Karen Ruane

this week...

 

The surroundings never change...it's only the function of the table that is different depending first on the day and then the time of day. I like to recap, look at what I've done over the past week. It's surprising sometimes, for example I thought the big ''old'' piece was out ages ago but no, it was only last Monday. Then, bottom image...prairie points were added last night to a seam of the piece from yesterday. They were just pinned in this image ...now the whole thing is almost finished. My fingers were dizzy last night titivating that seam with bullion knots. The white and lace and pleating is from ''4'', from our session this week and there is a tiny fragment somewhere amongst these that is sampling for lace, paper, cloth and stitch.

 I didn't get any sampling done yesterday afternoon, unexpected visitors, so that's my plan for later today along with the biggest pile of ironing you have ever seen. How come the ironing is never interrupted by visitors? It's a conspiracy.

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hexagons, a single buttonhole and newly pieced cloth

the next thing....(and an embroidery book)

piping, buttons, titivation

 

 

I made buttons for this, for one edge. I'm getting carried away because I'm going to extend it later today, add more of the Liberty cloth. You can't have too much of a good thing right? Applique circles have been added too with bullion fences part way round, circling the outside. I say fences because that's what they remind me of, little white picket fences.

So the ironing board is going up, a Liberty strip to add here along with cloth, lace and paper to piece which means  more sampling can happen for this...I'm excited....

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lace cloth, bullion knots and Liberty equals a pillow.

titivating

titivated, backed, lined, pillow added, pocket lined, ties added....finished

alphabet strips and other titivations

the white pouch

process....

hand bound buttonholes

paper, lace, pattern and print...

I'm a bit late...I've been busy playing, sampling, writing. Why? A new class....

Lace, paper, cloth and stitch

A surface for embroidery, layers of lace, paper, cloth, stitch, print. A new class, two weeks. No deadlines, permanent access...forever. A resource for you of inspiration and process from which you can create paper cloth that money could never buy.

Lace will be layered upon paper, patterned cloth will be layered under sheer cloth, embellished cloth will be trapped between layers of light paper and embroidered lace. Layer, build, create a unique surface.

Commencing Wednesday July 9 for two weeks. 

No deadlines, no set tasks. Groups which are formed through my online learning programmes are communities, friendly, interactive, supportive communities. It is my hope that each course takes place within a relaxed, informal and ''comfortable'' online environment. 
You are welcome to dip and and out of our experience as and when it is convenient for YOU. Access is permanent....forever.

Access to a private flickr group will be provided on commencement.

***It is essential that you have access to a sewing machine for this class.***

This programme will include techniques from my former ''lace'' class, however  techniques  demonstrated during the ''lace'' programme will be applied in a different manner having been extended, sampled and developed in a different direction.

Unlike previous classes this programme will not have a dedicated blog. Video links will be delivered via e-mail, as will relevant images.

register here

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Ledger.....Liberty Print and a little piece of lace cloth

finishing off

composition

I've been playing again, moving pages around, moving pieces around, adding things. These were all made separately yet they all live well together, at least I think they do. I think I could do this all day every day. Create mini design sheets, one after another. 

Next on the list today is my sewing machine. I have a plan involving colour and paper and perhaps a little lace. I don't have any housework to do today, a rare day indeed so I am making the most of it.

 

I hope you're all working hard in school, SS4 and Alchemy, there will be videos later today.

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five lace buttons and playing with composition....

meditative

embroidery school.....

last nights damp stretching

It's damp stretching central here at the moment. The body bag is being attended to in simply stitch 4 and all the silk panels for that require damp stretching before they can be pieced together, I'm doing them in stages, there's a rota, a  hierarchical list! Then there are other pieces that are evolving, being made alongside the body bag and the swaddling band and the zillion other things I pick up and titivate from time to time. Damp stretching is a favourite process of mine......it's just as well.

The Liberty piece here, the bright one with petals, will be a pocket pillow. There will be more piping added to that later today....

 

 

Finally, I didn't explain myself very well yesterday regarding ''cutting up'' the cloth. There is a video here, very short in which I clarify that. Please don't panic, I intend to be gentle with it.

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damp stretched and cut out

damp stretched and waiting

damp stretched

titivated, backed, lined, pillow added, pocket lined, ties added....finished

revive

Yesterday I came across this. I knew it was there but it caught my conscience. I started this a long time ago, it looked sad, neglected so I damp stretched it last night to revive it, freshen it, wake it up a bit. Looking at it this morning it won't take much work to actually finish it but I'm not sure I have any of this cloth anymore, any of the prints that are part of this. I am wondering if I should take a few sections off and finish it as a smaller piece. That's what I am going to consider today, look, think, identify areas to remove.....

 

there are posts about the creation of this piece here, here, here, here and here. I would love if you took some time to look....

 

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seam....

the second one in progress

damp stretched and waiting

titivated, backed, lined, pillow added, pocket lined, ties added....finished

 

It's finished and do you know something....it came together so quickly. When I am embroidering a surface I think ''I need another applique circle, a few more prairie points, lots of bullion knots and then I need to line it, make a pocket, make the pillow, put it together, hand finish the edges''. Basically it seems like a lot of work over a long period of time. But once it's embroidered and damp stretched everything just happens, just like that it seems, quick as a flash.......and here it is. The final stitching around the edges was completed last night with time to spare before bed.

It's now in the shop........

So, what's next? First this afternoon is a little dusting, domesticity. I like to dust before I sit and stitch. It's almost compulsory. I have already made three videos today. It's a holiday weekend in England but stitching goes on at Ruane Towers regardless, it's not work after all it's a pleasure. I may work on the petal piece a little more.....yes, I think I will.

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a pocket pillow....

still titivating the new pouch, pocket, pillow thingy...

process....

titivated, packaged and posted.....

petals....

With fingers crossed that Typepad doesn't go 'poof' without notice I bring you applique, petals, Liberty cloth, white cloth, embroidery...prettiness. This may well have more petals next time you see it...balance. I haven't quite made my mind up yet what else it needs, that's still under consideration.

Although I said thank you last night I must say it again. Thanks for all the birthday messages. I am a year older but no wiser. I am now the happy owner of more gorgeous books than you can shake a stick at, gorgeous cloth of varying types, bathroom smelly things that will enable me to titivate myself, scented candles, earrings, embroidery scissors, pretty buttons, chocolates, yes chocolates, very expensive cream toffee, new paint brushes and on and on. I am very lucky. I ate out not once but twice yesterday and believe it or not I have yet to have a piece of cake!

 

Domesticity calls today.....back to normal. I must have clean floors. I must have a clean bathroom and we won't even begin to talk about the ironing. 

Re your commnets.....don't worry if you think it hasn't posted. I am finding them EVERYHERE...

 

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it's all about the petals

my petal piece

thank you

Hi everyone, I just wanted to say thank you for all the messages, comments, e mails and cards today. I am so happy and grateful. I did eventually get every comment, via spam, via junk mail...I found them all. I found some of them several times! It's amazing.....I'm blown away. Typepad willing normal service will be resumed tomorrow.....I may even have to do some housework!

birthday embroidery

Today is my birthday! I am having a truly great day, lots of cards, lots of gifts. I've been out for lunch and I'm going out again later...spoilt. 

Why am I here then? Mostly because I'm happy when I'm here and I am between lunch and evening meal. Importantly though I'm here to say that Typepad decided to send all my comment notifictions in one go.................all 79 of them. I will sort through them over the weekend. You will hear from me I promise. 79? 79? 79? Not sure I know enough words to answer all those.

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embroidery and cloth

practicing my a b c and a new piece....

the next thing....(and an embroidery book)