I have finished my January poem for the Tender Whispers from the Heart class. The theme was New Beginnings.
Aminata Sow Fall is a Senegalese poet. She writes in French, but I have used the translation.
The linen is an antique torchon (tea towel) and I used Au ver á soie perlée in shade 171.
It’s my hand-writing. I used a frixion pen, ruled lines, and then wrote the poem.
I am not sure about the buttons. I wanted a bit of decoration, but not too much, for me, it was all about the words.
Filed under Embroidery, Inspiration
Once we had finished our toadstools, we needed a new project, but it needed to be quick (we only had two lessons left)
We made needle sharpening strawberries -the bottom two-thirds is filled with black emery powder.
My base fabric is a pink dupion silk (shot with green). I have used au ver á soie silk d’alger threads.
I wanted to practise my bullion knots, so I have made bullion knot flowers and the centres are french knots. I then used fern stitch to create the vine (I saw it in the book Foolproof Flower Embroidery )
Then I added seed beads, bugle beads and sequins.
I used my cricut machine to cut felt leaves for the top. And I found two metal (plastic) leaves for the top (I think they’re jewellery charms).
I made the cord using a drill and pearl cotton (here’s a tutorial video)
Filed under Embroidery, Fabric Stash, Inspiration
My Summer Celebration box from the Stitchery arrived – I pre-ordered this months ago.
There was also some Acufactum fabric, which, I think I will use for English Paper Piecing.
I am glad I ordered this. It was quite expensive (especially considering the state of the Australian dollar), but it gorgeous.
Filed under Cross Stitch, Embroidery, English Paper Piecing, Inspiration, Purchases
The theme for May is nature. I decided to use Nothing Gold Can Stay by Robert Frost. I first came across this poem in the book The Outsiders by S. E Hinton – it was an assigned text. I think we even watched the movie in class. This poem had quite the impact on me at the time (melodramatic 14 year old), and when I came across it the other day I thought I would like to embroider it.
I am experimenting with printable soluble stabiliser – it didn’t destroy my printer (so one concern is gone). Now it remains to be see how easily it comes off.
June’s theme is Family, but I haven’t thought about that yet.
Filed under Embroidery, Inspiration
I have been working on my February sock. My left twist has improved, but it is still a slow process. The yarn is lovely (it’s from here). We are now watching The Wheel of Time season two.
I have also made some stitching progress. I have run out of the light green silk that I am using for the Ivy ‘veins’, so I have started on the Ivy leaves, which are just straight stitches using all seven strands of the silk (and trying to make them fluffy).
My silk has arrived for my two poems (January and February)
So I need to get back onto them, so I have four stitching projects with deadlines (not terribly hard deadlines)
I am still waiting for my March supplies to arrive, and I haven’t yet decided on a poem.
Filed under Embroidery, Knitting, Sock Knitting, Yarn Stash
The linen is beautiful (I wonder if I can get more?) and we are using Au ver à soie silk. I have re-instated my hoop stand (this one) and I am finding it is working well. I can position my magnifier in front of it and stitch two handed.
I can’t recommend Rebecca’s courses highly enough – she is a fabulous teacher.
Filed under Embroidery, Inspiration
I preordered The Language of Love box from Textile Tours of Paris (Rebecca Devaney), and it arrived this week. It’s so beautiful (see above) I can’t wait to start the class.
I did the first Samplers of Seduction class, and really enjoyed the materials and Rebecca’s teaching style. I use the hoop and scissors from the box all of the time. Here’s the finished version.
I am also participating in the Whispers from the Heart course – I have nothing to show for that yet, still waiting for my parcel to arrive, but I have been thinking about poems and quotes, and of course I have bought two new books, Broderie – Audrey Demarre (beautiful, fabulous pictures and thick paper) and The Textile Reader – Jessica Hemmings.
Filed under Embroidery, Inspiration, Purchases
My stitching class at Tresillian has recommenced. We have a new teacher this term – Tania Cohen.
We are working on a crewel work piece – it’s going to be a gum nut. So far so good – I have even managed to get my homework done.
Filed under Bedazzle, Embroidery
I went on a trip to Edinburgh, London, Bayeux and Paris. I wanted to see tapestries, and I saw so many. Starting with the reproductions at Stirling Castle, then all of the tapestries at Palace of Holyrood House (this place is wall-papered in tapestries), the tapestries at the V & A (plus I saw the Syon Cope), Hampton Court Palace, the Bayeux tapestry (not a tapestry but an embroidery) – this one had the best audio guide, The Lady and the Unicorn tapestries at the Cluny Musée (there were other tapestries here as well) and the tapestries at the Louvre. We saw a lot of tapestries.
In between seeing tapestries and visiting book stores, I bought some craft supplies (as souvenirs).
In Paris I went to Ultramod (the oldest haberdashery in Paris) and bought trim. I then went to Le Bonheur des Dames and bought the chicken cross stitch (this store is down a very cool passage – well worth a visit).
In Edinburgh I went to Kathy`s Knits and bought sock yarn – Abercairn Yarns (the top skein in the above image).
In London, I went to Liberty (embroidery scissors and fabric – I plan to embroider on the fabric), and to Loop where I got that second skein of yarn (it’s a La Bien Aimée, so it’s like a London/Paris souvenir).
And finally in Bayeux I bought an embroidery kit – I am going to attempt to make one of the boats.
While travelling (planes and trains) I worked on a sock
It’s just a plain sock (I didn’t want anything too complicated), the yarn is from Fiber Lily (I think it’s called Apple Blossom Fairy).
Filed under Cross Stitch, Cross Stitch, Embroidery, Fabric Stash, Knitting, Sock Knitting, Yarn Stash
My box from Rebecca Devaney of Textile Tours of Paris has arrived – it came very quickly. Unlike my kit from the Royal School of Needlework, which still hasn’t arrived.
I also have the online course, A Brief Dictionary of Stitches,
This is a beautiful kit, with silk threads, linen, hoop, scissors and needles all from European manufacturers.
Rebecca’s teaching style is fabulous. I thought I knew how to hoop my fabric, but no and now (as you can see in the above image), I can get my hoop drum tight.
Filed under Embroidery
