book bag

Last Monday I joined a workshop "Indian Stitching: Embroidered Book Bag" at Hansons Fabrics.
I always enjoy Hansons workshops, they are so well run. All the materials are included in the cost, as are all the refreshments; tea, coffee and biscuits on arrival, a splendid buffet lunch and afternoon tea and cake, all this organised by Sheila. Thank you, Sheila, for looking after us so well!

Our tutor was Tiggy Rawling. Do visit her blog here, to see her fabric dyeing and read about her travels to India.
The object of the workshop was a sample of a cloth book bag. This type of bag is used in Asia to protect precious books.

First of all we traced the embroidery pattern into the fabric, then embroidered the design using chain stitch for the outline and Indian filling stitch ( Romanian stitch) and closed herringbone stitch as a filling stitches, with shishas in the centre of the flowers.

After completing the embroidery, we made up the bag, including the lining.

 

 

my Indian book bag

Another very enjoyable day spent in the company of Tiggy Rawling.

Jacobean embroidery

At last I finished a project, started in March workshop with lovely Beppy Berlin, called "Jacobean with a Difference".
Although Jacobean embroidery is traditionally stitched in wool threads, Beppy introduced us to a different interpretation, using a mixture of metallic threads and organza, next to cotton and silk threads, with a touch of goldwork with some kid leather.
Beppy always brings a lot of her own beautiful work to show and inspire us. For most of us it was the first time we used a kid leather and organza in our embroidery, so it was this part we all stitched first, while under Beppy's supervision. The concentration! And yes, this was all I went home with!

But I did enjoy this type of embroidery very much and I was determined to finish it eventually and not just put it in a draw....

Finished "Jacobean with a Difference"

It was also the first time I used lovely Pearsall's silk threads, so lovely to stitch with.

Threads: Pearsall's threads - shades 157, 159, 347, 076

               Anchor stranded cotton - shade 261

                                                       + pale green shade which no longer has a label

               Gutermann metallic - silver

Kid leather from Golden Hinde

indian stitchery

This was the name of our Embroiderer's Guild workshop last Saturday, with lovely Tiggy Rawling.
Tiggy brought her "Indian Shop"" with her, with fabrics, felt and threads she dyes herself, and a large selection of embellishments.

We had a choice of making a cushion or a wall hanging, using cotton backing and bright fabrics, which were covered with tulle and then stitching over it, or a sampler worked on piece of felt.

This is Tiggy's tulle cushion.

First of all Tiggy showed us how to stitch on shisha mirrors, so they would not fall out. Her way is much better then I have seen in books, much more secure. It took us a while to get the hang of it, but then we were away!

I decided to make a small felt sampler. I know from the past experience, that if I get too ambitious in work shops, I will not finish the project and it will end up in a draw when I get home.

I used a piece of lovely hand dyed felt from Tiggy's shop.

This is the result.

Tiggy also brought with her various other examples of Indian embroidery to show us.

But my favourite item, the one I fell in love with, is Tiggy's blue quilt.

I promised myself to make one (sometime in the future).

In the meantime, I went home with some purchases from "Indian Shop".

Tiggy gave us a list of books we might want to look at for further information about Indian stitching, but when I got home and browsed through my books, I realized I already have a book on this subject.

It has all the basic stitches and some projects, however the technique for stitching on shisha mirrors shown here is not as good as Tiggy's.

Another lovely stitching day....

saturday workshop

A list of requirements and a title "Stitch a Gem", that was all I knew before I set out on a lovely spring morning for our Embroiderer's Guild workshop yesterday. It turned out to be embroidered pendants.




So, a few pieces of felt, sheers, pelmet Vilene, bondaweb, embroidery and beads later, this is my two sided pendant.

Isn't it lovely to see the signs of spring?

freeform designer bag

A couple of days ago I attended a lovely workshop, Freeform Designer Bag with Julia Hall (mother of Jane Hall) at Stitchncraft in Semley.

We were making knitted and crochet bag. The requirements listed Noro yarn, but we could use anything we wanted. I chose Noro as I have never used it before and the colours are so beautiful. In fact, I have not done any knitting for a long time, so I was really looking forward to this workshop. It makes an interesting change from knitting garments.
The idea is to knit and crochet various shapes and then attach them to the plastic bag frame. When the whole bag is covered, it then can be embellished with buttons, beads etc and a handle is stitched on and the bag is lined. Julia brought some bags she designed and made herself, they were fantastic. I can see that it is something which can become addictive, as so much is left to you own imagination, no two bags will ever be the same. Also, it is something that can be picked up and put down at any time, while working on the individual shapes.
I have already been looking up books on knitted and crochet flowers on Amazon!

This is as far as I got on the day! I will try to make as many pieces as I can before arranging them on the frame. So, watch this space!

forgotten project

The latest issue of the beautiful Inspirations magazine arrived today. It is always eagerly awaited by all who subscribe to it, and I am no different.
One on the projects in the new issue is a Strawberry pincushion.
When I saw it, I remembered that I have done similar thing myself in a workshop with Beppy Berlin some time ago and it has not yet made it to my blog.



My two strawberries are filled with lavender.

embroiderers guild workshop-dorset buttons

The history of Dorset buttons goes back to 1700, when this craft was brought to England by ex-soldier Abraham Case. When in the army, he was stationed in Belgium and France, where he probably saw lace and buttons being made.
On his return he settled in Shaftesbury, Dorset and set up the Dorset button cottage industry. Dorset buttons were used on court dress and also exported to North America and Europe. At the peak of the production there were about 1,000 employed by the industry.
In 1859 the Ashton's Button machine was invented, which was the end of the cottage industry and livelihood of many people.
There had been attempts to revive the craft in the past and lets hope it will not be forgotten.







I made may first Dorset buttons a few years ago, but like so often, I moved on to other things.










So it was nice to be able to attend another workshop and refresh what I had learned before, specially as Dorset is local to us. This time the buttons were part of a stitching sample.

workshop 20.04.10-Hansons

As always, it was a very enjoyable day with Beppy Berlin (see "first stumpwork" post in March). This time she showed us how to embroider needle lace flowers in Elizabethan Stumpwork technique. We had a choice of various flowers,
I chose to make a rose.

teddy bears

I love teddy bears!
I was given my first teddy when I was two years old. "Misha" lived with me for some 17 years. Sadly, he got lost during my parent's house move, when I was away.






Meet the "bear gang", they all live in my workroom. Of course they all have names!
They all found me in various ways, but I specially have a weakness for a teddy sitting on his own in a charity shop.
They are all special, of course; but George, the big brown bear in the middle, is very special, because it was my son who gave him to me.




These two are teddies I made. Brian, on the left, was the first teddy I ever made. I finished him in an one day workshop. I think that is the reason why he has had an expression of surprise ever since!
I made Bruce, on the right, next, to keep Brian company, so he would not feel left out in looking "not quite right".

embellished fabric book-project1-secret door

This is something completely new to me. I went to this workshop not knowing, what to expect or if I am going to (or want to) like this. All I can say that is that I got hooked! It can be very addictive. The possibilities are endless. The attraction is, that it is on a small scale, ( my pages will be 6x6in - 15x15cm),a page can be completed in a day or two. The individual projects can be used in various ways, even as postcards to send to your friends.
I like the idea of making a book, and again it is up to you what theme you choose, if any, for your book, even just a sampler of stitches.
I am not working to any theme, just looking for a next inspiration. I am also looking forward to make a cover for my book.

small projects

wool applique hanging

I made this wall hanging at a workshop with Madeleine Millington (see my links), great fun to do! The only rule is that there are no rules! It is made with dyed pieces of a blanket, which Madeleine brought with her, but of course you can dye the fabric yourself, and embellished with all sorts. Even if you think you have gone wrong, you just cover it with something else!
Madeleine brought some of her lovely work to show us. It varied from a large blanket, to cushions, bags, Christmas tree decorations, even a waistcoat.
One of the ladies in our group made a bag for her small granddaughter in the shape of a Russian doll, very sweet.
So, any old blankets out there?

first stumpwork

These are small pieces of stumpwork I did at Beppy Berlin workshops, a lovely, lovely Dutch lady living in England. I have been very fortunate, that over the years I have been able to attend some of her workshops and hope to do so again soon.

ribbon embroidery- scissors keeper

My first attempt at ribbon embroidery at a workshop.

beading

I don't do a lot of beading, but I like to "have a go" now and then. I prefer to use beads in my embroidery.