12/20/2017
an inside cover for the cloth book
I'm making good progress with my cloth sample book. It now has an inside cover for the front and I'm about to put one together for the back. My mind is whirling with ideas for adding loose stitched samples to this one, having lots of tabs and folded fabric edges which can be used to pin pieces to. The next thing I want to do is create a few small embroidered swatches to place in here when it's finished. I'm itching to use it. I have to be restrained though and finish the actual book first.
I made a short video with a little explanation....
12/19/2017
the hankie bag
Poorly lit I'm sorry but.....the hankie bag which caused me so much angst is now finished. Relax and breathe Karen.
I can't say I had fun putting this together but I certainly loved every minute of the surface embroidery, the choosing of hankies and lace and the playing with layers. Then there was the sweetie shop which is my sequin box, picking just the right ones from there...and let's not forget the beads and ribbons. For now I am just looking at this, appreciating it. Very soon it will hold cloth and it will hang exactly where it is now so I can see it every day.
I broke off from the ''putting together'' stage of this to make you a short video.....
Embroidery School 2018. Coming soon...read more here.
12/15/2017
in progress
The cloth book continues....more gold silk ribbon and a Grandmothers flower garden patchwork motif. I think this might just be finished before the weekend is over although I do have a plan for the lining which may take a little while so maybe I speak too soon.
The piece with the overlarge sequins is a ''pocket'' , a ''book'' for my London Students. I am going to put their workshop bits and bobs in these. I showed you a glimpse of the first one some time ago here
The bag which has been causing me sleepless nights and which I spoke about at the end of this post is finished.....I will be able to share that with you next week.
I'm having three days off now, family stuff and prep for Embroidery School 2018 which begins on January 15. You can read about that here.
Have a great weekend.
Miss you already x
12/14/2017
the next cloth book continued
I've addedfa little embroidery to the reverse side of this cloth book cover. There are Prairie Points peeking out from some gold silk ribbon and I have started a row of sequined bullion loops.
(talking of bullion loops....I watched a very quick video on Instagram yesterday from a well known embroidery supply company where they were demonstrating how to stitch a bullion knot. My first observation...they didn't make them in the same way I was taught, which is perfectly ok, there's more than one way to skin a cat and all that but the second most shocking observation? They were using 6 strands of stranded cotton and they didn't separate the strands....jaw drop, shock, horror. If you have taken one of my classes you will understand my horror. Please do not take any notice of them....you know better)
Anyway, back to my cloth book cover. As you know I have been picking it up to work on in between finishing a bag for hankie class. I will most likely work on it some more this evening (the cloth book) because....drum roll....the bag is finished. I can't show you until the girls have seen it but this was my table this morning.
Embroidery School 2018, more information here.
12/13/2017
the next cloth book
You saw a glimpse of this yesterday, in the embroidery hoop with the cutwork in progress. Since then the cutwork has been completed and it now has a row of delicate beads along with an applique motif and a single pink, vintage button.
This is going to be the cover for my next ''sample swatch book''. The folded strips you can see on the left of the first image with the buttonhole edge form part of the spine. I will embroider both sides of this cover, front and back.
This morning I have been finishing a bag for Hankie class. I have been stressed beyond belief. I am useless at finishing ''technical'' things like linings. I just want to say to the girls....the video count up to now is over one and a half hours and I haven't finished yet. Prepare yourselves.....(It will most likely be posted on Friday) I will be returning to it as soon as I have finished here....and then I will need a lie down in a darkened room.
Another reminder.....''embroidery school 2018''.
You can read more here.
12/12/2017
paper, embroidery and hexagons
I'm working on many different things at the moment. Mostly I am focusing on finishing my bag for hankie class but when I reach a point where I can't move on with that due to damp stretching needs or video demonstration needs I have several things I can ''pick up'' in the meantime.
I need to make hexagons and Grandmothers flower garden pieces for the London Workshop. There is a paper piece ''in progress'' which gets a little attention from time to time and there is my next cloth swatch book which is in its very early stages but to which I added a little cutwork last night. There are pockets yet to be put together for London, they are pressing, urgent and I am already in the advanced planning stages for those so there's always something to keep my fingers moving here.
Embroidery School 2018
Follow this link in case you missed that information, in case you were snoozing and it passed you by.
12/11/2017
paper and inspiration
It's a pile.....it's several things placed together with thought, not just thrown down. There are two pages, one finished and one in progress from class along with scraps of paper, torn edges and lace.
Gathering is good for me, it inspires me, it allows me to develop ideas and it also gets me very excited about the possibilities. I'm looking at the details here, the delicate fringe of tiny white beads which is almost invisible against the red marbled paper. I'm actually drooling over the soft, padded silk velvet scrap most visible in the lower left hand corner of the last image and don't get me started on the fine metal strip running through the cream paper.
Now I need to rip more paper, add it to lace, attach strips of metallic cord.....create another surface and find a space on there for more soft, silk velvet.
I've had quite a few messages asking if I am OK because of the snow you have seen on the news. Thank you.....I am fine. We missed the worst of it, it fell just south of us so although we do have snow we have gotten off lightly compared to other areas. I ventured out in the car earlier and made it home again without any problems apart from my toes threatening to fall off because they were so cold.
A reminder....the return of 'embroidery school' for 2018. You can read about that here.
12/10/2017
contrasting sequins
Hankies, ribbon, edges, cross stitch, web stitch, French knots.....and sequins. I've tried to create a contrast between the vibrancy of those bright pink sequins with a little subtlety from the opaque ones. It works. There's a new row of cross stitch too, tiny pink and lemon cross stitches.
This is work in progress, stitching my fingers to the bone progress in order to finish embroidery for hankie class. We were supposed to finish last week....we didn't. Teacher is holding things up again. Once the cloth shown here is completely embroidered I will be able to finish my bag, my hankie bag. I am determined to do that before the end of this week. It won't be a rushed finish because in truth there isn't much hand work left to do. When it is finished.....it's for me. It will be a fabric storage bag with layers of lace, embroidered hankie panels and a long strap to hang it from a hook.
2,30 pm....translucent sequins not opaque...jeez Karen.
Meanwhile.....
You can read more about that here
Tomorrow is paper day. I am having tummy flips about pages and torn edges over on the Artist Book subscription blog. I need some of that tummy flipping on here too I think. I need to keep it close, it's so inspiring. Torn edges and sequin edges.................there's a theme there somewhere.
12/09/2017
Embroidery School 2018
January 15 start.
2018 will be the year of my ''stitch ledger'', the development of a resource centred on the hand embroidery stitch.
A stitch
''a loop of thread or yarn resulting from a single pass or movement of the needle in sewing''
Be a fly on my wall whilst I develop my stitch ledger along with other works resulting from spontaneous inspiration. Observe my creative process, learn from my successes and my mistakes as I sample, as I construct embroidered surfaces from patches of cloth, snippets of hankies and decorative trims along with other found cloth both new and vintage. Witness the development of paper based works for use in design sheets and ledgers, in sketchbooks. Create what I create or embroider your own pieces whilst observing and learning from my creativity.
This online creative experience will take the form of a very relaxed and gentle gathering of cloth and embroidery, those who have an affinity with handling cloth, working with cloth. I will discuss my plans, my inspiration, the preparation and creation of embroidered cloth. I will demonstrate technique and process throughout. I can guarantee that there will be embroidery, embellishment and the manipulation of cloth. I will share my thoughts along with the more tangible sources which drive me.
In other news......it's snowing. I'm chittered. I am turning blue.....
Hankie class girls....stand (or sit) by your computers. I have a video for you.
12/08/2017
toggles
I did warn you yesterday about my hankering to make toggles.....trust me when I say you can never have too many toggles. On the surface of these there are tiny puffs, there is beading, cross stitch and buttonhole stitch. These are decorative toggles as opposed to functional toggles and will go into my stash ready to be used on an edge or a seam or even to adorn the page of an artist book.
They are laid here alongside the edge of a page from an artist book to enable me to assess the potential of them, how they might look in that situation, how they might enhance an embroidered page. I have used toggles many times before in artist books but these are a little bigger than others I have previously made. Having said that, I'm sure they will find their place somewhere eventually and I can always work on a large page.....
12/07/2017
Thursday
These pieces will be more familiar to some of you than others. Some are from online learning classes, some have been sold.....did you buy one? You will already be aware that I spend a lot of time looking at past work, for inspiration, to help with the occasional creative block and also just to ''remember''. Sometimes I look and wish I could do it all over again.......all of these pieces fit into that category.
With that in mind you can definitely expect to see toggles in the near future along with a little stitched colour study. Those are the ones which have me itching the most, the remainder will call for a little restraint on my part......something I am not renowned for.
It's the time of year when plans have to be made for next year...........with that in mind does anyone fancy coming along to ''embroidery school 2018''? Can you sharpen your pencils before January 15? There will be more news of that in the next couple of days but think ''stitch ledger'', think toggles, think buttons, basically....think all things embroidery.
12/06/2017
flowers
All my hoops are full of flowers at the moment, flowers everywhere. Mostly they are appearing as I try my best to finish work for hankie class, panels for an embroidered bag, soft layers, pretty layers. Traditional patterning is being used for the hankie class flowers, I'm connecting with my memories for that one. The other flower shown here (second image, lower left) is less traditional and has been isolated in a hoop so I can concentrate solely on that without distraction from other embroidery on that particular piece. Why? Well because I am trying to visualise another, potential piece of work, a piece of work using those techniques. An embroidery hoop is also a very useful window viewer.....
12/05/2017
developing layered pages
I can't tell you how excited I become when working on pieces for the ''artist book 12 month class''. I scratch a surface, barely touch it, I hint at ideas and play without vigorous investigation and then the class take off with ideas, developments, enquiries, sampling....it's almost as if I light a touch paper. They could all teach me a thing or two I swear.
This is work from class last Sunday, my work, my page but also a surface scratch for class. I just know this will be developed beyond anything I imagine by the group.
This page has layer upon layer of paper along with lace, embroidery, a button and pom poms. You would think it was finished, it isn't. There are edges to embellish, concealed spaces, blank canvases to adorn. Once it is complete it will live with the overlays shown here and these pages along with pages as yet unmade, pages not yet thought of.
This class is live until September 2018. A 12 month subscription blog. If you think you might want to join us you can read more here.
12/03/2017
layers for an artist book page
Putting a few little scraps together, on camera, before finishing off with a button....
I get so much pleasure from these little unplanned pieces, pieces which I have no intention of creating until working on ''class'' videos sparks an idea I just have to follow it up.
12/02/2017
the early stages of making a cloth book
There's another cloth book in the making, another large piece of fabric which will be embroidered, which will have spines and which at some point will have stitched samples pinned inside. The cover isn't even half finished yet but there is progress.
12/01/2017
a floaty layer
This piece, (the piece on the left) was put together in hankie class yesterday. Cloth was cut, pinned and basted before I started the process of stitching my fingers to the bone in order to get all the layers of my embroidered bag embellished before the end of next week. It's a big task. There is one more panel which is pinned and basted waiting to be embroidered too.
My favourite thing about this one is the small offcut from the front edge of a vintage nightgown, it's the pointy piece lower centre with the pink sequins clearly visible in the second image. It's made with very soft fabric which is a lovely contrast against the lace and cotton which lays alongside it.
The other panel in the second image will form part of my layered bag too. All the pieces embroidered up to now will be overlaid, secured and titivated a little more before the straps are attached. I am getting there.....
11/30/2017
layers of lace with added metal
Hankies, lace, hooks and eyes, (just the hooks actually) Hankie class homework from teacher........more layers of lace, more embroidery and a few little pieces of metal securing tiny button loops. You may also have noticed there are a lot of sequins here.....you can never have too many sequins.
I've been back a couple of days. I am still playing catch up. I still haven't unpacked my suitcase.
It's time now to make plans for embroidery, what comes next, hankie class, artist books, more embroidery on layers, more piecing.
The shop is open again which means sign up is open for our 12 month artist book adventure. There are a couple of ''work on your own'' classes in there too. (don't tell anyone but ''embroidery school'' is my favourite.)
I'm hopping that by tomorrow things will be on a more even keel. At the very least I hope to have my suitcase unpacked.
Hankie class girls......stand by your computer because class will be ready very soon.
11/24/2017
cloth books
Yesterday afternoon I had a hankering to put another cloth book together similar to this one which will hold embroidered samples. The first picture shows embroidery so far.....it's all white, put together with white cloth and embroidered with white French knots, bullion loops, buttonhole stitch and cross stitch hearts. I'm not saying there won't be colour appearing on the surface at some point but for the moment I am sticking with white.
In the second image laid under my latest cloth book is a glimpse of my first ''goodie bag'' for the London 2018 workshop. It has a pocket label although it is in fact a cloth book too. The label references the inside pockets which I can't show you until after the workshop. That's the first one finished.....I best get cracking with the rest.
I am going away now, my bags are packed. I will be posting to Instagram whilst I am gone if you want to see what I am up to.
I will be back on Wednesday.
Miss you already.
11/23/2017
lace cloth and paper
A little collection today of things which have been happening in ''artist book'' class. The lace piece is what we worked on this week. It's a page overlay, protection for stitched paper and delicate surfaces. It isn't finished yet, I have a few decisions still to make about that piece.
The lace like cloth is laid here alongside paper pieces, most of which have resulted from ''artist book'' videos, sampling and testing various paper surfaces and how they interact with each other. I find it really useful to play like this, to mix things up. It informs, it prompts more pieces, I get new ideas, my ''to do'' list gets longer which is a good thing. Where would I be if my ideas dried up?
Tomorrow's post will be the last one for five days. I am off on my travels again...London...family....shopping. The shop will be closed so I want to promote something before I go.
The Artist Book class is running for a whole year. We started in September and continue until September 2018. (the cost equates to £1.25 a week) You can sign up at any point during the 12 months and get access to all video and instructions since we began in September. The work being produced by this group and shared in our private forum is incredible and makes me extremely happy. If you would like to be part of this unique experience you can read more here.
11/22/2017
edges and surface embellishments...
Quite a few things to show you today. These first images are progress on hankie pieces. The pink sequin piece you saw a few days ago.......since then I have drawn, doodled on to the open areas and added hand stitch. That is now another panel ready for the bag I am making in hankie class. The other piece is a sample for my cloth swatch book. I have now bound the only raw edge on that piece, pinned it together anyway so once that's stitched I can add it to my book.
This morning I have been working on seams, on camera for my hankie class...the sequins were out for titivation purposes and below is an image of my latest sequin delivery. There are a lot of '''07'' as I need those to make my goodies for the London Workshop.
And finally, a few from around the workroom this week. Pom pom auditions have been happening here...can you tell?
11/21/2017
titivations
Yesterdays talk of buttons had me appraising my stash of titivations. I don't have as many buttons as I thought so there may be a little button making happening quite soon. I do have quite a lot of pom poms.....(I didn't make those). I am also making good progress with hexagons and grandmothers flower garden pieces for London so the appraisal was a useful exercise in getting my bearings so to speak.
11/20/2017
hankie class progress
Drum roll!! My finished needle case from hankie class. I'm keeping it for now, can't bear to part with it. Now we are moving on to make ''floaty'' bags with long straps. I've never done ''long straps'' before.....how hard can it be....
Back to this needle case....a pom pom, a little strip of vintage French laundry tape, two hankies, some buttons, a little doodling and lots of hand embroidery. There are French knots, web stitches, chain stitches and running stitch.
It's not too late to make one of these for yourself either. We still have a couple of weeks left and you get access to everything we have done already, all videos and images. There's more information here.....
I now have a hankering to make buttons, to embroider for buttons, to piece cloth for buttons. I'm not sure if I will though. I am trying to resist adding to the ''to do'' list. What I might do first is gather all the hand embroidered buttons I already have and perhaps doing that will satisfy my button needs for a while.
11/19/2017
simple pockets
In this post I said you wouldn't see these pockets again until after my workshop. I should have said you wouldn't see them in their entirety until after London 2018. It's ok if you see this piece. This is the start of the inside, the pockets which will hold the workshop supplies I am providing. This morning I was thinking about what I could include and laid a few things out to help me make decisions. This isn't the final selection, some of these things may not make it past this audition. I am however very happy with the simplicity of these pockets,the minimal stitch. That will allow the contents to shine, to not be overpowered by heavily embellished cloth and in all honesty as there are a few of these to make I can't go overboard with hand embroidery no matter how much I want to, there just isn't enough time.
11/18/2017
cutting up hankies
Hankies.....handkerchiefs.....cut up and rearranged handkerchiefs. This is my progress from hankie class. There are three separate pieces here, all started in hanke class. Now it's up to me to crack on and embroider them before we use them to make a ''floaty'' bag.
Last night I added a row of cross stitch to the upper area in the first image. I also added the web stitches you can see hugging the row of sequins on the other piece. The gold coloured sequins on the Broderie Anglaise and lace piece were added earlier in the week. At least they know in class that I'm not slacking.
(Your post will be ready in around an hour girls. Stand by your computers!)
11/17/2017
just embroidery
Embroidery on lace cloth...lace cloth which was made for my workshop in France last year which is ''spare''. It hardly seems like over a year ago. Picking this cloth up again and adding a few more stitches took me back, happy memories.
This piece and the other pieces left from that workshop probably won't ever become ''anything''. They will be part of my stash though and we all know how useful a stash is don't we. Some may be snipped off for artists books, some may be used to lay behind open areas for cutwork, this could even be used to cover buttons or padded to make puffs, it could be rolled into toggles or even stitched over with more snippets of lace.
What you get when you make lace cloth is a unique surface, a yardage of fabric which is unique to you. You can then treat it like any other yardage of fabric, the difference being nobody else will ever have any exactly the same.
11/16/2017
little pages
Although I am working on pages regularly in ''artist book'' class I am also working on them intermittently on my own, building ideas and little pages to grow my collection for the series of ''artist books'' I hope to have before the end of next year. These are a couple of my latest results from an afternoons play. Layered lace cloth, paper, a little hand embroidery....the ever present sequins and a hand embroidered button which I made some time ago. (that's another stash I add to regularly, my button stash).
These aren't necessarily quick to put together. At times things fall in to place easily and yes, quickly but at other times there is a lot of moving around, changing positioning involved before the final touch of a button or bead can be added. With these pieces I changed my mind over the button, which button to use about five times before I finally settled on this one.
11/15/2017
Cloth books not pockets
There's been a change of plan. My intention was to create pockets for the ''workshop kits'' for London 2018. I've changed my mind. I am now going to make cloth books with internal pockets to hold the supplies, the hexagons, the little snippets of things, the stitched papers and other stuff I haven't even thought of yet.
More embroidery will be added to this, it isn't finished yet. There will be web stitches for sure and the embroidery will continue inside too. I can't get too carried away though as I need to make several of these....I best crack on. You won't see these again until after the event as I would like there to be some element of surprise on the day for those who are coming to play. There are only two places left................you can read more here if you are tempted. We will have to be on our best behaviour as someone is coming all the way from the USA...wow.
11/14/2017
Tuesday
A little bit of everything for you today, glimpses from the past week....
I bought this basket in Spain. It holds everything and anything. I need to stop taking the easy option and just dropping things into it instead of putting them away properly, in the right place.
I've been cutting a lot of hexagons over the past few days . These will be stitched to templates and made into ''grandmothers flower garden'' patchwork pieces for my London workshop kits. (London is selling well...big smile here, thank you!)
These images were taken whilst I was making videos for ''hankie class''. There's quite a bit of this kind of thing going on here. Hankies piled high, spread across the table before being cut up and adorned.
I'm not sure about this one, when it was taken. It could be ''artist book'' class but there's a little bit of me that says no, it was something else.
And sequins......there doesn't appear to be any shortage of these around here at the moment. These little things are fast becoming my new ''essential''.
And some videos from Instagram which you may have missed....
11/13/2017
lace cloth for sequins
Last week I made you a video about this piece of work. I spoke about how it would need extending, about how I would have to create more ''patches'' of the surface cloth to piece, to enlarge this . Yesterday I created another section of pieced silk and lace which is now ready for hand embroidery. In the video today I speak about the various stages of embellishing this fabric, referring back to the last video which you can see here.
Today there's a short video, buttonhole lace on a seam.
Yesterday I had cause to look back through several of my ''old'' Flickr groups from classes I have held. If you have ever taken one of my online classes a question. Do you go back to those groups? You should. The incredible, inspiring work over there captivated me. I could have stayed for hours....do me a favour, go back, way back and take a look. What an enormous library of information and inspiration....you never fail to blow me away.
11/12/2017
hankies and sequins and hand embroidery
Progress from hankie class. One of these embroidered panels is for a needle case, the other for a layered and embellished bag. There's a lot of French knots here, a little bit of cross stitch and quite a few sequins.
If all goes to plan our needle cases will be finished later this week, the bag will continue for the remainder of class., more embroidered panels and layers of fabric edged with lace. That's the plan anyway.
Also this week I hope to make progress with my workshop kits for London 2018, a two day embroidery class. I spoke a little about those kits here. There are a lot of hexagons to stitch for that, a lot of ''grandmothers flower garden'' motifs to put together not to mention the embellished pockets I hope to make which will hold the workshop materials. That's a lot of stitching and not a lot of time to do it in. It will be here before you know it.
11/10/2017
adornments
It's all about having a stash, be it stitched papers, scraps of cloth, embroidery off cuts, buttons, beads......and puffs. This morning I spent an hour or so putting more puffs together. The embroidery was worked last night before being damp stretched. Cutwork on silk edged with chain stitch......ten to be precise, all cut out, gathered up, stuffed and tied tightly. My jars are now looking a little fuller after being replenished by these little things.
I am having a day off tomorrow to wander aimlessly around Manchester. I might go in a few shops, I might not. OK I probably will.
11/09/2017
five sequins on an embroidered seam
This morning was all about playing, no pressure, adorning, going back to things which have languished for a while, adding a few pretty titivation's, surrounding myself with all things embroidery and basically relaxing and stitching. You should try it, I recommend it.
This piece was started in the Summer and taken on holiday with me. I haven't touched it since I got back, there have been new distractions, life, classes, domesticity but whilst I was adding sequins to this seam earlier I pretended I was back on my balcony in Spain. The sun has been shining here today so it kind of worked.
11/08/2017
Maybe
I have started playing with ideas for my workshop packs for the two day London workshop next February. To be precise....I am thinking about the actual ''workshop pack'', the pocket which will hold things to be used in the workshop. So far I have secured gimp with bullion loops on a piece of vintage white which may or may not become the pocket. More surface embroidery will be added to that piece over time so the pocket itself will become a keepsake after the ''event''.
I have made a decision on which printed cloth will be used for hexagons and patchwork and general titivation and I am thinking about how to present those within the pocket. Do I add more pockets on the inside or do I pin the hexagons, ribbons and bindings to strips of vintage trim which can then be used in the workshop too.....decisions decisions. I will of course need inside pockets regardless for paper pieces, applique templates, waste canvas and lots of other little things, surprises....
It's early days I know but there are quite a few of these to put together, a lot of stitching and thinking still to do.
11/07/2017
layering cloth and handkerchiefs
Monday here was spent making videos for ''hankie class''. I was surrounded by hankies, edges of cloth, seams embroidered with beads and sequins, layers of lace and vintage trims using previously stitched pieces for reference, inspiration and demonstration. Everything you see here with the exception of the blue edged needle case in the second image will become a bag, a bag created with hankies, lace and vintage trims. These pieces were embroidered before class, with class in mind....a head start for me. I realised yesterday how good a plan that was as these served as a perfect illustration of what I hope to achieve aesthetically with the bag we are making together in class, at least I hope class thinks so when they watch the videos tomorrow.
A reminder....the artist book class last for a whole year, twelve months. There is plenty of time to view what has happened up to now and participate fully both now and going forward. (I was asked to clarify this yesterday) Access to everything which has been posted up to this point is included regardless of when you sign up and most importantly access is forever, no cut off date. I hope that helps. You can read more here.
11/06/2017
layers of white paper and stitch
The most recent page, composition, piece created over in ''artist book class''. This one is layered white paper, some stitch, a small scrap of lace cloth, a hand wrapped cord, a button and a sliver of silver chain. Put it all together and you get this, a page adornment yes but not only that....you also get more open space for more titivation and on it goes, a never ending palette for embroidery.
In the background you can see my own artist book, the artist book I intend to keep for myself and which is the first piece from the collection I hope to create over the twelve months of artist book class. Twelve months sounds like a long time but already it feels like class is flying by too quickly.
11/05/2017
a beaded edge
Continuing from yesterday, continuing from my paper playtime another design sheet or paper based embroidery inspiration piece is almost finished. This one has a beaded edge with French knots. I used seed beads here. I am yet to figure out how to ensure more beads finish up on the work than on the floor but I guess I will get there eventually.
This morning I have been prepping ready for making videos tomorrow for hankie class.
Whilst doing that I got to thinking about the London workshop and specifically the ''pockets'' to hold the workshops kits. I have been jotting down ideas.....so far I have written piping cord, soft white cloth (possibly old cloth, vintage cloth), beads, tiny inside pockets, hexagons, safety pins and stitched paper so expect to see glimpses of those over the coming weeks.
11/04/2017
a few French knots on paper
Design sheets have been the focus of my attention this morning. There are several of these still to finish, to extend before they can be mounted and added to my ''inspiration'' stash for when I need a prompt, a spark, a suggestion of an idea with which to work on fabric.
I chose paper today after working mostly with cloth over the past couple of weeks. It's good to remind myself of the possibilities offered by paper for expressing an idea for embroidery and building the resource which accumulates as a result of this ''playing''.
11/03/2017
the drawstring pouch
I did it!! The drawstring pouch is finished, hand finished, hours and hours of hand stitch to create the drawstring and attach the upper binding along with the hours of pleasure when embroidering the surface and adding pretty embroidery to the lining. I feel such an sense of accomplishment.
It is now in the shop. It was always going to go in the shop. I wavered last night with thoughts of keeping it for myself but really....how many bags does one girl need? Too many and some remain unappreciated so the shop it is. (but if there are no takers it won't be a hardship to keep it lol)
More images now
I also took some photographs whilst I was working on piecing it all together yesterday evening....
I hope you like it. The angst was definitely worth it for me.
11/02/2017
and so it begins
I did it. I took a deep breath and started to put the hexagon pouch together. The outer surface and the lining have been cut out, the cord for the drawstring has been measured and cut then finished with hand stitch, running stitch to be precise and the channel for the top, to run the cord through is ready to be pinned into place. Phew. So far so good....no fatal errors. This may not be the way you would put one of these together but if it gets me to my end goal I will be happy however it happens.
There is a still a fair way to go. There's lots of tacking to be done, a label to fit in somewhere and it will all be finished with hand stitch before I remove the tacking. Pins...mustn't forget to pin the edges of the lining before tacking too.
11/01/2017
sequins, bullion loops, silk and gingham
Last time you saw this I was actually stitching on it, there was a short video. Do you remember? If you missed it it's here. I worked on it a little more last night, embroidering more bullion loops and dropping more sequins than I managed to stitch but it's progress, slow progress but progress all the same. THis piece will also be a drawstring pouch. Yes, I am starting another drawstring pouch whilst as I mentioned yesterday I am anxious and stressed about putting the last one together. What can I say....I'm a glutton for punishment.
If I make enough of them I may get used to the final construction process which eventually should get easier right? That's the theory I'm working on anyway and besides that, I love them, I want to make them and finish them and titivate them and gaze at them for hours on end.
10/31/2017
the cloth book
Do you remember the cloth sample book? You can see more about it here. I had left it to one side for a while as it kind of overlaps in a lot of ways with the hankie class but I began another little sample to add to the pages last night. It's not finished, more embroidery is needed on the surface and I want to bind the left hand edge but eventually it will live happily in my cloth book along with the other samples already mounted in there.
An update on my hexagon pouch......
Both pieces, the outside and the lining are completely finished embroidery wise and as of this morning are both damp stretched. Now I just need to put it all together. Don't hold your breath. I'm not very good at that bit. I panic for a few days. I count to ten for a few days and then I manage to somehow cobble it all together. As soon as it's done you will see it.
10/30/2017
waxed paper
I was looking for something yesterday....it wasn't waxed paper with embedded sequins though. This paper fell out of the top of my wardrobe. (clothes? who keeps clothes in a wardrobe? Paper and cloth storage is the purpose of every wardrobe I am acquainted with)
I had completely forgotten this paper, these sequins. It was purchased years ago, years....that must be where my current sequin obsession comes from. Anyway....I just had to stitch on it, to test it. It's been joined with silk velvet and a sheer silk before being lightly titivated. As an experiment I would call it a success. I could add more hand embroidery, the possibilities are endless. For now though I will merely stare at it randomly over the coming days and allow it to rest whilst my brain ticks.
Hankie class started this morning. If you are registered for that you should have received an email about our first blog post and an invitation to our private Flickr group. Please let me know if you haven't received those. I hope you are all frantically embroidering on hankies as we speak!!
10/29/2017
one bullion knot, two sequins.
Something new I started last night because I haven't got enough things ''in progress'' already lol. If you get the urge you have to act on it otherwise it will niggle away at you and irritate until you satisfy the need. Another pouch in the making. Pink gingham and sequins. Sounds familiar? It's OK, it won't look like this one. I know there are similarities, gingham, sequins, strips but trust me....first of all the gingham is different, as are the sequins. It's a start, two small details which differ from the first one.
I made you a quick video this morning, a couple of bullion knots and a little chat. This is an embroidery blog after all.
10/28/2017
126 stitches for the lining
The central area is now embroidered meaning this piece from here is finished and waiting to be damp stretched before being lined.....when the lining is complete. As you may recall the pouch has 290 stitches around the edge. The lining will have 126 stitches around the edge, spaced differently to the outside. I have started that process (second image). I just noticed too, (in the last image) that one of my little clusters is missing a green French knot! Did you notice that? I best rectify that....the sooner the better.
(I really wish I had an open mouthed emoji to put here)
Now for a reminder.....Hankie class starts on Monday. We will be making pretty needle cases and bags. You can read more about that here. If you are already registered you should have received sign in details for our private blog yesterday. If you didn't receive those please let me know.
And London.....a live workshop....you can read more about that here.
It's dark as night here and pouring with rain. I hope the sun is shining for you and if it is please send a little my way.
10/27/2017
London Workshop
Following numerous requests and following two successful previous London Workshops I have been working hard behind the scenes putting London 2018 together.
(10 & 11 February)
Over two full days in February we will be working on an ornate pin pillow similar to the one shown here....and/or a paper based design sheet similar to the one shown here which could also be used as an insert for an artist book. Workshop kits for both pieces are included in the cost.
Space is limited and refunds cannot be issued unless I can fill your space.
All the details are here but if you want to know more then please don't hesitate to mail me.
contemporaryembroidery(at)hotmail(dot) com
London 2018
A two day embroidery workshop in the
heart of London. During this two day class you can choose to work on an
ornate pin pillow or an exciting paper based design sheet or both. A
substantial workshop kit with materials for both items including cloth,
stitched papers and other embroidery notions is included in the cost.
Workshop kits will be presented in a hand stitched ''pocket''.
Beginning
at 10 am on Saturday morning we will discuss the projects we are about
to work on selecting fabrics and embellishments from the kit provided
and our own pieces of cloth, buttons, beads, trims and other adornments.
Embroidery and chat will continue until evening, there is no cut off
point for finishing on Saturday or Sunday. We will continue until we
stop having fun or get hungry whichever is soonest before beginning
again at 10 am on Sunday.
Tea, coffee and cake will be provided throughout both days. Please bring your own lunch.
Each day will begin at 10 am and continue until the early evening.
Think of this as a stitching party, a meeting of embroidery addicts to chat, stitch, drink coffee and have fun.
***refunds cannot be given unless I can fill your space***
More details will be sent upon registration.
Please allow 24 hours for receipt of email workshop information.
10/26/2017
edges for handkerchief class
The past couple of days have been about preparing for handkerchief class which starts on Monday where we will be making pretty needle cases and layered bags or pockets or whatever you want to call them.
(If you are registered for handkerchief class you will receive an email some time tomorrow with sign in details for our private blog)
I am not giving any secrets away showing you this work although I will be using these pieces in class. You have seen this before, in a less embellished state. Last night I added the silver bells. Suffice to say....these are the early stages of layering and who doesn't love a little layering of cloth and lace.
10/25/2017
just embroidery
The hexagon pouch.....I mentioned yesterday that more embroidery would be added to this piece before it was finished and today I work a little on that on video. There are web stitches and French knots to mirror the embellishment along the edge......to mirror the two hundred and ninety stitches. I am trying to crack on with this as I am excited to see it finished although that is still quite a way off especially if I am to add embroidery to the lining too.
A reminder.....handkerchief extras (embroidery, embroidery, embroidery!!) begins on Monday. You can read more and register here.
10/24/2017
290 stitches
Two hundred and ninety stitches around an edge. That's fifty eight web stitches and two hundred and thirty two French knots. This is a circular drawstring pouch in the making. There will be more web stitches and French knots scattered across this surface before I begin the lining......there will be web stitches and French knots on there too. There may even be hexagons, not as many as you can see here but I might be able to fit a single ''flower garden'' piece in there somewhere. I would like this little pouch to be titivated to the n'th degree.
10/23/2017
pre class hankie play
Hankie class starts next week! Practice, practice, practice....an overflow of ideas not only for my online class but for my ''possible'' London workshop early next year. I have a new idea for this piece, not a needle case, not a pocket or pouch or bag...wait and see. Who knew the simple handkerchief could be so versatile, have so many possibilities. You last saw this piece here....it was almost ''naked'', not any more.
New Class
Begins Monday October 30th.
6 weeks. Minimum one hour of video per week.
Private password protected blog.
Private Flickr group.
Access.... Unlimited. Forever.
Materials required.... List sent upon registration.
***No prerequisites, suitable for beginners and the more experienced.***
You do not need to have participated in any of my previous online learning programmes to take part in this class.
Handkerchief extras, needle cases and layered pouches created from pretty handkerchiefs and adorned with ribbons, tapes, beads, sequins, tassels, buttons and hand embroidery.
Comprehensive demonstration will be given during the six weeks of this programme on the creation of delicate and pretty needle cases and an embroidered pouch created using layers of handkerchiefs and cloth.
***the use of handkerchiefs is not essential. If you do not have handkerchiefs it will be possible to create these pieces using plain cloth.*
10/22/2017
online learning
Registration has now reopened for ''artist books'' 12 month subscription blog and ''handkerchief extras'' embroidery class.
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