As my days are now all about ''artist books'', all things stitched paper, playing with paper and titivating pages I've been searching the archives again for anything which may be useful but has slipped my mind. It's amazing what you forget, which process, which tiny adornment, which combination of paper, cloth and stitch you forget. I swear I have forgotten more than I know.
The pages in the last image are from my ''foundation degree'' final assessment portfolio FOURTEEN years ago! I told you I never throw anything away.
As promised, my finished swatch book, my collection of stitched samples, embroidered cloth, embellished edges and stitched headers. This piece is getting handled to death, always picked up, pored over hourly. It's my library, my go to item for inspiration. I wonder how many swatch books is too many? I've already begun my second, there could well be a third....
The completion of this piece marks the end of ''embroidery school''. I shall miss it.
(the video has no sound.......I don't utter a single word)
As you can see I am still in swatch mode. The latest one, last nights endeavours, cutwork with ruched cloth, beads, chain stitch, bullion loops. When I laid it next to the one I showed you yesterday I concluded I'm on the right track.
You may have spotted part of this one here. I decided to add it to the cutwork piece. They seem happier together.
Tomorrow I will have a short video for you....my finished piece from Embroidery School.
Swatches are my new obsession.....I blame embroidery school. I adore, love...love!! the swatch collection I created in that class, so much so I have started another one. This morning I made two videos for embroidery school demonstrating the finishing of my piece. I will share that piece on here just as soon as the girls have seen it. (embroidery school will probably see those tomorrow so it should be on here on Wednesday)
This is the second swatch of my new collection and I will put the third together later today.
Embroidery Schoolhas now been listed as a ''work on your own'' class.
A memory popped up on my Facebook wall this morning which reminded me it's a whole year since I was here, teaching and exhibiting. In some ways it feels like yesterday yet when I think of everything which has happened since I feel it should be longer than a year. I have such happy memories from the whole experience and would love to go again next year as a visitor, no pressure, to browse and enjoy.
Meanwhile, ''artist books'' started this morning. If you are registered for that you should have received a mail notifying you that our first post is now live. Invitations to our private Flickr group will be sent later this afternoon.
You wouldn't think this would work but it does. Silk Dupion and silver purl mixed with vintage cloth and aged hankies, a little new pattern thrown in, a few spots and a Liberty print....this is a proper pick and mix. It's not finished. I still need to come up with something striking for the lower edge . The left hand side however will be simple, running stitch most likely. (as I was typing that I was thinking bullion loops, being distracted by the possibilities of those) I'm ignoring myself....running stitch it is.
The past couple of weeks have been very weird here. Lots happening, good things mostly, remarkable recoveries from major surgery (not me) , (wish I could high five you all) lots of disruption, distraction, requirements to leave the house regularly, (as you know I don't like to leave the house). We survived and tomorrow is the start of a calmer phase hopefully. Tomorrow should be the start of me keeping up with e mails, answering comments, creating huge amounts of loveliness. Thanks for hanging in with me.....I will see you tomorrow at the start of a bright, new, perfect rest of year.
Embroidery school was about much more than samples, surface embroidery, practising stitch and technique........there was a considered focus on edges too. I laid them out this morning, just to look. I like to look, to remind myself I haven't been idle, to remind myself of the possibilities. I've also been looking in order to inspire the next sample swatch book I have in progress, to learn from the first one, change things around a little and create another one, a variation......
I'm so happy I made it today. I missed you yesterday.
Don't forget....Artist Books starts on Monday.....bright and early, so put down your Easter chocolate and sharpen your pencils.
Although I am still very much wrapped up in finishing work from ''embroidery school'' I am also getting my head in paper, artist book, scrap, composition mode for the new class. With that in mind I added two gorgeous silver beads to this surface yesterday, on camera.
Things are a bit upside down here at the moment and the forecast is for more disarray over the coming days. With that in mind I may temporarily disappear. The shop will remain open however if you want to sign up for ''Artist Books''.
More ''finishing off'' from embroidery school, an edge of oversized Suffolk puffs.
These Suffolk puffs are very soft, created using a lovely soft cotton with padded applique decoration added at one edge. Of course this sample will look different again when it forms part of the swatch book that is yet to be put together. I'm thinking the end of next week, by then I should be able to show you the finished article.
There was a very unexpected response to my post yesterday where I showed work from an old class, sampling for stitch. There was a request for this to be listed again as a ''work on your own'' class which I have now done, you can read about thathere.
If you are registered for ''artist books'' you should have received an e mail from me this morning with sign in details for our private blog. If you haven't received that mail can you please let me know.
This collection was laid on my table this morning, my samples, my work, my design sheets from ''sampling for stitch''. With the new class beginning next week I was looking for little sparks, little ideas to jot down, reminding myself of process for design work which will come in useful when creating tiny stitched scraps for ''artist books''. Aside from the inspiration aspect, I love looking at past work, often discovering things I had completely forgotten about. Whilst searching for these images I also came across this one.....I included it here because it made me happy.
(embroidery school.....pay attention, you have videos coming very soon!)
Embroidery school finished last week....oops, no it didn't. It didn't finish because I'm not finished, lagging behind as usual and if the teacher is lagging behind have some sympathy for the poor, long suffering students. I'm not lagging behind, dragging my heels in a negligent way, no.................I am dragging my heels in an excited, distracted, getting carried away, don't know when to stop kind of way. But, here is the evidence I am almost there. Only these two piece to finish and I shall finally be able to put my sample/swatch/book/ thingy together.
Have you noticed the pockets? the folded pockets? in the header? If there's a space for a pocket I will find it. Spaces, pockets, magnets.....
