10/19/2015
half back
My table this morning......(I'm back by the way. Did you miss me?) I woke up today itching to get going but couldn't locate my stitching brain, where to start? Get everything out, that will do it.....not yet it hasn't. Never mind, it will come. I had a great holiday, very little jet lag...wow...that's definitely good news. California was hot and then some...hot hot hot.....a stunning view at every turn however helps you to forget the fact you are melting. There are pictures here and it's definitely worth scrolling down the page.
Now I need to go find that starting point. Class are expecting me. The shop is open again, classes abound in there including ''sampling for stitch'', the current one which starts again tomorrow.
I will be more ''with it'' tomorrow.....said with fingers crossed, more stitching, great conversation...(OK, that may be asking too much) but I will definitely be less fuzzy headed, more in tune with my stitch, stitch, create brain. I really did miss you.....
10/04/2015
pink and gingham and lace and bullion knots....
I'm going away tomorrow....will you miss me? I'll be back in around two weeks.....make the most of the peace and quiet. Today is the last day until I come back for you to sign up for ''sampling for stitch''. These images are a glimpse for you of my pieces from that class. I am going to miss playing with lace and pink gingham. If you do sign up there are 36 videos for you to watch whilst I am gone with another 8 weeks of class to come when I get back. You will also have my two weeks away to familiarise yourself with the group in our private forum.....and a very friendly bunch they are too. If you want to read more about sampling class just go here. (the shop will be closed later today)
Earlier today I managed, against all odds and with more than a little bit of stress and sweat to secure tickets for this again. There was a massive sigh of relief and an unbelievable feeling of luck and gratefulness.....phew....
Meanwhile, the pillow for my hairdresser (it's a long story that you can read here) has more bullion knots, pink ones and green ones...
I'm off to pack....miss you already x
10/03/2015
a ledger for my holiday
Yesterday I said I had an idea, something which got me a little excited, something to take on my holiday....well here it is. I put together a little ledger crammed with scraps of paper. I'm thinking I might doodle a little bit whilst I am away, keep notes, a record of what I am doing. I've never done this before, honestly. There have been times when I have been away on holiday and I've been itching to make a note of something or scribble a rough pencil mark which represents something inspiring....I hope I can keep it up, that I don't come back with a book full of empty pages....a doodleless ledger.
10/02/2015
a new pin pillow
I had a visitor earlier this week....the lady that cuts my hair. (yes, she comes to me, I'm not a beauty salon kind of girl) She has been cutting my hair for almost 20 years and not once have I given her a gift. Not because I don't like her, it's just not that kind of relationship although I do like to think that I care about her. She probably doesn't feel the same about me however as I am a very bad customer. I have a 'thing' about getting my hair cut, can't abide it, don't know why, just detest the whole process. My son used to cry every time he got his hair cut when he was a little boy....I wonder if there's a connection there.? Anyway....what on earth has this got to do with embroidery I hear you cry.....I will tell you. Every time she comes she scans the room for whatever I am working on, looks, touches, (if she is allowed). This week she was very taken with the pin pillows in the last image which are in my cabinet. Obviously she had never noticed them before. So......and here's the embroidery bit, I am going to make her one, a surprise. The top has been put together and a little of the titivation has happened. What do you think? I hope she likes it. It will be five weeks before she comes again but I will let you know whether she was delighted or underwhelmed. (and just in case you were wondering, she doesn't visit my blog, doesn't even have internet so we are safe)
I am going away on Monday night, holiday time. The shop will be closing on Sunday night so if you were wondering about signing up for any work on your own classes or even our live class, Sampling for Stitch then please be aware that nothing will be available after Sunday. If you do sign up for Sampling for Stitch you would have the two weeks I am away to catch up. (although catch up isn't compulsory as you have access forever)
I am determined to doodle a little whilst I am away. With that in mind, I got a little excited earlier about an idea I have had. I will share that with you tomorrow.
10/01/2015
decisions
The knicker elastic from yesterday is consigned to history.....(well it's gone in my snippet jar which is almost the same thing) and while we're here I would like to assure you that my own underwear is very boring, not a frill in sight. (that one is for those of you who were asking)
I played some more last night, cut up an old piece of embroidery, added some lace. It's got a long way to go and I need more lace, different lace in order to vary this surface so this morning I held an impromptu audition.
09/30/2015
scraps
Yesterday afternoon I gathered scraps of lace. The piece with colour was made some time ago, the piece with the cream lace frill was created yesterday. (I'm not happy with the cream lace frill, it reminds me of knicker elastic). I do have a plan, a plan that has changed since yesterdays piece was put together.
I want to make something in a similar vein to my veil piece below. Not a replica but something light, with an abundance of seams, an abundance of lace edges, buttonhole lace, mirrors....soft and feminine.
Tonight I will randomly piece lace, embroider a few seams, add a mirror or two.
09/29/2015
sampling class
Sampling class, sampling, pretty, lace, gingham, it's like play time every day. This is a small selection of my work from ''sampling for stitch''.
I am being restrained in this class, trying not to race off at 100
miles an hour. It's hard.....the lace, the gingham, the lightness of it,
the pleats, the tucks....they are so tempting to pick up and work
with.
I am going away next week for two weeks holiday. Class is happy. They can misbehave, they can maybe even play catch up. We have been running for almost four weeks but you can still join in and if you do that now then you will have two whole weeks free to acquaint yourself with all of this, join our private Flickr group, chat, make friends, stitch and play....just saying.
This piece from yesterday now has another added strip....an edge from a table cloth. As yet there isn't any more embellishment on this one, last night ran away with me and it was time for bed before I knew it. Today I'm thinking I want something else in my life in addition to the white piece, the lace and the gingham. I may well HAVE to put something else together later today. It seems I can't live without an unfinished pile after all.
09/28/2015
a titivated strip of cloth
Yesterday I added a strip of eyelet trim to this piece of cloth, on video. Last night I embellished the strip with bullion loops after securing both edges with tiny stitches. I now need to find another strip of cloth, ready made perhaps but failing that I may have to create a hemmed strip with a strip from a larger piece. I need to rummage, to open boxes, sort through piles.......it will be a pleasure.
Did you notice that single, tiny applique circle? I'm not sure about that. It will stay..... but whether I will add a row of those I don't know.
So I've got strips of cloth on my mind, this one will be known as the strip piece from now on. I think it will stay white. I may be tempted to add glass beads at some point but that's not decided yet. What I really want is an old buttonhole band, from a shirt or something. Maybe even a seam from something, a hemmed edge from something old.....hmmmm.....strips, the possibilities are endless once you start thinking.
09/27/2015
a strip of cloth, a video
Yesterday afternoon I wasn't sure about this.....now I love it. To be fair it didn't look like this yesterday afternoon. It didn't have the tiny hand made embellishments which run along that seam yesterday. The creation of those brought it to life for me and it's a ''yes'' from me today.
There are some tiny dark marks along one seam which I didn't notice until I took the photographs. I'm not worried. I have no idea what they are but that seam is vintage cloth. They will stay, they are a reminder of its previous life.
09/26/2015
The finished ''in progress'' pile....
Lots of pictures today, lots of new things now listed in the shop. That's
my ''in progress pile'' progressed, finished. In one sense it's
liberating, in another it's quite strange. What to do now? I know, I've
been talking about that all week and i'm still no nearer a decision. I
fiddled with something last night, played a little with a seam on some
vintage white but it's not grabbing me. I wonder has my creativity
progressed right out of the door with my finished pile? Maybe we need an
in progress pile to motivate us, keep the creative juices flowing.
Actually, disregard the motivated bit above. I am definitely motivated....
09/25/2015
glass beads and French knots
I guess the glass beads don't show up too well on these images....they are on the far left in the first two images, on the right in the third. They are laying on a bed of French knots, they like it like that. The surface embroidery on this one is now finished. Later today it will be lined and have its seams titivated. This is the final piece from my unfinished pile meaning I no longer have an unfinished pile. The body bag doesn't count, that is on my devotion pile, my ''this will take five years '' pile.
I never did get round to starting something new yesterday. That's not a bad thing. It means the excitement carries over for another day. Also, I am dithering. Paperwork or a cloth to wrap myself up in? I really can't make a decision. I may just have to do both.
09/24/2015
turning pages
My table has been full of ledgers this morning, old sampling, new sampling. I have said this before on here I'm sure but there really isn't a better way to reignite the creative thought process than to look through old work. Sometimes I scroll through my flickr photostream, other times I get my ledgers out, open, sampling jumping out at me, turn pages., go back a page and have another look....
What's brought this on? It's not that I am devoid of ideas but my ''unfinished''pile is now finished. It's time to start creating a new pile isn't it....I have work from class, from ''sampling with stitch'' but I want to keep that for there, for class. I also want to start a new piece, a pocket? I'm not sure. Maybe some paper based work, white? That's favourite at the moment and then there is the hankering I have to create a cloth, just a cloth, for wrapping myself up in maybe?
09/23/2015
silver and white
The final piece of the pile puzzle is coming together. When this is finished I will have six embroidered pieces to list in the shop along with four little artists books. I spoke a while ago about my need to be restrained, to not list things singly but to wait until I had a few pieces, make more of a statement. I was setting myself a challenge, a challenge not to get excited at the completion of one piece but to be patient and wait until there were a few different pieces, titivated, ready. I did it, I didn't itch to list things as badly as I imagined and here we are, almost there.
If you look at the second image here, the silver kid leather I have added seems oddly spaced, wrongly spaced. There is a reason for that, a reason I hope is evident when you see the piece folded in the final two images. I'm not sure what I will add to this yet, I keep glancing at this piece as I pass it on the table, thinking.....It's quite a small one, folded it measures approximately 9 x 4 inches....very small in comparison to other pockets I have made recently.
And I do love the way the lace frill hangs off the edge in the bottom image
09/22/2015
tissue paper and a scrap of embroidered cloth
Torn tissue paper, snippet cloth and a small amount of embroidery thread.......another page.
This morning I have been playing again. I can hear you say that it's all I ever do.....rip up paper, stick things down, stitch something. I think I am going to have to make a video of me cleaning the bathroom just so you know I don't live in complete squalor.
Last night I finished the two pieces from yesterdays post. I lined them, I folded them, I pinned, tacked and stitched them. They are finished. Work has started on the final one, this one. I am beginning to wonder what I will do once my pile has disappeared. Yikes.....I best start thinking about what to make next.
09/21/2015
two
Lots of images today...I'm excited, two pieces almost finished, backing, titivating and edges happens later today. The white piece here appeared at the bottom of a pile yesterday. It had lain there unloved for quite some time. Last night it got a large applique flower as an ''I'm sorry'' gift.
There is still one piece left to finish, this one. I can see bling in its future. Glass beads? Silver leather? Silver purl? a mix of all three or just one or two of these....we shall see.
09/20/2015
a glimpse inside embroidery school
Almost two weeks into class, two weeks to go until a two week break, eight more weeks when I come back from holiday. This is approximately a quarter of what I have produced in ''sampling for stitch''. There are 120 images in our Flickr group already...wow. I take my hat off to those girls, they know how to create, to inspire, to take a theme and run with it.
This is what I do in the background alongside the other stuff I show on here. Yesterday was all about little books and a little cloth titivation. Later today I will be playing with more gingham and lace before finishing (I hope), another pocket top to show here this week.
Book progress is happening....one whole book still to cram with samples and another with just a couple of pages left to adorn. I can see the finish post. not that I am in a hurry, no.....it's very relaxing to stick and stitch little scraps onto pages. The evidence of yesterdays creativity is below....
09/19/2015
three bullion knots
Three minute video, three minutes to embroider three bullion knots. Does that mean each bullion knot takes one minute? I doubt it, I waffle too. I put together a scrap of pin tucked fabric yesterday, two brightly coloured patterned fabrics, minimally layered and pin tucked .
This now has embroidery on the surface and will be cut up as tiny samples to add to pages in my little books. I know, I know they have been in progress since time began but I am getting there...I promise. I hope you don't mind that I am having a little fun along the way, playing, making a mess on the table, scraps of paper on the floor, thread stuck to my clothes. (that probably sounds familiar to a lot of you)
In terms of ''works in progress'', this one is now getting attention......I should be able to show you soon...
09/18/2015
an almost finished pocket
This afternoon I will be lining this pocket. I will then titivate the edges before ticking it off my ''to do'' list. I hope you can see the difference in this one from when you last saw it here....now to tackle another two pieces I have in progress.......
Then there are artists books, three completed, two still to finish. That is my Saturday plan......
09/17/2015
threads, samples and that pin pillow
A snapshot of the past few days. Sampling has been happening, thread has been bought and pockets have been lined. The bling pin pillow is ever present at the moment, it seems to pop up in most of my images. It's well used.....and much loved. There is a whole post dedicated to that piece here, from way back...when it was created.
The most exciting thing for me in this post is the book cover....written on by me, many moons ago. Those were the days, my own little piece of history. When I think back to the little girl who wrote that I am certain she never would have guessed what she would be doing at this stage in her life. If she had she would have been very happy indeed.
09/16/2015
a paper swatch and a scrap of cloth
I'm not here. I'm at mothers house, most likely eating cake and stroking a cat. Another page for an artist book....a tiny piece of patterned paper and a scrap of cloth.
Normal service will be resumed tomorrow.
09/15/2015
a running stitch sample and a page
Do you remember this? The wonky line of running stitch and the sugary sample? It gets finished today. The jury is out on whether it's love or mere tolerance....
Books are a theme at the moment, have been for quite some time. I am two interrupted hours away from finishing five artists books. That won't happen until the weekend at the earliest. I have patience...thankfully.
Yesterdays piece has more titivation . I will be sharing that again later this week. After I finish that one I have two more partially worked pieces nipping at my heels begging for attention...my immediate future is mapped out it seems.
09/14/2015
Lilac spots and flowers....
Another surface, titivation ongoing, still quite a bit to do. Big applique flower heads that remind me a little of lollipops.... The pink thread here, the bullion loops, is a lot paler than this in real life, it's soft, feminine, gentle. This one also has a little label. ''a pocket'', it will be folded and edged by hand before it's ready.
I now have three little books finished. This afternoon I hope to make massive progress with numbers four and five. I'm also planning on showing you this again tomorrow, almost finished and ready to be mounted.
The new class, ''sampling for stitch'' is one week old today. Already we have 65 images in our private Flickr group...yes, 65!!!! That's amazing, honestly. It's not too late if you want to be part of this amazing group, just go here to read more. This one will run right up until Christmas and you have access forever so you can take another 12 Christmases if you like.
09/13/2015
almost
Photographed on my ironing board yesterday whilst I was attaching a lining, this piece is almost finished. It still needs final titivations in terms of folding and hand stitched edges but it's nearly there. There is a little label attached too which is printed with the words ''a pocket''...
The lining is the lilac circle cloth, the open spots, spotty cloth with a difference.
If you look at the second image you may think it seems a little disjointed in terms of composition, placement of motif but trust me.....I have a plan...it's intentional. This piece will look completely different once the folding has happened. Watch this space.
Tomorrow you will see the lilac spots again....this one has had a little more attention.
09/12/2015
a line of running stitch
The first page in my new ledger received a little attention today. It started life here and is going to get a little of this cloth added to the first page once I have finished stitching on it. I'm considering putting all the pages together now, before they are worked, maybe 12 blank pages in total. That way I can just slip things into this as and when I am inspired as opposed to each page being meticulously thought through. It might be better to have a more relaxed format for this little book.
If you enjoy these little videos don't forget there is a category list on the right of this page, just click ''video'' and it will take you to all manner of recorded stuff.....
09/11/2015
samples, prints, stitching and sticking
Yesterday afternoon consisted of lots of mess on the table, lots of sticking and cutting too. The upshot is I made great strides with my latest batch of little books. There are new thread wrapped cards, new fabric swatch cards, more prints, little offcuts of stitch, some hanging tags with buttons and puffs sewn on......it's a great way to pass three hours, yes three hours. Honestly, time just goes so quickly and it's not a chore, it's the best kind of playtime.
I reckon these will be finished early next week. I just need to get cracking with my stitched pieces now......one is finished, one is almost finished and two require quite a bit of attention. It'll be a sewing weekend.....
09/10/2015
piecing a pocket
Because I haven't already got too many pieces in progress, (if you believe that you believe anything), I have pieced the beginnings of a new pocket inspired by a pocket made in pocket class. What can I say, inspired and then some.
This piece and this piece are almost finished. My fingers are stitching at speed in the background. I'm reluctant to share yet. I want to wait a while. I'm hoping everything in progress will come together in one momentous moment, one blindingly amazing day when it can all appear on here together. I usually show things immediately I finish them. Excitement? I'm not sure. Doing it this way is a bit of a departure for me so I am trying to be patient, restrained.
I am being taken here for lunch today. It looks posh but trust me...I will only be having bread and water. When I get back little books will be on the agenda, more pages, more samples, more doodling.
09/09/2015
a quick doodle
As promised, the page from yesterday has been added to with a very quick doodle. One simple line which brings it together a little more, connects the other pieces. There is still a lot of blank space on here. I'm not worried. I may not touch this for a couple more days but I'm in no hurry and I already have an idea of what to put there.
I'm having a very mixed day today. It's all good but my ''to do'' list is extremely diverse. This morning I stripped beds, made this video and another video for you for tomorrow. I posted a new set of videos on the ''sampling'' class blog and I want to line a piece of embroidery which is now finished. (I still don't want to show you yet. I'm trying to get a few things finished in order to show them all at the same time)
Also on the ''to do'' list today, clean my sons room.....he moved out yesterday. Re make the beds and work on a few pages for my little books. That should keep me out of trouble.
(link to the Flickr doodle group I speak about in the video)
09/08/2015
a thread wrapped card....
Another video. You're either spoiled or stalked.....you decide. This is the very first page of an artist book for me, for myself. The blank page fear has been overcome with a little tissue paper and a thread wrapped card.
There is a lot of embroidery going on here, a lot. I'm just not ready to share yet, I want to progress things a little more first. It may be that tomorrow you get to see more work on this page, on camera.
Class has got off to a flying start. It's not too late if you want to join us. I haven't been to Flickr yet today but if yesterday is anything to go by then class will have overtaken me already. It happens all the time, i'm always last.
09/07/2015
a buttonhole edge
I'm working on some pieces which are in progress on a kind of rotational basis, changing which piece gets a little stitch each day. I'm hoping that way they will all be finished at the same time......it's a plan. It remains to be seen whether it will actually work out that way but nothing ventured nothing gained.
This one had five tiny applique motifs added over the weekend, this morning it has a tiny half circle pocket edged with buttonhole stitch which takes shape on the video.
If you are registered for 'Sampling for Stitch' you should have received links and passwords this morning. If you haven't received those please let me know. I will begin to invite you to our private Flickr group this afternoon.
09/06/2015
wallpaper, a favourite book and new vintage....
A few images from the last couple of weeks. If you consider the wallpaper offcuts you can have an imaginary tour of my house! The pink check, bedroom...one wall. The black and white pattern, bathroom. The ''dabs' .....entrance hall. I suspect you are relieved to hear that I don't have all of these in the same room although that would make for interesting inspiration.
I bought a few delightful vintage pieces, lace and a tiny baby shirt. I have been playing a lot with pages (as you know), and lace too.
The little book is probably my favourite book of all the books I have. It was given to me as a gift years and years ago by the tutor who I credit for awakening my love of all things cloth and stitch. it's a delightful little sketchbook by Sara Midda......you couldn't fail to be captivated by this one. For your Sunday treat take a look at the images here....
09/05/2015
composition
Ripping paper, sticking things down, stitching Suffolk puffs to a page, attaching small samples....Friday afternoon at my place. I do love putting these tiny compositions together. Some come together quicker than others. It helps if your stitched samples are already made and you don't suddenly feel the urge to have a scrap of lace embellished with bullion knots which doesn't exist yet and requires making.......Note to self.....get some made.
The very painterly, colourful, gorgeous torn paper here was bought. unfortunately I didn't make that myself, I wish I had. My task for today is to try and make half an hour for playing with that idea.
Sampling for Stitch begins on Monday...yikes. If you want to join us then just go here and read all about it.
09/04/2015
a tiny composition for a page
I'm between classes, it's weird. What to do? Thumb twiddle? Watch daytime TV? Housework!!!??? Not a chance on that one.....or play with nice things and put pages together for little books? That's a much more attractive option than something which involves a duster or a hoover or any cleaning products.
I will be doing a little more collage today, bigger sheets to rip up. I might also do a little more doodling with watercolour paints.....to cut up.
09/03/2015
two....
Two pocket tops, one moved on more than the other. These are this one and this one with added titivations. One has a new pocket with lilac cloth with little circles, the edge of which is crammed with bullion loops and French knots. There's also a tiny double cloth applique on that one, edged with bright pink bullion loops.
The other, the one that has had least attention now has a length of gimp attached which is secured with multi colour bullion knots....I think I need to work on that one some more tonight.
I have been cutting out pages for little books and collaging scraps of tissue paper with torn paper doilies too. I may show you that tomorrow if I make enough progress....
09/02/2015
a pocket with pockets on top
The final pocket from pockets class, a round pocket with more pockets on top. The reverse also has a pocket and two rows of bullion loops. One row is on the main body of the piece, the second row edges the pocket opening.
There is a Suffolk puff securing the back pocket just off centre and there are five more Suffolk puffs adorning the edge. It's one for me, I am at the early fondling stage and have no idea what I will keep in it. (it has a diameter of 10 inches)
If you are signed up for ''sampling for stitch'' you should have received an e mail from me yesterday. If you haven't received that will you please let me know. (it concerns Flickr) Also, I will be sending another mail later today so please watch out for that and if you do not receive it before tomorrow morning, again please let me know.
There was a lot of excitement here yesterday. Some time ago I answered a lot of questions for Inspirations magazine in Australia. My answers have been translated into a feature about my work which is now in the new issue (issue 87) I received my copy yesterday and here it is.....I hope you enjoy it...
09/01/2015
Lace cloth, a fabric insert.
This tiny scrap of lace cloth is fast turning into a sampler, little bits added here and there. Today it's the turn of my new circle motif cloth which is added behind an open area with chain stitch decorating the edge....
08/31/2015
a seam and a pocket
Pockets are still the ''in thing'' round here. I'm still working on finishing this one from yesterday for class and I have four others pieced and in various stages of completion surface embroidery wise. I gave this one a ittle attention last night, a tiny circular pocket now sits on the surace and one seam has been secured with buttonhole lace. There is cross stitch running across a narrow section of patterned cloth with bullion loops forming a decorative edge on the tiny pocket.
Later today I am going to cut out pages for my little books. I have quite a collection of samples for the pages now so figure if I cut pages and start to attach the samples I will have a better idea of what I still need to create, how much doodling, how much stitching.
I'm also debating with myself about this piece. I want to keep it. Then again I want to make another. I'm leaning towards the idea that I should make a new one for me, different somehow....perhaps a fold over one with a central reverse opening, or maybe even a drawstring one. What do you think?
08/30/2015
front and back
It's coming together, the final pocket from class. This is where I was up to yesterday, an embroidered front and an embroidered back. Since then another section which shall remain nameless for now has been completed. All three pieces have been damp stretched and this has moved on enormously this morning, on camera.
The circular embellishments you can see in the first image on the left are also pockets......three small one large. There is piping cord snaking up the front too, secured with colourful bullion knots.
Embellishment on the reverse has been kept to a minimum although there is something else to add there. The curved line comprises bullion loops with French knots at their base.
I am hoping to have this finished later this week. Then I can concentrate on my little books and the other pockets I have been putting together.
Thank you for the feedback from yesterday's video. I appreciate the positive e mails more than you know.....
08/29/2015
a single web stitch
This piece has been picked up again. You last saw it here just over two weeks ago. I have completed embellishment on another stem and am thinking about whether to add more patterning, more doodling. Hopefully I will get a sense of what else it needs in terms of pattern as I am working on it. It may be that nothing else gets added, I just haven't reached a final decision on that yet.
Sampling for stitch, my new class, begins a week on Monday. This type of surface design is very likely to appear in that as I sample surfaces, colours, patterns and stitches. If you want to know more you can read about that class here.
Tonight I have to work on the final pocket for pocket class which is coming to an end. Progress was made on that piece earlier this week and I hope to share that with you tomorrow.
08/28/2015
little samples for little books
It's a start, a start at building enough tiny samples to put on pages and pages of little books. The blue and white was created this week, painted, cut up, beads added. The flowers are from a bigger sheet I made a long time ago in the same way as those I spoke about here in the painting video. There are these to stitch too.....I am getting there.....
Meanwhile I am stitching pockets in the background. Class finishes this Sunday, or does it? Actually, as usual, we are overrunning....my fault entirely. Can't stop starting new things and can't stitch fast enough....my fingers are a blur...
08/27/2015
a drawstring pocket, part two.
Do you recognise it? Is it familiar? This is how the piece from yesterday looks now. It's a pocket, a drawstring pocket lined with Broderie Anglaise and with many, tiny pockets adorning the surface. I'm not ashamed to say that I'm in love, it's a keeper.
The channel in which the drawstring sits was removed carefully from a vintage domestic cloth, as was the actual drawstring before being attached to the top of my embroidered piece. The outer pouch is constructed from a mix of vintage with a little new upon which I have stitched pocket upon pocket. The lining is new cloth. It measures 12 inches in height with an opening of 5 inches........................sigh.
Do you remember I spoke about being in a magazine? Not me personally, my work? Well the magazine is here. I don't have my copy yet as it's coming all the way from Australia so I guess you will all see it before I do....I do hope it's good.......I'm a little nervous.....
08/26/2015
a drawstring pocket, part one.
This piece has been ongoing for quite a while. Vintage whitework cloth with new Broderie Anglaise cloth, joined with raised seams and embellished with pockets. I think of this as a field of pockets, there are lots of pockets on here, tiny pockets.
Some eyelets have patterned fabric behind, some are left open. There is chain stitch and there are bullion knots and French knots. There is also a lot of buttonhole edging going on, on seams and on pocket tops.
Today this looks very different. Today this is a completed, finished, backed and lined pocket with a drawstring top. I will show you those pictures tomorrow.
My watercolour paper arrived this morning. So far I have only looked at it, stroked it and gazed at it. This afternoon I might take a piece out of the pad and add some glass beads to it......
08/25/2015
Sampling a surface
A new surface, put together a couple of days ago and now being embroidered, in sampler fashion. This may find it's way into my new artist books, small sections of it. I think quite a lot of it will find a home in the larger book I intend to make for myself.
There are strips of various silks and some cotton laid on a dupion surface. Up to now the hand embroidery is minimal, a little gimp, some bullion loops, a few French knots and a tiny area of buttonhole lace which I add today on video.
08/24/2015
swatches
Five tiny fabric swatches pinned, ready to be stitched and then mounted onto pages in my next batch of little books. Once again, don't hold your breath.......I am aiming to have them finished in around 4 weeks, that's the plan. I also want to make one for myself, a larger one, bigger pages which equals more samples, more doodling, more stitch.
This morning...(listen up girls in class...pay attention)..this morning I made a series of videos which bring together the final pieces in the pocket class puzzles. I have a very real feeling of satisfaction as I sit here and have given more than one huge sigh of contentment. Why tell you? Because I now feel relaxed enough to begin my own book and to give the little books more attention. I am waiting for watercolour paper to arrive however and knowing my luck that will be delayed and the books and pages won't happen. Meantime I will continue to work on the four pockets from yesterday.....
Next week I will begin to sample for the new class. Truth be told I am a little nervous, it's like the fear of the blank page, making that first mark. The same thing happens when you switch a video camera on.....I will carry out some deep breathing exercises.....count to ten....meditate......chant....perhaps take up drinking Gin.
08/23/2015
four in progress
There are four pocket tops now, all in different stages of completion. I pieced another one yesterday because I had a hankering to see how the lilac circle cloth would look next to white and Broderie Anglaise.
I won't be picking these up again this week , I am frantically trying to finish my work from pocket class. Next week, my free week, I hope to make progress for sampling class and work on these a little more.
I am also getting requests for more Artist books.....big smile here......so that is going to start happening in the background too. My first little play pieces for that have been pieced this morning and I will share those tomorrow.
08/22/2015
wiggly gimp
I made it.....my day so far, 30 minutes on the telephone to my internet provider and even longer to my mobile phone provider.....modern technology? Don't make me laugh. Press one for insanity, two for fury and three when you have lost the will to live........anyway, happy things, cloth things, sewing things, embroidery. Thank goodness for the serenity that is embroidery.
This piece is from here, hardly anything has been added but what a difference it has made. A wiggly line of gimp extending under the piping and coming out the other side in a straight line. One tiny pocket, of which there will be more, edged with bullion knots and French knots. What's not to love.....
08/21/2015
schoolwork
Only one week and two days left for pockets class......that flew by. I'm then having a week off. Well I say ''off'', I will still be here, I will just be classless. It's similar to being childless, you get a break from the sleepless nights.
Next up is ''Sampling for stitch'' which is exactly what it says on the tin.....sampling.......... sampling pattern, shape, stitch, colour, fastenings, edges......and probably cake.
Meanwhile this is my ''pocket class'' artwork, ledger, sketchbook, journal, design sheet. There is stitched paper, stitched lace, wrapped cord, lace cloth, (made by me). There are cloth inserts on pages, puffs on pages.....phew...and I don't really think I've done that much with this, I could go on forever in this charming little Swedish book and on this large sheet of paper.
On a different subject....some time ago I was asked to answer questions and provide images for a magazine article about my work. I am supposed to be getting a copy when the magazine is in print....I heard from someone today who has purchased the magazine and I am in it. I am waiting for my copy. As soon as I get that I will share....I am trying hard to be patient. BUT, if you find me lurking on a page somewhere please let me know.....thank you :)
P.S. Joanne just reminded me of two magazine articles I have featured in previously. You can see those here on my old blog. One of them is quite tricky to read but it is legible......I really must get my act together and put those on here.....
OK...here is the UK Handmade article and the Uppercase article can be read here....page 76-77...thank you Deanna
08/20/2015
five buttons, a quick doodle and button cloth
Blue doodling was happening in this video, the pink was untouched. Today I add tiny flowers to the pink after concealing some of the surface with white circles...
Buttons have been added to the button cloth from here, there are still many more to attach to more cloth scraps, it's a ''pick up and put down'' in quiet moments kind of task.
Then there are five tiny buttons. I put those together last night when I realised the cross stitch I was embroidering for something was being stitched to the wrong base cloth...oops...never mind, make buttons I thought and here they are.
So, bits and pieces, buttons and doodles.
....they promised us sunshine today. I can't see it....my feet are freezing.
Link to the flickr doodle group....feel free to join, it's open to anyone.
08/19/2015
one more....
Another one of these is taking shape, it's been folded in the same way so I can decide on placement of pattern, surface embroidery and final seams. There is minimal embroidery on this at the moment, a seam with stab stitch, a seam of bullion loops and some couched gimp going up one section and over the top of another.
I'll be keeping this one simple, white stitch and no colour other than gimp and the cloth I have used in two seams.
I've been working on the pink piece from yesterdays post. Large white circles have been added to that. I hope to have a doodle video for you tomorrow...providing I don't make a complete mess of it when I add a little doodling later......no pressure then....
08/18/2015
paint and stitch
Two videos today, yes.....one playing with paint and the other sewing French knots to doodled lace cloth. I either spoil you or drive you away.....you decide.
The books from yesterday have all gone...wow....who knew. Thank you so much. I'm not sure when I will get any more put together. I'm in the next to last week of pocket class and things are getting intense.....pockets to finish and all that. Then new class starts one week after pockets class finishes so books may take a back seat for a while. I do want to make one for myself but need to buy more paper so haven't a clue when that will happen.
Meanwhile, put the kettle on, get your feet up and spend ten minutes or so watching me make a mess on paper and fiddling with a few French knots.
Painting
French knots.
08/17/2015
Artist books....
Four little artist books finished, titivated to death and now in the shop. Actually there are five but one is spoken for. Each one of these has embroidered samples, a little doodling and lots of prints with additional pages of graph paper for note taking, doodling, anything you like.
I have an idea to make myself one of these with bigger pages perhaps. They feel quite lovely in your hand, I could sit and turn the pages all day.
If you read these posts you can see images of these little books and others in the making....
Today feels like Sunday. I can't quite get going. Too many people (two...lol...) in the house after taking holiday days off work because of the wedding yesterday. They're getting under my feet, cramping my style.....it was worth it though. It was the most beautiful wedding .....I'm not allowed to share images.....and rightly so, the Bride and Groom wish to be in charge of social media exposure but if I say lace, bling, pearl buttons, classy and understated elegance....the softest tulle skirt and the most beautifully embellished bodice........heaven....
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