Classes at the Knitting and Stitching Show

Happy New Year! I hope 2017 treats you all kindly (and me!)

Back in November last year, wonderful mum and I went to the Knitting and Stitching show in Harrogate.  We spent 2 days there, staying at the hotel across the road so we didn't have to take our coats with us and could return excess shopping to the room during the day!  We also took part in 4 classes.  I have to say, I do not know the names of any of the tutors, very lax of me, I know.

One of the classes was wet felting a flower.

This is slightly different from the wet feting I've done in the past as we used short strands of wool rather than merino.  The felting technique included picking it up and splatting it against the table repeatedly!

My finished flower came out too large for a brooch, though I would like to have another go with a smaller one.  This class was brilliant, we all had such a good time.

Another excellent class was Broderie Anglais, where we used a stiletto to make the holes in the fabric.  I hadn't realised it was such a simple (though time consuming) technique and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  The tutor was great as was her assistant.  I think she was from Peru.

The classes were only an hour which is why I didn't achieve very much.

We also did goldwork with Sarah from Golden Hinde.  I remember her name as I have met her a few times, she's lovely and very helpful.  We used pearl purl to make these simple but effective goldwork brooches.

The finished piece will fit in this brooch back.  Of course, I haven't yet completed either of the pieces from the classes!  They will show up in this year's WIP list.

The fourth class was absolutely appalling.  The teacher was rude, confrontational, disorganised and useless as a teacher.  We were supposed to be making ribbon flowers.  Apparently there are 2 techniques.  The one she showed us was different to the one on the hand out and she got very angry if we tried to follow the written instructions.  I actually walked out of the class.  

I'm going to be back later in the week with my list of WIPs to be tackled this year.  Then I need to find some linkies to help keep myself accountable.  If anyone knows of any, please let me know!

pulled thread at the RSN

Back in November, on Saturday 12th to be precise, me and wonderful mum did something very exciting.  It was my birthday.  Mr Ex-CA had left me a month before and I was in a bit of a state.  I didn't want to have a birthday.  Wonderful mum booked us onto a Pulled Thread class at The Royal School of Needlework satellite branch in Rugby. 

Our tutor was Becky, she was a fab teacher.  There was just me and mum there, and another lady doing Drawn Thread work.  We each got a kit and lots of individual attention.

I have put my in-progress shots in this post, intending to give you the lowdown on the stitches worked.  Alas, I am at work and I don't have my instructions with me so I don't remember what any of them are!

We worked a little on each different stitch, then there was time to go back and fill in the gaps as we went along.  We worked with white thread on a loose-weave linen.  Again, I don't remember what the thread is!

I've still got quite a lot to do, though I did get a reasonable amount done in the class.  I didn't feel like stitching for weeks afterwards and I still can't bear to think of my birthday.  I hope that passes in time as actually the class was brilliant.

If I get a chance, I'll update this post with the stitches and threads as that will probably be more interesting to read!

I can tell you that those stitches towards the top are eyelets and they are great fun to stitch.  All the stitches involve pulling the thread tight to compress the threads of the fabric and create little holes.

It's a really lovely technique and I enjoyed it.  I bought a clip on OTT light at the Knitting and Stitching show so that should help me work on this peace, hopefully over Christmas.

I've still got to fill in the gaps and then there is a starfish at the bottom. I will, of course, show you when it's done, AND give details of the thread and stitches!

I cancelled my birthday so only mum bought me any presents as she didn't want to ignore the day completely.  I think I might have cried as I undid them!

There was a whitework theme with this lovely kit and 3 whitework books - Beginner's Guide to Mountmellick Embroidery - Pat Trott, Pulled Thread Embroidery 64 Patterns used in Rococo and Today - Edith Blocher and Schwalm Embroidery Techniques and Designs - Christine Bishop.  The kit can be bought online here.

We have taken classes with Sarah Homfray (and I think we've booked a couple more for 2017, must sort my diary out!) and loved them.  I got this crewelwork hare kit.

And this beetle-wing embroidery kit.  How unusual is that?  You can buy Sarah's kits online here.

Sorry about a rather depressing post, but I hope you enjoyed the pictures!  I hope to become happier, more cheerful and more detailed in the new year!

Mellerstain parrots #3 - again!

My photos are back so I'm going to sneak in this SAL post, 2 days late!  The first photo shows where I was 3 weeks ago.

I've been working on that bottom right hand corner and got a decent amount done.

Oh, that photo is a bit blurry!  I initial thought the acorn caps were embroidered with 1 strand and 1 wrap per french knot.  I thought that was too small so did one with 1 strand and 2 wraps.  Reading the chart again, I realised it was 2 strands and 1 wrap, so that's what I did!  

Not a bad effort!

Last week I had a lovely surprise from Claire. She's so thoughtful.  She sent me a sweet bunny chart and her leftover threads, a Peter Rabbit postcard (do people think I like bunnies?!?) and a handmade bookmark - I always need bookmarks!  Thanks Claire, it was a lovely surprise.

I'm stitching along as part of a SAL, you can go and see what the other participants have been up to here:

Avis, Claire, Gun, Carole, LucyAnn, Kate, Jess, Sue, Constanze, Debbierose, Christina, Susan, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy

Mellerstain parrots #3

Good morning!  I have dropped in to post about my Mellerstain parrots for the three-weekly SAL, however there's a problem with Photobucket - the online company that hosts my photos so I'm afraid you can't see anything in my blog (unless you go back about 3 or 4 years when I stored my photos on Blogger's server).  If it comes back on line by Sunday, I'll drop back in and update this post, if not, please go and visit the other SAL participants instead.

I'm sewing along as part of a SAL, you can go and see what the other participants have been up to here:

Avis, Claire, Gun, Carole, LucyAnn, Kate, Jess, Sue, Constanze, Debbierose, Christina, Susan, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy

Feel free to come and join us, just contact Avis.

more finishing

As I mention, a lot, I've not been crafting much outside the classes I take with mum, but I have been doing something, I've been finishing a few things off.

I made these enamelled copper pieces at the Manor House hotel, 2 years ago now.  You can see the original post http://thecraftersapprentice.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/manor-house-enamelling.html.  They have been lying in my jewellery WIP box ever since.  I'd open it, look at them, put them back and forget about them!  This time I took them out so I wouldn't forget and they sat on the table for a couple of months instead!

I made each one a different pendent, using various pieces of chain I have.  I often buy fancy chain at craft shows and this seemed a good use for it as it can overwhelm a beaded pendant.  I've forgotten how to spell pendant again.  I could have made kumihimo or beadwoven straps for them, but I quite like them simple.

In my last finishing post, I showed you that I'd finished this goldwork piece.  I had to order an embroidery hoop for it as I wanted a 4" hoop but only had 3" or 5" ones at home.  Then it took me an age to decorate it as I wanted to paint it but couldn't find my paints anywhere.  I still can't find them and, as I'm sitting here typing this, I remember where I put them!  Too late now.  I decopatched it instead.

I chose red, gold and silver papers and stuck then down in the same order each time.  I'm not sure if this will damage the embroidery, but then it's hardly a heirloom piece and I don't have any heirs anyway!

Finally, I finished these pieces.  I made a really long red kumihimo cord, then cut it into two.  I threaded a bell flower on the necklace piece and made the other piece into a double-wrap bracelet.  I'd be nice with some charms on it so I may add to it at some stage.  The necklace on the right was actually made by my friend Kerry, but the ribbon was too long.  I'm short and very chesty and long necklaces looks stupid on me and are probably dangerous with the way they swing!  I shortened it by a few inches and added new ribbon clasps.

Now I just need to buy some red clothes...

Finishing - stumpwork and gold work

I've been finishing things!  Almost completely....

First up, remember I did some Stumpwork in a class?  Well I finished that.  First I had to finish the wings.  They were made separately to the main piece, using a piece of paper wrapped wire to form the outer edges and button hole stitched onto a lovely organza fabric.

The picture above shows them cut out.  I cut them out, then realised I was supposed to coat the back of the wire in glue!  Ooops... as long as people don't poke the piece, it should be OK!

And here it is all finished and mounted in a hoop as it's for my hoop gallery.

I made the ladybird by using a running stitch, then gathering it up tight to pull the edges round the back.  I stuffed it and sewed it closed.  I didn't do a great job with this, but it was hard!  It was stitched on Aida which isn't exactly a giving fabric.  I might have been better making it into a covered button!

The wires for the wings were poked through the fabric and tacked down on the back.  I'm really pleased with the final piece!  The wings are so lovely and shimmery in real life.

I also finished the goldwork that I started at a class.  There wasn't that much to do here.  The left mushroom was stitch with rococco, for which there were no instructions!  I guessed and couched it down.  I added the spankles and the pearl purl for the stem.

This isn't hooped up yet as I needed a 4" hoop and only have 3" or 5" ones!  I've now ordered some and will probably bind it with a gold or silver ribbon.

I had already finished my shadow work piece, but it's now mounted in its hoop.  There is a piece of green organza behind it which looks nice.

That was really hard to photograph and I don't think I was very successful!  So, just one more to hoop up and that's all 3 WIPs from embroidery classes done!

Mellerstein Parrots #2

It's time for the three-weekly SAL update.  I'm embroidering the Mellerstain Parrots by the Crewelwork Company.  Here is where I was...

And here is where I am now. It's a bit of a spot-the-difference competition!!

I completed a small branch and added the centre to a leaf which had been left without.  I also stitched an acorn and half an acorn.  The seed bit of the acorn was done in padded satin stitch which was fine, the cup was done in french knots and I'm not convinced.  It said to do them with 1 strand, but it would have taken about 12 years, they were so tiny, so I did them with two.  

I think I'll finish the second one and do the swirls, then see what I think.

I'm sewing along as part of a SAL, you can go and see what the other participants have been up to here:

Avis, Claire, Gun, Carole, LucyAnn, Kate, Jess, Sue, Constanze, Debbierose, Christina, Susan, Kathy, Margaret

Feel free to come and join us, just contact Avis.

Mellerstain Parrots #1

Good morning ladies and gentlemen.  It's time for the 3-weekly update on my latest WIP.  I finished the Princess Bride for the last check in, and now it's time to present my next project.  I am cheating slightly for this update, I haven't actually stitched on it at all, but thought I'd show you where I'm starting from.  I've had a busy three weeks, including a weekend down near Bath at my brother's wedding.

I am stitching on Mellerstain Parrots by the Crewel Work Company.  My kit is actually the fireguard, which I couldn't find on the website, but is the same design.  I must have started this 4 years ago.  I was stitching it as a sample for the Crewel Work Company as she was developing the kit.  I got about half way through and was waiting for the rest of the stitching instructions.  I emailed her several times but never got any response and have never heard from her since.  I wasn't supposed to show it on my blog until it was finished, but as I've lost contact, I'm going to show it.  It got put to one side as I don't have the stitching instructions for the rest of the design.  I'm afraid I'm going to have to wing it!

All the leaves are done, so all (!) that's left is the acorns and the parrots themselves.

Also the little berries.  I'm worried about those as I'm pretty sure they are in satin stitch and satin stitch circles have got to be hard!

The linen was pre-printed, which is great.  You can just get on and stitch instead of faffing around trying to transfer the pattern.  This design also includes so stitch directions marked on the fabric, so that's useful.

I'm quite looking forward to starting this, I hope I get a chance this evening.  The problem I'm wrestling with at the moment isn't time, I have time, but motivation and energy.  My new meds make me tired all the time, often too tired to even stitch.

I'll be back in 3 weeks to show you my progress.... if there is some!


I'm sewing along as part of a SAL, you can go and see what the other participants have been up to here:

Avis, Claire, Gun, Carole, LucyAnn, Kate, Jess, Sue, Constanze, Debbierose, Christina, Susan, Kathy

Feel free to come and join us, just contact Avis.

shadow work

Summer has been a flurry of embroidery workshops and new techniques.  In August wonderful mum and I went to a workshop in shadow-work at The Living Threads group.  Our tutor, Susan, was brilliant, very patient and with the ability to teach - very important that!

We worked on pieces of organdy.  Organdy is a cotton fabric that has a very stiff drape.  Organza is made from silk or man-made materials and is very frayey.  Yes, frayey is a word.  The fabric is quite transparent, so the stitches are on the back, showing through as a coloured shadow.  The photo above is the front of the work.  The photo below is the back.

We used perle cotton and herringbone stitch to stitch a row and a leaf shape.  That is all the technique that's involved!

We traced the pattern onto the fabric using a pencil, this was very easy as the fabric is ideal for this kind of work!  We then hooped up, adding in a piece of tissue paper to the front. The tissue was torn away a bit at a time and was to keep the fabric and work clean.

Here I used a pale blue to stitch my initial.  You can vary the look of the piece by stitching tiny stitches close together or bigger stitches further apart.  I was aiming for a closed block of stitching.

I used a darker blue for the flower then added yellow french knots.

Unbelievably, I left with a finished piece!  There was the perfect amount of time in the class to finish the piece.  But, and there was always going to be a but, I haven't framed it yet!  Ridiculous, I know.  I have a lovely piece of green organdy to put behind the stitching and I have a hoop of the right size... so why haven't I done it?

Stumpwork

In July we had a day out to Lincoln Castle Heritage Skills Centre to attend a class with Sarah Homfray.  You may remember we did a goldwork class with her recently, you can see that post here.  And no, I haven't finished that piece yet, nor have I finished this one!  It will happen...

This time we did stumpwork.  Stumpwork is an umbrella term for the many different techniques that make up raised, or 3d embroidery.  I have done some raised  embroidery, in the form of Casalguidi where we made a raised band and did some woven picots along with bullion knots - I assume they are classed as raised embroidery.

This time we were learning to do small stuffed pieces and wired shapes.  There are probably official terms for these techniques, but I must have missed that bit!

We started with a ladybird tent stitched onto mono canvas.  The next step for this is to cut round it, do a running stitch and gather it up before stuffing it with fibre fill and sewing it down to the background.  Clearly I didn't get that far!

Next we worked on the dragonfly.  His raised body is finished, though of course I could have chosen to work stitches over the full length of his body.  All that needs adding to this is the wings.

We were given this lovely piece of shimmery organza and some pieces of paper wrapped wire.  We formed the wires into wing shapes and then sewed them down onto the organza using a very close button hole with 2 strands of embroidery thread.

That's hard work.  Trying to catch the thread at the back from where we cast on, trying to keep the stitches tiny and neat and trying to keep the wire in the correct shape are all tricky, especially all at the same time!

This is as far as I got in the class.  I have been ignoring this project for a while whilst I finished up the Princess Bride, but now I hope to get it finished, along with the goldwork and the casalguidi!

I'm hoping to have more Finishing Things posts to come!