page lying to the right, more red and white with silk, French knots and thread wrapping.
I really must get a new keyboard. The ''W'' key works only when it feels like it and ''R'' and ''T'' have gone AWOL. I spend my days proof reading....but I do have little bag of these today....comfort eating.
(If you want to watch pages like this evolve, learn how to embellish little books, big books, stitch in ledgers, titivate cloth then Simply Stitch 5 is where you need to be.)
08/19/2014
and then there were 4....
I put another stitchery doodle together yesterday. This one also has a handkerchief as its base just like this one. I didn't manage to get much hand stitching done on it last night...other stuff going on but I think you can get a sense of how it will evolve.
(the white strips at the edge are for damp stretching)
Now I have four pieces. The mirror cloth has been adopted by the stitchery doodle pile. I have plans for these that will take shape in Simply Stitch 5. You will still get to see them once we're up and running. Thing is, because I have decided to use these then I think I should put them away for a couple of weeks so that I'm not finished before we even start class. I'm also thinking about creating a pin pillow in Simply Stitch 5, inspiration taken from this. Phew.....that's quite a big ''to do'' list if you consider the continuation of the body bag and the swaddling band. It's a good thing I never leave the house.....
I am very tempted to continue with the stitchery doodles, desperate in fact but I must show some self control. Tonight I will work on this.....definitely something to look forward to. I can't complain really can I.....
08/18/2014
more sparkly work
This piece is slowly taking shape, a couple of hours spent last night adding beads, adding silver purl, adding silver kid leather. There are tiny cubed glass beads on here that are barely visible in the images.....that's a shame, they are so pretty and very delicate. You can just about make them out in the third image down, just under my name.
Thanks for the feedback on yesterdays piece, you like it then? I have more of those hankies so watch this space.
08/17/2014
a numberless stitchery doodle
It's numberless because I keep finding other pieces that qualify as stitchery doodles. Number three is gone, given as a gift. Number two doesn't fit. This could be number two then but after a morning of fiddling and faffing I have found something else that lives with this series, I will speak about that later in the week. As it doesn't take much to make me confused I am leaving the numbering for now.
I worked on this last night, added bullion loops, strips of buttonhole lace and an edge of French knots. There are one or two dark spots, old age.....I think they enhance, they are evidence of history.
08/16/2014
what's going on....
It's been a funny couple of days creatively. I wouldn't say I lost my ''mojo'', I still had it I just wasn't sure what to do with it. There are a couple of ''pressure'' pieces going on in the background, things I want to finish or move on for class, quite time consuming in terms of what they need yet still a pleasure. My floundering occurred because I can't show you those until they have been seen by the SS4 group. (and yes SS4 group...all the hooks and eyes are added now :) I'm feeling quite pleased with myself on that one)
I am working on my sparkly cloth, adding bling and titivating that surface but I fear you will become bored with that. If I spend hours on it you can't tell the difference even though I know how much extra has been added it must look just the same to you. Essentially one bead looks the same as another despite the fact that it may be in a different area. One area of applied silver kid looks exactly the same as another regardless of where I put it....do you see what I mean.
What to do? Well I'm never one to turn down the chance to pin new pieces, to play with cloth, to lay different pieces down and see what lives happily with what. This morning I have put a tiny stitchery doodle together. An old hankie, soft, pastel stripes covered with a very fragile piece of vintage white and a snippet of vintage embroidery from a worn and ragged table cloth pinned on top. I will begin to stitch on this tonight, an hour on this, an hour on the bling piece. The strip of white with the jagged edge...whats that for? I am using that to extend the cloth for damp stretching, thinking ahead. The pins will go in there and not the edge of the hankie. But what about the other edge I hear you cry? I don't mind about that one, this piece will be cut, made smaller before it's finished and I will keep the other half of the hankie for something else.
Finally, a huge thank you, a massive hug and lots of appreciative grinning. Someone sent me one of these yesterday. I don't know who. There was no note, nothing. If it was you.....honestly...I'm so happy, thanks.
08/15/2014
around the house....
Images from my phone, some are from this morning the rest from the past week. My dining table is becoming an internet sensation, it's ever present. Anything and everything that is worth doing takes place on this table.
We eat on it every evening. I paint on it. I stitch on it. I make videos on it. I take photographs on it. I fold my ironing in neat little piles and put them on it. I cut cloth on it. I leave things lying on it for days on end, they just get pushed out of the way when the food arrives. One pile, at the back, has been there for months. (fourth image, upper left corner) It's a pile of scraps, lace and paper in fact I am certain there are things in that particular pile which I need but think are lost. Perhaps my job this afternoon should be to sort out that pile and see what treasures are lost within it.
I'm expecting a man, a nice man. (at least I am hoping he is nice) He is going to fix my internet. I can access the internet, I can do everything except upload videos. The world will be a much quieter place until that is remedied.
08/14/2014
connected
More surface embellishment has been added to this white piece. One edge now has three mirrors and a couple of other small areas have new loops added. I wanted to show this piece alongside this ledger page, to illustrate the connection between the page and the cloth. The last two pictures look the same at first glance but they aren't. There are different areas of the cloth visible in those.
I'm not sure what to do with this piece of embroidery. A cushion? I really can't decide. I have a small hankering to over use mirrors, to add more. Indecision reigns.....
In other news.....my internet connection is dodgy today. I have videos made for SS4 but youtube is telling me they will take 340 minutes to upload???? Normally it takes between 5 and 10 minutes. So they are coming girls but please don't hold your breath.
08/13/2014
still sampling the bling....
More paperwork, more sampling, another page for doodle doo. I thought I'd throw a little colour into the mix, see how I felt about that. It's OK...but OK doesn't really set me on fire. It is something I could investigate further, play with a little more in terms of scale and placement of the coloured aspect. For now though I prefer this particular piece without. It fits in doodle doo without the colour too. There is no colour in doodle doo.
The sampling bling with cloth is continuing. At the risk of boring you rigid I may have to show you that tomorrow. I'm painting, (allegedly) over in Simply Stitch 4, with blue, you may get to see that later this week. Meanwhile there are beds to change.....the excitement is killing me......not.
08/12/2014
3 x 4 inches
A double page doodle of sorts in a tiny ledger. Vintage embroidered cloth, stitched to soft white paper and placed inside the ledger with lemon and white stitches added. The second image shows the reverse of the left hand page...if that makes sense. To me that page is equally as fascinating.
I didn't make the ledger, I'm not that clever. I bought it here.
Then there is this video. As if my new found addiction to bling wasn't bad enough already.
( a little extra snippet of information for you.....when I was studying I wrote an essay debating the merits of paying to take a course at Lesage in Paris versus taking a Masters Degree in the UK. The verdict.....a Masters. I did neither)
08/11/2014
stitching, stitching and more stitching
These two pieces are what I've mostly been working on this weekend. The lace and silk piece is ongoing, more of the same. I add strips and I embellish. There's a long way to go on that one. The white piece, the piece with mirrors has another mirror now but mostly a grid has formed combining running stitch and French knots which are interrupted in places by bullion loops. I do love the bullion loops....sigh. You can see that in the second picture.
Plans? Keep going...more on these....tonight.....tomorrow night. I do hope you don't get bored....Then again, I may be able to rustle up something else for tomorrow, we shall see.
08/10/2014
the next page
Another piece of cloth, mounted, presented. Another page in doodle doo filled, titivated. This ledger is getting full, it feels great holding it when it's closed, feeling the weight of it. It's wonderful to flick through the pages, to see something I had forgotten about, to become inspired all over again.
I hope you can make out the tiny silver droplets on the narrow strip, tiny beads of purl cut from a longer piece and applied as beads. Fiddly? You bet.....
08/09/2014
impatient
I think I'm a little impatient. I am wondering if I should, in this order,
1. buy a pattern
2. make the cloth
3. mark out a piece of the pattern on the cloth
4. embroider.
as opposed to what is happening here which is,
1. half make the cloth.
2. embroider
3. worry that I should have bought a pattern.
4. plan to add more to this surface as I run out of surface to embroider.
It's too late now. I will have to go with the second list. Also, to clarify, I have zero intention of making something I can wear. I wouldn't wear it. I want to use a new pattern because there's something about the feel of paper pieces against cloth which entices, appeals. I'm a sampler, it's in my blood, so it's quite likely that I will end up with pieces of garments, of no use at all other than to satisfy my craving for samples.
Having said that....there were some amazing suggestions yesterday! Thank you....x
Finally, don't forget, Simply Stitch 5.
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