Karen Ruane: September 2014

« August 2014 | Main | October 2014 »

September 2014

09/30/2014

Doodle, gather create.

Today I intended to have a post completely dedicated to my new ''mini'' class. The postman threw all that out of the window by delivering my new printed cloth. So instead I have spent quite a while doing a happy dance and then I took more photographs into which the new fabric sneaked.

That's my explanation for my later than usual appearance out of the way....aside from the fabric, which I have to say is hugely exciting, (for me anyway) aside from that I am quite excited about this blue and white paper piece, doodles and sticky up bits created as a practice for my new class.....phew, got there in the end. Here it is.......

Doodle, gather, create.

Let's doodle with thread, doodle with pen, doodle with ideas. Let's create surfaces of inspiration on paper.Let's take our ideas and gather them together on mini design sheets, stand alone pages of inspirational information.
You have a sketch you love?, a print you love? a piece of cloth you love? Let's dissect it, extend it, alter it, explore extensions of an idea using various processes. Let's add zips, let's add cloth, let's add stitch, let's add doodles with pen, doodles with ink.
Commencing November 8, this two week programme will centre on the creation of mini design sheets, individual leafs of creativity which can be mounted onto board or preserved within your ledger. Whilst this is not a ledger class, ideas taken from this programme can be adapted for use within your ledger, the process demonstrated is completely transferable for future work, being applicable over and over again.

To read more go here......

Posted at 01:27 PM in design, doodle, gather, create., doodles, doodling, ledger, online learning | Permalink | Comments (8)

Tags: create, design, design sheet, doodle, gather, online learning

09/29/2014

progress

It's finished, it's embroidered, embellished, titivated to death. Now it needs backing and transforming into something. I'm thinking pouch, I was debating pouch or pillow but I'm going with pouch. If it becomes a pillow and nobody wants to buy it I will have nowhere to use it as a pillow. If it 's to be a pouch however and nobody wants to buy it then I can have it.......result. You can never have too many pouches.

I'm probably going to back it later today and hand finish the edges tonight. It may be ready tomorrow. Both those things depend on my not getting distracted though because I have some ledger stuff to the side of me that is tempting me, calling for me to come play. Ink, paper, thread or cloth and edges? Dilemma.....

Posted at 12:56 PM in embroidery, progress, sparkly | Permalink | Comments (12)

Tags: embroidery, progress, silk, silver, sparkly

09/28/2014

creating, doodling, stitching....

It It would seem I have had a productive week. I've been stitching, looking at ledgers, cutting paper, piecing hankies, embroidering with bling....phew. I think I'll go for a lie down. This has been a week of clear thinking, no creative hiccups, no blanks, no brain freeze. Let's hope I'm not speaking too soon.

Weather wise it's been gloomy, grey, dry but not bright. Hence the gloomy nature of some of these images, all of which I have taken with my phone......a record of my lack of time on the sofa watching daytime TV.

The sewing machine? Oh boy, the sewing machine. A gift from my mum for being her favourite daughter. Ok, I'm her only daughter but heck, if there were more I would be favourite. It isn't a family heirloom, it's not inherited but I don't care a jot. It's beautiful. I love it. I think it does work but before I try I am going to take it to be cleaned...properly, by the professionals. This one takes the number of antique sewing machines I own up to four. Why do I have four? Why not? They can collect dust here just as easily as somewhere else.

Posted at 12:55 PM in doodling, stitch, this week | Permalink | Comments (17)

Tags: creating, doodling, playing, sampling, this week

09/27/2014

old doodles, new ideas....

I spent yesterday looking through ledgers to feed an idea I have. It's just that at the moment, an idea. This is very early sampling based on one ledger page. I still have to doodle from a couple of pages in doodle doo that are ripe for moving forward and then there's a ledger from 2004 that is throwing up some interesting thoughts.

I am making notes. I am doodling on scraps of paper as and when something pops into my head. I have bought tracing paper, card, mountboard and silk. Hopefully, as we go through next week more of these ideas will translate into samples and you will definitely get to see those...

I've also ordered some gimp. (not from the place in the link, they just had a better image) That's for bling work though. I was desperate for that to arrive this morning so I could play......it didn't. The postman didn't bring it, he let me down.

Posted at 12:40 PM in design, doodles, ledger, sketchbook | Permalink | Comments (8)

Tags: design, doodles, glass beads, ledger

09/26/2014

just pins

Oops, not a stitch in sight. I've been pinning the last two hankies together. This isn't all I've done. I've been playing with bling for ''5''. That should keep them busy for a while when they get it tomorrow. I've also been looking at ledgers, doodling and thinking about something new.

Later today I'm going to cut paper....how much excitement can I take? Actually, the cutting is the preparation and what comes next is very exciting. You may see that this weekend. Other plans? Tonight it will be paper and bling, two separate projects, a couple of hours on each I think. I'm hoping to fit some of this in too on Saturday or Sunday, it's taking shape, it will come together quite quickly from this point, (I think).

Posted at 12:57 PM in cloth, pins | Permalink | Comments (12)

Tags: cloth, piecing, pins

09/25/2014

lace, tissue and edges....

The lace piece I promised you yesterday, it's finished. I say finished, this piece is but whether it will stay like this or whether I will join it to something else I can't decide. For now I will just look, touch and scrutinise for any bits I may have missed. Every edge, every seam, every join is edged with buttonhole lace. Time consuming, very much a pleasure to stitch.

I'm off to order silk.

Posted at 01:00 PM in edges, lace, metallic silk tissue, mirrors | Permalink | Comments (14)

Tags: edges, lace, metallic silk tissue, mirrors

09/24/2014

seven together

In a row, folded, just to look at, all seven completed sections for my handkerchief cloth...together.

It's obvious that the dominant theme is bullion loops. There's no arguing needed about my favourite stitch at the moment. I don't think they overwhelm though. I think they fit, live here happily alongside the other titivation's. There are two more to complete and then the fun of joining begins.

I've also been working on more lace. Well actually it's net but I'm treating it like lace, another old piece evolving. Hopefully you'll see that tomorrow.

Finally, the proud owner of a new floor cloth, the winner of my printed cloth give away....Joanne Young. Details please Joanne....

Posted at 01:00 PM in handkerchief | Permalink | Comments (13)

Tags: embroidery, handkerchief, hankie

09/23/2014

a ledger and a book show and tell...

A little look for you at my ledger which is taking shape over in Simply stitch 5. It is concerned with handkerchiefs......for now. Who knows what else will be in here by the time we finish. These pages are not complete, they need more. I'm working on that (in my head...)

Tiny strips of ''pretty'' embroidery are placed here alongside more stark, masculine pieces, painted backgrounds, stripes, blues.

When I post the weekly round up of images from my phone I always get asked about the books on my table. So here you are, especially for you, a show and tell of my three latest acquisitions...

and a link to some info about Annette Messager (as promised in the video)

Posted at 01:01 PM in ledger, video | Permalink | Comments (14)

Tags: books, ledger, video

09/22/2014

number seven of nine

Yes, I've decided on nine. Nine hankies for the handkerchief cloth. That's my mind made up for today anyway, stay alert....it could change. I like the checks placed on lines here with a little lace thrown in too. There are buttonhole edges, running stitch, French knots and there will almost certainly be some bullion loops added tonight, they seem to be my default stitch at the moment. What can I say, I love them.

Must dash. I have an appointment with the foot person. Now there's a job I could never do.

could Alice Zalik please drop me an e mail.....thanks.

Posted at 01:01 PM in handkerchief, lace | Permalink | Comments (15)

Tags: handkerchief cloth, hankie, lace

09/21/2014

more bling

Who knew that I would fall in love with tiny little bits of shiny silver? Not me....I've added more to this piece, at the other side, cohesion, consistency, ensuring the embellishment flows. I hope that's what I've done anyway. We're not finished yet, still a long way to go on this one. I see more silver leather in it's future, definitely more loops and shiny stuff too. Do you see the tiny bits of silver between the loops in these pictures? I like those.

Thanks for all the comments on the give away post. You will all go in the hat and I think Wednesday will be the day I draw that so if you haven't got your name down yet you can go here and have a look, there's still time.

There's still time to sign up to Simply Stitch 5 too. We have been going for two weeks but it's very much an evolving process. There is no such thing as being behind, no such thing as too late...you have access to that forever. So far we have created ledger pages and stitched on too may handkerchiefs to even begin to count. I fear there will be a worldwide shortage soon. Later this week we're on bling, titivating with shiny stuff.......you can read more about ''5'' here.