12/08/2015
one thing leads to another
Which came first? The silk piece is the answer. More has been added to that, more applique, more chain stitch. I am pondering on what, if anything I should put in the more open spaces. Maybe I will make titivations especially for those spaces........can you hear my brain ticking?
The lace piece was my afternoon task yesterday. For someone who used to avoid a sewing machine at all costs I would have been more than happy to stay there for hours yesterday.
12/07/2015
Paper, ribbon and French knots.
There's a possibility that I will need to make more ''artist books'' in the near future so I thought I had best get a shift on and begin to create some little bits of stitch and texture to go inside those.
The first piece is very simple, a little vintage ribbon and a few French knots. Simple yet effective I think.
I am going away later this week for a couple of days so the shop will be shut from Wednesday evening. If you want to register for the new class before I go just follow the link. The shop will re open on Sunday.
12/06/2015
a new doodle on silk
Doodling on silk was the order of the day yesterday. What can I say, I was compelled, couldn't resist the temptation or the urge. This doodling is done with Pigma Micron pens. I did consider doing it with some new Inktense pencils I was gifted but I was scared. There will have to be a little more playing with those before I am confident enough to take them near fabric.
Some of the lines here have bled. I expected that as I have done this before. It's hardly noticeable though by the time the cloth is embellished, titivated, stitched to within an inch of its life.
12/05/2015
bullion knots and chain stitch
A little relaxing embroidery today. We are in the middle of a storm, this is the calm within the storm. It's windy, it's wet.....I'm not leaving the house.
These two pieces are both ''in progress''. The pink and white piece I pick up an put down every so often. The silk piece, the ironing board piece I showed you yesterday. Later today I will be making lists....in an effort to sort my life out. I need lists for clarity and to fill the spaces in my always forgetful brain. What will I sew later today? I haven't a clue....another reason I need a list. If I don't get blown away I will see you tomorrow.
12/04/2015
the ironing board
It isn't evident in this post, in those images but my ironing board is present on this piece of embroidered silk. Why? Well...why indeed....a long finished ledger referencing my domesticity just has to have an ironing board in it. I spend too big a part of my life at the ironing board. If you take note of the shape though it's ripe for a pocket or two isn't it? A sleeping bag even? That's how it found its way onto this silk piece which may well find its way onto a pocket.
Ironing board as a pocket? My brain is ticking for ''patched pockets''. I have planted the seed......
This ledger is from 2004....it still inspires. It's a certainty that these will also inspire in the future. How could they not? So gather, gather doodles, gather samples, gather those things which inspire you and make you want to pick up a needle and thread.
12/03/2015
Design sheets
I thought you might like to see these, a collection of the sheets I have created for the class which is almost finished ''sampling for stitch''. I have had so much fun and I am hoping the girls have too. My intention wasn't ever to make this pocket I am sampling for. This pocket which I now know inside out in terms of size, colour, thread, cloth, stitches, process, placement. My intention was to create a library of information, a library of samples, a library of inspiration for use in the future. Well I have that now, the library, the collection, the inspiration. That makes me very happy.
I would love to also make this pocket, to follow the process I have investigated over the past 12 weeks or so, to put some of that into action, to create a pocket, to test my sampling, to fully view the results of my sampling. I may just do that. It's certainly on my ''to do'' list.
12/02/2015
doodle part two, adding colour.
As promised yesterday
12/01/2015
a quick doodle
Gloom sums everything up at the moment weather wise....days and days of rain and dark, no light, no respite. What to do? A quick doodle, to be continued tomorrow.....
Begins Monday January 4 2016.
(this is not a repeat of my last online ''pockets'' class. Whilst some processes will be the same I aim to create pockets in different forms from those produced during that 12 week programme.)
Duration 12 weeks.
**you do not need to have participated in any of my previous online learning programmes in order to participate in ''patched pockets.''***
No prerequisites. Suitable for the beginner and the more experienced stitcher.
Be a fly on my wall for 12 weeks. Observe my creative process, learn from my successes and my mistakes as I sample, as I construct pockets from patches of cloth, snippets of hankies and decorative trims along with other found cloth both new and vintage.
During the course of these 12 weeks it is my aim to considerably advance embroidery and construction on my ongoing embroidered piece which I call ''the body bag''. One video per week will be devoted to the development of that piece.
In addition to this I hope to create a series of pockets in various sizes using handkerchiefs, new cloth and vintage cloth. Fabric surfaces will be manipulated and embellished using hand embroidery and fabric manipulation techniques. These techniques will include pin tucking, patchwork, pleating and ruching. Hand embroidery stitches will be used to embellish surfaces with each stitch being clearly demonstrated.
There will be a minimum of four
videos per week, (approximate minimum 1 1/2 hours viewing time) which
will be hosted on a private password protected blog.
In addition to our private blog you will be given access to a private Flickr group where you will be able to interact with other members of the group, upload images of your work, receive feedback, give feedback, share technique, hints, tips.....
Previous online learning programmes I have hosted have resulted in the formation of a tightly knit group of like minded people who share the creative process in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. It's almost as if groups ''hold hands'' throughout. For me, this is one of the most appealing and rewarding aspects of these classes.
(I am also aware that some people prefer to work quietly with minimal interaction. That is OK too.)
There are no deadlines, no set tasks. You
are under no obligation to create what I am creating. Many people in
previous classes have merely taken notes in order to apply ideas to
their own work. Please take as much or as little as you wish from this
programme, tailor my demonstrations to suit your own creative needs.
Access to all resources is permanent.....forever.....
Please allow 24 hours from registration to receipt of welcome e mail which includes a list of suggested equipment.
11/30/2015
with added applique
Applique, little motifs which remind me of lollipops. I made quite good progress with this last night, the lace is now edged with buttonhole, there are lollipops, wrapped threads, a few more web stitches and a little more chain stitch. The next step will be hexagons I think...... later this week. I may need to rein myself in a little soon. I am getting carried away with playing for the new class and if I get too far ahead I will run out of steam before we even start.
The current class finishes very soon. This week we are on fastenings so I'm going to immerse myself in those. It takes me back to these....and that's a lovely place to be.
11/29/2015
pin tucks, doodles, lace cloth and fabric heaven
Weather wise it's been a gloomy week...enough rain to require three Arks never mind one and I'm sure that's obvious from one or two of these images. Gloom however doesn't get in the way of cloth, embroidery, doodling, pin tucking etc etc. I even managed to ''accidentally'' buy a lot of fabric from the shop shown here. It's a good thing that place isn't local to me. It's a good thing it's an hour and a half drive away in the place my mum lives.
Later today I'm going to work more on this from yesterday (the doodled piece).....a little applique perhaps....hopefully I can show you that tomorrow. I'm thinking of using the colours I used here...what do you think?
11/28/2015
can you spot a theme
Three pieces, one created some weeks ago, one created in the past two days and one created yesterday. A theme is emerging, a repetition of process and placement. I can probably run with this for quite some time...a growing collection of samples, of pockets inspired by lace cloth, silk, embroidery and layering.
Can you imagine pockets patched with lace? Hankies combined with scraps of silk and overlaid with lace? Embellishing silk with snippets of hankies? Overlaying those embroidered cloths with lace and transforming those embellished pieces into pockets?
I think I have just nailed down the theme for my new class.
Last night, the embroidery, I doodled, can you tell? That piece is more colourful. It works. At least I think so.
11/27/2015
a sample
More about this..... this has turned out to be such an inspirational piece to embroider. It has given me new ideas, new directions, so much information and a lot of ideas all stored up. It's amazing where working with a small piece of lace and the edge of a hankie will take you.................you should try it.
The video allows you to see clearly the embroidery which has been added since you last saw it....
11/26/2015
Beavering away
Samples, class work, gingham, lace, pink, lace cloth....it's s proper hive of activity here. I now have so many of these sheets. When class finishes in a couple of weeks I will endeavour to photograph them all for you. Aside from the finished sheets I have stacks of samples which still need to be mounted, I could soon be swamped, buried under a pile of pink. That wouldn't be a bad thing I'm sure.
Meanwhile, along with pink and lace I'm playing with hankies in the background, seeing hankies as patches and patches as pockets ready for the new class. Maybe even pockets made from patches..... a little like these....
Happy thanksgiving to all of you who are celebrating today!!!
11/25/2015
an update....a silk pocket, a human pocket.....the body bag
This piece, this work, this labour of love. It's ongoing, it gets attention every week as part of class, there is still some way to go but I don't mind. I'm guessing I might just feel a slight sense of loss when it's finished but that's some way in the future. The video? It speaks of this piece, a progress report or new information for those of you who haven't seen it before.
For an indefinite period of time I am going to start posting both here and at my old blog on blogger. Why? Because I don't have enough to do...lol...that's a joke by the way. No, the reason is that Typepad keeps letting me down, my feeds aren't working either, my e mail subscriptions are inconsistently updated, my followers appear and disappear in very large numbers for no reason, (a feedburner issue most likely), it's a constant headache here. Who is seeing what? A sketchy picture of my reach, a feeling that some days I am talking to myself although I know that's not the case. For example.....according to my analytics widget MORE people visited my blogger site yesterday, which hasn't been updated in weeks than came here. Go figure. So posts will appear in both places for a while, (exactly the same post) that way I'm hoping to get a clearer picture of my reach.
For those people who wonder why reach is important...to any blogger who earns their living this way......that's your answer.......this is how I earn my living. I need to have a sense of who can see new classes being listed for example. Important. Also, this is a very isolating occupation. No real time contact with anyone, nobody to bounce ideas off, nobody to brain storm with. That's where you come in.....I bounce ideas around with you, I brain storm with you, I get feedback from you, from my ''reach''......Important.
Finally, there really isn't any need to go dashing over to blogger every day, apart from today it will be exactly the same as here....
11/24/2015
The edge of a hankie
Another recipe for you just like I gave you on Monday.....take a little bit of lace cloth and sprinkle it with snippets from a precious vintage hankie...preferably the edge because then you still have the central cloth to use for other things. Like when you squeeze a lemon to get the juice out, don't throw the peel away. Not that I squeeze many lemons, I avoid the kitchen unless a kettle is involved but I remember the lemon advice from school. ( I knew school would be useful one day)
I'm playing with hankies at the moment, in this form in order to test things out for my new class, Patched Pockets. This may well feature somewhere in there. Hankies will definitely feature...it's the other titivations I'm playing with....
I started this piece the other day when I said I would be in the corner covered in thread and scraps of cloth....the reason? I made this, the foundation, the base, the lace cloth, the special cloth that you can't buy....
11/23/2015
Gingham, lace, Prairie points and new pencils...
I enjoy looking back over the past week. It confirms I haven't been idle. I haven't necessarily been working as hard as a lot of people but none the less...I haven't been sat on my behind doing nothing at all. I must have been good anyway, I got pencils and things as a gift, an early Christmas gift. Thank you Santa for stopping here early. (it wasn't wrapped so what's a girl to do? close her eyes?) The Maltesers? (top image, hiding behind my water spray) not mine, Christmas gifts for small relatives unfortunately. Don't think I haven't been tempted....boy have I been tempted.
11/22/2015
applique and bumpy bits....
Gingham and Broderie Anglaise criss crossed on a bed of lace......sounds like a recipe. You have seen this before, a couple of times I think but today it's different. There are little gingham ''nuggets'' appliqued on one strip now and there are three bumpy bits as opposed to just one. The little flowers, far left, top picture were the first embellishments to be embroidered onto this some weeks ago. I'm now extending the surface embroidery without a firm plan on where to go next. That doesn't worry me, I'll just keep stitching until that blinding flash strikes me. I also don't know what this will be yet.....don't hold your breath for that decision as I'm in no hurry.
Earlier today I was making lace cloth for class. This afternoon I need to make more but I also have a hankering to make some in pure white, to play with. If you need me I'll be sat just over there covered in little snippets of lace and white and thread....
11/21/2015
A tall, thin pocket.
Finished...wow. It came together yesterday afternoon and evening and I was so surprised at how it turned out. I don't know why that would be, I always planned to finish it like this but there's something about this that I can't quite put my finger on.......something gentle, soft, vulnerable even. It's precious, perhaps that's it. It seems more fragile than this one or this one, maybe that's due to it's dimensions...who knows. It's now listed in the shop....
If you have bought a ''button cloth'', thank you. I won't be able to get to the post office until Wednesday. I promise I will take very good care of them until then.
11/20/2015
a pocket in progress....
It's almost finished, came together very quickly in the end. I say almost finished, there is time consuming stuff to do, a lining to piece and stitch, boning to add to the upper and lower edge, stitching the lining in place and a few final titivations to be added. You might notice the applique circle area looks unfinished, like a piece is missing. Never fear, it's deliberate, I have a plan.
In case you haven't been by here in a while there are exciting things happening in the shop....a new class, Patched Pockets along with tiny, precious little hand stitched adornments. You may well find something similar to those finding there way onto this piece...watch this space.
11/19/2015
Button cloth
My button making production line has slowed. It hasn't stopped, I am making toggles for myself now but I have reached the magic number I was aiming for in order to list these ones in the shop. Lovely little buttons tied to swatches of pin tucked Broderie Anglaise. Go here and help yourself if you like.
There's a short video explaining more....
I can't believe how long it is since you saw this. It feels like it was yesterday but looking at the date on the post just goes to prove that time goes by too quickly. It had more attention last night and I hope to progress that tonight. If all goes well you will see it tomorrow.
11/18/2015
The hankie sample........French Knots
The embroidery on this hankie sample is almost finished. In the video today I begin to cluster French knots along an edge. That will complete the embroidery so the next time you see this it will most likely be mounted in the ledger. When I show you that I will talk you through the little book of hankie scraps, explaining why I am creating it and discussing the advantages of owning an embellished sample ledger.
I'm later today than I wanted to be. I went Christmas gift buying for two specific items, two specific people......my brother and my sister in law. I came home with a lot of Christmas gifts for someone called Helen instead......oops!
11/17/2015
little things.....
I'm continuing from this post, more titivations. My plans for all these tiny hand stitched embellishments will come together later this week when I will share them with you again.
In terms of the number of these I need I am there, enough, finished. Thing is I am tempted to keep going as they are so much fun to make. Silk Suffolk puffs, silk funky puffs, embellished toggles and covered buttons....in some ways it's like a sweetie shop.
My blog appears to be loading slowly. Is it just me? Are you having issues too? Can you let me know?
And before I go......I was asked about this, it's ready, my next class...here.
11/16/2015
two
This is my homework from last week, two new design sheets. They both have stitched samples, one has pencil drawing and they both have stitches embedded on the surface. My collection is growing. I would estimate I have a minimum of ten sheets similar to this up to this point. This morning I put another two together on camera for class later this week and I have many more samples yet to be mounted in a similar way.
In the future I should have no excuse for non creativity, for creatively blank moments. In theory browsing this collection, this library of information should be all I need to spark a new project, to inspire a new piece. Even at this non complete stage these pieces inspire. I get so excited you wouldn't believe it.
11/15/2015
pockets, pins, buttons, thread and gifts of cloth
What do we have here? The story of a week, in pictures.
Top to bottom.
Titivations in progress, buttons, fastenings.
A wonderful gift of vintage hankies and vintage lace.
Pin tucking cloth for myself, for ledgers, for samples and a little pink work for class.
Pocket inspiration for my new January class.
Ditto.
A wonderful gift of Broderie Anglaise.
Lining and pinning the pocket from yesterday.
Ditto.
Drooling over my special button drawer.
New threads and a fraction of my thread stash.
Online shopping, vintage lace...so brown and stained when it arrived, now beautifully white.
Next week will be pink, I know it. I have samples to mount, samples to create......pink to stitch.
11/14/2015
Layers....a pocket.
As promised, this layered piece transformed into a pocket. Three Suffolk puffs adorn one edge of the opening and another is hiding inside. We will be making lots of pockets in January, big ones, small ones, layered ones, hankie ones, boned ones, softly draping ones. If you want to make some too then read this, see what you think.
I nearly didn't come today....embroidery seems trivial somehow. But then I thought no...normality, carrying on with our way of life is essential, live our lives, don't be beaten.
11/13/2015
titivations
There's a mini production line taking shape at my place, beads, buttons, puffs...all manner of titivations. Fiddly? Well yes but in a good way. Some of the silk pieces here have found their way onto this which is now finished, looks amazing and will be making an appearance on here tomorrow.
Later today I am going to scour my image files for more button inspiration. Do you remember my button cloth video? I'm aiming for something similar....but first I need more buttons, more beads, more pretty little trinkets.
News of our January adventure can be found here.
11/12/2015
pocket decisions....
The layered piece of silk and lace cloth from this post is now finished in terms of surface embellishment. Small clusters of French knots have been embroidered onto the lace cloth overlay to mimic the embroidery which is present on the silk surface. I now know what I am going to do with this to finish it, the video today explains my thoughts, my reasons, my intentions.
For those of you who were interested in my online class intentions for next year and who missed it yesterday......my next class is described here.
11/11/2015
Patched Pockets
You said you wanted it now, so here it is......and thank you so much for the enthusiasm.
Patched Pockets
Begins Monday January 4 2016.
(this is not a repeat of my last online ''pockets'' class. Whilst some processes will be the same I aim to create pockets in different forms from those produced during that 12 week programme.)
Duration 12 weeks.
**you do not need to have participated in any of my previous online learning programmes in order to participate in ''patched pockets.''***
No prerequisites. Suitable for the beginner and the more experienced stitcher.
Be a fly on my wall for 12 weeks. Observe my creative process, learn from my successes and my mistakes as I sample, as I construct pockets from patches of cloth, snippets of hankies and decorative trims along with other found cloth both new and vintage.
During the course of these 12 weeks it is my aim to considerably advance embroidery and construction on my ongoing embroidered piece which I call ''the body bag''. One video per week will be devoted to the development of that piece.
In addition to this I hope to create a series of pockets in various sizes using handkerchiefs, new cloth and vintage cloth. Fabric surfaces will be manipulated and embellished using hand embroidery and fabric manipulation techniques. These techniques will include pin tucking, patchwork, pleating and ruching. Hand embroidery stitches will be used to embellish surfaces with each stitch being clearly demonstrated.
There will be a minimum of four
videos per week, (approximate minimum 1 1/2 hours viewing time) which
will be hosted on a private password protected blog.
In addition to our private blog you will be given access to a private Flickr group where you will be able to interact with other members of the group, upload images of your work, receive feedback, give feedback, share technique, hints, tips.....
Previous online learning programmes I have hosted have resulted in the formation of a tightly knit group of like minded people who share the creative process in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. It's almost as if groups ''hold hands'' throughout. For me, this is one of the most appealing and rewarding aspects of these classes.
(I am also aware that some people prefer to work quietly with minimal interaction. That is OK too.)
There are no deadlines, no set tasks. You
are under no obligation to create what I am creating. Many people in
previous classes have merely taken notes in order to apply ideas to
their own work. Please take as much or as little as you wish from this
programme, tailor my demonstrations to suit your own creative needs.
Access to all resources is permanent.....forever.....
Please allow 24 hours from registration to receipt of welcome e mail which includes a list of suggested equipment.
Images shown here are for illustration purposes only. We will not be replicating these pieces exactly.
11/10/2015
hankie corners and fastenings
Hankie corners on a page, a ledger which will be dedicated to the handkerchief as mentioned yesterday. The more I think about what to do with the pieces shown yesterday the more I want a hankie ledger, a beautiful resource for reference, for inspiration. Tempted as I am to create another hankie cloth at some point, now isn't the time.
The little cups from here are now buttons. Last night I made a few little puffs, fabric beads to sit alongside those. I am on a bit of a mission to create quite a few buttons and beads , making one or two in a spare half hour. Let's see how much that particular collection can grow in the coming weeks.
Finally....the kitchen wall is finished, done, dusted.....phew.......
(It's not yet decorated. That must wait until after Christmas to allow for drying out. That's OK. I can live with that, it's just amazing to get my house back)
11/09/2015
a line of cross stitch
This piece now has a row of cross stitch added. I think I am almost there embellishment wise with this one. I speak about that in the video. I also discuss my plans for this...........ledger? pocket?...you will have to watch and find out.
Other videos relating to this can be seen here, here and here.
Thank you for the feedback yesterday regarding the class which I intend to run after Christmas. It seems you would prefer to know about that as soon as possible. I will have news later this week.
11/08/2015
layers.....
These two pieces were embroidered eons ago. The intention was to layer them, titivate more, a wall panel perhaps. I picked them up again last night, drawn to playing some more, layering the lace cloth on the embroidered silk, embroidering some sections of lace cloth directly to the silk, leaving other areas loose.
I can't even begin to tell you how wonderful it was to spend four hours with this last night.
A wall panel? I'm not sure now. As you may have noticed I am a little pocket obsessed these days....... I'm tempted. For now though I am just going to enjoy handling this, working on the surface, final decisions about it's purpose don't matter yet.
There is more buttonhole lace to work on the open areas of lace cloth. I'm also thinking about embellishment, stitch on the surface of the lace cloth in the solid areas. The silk sections will most likely remain as they are...less is more in some cases.
(I have received a few e mails asking about my plans for classes after Christmas. I do have a plan, of course I do but had thought it too early to start talking about that. A question...is it too early? Do you want to know sooner rather than later? Let me know)
11/07/2015
button cups
Little fabric cups, embroidered with applique and bumpy bits, French knots and bullion knots added with a little running stitch too. I love this stage, the drawing up the fabric stage. It creates these tiny little cup like structures, like tiny pastries or confectionery.
I have finished one button, added the cloth so you can see how they will all look when they're finished. For now I am just going to look at them like this, enjoy them in their ''cup'' like, ''pastry'' like stage.
11/06/2015
three flowers and couched gimp
The easy, no concentration required piece of cloth I spoke of yesterday demanded a little more attention last night, more focus. It now has three little padded flowers running along one strip and a line of couched gimp secured with bullion knots.
I'm leaving this alone now for a couple of days. I may make some buttons tonight. No particular reason except buttons appeal.
The kitchen wall saga is positively driving me crazy. It is the tiniest section of wall requiring repair, 3 feet by 4 feet maximum...three days later? It needs, (so I am told) it needs five layers of varied treatments. The worst thing? The final layer will not go on until Monday. We know the builder, he's a family friend. He has definitely outstayed his welcome though.
You would not believe the disruption here......
11/05/2015
strips
I'm playing with this piece outside of sampling class, picking it up every so often and adding a few stitches here and there. It's inspired by my sampling in class but now it's completely separate from that, it's one of those things you can pick up and put down when you are tired, less able to be challenged creatively. You can loose yourself in the rhythm of bullion loops whilst you are thinking of something completely different. You should try it, I can recommend it.
And in case you were wondering, I am still hiding in the dining room....
11/04/2015
sampling school
In case you are wondering why I am pink obsessed at the moment....samples from class. I am surrounded by pink. These are pieced with embroidered gingham, embroidered Broderie Anglaise and overlays of lace. The work on paper, the paint, the pencil, the collage.....they are the source of the stitch, the inspiration for the sampling. Design, sample, play, create.....no better way to spend a day I don't think.
Today that doesn't apply. I have a wall being destroyed in my kitchen. I am hiding in the dining room pin tucking cloth.
11/03/2015
a tiny pink and white pocket in progress
Pink again, I can't seem to do anything without a bit of pink lately. This piece is small. At the moment it measures 9 x 9 inches. It will get smaller. I am hoping it will become something like this, without the mirrors. There is more surface embroidery to be added first though, then the lining will need to be put together so basically....don't hold your breath.
Tomorrow I will show you where I am up to in class, a piece I finished with the girls last week. I have piles of samples now, probably far less than the girls have but I am still delighted with where I am in terms of sampling, mounting and creating my very own cloth and stitch library. I will put some pieces together for here tomorrow.
11/02/2015
embroidery....
The body bag has worked its way back into class videos. This piece is now getting regular, weekly attention again. Some of you may think ''how long is it taking you to make this piece''? The answer is a long time with an added ''there's no rush, it's a pleasure, it's like coming home''.
This week in class I embroidered these pieces, more silk for tabs. Next week I will begin embellishment on a new panel. It is surprising how quickly it grows with regular stitch, regular piecing of surfaces.
The video today is an old video but it may be new for some of you, a little overview, a little explanation of this piece I call the ''body bag''.
11/01/2015
samples, paint and a very old book.
The past week has mostly been about hankies, sampling for class, a little ledger painting and getting back into the swing of things. If you asked me yesterday was I back to normal after my trip I would have said yes. I would have been wrong. Today I feel ''normal'', different from yesterday, newly inspired, newly excited so I guess yesterday I wasn't back to that normality. It doesn't matter anyway, I will take the ''normal'' I feel today and go with it whilst it's here.
My parents moved house ten days ago, yesterday I went up there for the second time to help a little. I came across the book in the last image whilst I was emptying boxes, what a shock. I made that ledger almost 20 years ago! Mother kept it safe, pristine. It's strange. I feel as if someone else made it, a different time, a different person....
Aside from the book...there was wadding...and lots of it. I fear they may have to move again to acquire a room for wadding. (mother makes quilts, she has enough wadding to make one for all of you)
10/31/2015
two hankie pieces
Two pieces of work, pieced handkerchiefs. Don't they look good together, like they belong. As you know my intention is to mount these in a ledger, inspirational samples for the future. When I see them together like this my will gets tested, I get an urge to create something more substantial with them, a pocket perhaps or a pouch, maybe a small lap cloth. So far I am resisting.....banishing those thoughts....
(if you missed them there are videos relating to this work here and here)
10/30/2015
a line of running stitch
Today you are seeing old pictures, pictures of the ledger which inspired this piece of work from Tuesday. I don't want to show you the actual piece today because I got carried away with embroidery and you will see what is happening with handkerchiefs, including this one tomorrow.
I have added a line of running stitch on camera. Tomorrow I work on it some more and show both hankie pieces in progress....
10/29/2015
more hankies
In my other life...in class....I am obsessed with pink gingham and lace. In this life I am becoming obsessed with hankies. The piece today was born from this post and takes me back to the days of the hankie cloth. I doubt these pieces will become another hankie cloth. My initial intention was to mount them as samples for inspiration in the future, in a ledger most probably and I think I will stick with that.
I have another video of the piece from earlier this week, a video in which I begin embroidery on the surface. You will see that tomorrow and there will almost certainly be another video on Saturday as progress on these pieces is happening fast.
This was a wonderful thing to see today.....
10/28/2015
a tiny white pocket with mirrors
A tiny white pocket, this transformed. It's lined, the edges are secured, there are two Suffolk puffs to one side and a lace tab extending from a seam. I think I will struggle to give this one away. If it was for anyone but my daughter I would be keeping it close.
I struggled to get images, rain and cloud, gloom. The video is one minute fifty four seconds....humour me.
10/27/2015
Handkerchief play
I had a compelling urge to play with hankies yesterday, to cut them up and piece them together again. I blame the little book at the start of the video today.
10/26/2015
the next stage
You last saw this piece here, it has been moved on a little bit now. Two edges have been hand finished and boning has been inserted into those. It looks a little like a bonnet, it won't look like a bonnet when it's finished. When it's finished it will be a tiny pocket but it's a gift so don't tell anyone.
I still need to stitch the side seam and create a lining. Then I will think about extra titivations. There won't be a drawstring or a cord...at least there are no plans for anything like that at the moment. I could change my mind but I don't think I will.
The lace frill at one edge, do you see that, I'm still deciding whether to have that at the base or at the top opening, hmmm....
Today's images are quite dark. It's bright sunshine but I still can't get a good, balanced light on this piece. I do however like the shadowing.
10/25/2015
I did warn you....
This is how ''pink'' is evolving here and in class. More sampling, more thought on how to move this forward. I have a box of pink now, a box almost overflowing with pink and doodles and scraps of pieced cloth, scraps of stitched cloth. I'm not working half as hard as the girls in class...who knows how many boxes they have.
I have high hopes for the coming week, high hopes that my brain fog has gone and things will become exciting, reinvigorated and newly creative....keep your fingers crossed for me.
10/24/2015
treacle....
What a week...strange. I feel as if I have been trying to drag myself through treacle, slowly, barely awake, woolly brain and too much dirty washing. (the washing is done, we won't talk about the ironing)
It's a price worth paying for an amazing holiday but boy will I be glad when I feel normal again.
I am having a day off today. I have gone with my daughter to see the new house my parents moved into this week. I have seen it before, Helen hasn't. I doubt there will be cake but boxes will need to be unpacked I am sure. I'm going armed with flowers AND a vase in case vases can't be found in all the confusion.
10/23/2015
French knots on a doodle
It's an old doodle, doodled way back, on this blog in this post and this post. Today I have added a little bit of stitch, French knots.
You like the pink from yesterday then? Wow, thanks. I am a little addicted to what's going on with that. It started as sampling for class, now it's taking over the house. As soon as I can I will share more of that with you.
10/22/2015
sampling, pink, lace and stitch
It won't be long before I am buried under pink, frothy samples. Be warned, there will be more of this on here over the coming weeks. This is a very small selection of my work for class. Pink gingham, lace and Broderie Anglaise. I know I've said it before but I'm going to say it again....there was a time when I would have recoiled at the mention of pink....not any more. I'm a proud pink lover, especially when it's mixed with lace and white and a few embroidery stitches and who doesn't love a little bit of gingham whatever the colour.
10/21/2015
stitches and circles
Spotty cloth, circles, five minutes and a few stitches....a video. I extended this stitch last night, another ten minutes or so. As I was doing that I thought wouldn't it be wonderful to have this embroidered cloth in yardage, a full yard of it to cut up, to patch, to piece. I played a little on photoshop this morning, (not my strong point as you can see) just to get an idea of how it might look pieced with a check....it works for me.
This little sample will go in my sample stock, my sample library, my snippet for books pile, my handy little pieces pile for when I need something special to finish a design sheet or a page.
(re photoshop. It's not that I couldn't do better if I put the effort in. It's the will that is missing, the desire....I am not a technologically minded or passionate or even interested person, I'm a stitcher.)
10/20/2015
five mirrors
This little white piece started life here. I can't remember what the plan was back then but there is definitely a plan now...more on that when I get nearer completion. Last night I added five tiny mirrors to one seam. You might notice there is a small applique circle on that seam too, a little out of place perhaps. I added that some time ago and decided I didn't want to continue with those. That one will stay there as a reminder of that decision.
This is almost finished in terms of surface embroidery. There is a row of bullion loops to add at the top of the lace strip and then it's good to go, to be transformed into something special for someone special......shhhhhhhh.
I've got a hectic week ahead of me, not much time for intensive embroidery so I see videos in your future, a little doodling perhaps and a little stitch.......watch this space.
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