Karen Ruane

Yesterday and last night was mostly taken up with work for ''artist book'' class. I did get to a stage where I couldn't go any further with that though so I put another little stitched sample together and added a small amount of embroidery just before bed time. It's a cross stitch button card. I'm not sure? I think it's outside my comfort zone colour wise but I'm going to leave it and work round it. It could look completely different once more embellishment is added. And anyway...isn't that the point of sampling? 

I guess today I should wish you all a Happy New Year. I'm not a big fan though.....not because I am a misery but because it's going to be Monday......what's the big deal?  And besides...I want you to be happy every day, every year.....so I wish you a Happy Forever how's that?

Finally, for Elizabeth.....because she asked.

 

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progress

I was feeling very pleased with myself as I damp stretched the second one of these embroidered folders last night which I have been working on over the Christmas period for London 2018, my upcoming workshop. I patted myself on the back a few times and relaxed a little because I already have one completely finished piece and these two which are at a very advanced stage. That was until I took the photographs this morning. One of these has something missing which I didn't realise until I edited these images, I'm sure you can spot it. Oh well, I'm still happy with the progress I am making. There are a few of these still to be made but as I embroider on each one I get excited about how they will be when they are finished, about the pieces I am going to put inside them, the workshop kits, the cloth, the papers, the little unexpected things . You will be able to see all that after the event I promise. I will take lots of pictures.............

I'm hoping to make progress with the cover for my personal cloth book today and tomorrow. I am desperate to finish that so I can begin to add my embroidery samples to it. If you remember I measured it wrongly.....I speak about that here. What with measuring errors and forgetting embellishments on this work I think I have Christmas brain fog.

The embroidered band for the edge, to rectify the measuring error still needs a little more embroidery but once that's done it can be damp stretched and I will be good to go putting it all together....

 

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finishing a sample, a lace border

It's finished..........a partial lace border attached with simple, neat running stitches. Draping was an option too, cloth cascading from the lower edge but in the end I decided on the lace, cascading cloth can wait until another day, can wait for another sample. I'm guessing it won't be long before another sample appears. Once I have an unused idea I am compelled to act on it. I also store them up, mental notes and written notes on scraps of paper. 

My ''scrap of paper'' pile is getting bigger by the minute for use in ''embroidery school 2018.'' 

I am itching to start.....I love Christmas but I love my classes too. This morning I prepped for the next instalment of ''artist books''. I hope you're ready for Sunday girls.

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an embroidered band for the edge

Do you remember I made an embroidered panel for the inside front cover of my cloth sample book? Well.....it's too big. Something was amiss with the measuring....don't ask, I haven't a  clue. The cover is too narrow for the inside cover. Are you keeping up? Two choices, cut down the inside cover or extend the outside cover. 

The outside cover extension it is. A simple band embroidered with web stitches and French knots in white with three hand made buttons and two vintage buttons which will be added randomly as a finishing touch to draw the whole piece together. I have around 4 inches of embroidery to complete on the band before I can attach it and move on to the inside back cover. There will be more measuring involved. Wish me luck....

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binding edges

I managed to get a little sewing time yesterday evening. This piece now has a small cutwork motif surrounded by French knots with a row of French knots added alongside the pom poms, I put sequins there too, I just couldn't help myself. This morning I've added binding to two edges which has yet to be stitched into place. I am having a debate with myself about the other edges, binding or something else? I haven't a clue what 'something else' might be but I may wait before I decide. 'Something else' may turn out to be amazing. Then again it might not.

Embroidery School 2018. Starts January 15.

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The next London 2018 piece

I have made very good progress with the next piece for London 2018. I don't actually know what to call these things, pockets? cloth books? they are more like folders I guess. I don't suppose it's essential to give them a name, it's the purpose that's important. These hand embroidered 'folder, book, pouches' will hold the workshop supplies I am giving to those coming to my London embroidery weekend in February. They will hopefully have contents similar to this but with more pieces including stitched papers. (you've seen the next image before)

I'm confident I can get all these made before February and I am going to crack on over the Christmas break.

The other piece today is the first finished inside page for my cloth book. You can read about that here. I have added beads. You might have known I would do that. If it wasn't beads it would have been sequins. Karen you are so predictable...yawn...

So....there is a big guy coming tonight I heard. If he stops by your place I hope he's good to you but whatever you are doing over the next day or two take good care of yourself and I will see you on the other side x

 

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Saturday

A few images from around the house this past week or so. Nothing is 'normal' this week. There's been a lot going on. I had my first Christmas dinner last week and of course will be having Christmas dinner number two on Monday. I've been shopping...and shopping. I've been wrapping....and wrapping and I seem to be constantly playing the domestic goddess role, seeing dust everywhere. I do hope the big guy is watching.

I've also been blessed and spoilt with lots of early gifts......the Paris gift is from my little girl, she was lucky enough to go there a couple of weeks ago.

And.....I treated myself to a ''fabric advent calendar''. Some of the goodies from there are below. It was always my intention to gift some of these pieces and I have done that with some already but if there is one you fancy let me know and I will see what I can do.

(sadly I can't give to everyone who expresses a wish for one of these but I hope I can make one or two of you happy)

and then there is this....it makes me want to cry every time (in a happy way), thank you so much.

(press play and have your sound on)

 

Embroidery School 2018.

Not long now.....

more sampling

It's official, I have no self control. I should be working on pages for artist book class, I should be embroidering pockets for London 2108, I should be finishing the cloth book. Instead I started another sample last night for the actual, as yet unfinished cloth book. (second image)  It has soft pom poms, hexagons and little flowery sequins. It's not finished yet.

These images show how the samples created so far might look in the as yet unfinished cloth book.....get a move on Karen.

Tonight I will work on London 2018 pockets, I will. It's a promise.

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samples and pages

I couldn't help myself....yesterday, when I said I needed samples for the new cloth book? Well the cloth piece here is the first one but obviously I can't put it in until the book is finished. I best crack on with that then....

The other piece here is the latest page I am working on for the ''12 month artist book subscription blog''. We are on a holiday break at the moment, school is out but my homework is to finish this and plan the next stage of the book this page will from part of. No rest for teacher.

an inside cover for the cloth book

I'm making good progress with my cloth sample book. It now has an inside cover for the front and I'm about to put one together for the back. My mind is whirling with ideas for adding loose stitched samples to this one, having lots of tabs and folded fabric edges which can be used to pin pieces to. The next thing I want to do is create a few small embroidered swatches to place in here when it's finished. I'm itching to use it. I have to be restrained though and finish the actual book first.

I made a short video with a little explanation....

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