Karen Ruane

lace in a hoop

The fourth image, the last image, the embroidered white lace in an embroidery hoop....that is the image for my workshop at Pour L'amour du Fil in France, in April. That piece is the reason for the embroidery taking shape on the other piece of lace cloth here. I figured I might have a few pieces of this created using different fabrics and displayed in hoops for the show, an illustration of the possibilities. 

I have so many ideas for my display area in France. There will be lots of stitching, buttons, lace, pockets, pin pillows, pillows.....the list goes on and on.

The Suffolk Puffs here are final titivations for this. This is so close to being finished, so close......I have been working on it this morning, taking pictures with my phone as I went along. The lining is embroidered and damp stretched, the joining of everything on the sewing machine is done. Tonight I hope to add the final hand embroidered touches....wish me luck.

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Lemon and lace

lace and mirrors...

one piece damp stretched, one piece lined

Embroidered pockets, human cloth. (doodle, embellish, wrap)

The first of three

the ninth hankie

extending a surface

This piece from the video yesterday is now finished, embroidered, has an added panel. Next this needs a reverse and a lining. I'm currently debating the titivation options for those and will need to leave it for a few days because I am waiting for my silk to arrive.

This piece, another one from yesterday, can be progressed now. The lining needs to be embroidered and I need to make more Suffolk puffs. Then it will be all systems go putting it together.

Other things are happening here too. I am in hankie mode, in private, in secret, for class. Monday, only four days away.....I can't wait.

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an edge of embroidered Suffolk puffs

Suffolk puffs on a page

finishing touches

The alarm went off very early this morning, plans....all these images have been taken today. I've been progressing pieces in order to add more hand embroidery, to extend some surfaces and to embroider linings. Tonight I will stitch hexagons, embroider stems and add applique to an extension piece of the ironing board embroidery.

With some of my Christmas money I ordered this today. I also ordered two meters of this and will order quite a lot of this later today. I'm building up supplies for France......hopefully you will get to see the creations which result from my little shopping expedition.

(pretty please.....don't go and buy all that lace before I get mine!!!)

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connected?

paper and cloth doodling

adding French knots to a page

touching base

Hi everyone.....just touching base with an image from earlier in the year. My visitors have just left after a few wonderful family days now it's time to get back to normal and I have to say I am so excited about the new class and preparing for France in April. Tomorrow this little place of wittering will hopefully be back to normal.

I hope all of you have had a wonderful few days doing whatever it is that makes you happy.

Thanks to those of you who messaged me on Facebook and e mailed me about the floods, concerned about my home and the effect of what has been happening. We are very lucky that we have remained untouched by flooding. Areas VERY close to us have been terribly affected, friends of mine have lost their homes to flood water. I live at the top of a hill which is the first thing in my favour and I am not close to any of the many rivers which we have in this area. We had quite a fraught journey back from the Lake District last night after spending a day with family but made it back safely............

I will see you tomorrow when happily it is not forecast to rain....

 

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this and that

ledgers and snippet cloth....

my final sheet

In the top left corner of the first image is a double sheet, that is my final sheet from 'Sampling for Stitch', my last online learning programme of 2015. It was twelve weeks of sampling, of doodling, of playing with gingham, lace and Broderie Anglaise. We stitched knots, cross stitch, chain stitch, running stitch, stab stitch. We made buttons and toggles, examined seams and edges, looked at layered cloth, cut away cloth, we wrapped threads...I'm dizzy just thinking about it. It was amazing, wonderful....completely and utterly worth it. We now have libraries of samples, of information, of cloth, stitch, process.....priceless collections of inspiration for the future.

In 2016 I will be building a collection of pockets....pockets which it now appears are destined for a show in France.  (in case you are wondering they are providing me with a translator...phew) I will be including all things France in my new pocket class which starts in just under two weeks. You can read more about that here.

I hope you all have a fantastic few days. A very Happy Christmas to those of you who celebrate and to those of you who don't celebrate Christmas I wish you magical days, happy days. x

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bright white. like porcelain.

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pink, green and Broderie Anglaise

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white

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Reinventing the page.....

paper, stitch, beads and a January class.

lace cloth on silk....

Another piece in progress, this one makes three along with the ironing board piece and the one with the Suffolk puffs. Lace cloth has been added to the piece today. There is still a lot of titivation to do, more embellishment including more bumpy bits, a ton of bullion knots and a buttonhole lace edge around the lace cloth. Tacking is visible here. Please don't think the long thin threads are staying....

I made you a video, a chat about this. It's very short...it's also quite badly lit as I am unable to get my photography lights out due to the house being crammed with food, gifts and all things Christmas....I do apologise...a sub standard video....

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piping, buttons, titivation

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an embroidered ironing board

No, your eyes do not deceive you, it is an embroidered ironing board. It's this piece, you've seen it before. Today stitch has been added to the actual ironing board. I could say that this is finished now but it isn't. It's too narrow. I am going to extend this width ways, add another panel and yes...there will be ironing boards.

Everything is gearing up for the big day now. Shopping, wrapping, cleaning. I'm keeping on top of everything except the wrapping. I dislike wrapping and I swear it doesn't matter how much wrapping paper you buy....you always have to go out and buy more. I tried to finish it all yesterday, failed. Later today I will have one last push. Tonight I sew.....and soon it will be time for the plump jolly fellow to visit and all the wrapping will have been worth it.

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one piece damp stretched, one piece lined

paper and cloth doodling

dilemma....

front and back....

The front and back of this silk pocket are embellished, (yes I decided on  a pocket)...now I need to think about the lining. The reverse has three stems with a Suffolk puff at the top, a flower, the sense of a flower. More Suffolk puffs will be added to the front before it's all put together. I am tempted to embroider the lining too. Simple embroidery similar to the reverse, perhaps just one stem and one Suffolk puff. What do you think?

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embroidered silk and an accompanying ledger page

an edge of embroidered Suffolk puffs

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all things silk and lace....

Yesterday afternoon and playtime.....silk lace, metallic silk tissue, net...frothy cloth, unique surfaces and the beginning of plans for Patched Pockets and France. Creating this froth and these wonderful surfaces will form part of Patched Pockets. No prizes for guessing what will then happen? Pockets will be created, by hand, embellished, patched (of course) patched with these pieces and other cloth.. We will have pockets coming out of our ears.

As I'm sure you know...it's almost Christmas. The internet is mostly dead, quiet as a mouse, people making plans, stuffing turkeys and other things. Me? I'm organised!! Lol...yes...I know, what happened? There are only three of you reading my ramblings this week...thank you...you know who you are. Point is.....I'm going to keep going until THE day, until my sprouts need to go on. I need this place a lot more than it needs me. This is my record, my diary, my calendar....it keeps me on my toes....keeps me awake...if you're sticking with me...thanks...you're amazing!!

 

10.30 pm.....thanks for the reassurance that you're here today. I wasn't complaining, or unhappy. I was just pointing out the general quietness of the internet at this time of year which is normal....things to do etc. I was also bigging myself up for a rare appearance of organisation here. There is time for that to go belly up though. You watch...I will get to Christmas eve and will have forgotten a ton of stuff!! Super organisation revealed as terrible memory loss!!

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this week

sorting cloth, a new class, cupboards and the table

a new folder

adding texture to a surface

Wrapped threads, curled scrim, bullion loops...I've been adding texture to a piece of embroidered silk. Later today i am going to create more textured surfaces, more pieces of unique cloth using scrim, muslin, lace and metallic silk tissue. It's playtime. My plan is to be re inspired for France, to have embroidered pieces which reflect the samples I hope to create over the next few days.

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looking back

a human sized pocket