Unfinished. Hand embroidery. A short video.

 

 

The front.

 

 

The reverse of each piece.

 This collection was created over 2024/25.

 

I guess I could call it finished but not quite.

 

These pieces need to be joined to create a flip up cloth book, a book of samples, a teaching resource.

 

Its worth is incancuable.

 

It is irreplaceable and a joy to possess. 

 

 

Front and back

 

Do you remember this from a few days ago?

It's finished now, tiny applique circles edged with sequined bullion knots are dotted across the piece.

It has also been damp stretched.

This will be the front cover of my latest cloth book. 

The other piece here will be the reverse of that cover.

At the moment both pieces are pinned around three sides.

Next is basting, removing pins and hand stitching these pieces together.

In progress. Hand embroidery.

 

A large panel, 23x15 inches of white cotton seersucker fabric, applique, sequins, bullion knots and gimp.

This will be the front cover of my latest embroidered sample cloth book.

I've added a few images below of the pages for this book because once again.........

Typepad stole my original post.

(can you tell it still hurts) 

I've been thinking about my embroidered sample books, there are a few.

I may create a page on here dedicated to those.

If I do I will let you know.

 This book started life in my online learning group.

A monthly subscription. 5GBP.

Subscribing gives you access to all videos since the programme started last year.

If you would like to read more just go here.

We are a very friendly bunch! 

 Finally....a little video which also dissapeared with my Typepad blog.

 (this video was created some time ago. Discussion here on day to day topics may no longer be relevant)

 

Frothy and white.....lace cloth...

 

Lace cloth....love it, the softness, the delicacy, the frothiness.

This isn't new work.

It's here today because Typepad stole all my images.

I'm introducing things here, my new home, as you may not have seen them and because I want them online, I want them to inspire. 

I'm tempted to make more lace cloth now I have been looking at these images.

My 'to do' list won't allow for that today so I will have to be content to just pore over these pictures for now. 

surfaces and seams....

More work on white, surfaces and seams. French knots, bullion knots, edges of lace not caught down but left free giving little glimpses into what's below. Covering beautifully embroidered vintage cloth with hand stitch but leaving areas untouched.....

This morning I was on window boxes. I much prefer to embroider. I have to say that I detest gardening. Please don't hate me it's part of who I am. I love flowers, the clean kind, the no mess kind, in a vase, from a shop....

extending two is now in big cartel.....we shall see.

embellish.....

Progress of the slow kind is being made on the work for my new class. These pieces are being picked up and given a small amount of attention when my other white piece requires more measuring or joining and there isn't either the time or the space. So it's slow yet valuable progress and it's all progression in one way or another.

My visitors have gone, insert a sad face here...yes my little girl has gone back to London. I missed her the minute she got onto the train....and on it goes until I next see her.

Anyhow...get over yourself Karen...I now have no excuse for not stitching my fingers to the bone so it's going to be full steam ahead...

extending embellishment

Yes girls, don't panic I am still joining my cloth. I've also got a little sideline going in creating pieces for the new class, extending embellishment, which starts on March 5. The piece shown here includes stitched paper, stitched cloth and some snippets of vintage cloth which are all seamlessly, (ha! don't believe it!) joined together to become what I hope is a little piece of contemporary art...There is still quite a way to go on this one and then there is the other one...also for the class. It's like a regular stitching marathon here which I love...LOVE, I really do...what's not to love?

to read more and register for extending embellishment then just go here.

the wrapping cloth.....

The wrapping cloth series evolved from my research into motherhood and the role played by cloth in the lives of mothers and their children for centuries. Cloth protects, wraps and envelops yet can also serve as a thing of beauty containing precious memories and traces of those who have gone before. The Wrapping cloth series is created using traditional techniques of hand embroidery and fabric manipulation giving recognition to our mothers and grandmothers. it is my wish that these pieces serve as a tribute to my female predecessors.

I needed to place that paragraph at the top of this post. I am beginning to feel a little like a one woman promotion machine at the moment. It's important to me though that you know what really drives me and that kind of sums it up. 

My wrapping cloths started life created from silk, you can see some images of those here and here. Silk both then and now signifies precious to me, for the women referred to in that top paragraph any scrap of cloth was precious so I evolved. I evolved in terms of materials and I keep the same techniques, the traditional techniques constant in all my work. The cloths I create during my embroider, embellish, create class are born from the first paragraph and I don't think that will ever change but now I use scraps. Scraps of found cloth, old cloth, mixed with a small amount of new. The first cloth was for my daughter, the second one will be for my mother. I have started that one already, it is the white in these images. The other cloth, the coloured and patterned cloth is for me, as yet unfinished. To me it demonstrates that pattern and colour can signify my motivation equally as well as white.

It is my hope that anyone taking my embroider, embellish, create class, with my guidance, will come to feel the connections I feel whilst creating adorned cloth, whether it be a white cloth or a coloured cloth. Emotion has no colour, it is only us that can see it in any form.

miss you already.....

I have a mountain of ironing to do the size of which you wouldn't believe. I am calmer....much calmer. My security information is all listed in the right US Government departments so they know I'm coming, wonder if they'll have the kettle on? I have dollars, I have charged up camera batteries, I have a shopping list......hang on to your linens North America!! All good to go then? Well not quite, have to sort out my give away. The winner is....drum roll, Monika...postal stuff please. Shame you're in the wrong country I could have delivered it by hand.

The pictures today? A new play around with paperwork and some lovely things I have been making with my girls. You can see theirs here.

Back in two weeks!! Behave yourself when I'm gone.....

knots.....

Yes knots and not the embroidered kind. I get so anxious before I go on holiday. Why? Well I think it's because I am going so far away. It doesn't happen when I go to Sweden but the USA...knots, in my chest, in my stomach for days before. Then there's all the security information you need to provide before they even think about letting you in. I totally understand this, I don't blame them, I am happy they do this, I want to be safe too, I think we should have it in England  but it's the ''have I done this?'' have I done that?'' panic. I wonder what I have forgotten to buy, to pack. I rang my travel company this morning to get them to check I hadn't forgotten anything. (in terms of security info) Could they please check for me that it was all done. Nightmare customer that's me. The very nice man said yes, everything is fine but I still wonder ''should I check again tomorrow in case he missed something?'' GET A GRIP WOMAN!!!!!

Medication is required I think but before I am sedated and carried off I wanted to show you some pretty pictures. I have done more work on the bumpy bit, I have, I have! The group of three bumps is new as are the scattered embroidered motifs.

I have also had my sketchbooks out again, got to keep you interested. I would hate you to think I am showing the same old tat over and over again. So there's some painting, did you hear that? Painting??!! a tiny bit of collage and some bits of silk thrown together with some buttons on.

I'm off to give myself a talking to now and to write some lists...lists always help don't they??? If you've got a list all your problems are over.....

bumpy things......

 Another section for toe wrap two and more bumpy bits. These are quite a bit bigger than the last ones and I have added hand embroidery to some areas. It is very restful to pick this up of an evening and sit stitching in front of the t.v. .....a quick damp stretch before I go to bed, (the embroidery, not me!!) and it's all dried out and beautiful by the time I've had my beauty sleep.

It's been hectic this morning, won't go into details but I think it's build up of stuff to do, lists to tick before I go away next week. I tick from the top and things get added to the bottom???? Will it ever end...well yes I suppose it will when I actually leave the house and lock the door.

One of the things on my list was to put something out there in the hope that one of you knows the answer. I have had  little help from some of you already and now I would like to know if anyone out there knows of a place in Las Vegas where I am likely to get vintage linen, hankies, runners, napkins, tablecloths..that kind of stuff. I wait with pen and map in hand! It can't all be bright lights and poker surely?

slow progress.....

I am making progress of the slow kind on toe wrap two. It's not a problem, it's quite relaxing. I am adding tiny webs and French knots to the patterned fabric in order to complete the final part of that section. Later today I am hoping to get the next piece pinned together. 

I am slightly overwhelmed with mail at the moment and sadly there is no way I can possibly respond to the 83!!!! comments over here. I am truly sorry and I like to think I am quite polite and well mannered but there aren't enough hours in the day...I will do my best to keep up a little better but yet again I am begging forgiveness.....with a humble expression on my face...honest...

Now for my news, take a look at this.....she means me!!! There will be more information up soon and I will send you back there then but you will at least know a little more if you hop on over there. 

Tomorrows news will include an update from Karen's Global Embroidery School, for now though I have apples to count.

last night....

I have two new obsessions at the moment.One I can't share until my button girls have been let in on it...next week for you maybe. The other...the bumpy bits that are finding their way more and more onto toe wrap two.

This piece is evolving beyond what I had imagined and I am turning to this now when I am not making buttons. It is so much bigger that toe wrap one and so very different with much more striking cloth and so much more contrast. I added more bumps last night whilst watching T.V. Now I want more.....so I guess that means I will have more, it is after all up to me.

I am going to clarify what a 'toe wrap' is before I go as I get asked about it a lot so if you already know you can turn off now.....

I made a lap quilt, a throw for myself. I said I was going to use it to keep my feet warm when I am curled up on the sofa. I got mail upon mail saying that it was too nice to cover my feet....so toe warp one was born. Hope that clears that up and may I say...what's wrong with my feet? I may have the most beautiful feet you have ever seen, more than worthy of a gorgeous cloth to cover them. Actually I don't...but perhaps they need pity...and beautiful cloth.

white, paper, embroidery.....

Phew!! What a morning...photographing, editing, resizing, brightening.....hours of sitting at the computer, my bum has gone numb!! These four pieces are now listed and a fifth is underway....I would be interested to know what you think about the piece with the pleated silk and how I have incorporated the cloth into the paper...pretty please. There are loads more pictures of these with their individual listings so you can pop over there if you want to see more.

Meanwhile domesticity goes on. My lounge is curtain less...having taken the Marimekko down to wash it yesterday. Now I have to press it and put it back....and I have clothes to iron for my little road trip up north tomorrow. No rest for the wicked........and don't forget, if you want to own a teeny, tiny piece of paperwork go here and leave a comment.