Karen Ruane: April 2018

« March 2018 | Main | May 2018 »

April 2018

04/23/2018

an added strip

The day before yesterday I was bored with this....not any more. (you can read about that here) I have since added a strip of textured silk which is now embroidered with clusters of French knots and beads. (I bought that silk in New York, in the Garment District. That's a place you should go without a credit card)

There is a space left to fill, under the two hankie corners, first image lower right. I'm thinking of adding more cutwork there. Once that is done this front will be finished. This piece will have an embroidered reverse and lining too so there's still quite a bit of work to do.

I am going away for a few days tomorrow, here and here. I have decided to leave the shop open whilst I am gone and ask you to consider that if you sign up later than this evening UK time you will not receive any details of classes after purchase until Monday 30 April. There are three classes for sale at the moment, the ongoing '12 month artist book blog', the current class 'create and embellish' along with 'embroidery school 2018' which is now available as a 'work on your own' class. You can read about them all in the shop.

I thought I would leave this here whilst I am away, my recent podcast recorded with Stitchery Stories where I speak about my classes, my love of embroidery and my creative life. (just in case you missed it)

Miss you already.

Posted at 01:04 PM in beads, embroidery, french knots, pocket, podcast | Permalink | Comments (8)

Tags: beads, embroidery, French knots, podcast, silk

04/22/2018

beads and stitch on paper, a design sheet

A few days ago I was inspired by this, yesterday I was bored with this. The answer was staring me in the face....use the piece which inspired you to start a new piece, a new design sheet.

This one has a way to go. I'm going to think on it today, plan my next move. There may be a few drawn out stitch lines and there will almost certainly be a little collage. I will stitch more into the actual sheet, gradually building the surface and filling the space. I'm thinking of adding patterned paper too, paper which compliments what's here already.

I'm passed the ''blank sheet of paper' stage, that fear of that so in theory there shouldn't be anything holding me back now.

Posted at 01:00 PM in beads, design, embroidery, embroidery design, paper | Permalink | Comments (4)

Tags: design, design sheet, embroidery, paper, stitch, stitched paper

04/21/2018

not applique

Yesterday I spoke about adding applique to this piece.....I changed my mind, a woman's prerogative. Cutwork won over applique, cutwork with inserts of silk and trim and little clusters of French knots and beads.

I hope I don't shock you now but I'm bored....bored with this. I like it, I will finish it but for some reason I need a new challenge today. I haven't a clue what, I'm completely blank on that but I will pull some stuff out and play around for a while and see if that sparks something.

Next week I am going on holiday. I'm going here and here. You may remember I taught at the Nantes show two years ago. This time I'm going as a visitor, I can browse, I can shop, I can wander round aimlessly, I can be a tourist, I can be a fabric and thread addict, I can be inspired and in awe.....

The shop will close on Monday so if you wish to sign up for the new class or the 12 month 'artist book blog' bear that in mind.

Wish me luck with my afternoon of play, of searching for inspiration.

Posted at 12:59 PM in cutwork, embellish, embroidery | Permalink | Comments (6)

Tags: cutwork, embellished, embroidery, hand stitch

04/20/2018

something new

A new piece, quite small at approximately nine by ten inches. This will be a little pocket, a gift. I plan on adding embroidery to the reverse and lining too but for now this piece, the front is in its early stages. I have a 'thing' for those little turquoise beads. I'm considering adding those to the hankie edges as a final titivation when the remainder of the embroidery is complete and I'm very tempted to make more of these for an edge....

Posted at 12:58 PM in beads, embroidery | Permalink | Comments (5)

Tags: beads, embroidery

04/19/2018

a sequined edge

Here it is...finished, backed, titivated.....and edged with sequins on two sides. I resisted the temptation to use 'dangly' things. I love the contrast between the ornate sequined sides and the other two simply stitched using running stitch edges.

I guess this may qualify as a lap quilt...it's eighteen by twenty inches. It won't be used as a lap quilt but it will be on my lap a lot so I can examine it.

When you are in the process of creating a piece like this, or any piece for that matter you are always driven to continue, it keeps you going and feeds you creatively and even though I have lots of things which inspire me, work which is ongoing for online classes, plans for more design sheets.....there is still a hole left when something like this gets finished. There's a little bit of bewilderment about what comes next, at least there is for me. I may have several things 'on the go' but when one thing is removed from that group I am always left wondering how to fill the gap....

Posted at 01:15 PM in cloth, embellished edges, embroider, embroidery, stitch | Permalink | Comments (5)

Tags: an edge, cloth, embroidery, lap cloth, sequins

04/18/2018

design sheet

Along with the little book of stitches we created a paper based design sheet in ''embroidery school''. This is my completed sheet. I say completed but I may change it a little. The jury is out regarding the lace area on the left. (first image) I did try it another way in class but that didn't excite me so I'm leaving this in a place where I can glance at it from time to time, waiting for the penny to drop, the inspiration to hit me.

This piece has me itching to begin another one. At the moment I'm 'thinking', half planning, throwing away more ideas than I am keeping. I guess it will be a slow burner.

Meanwhile, this happened yesterday.

They are on the ironing board here but worry not.....an iron never went anywhere near them. The front and back are now joined, the edge embellishment, the adornment has begun and I decided against 'dangly to the max'. Tomorrow you can judge that for yourself providing I can stitch fast enough. I'm on it.

Posted at 12:44 PM in design, embroidered paper, embroidery design, Embroidery school...stitch along, online learning, paper | Permalink | Comments (3)

Tags: design, design sheet, embroidery, paper based design

04/17/2018

a front and a back

The embroidered panel in this post now has an embroidered reverse. The reverse is the strip piece. I have laid them side by side here and since I took these photographs they have been joined ready to have the edges titivated. It measures around 18x20 inches. It's going to be a resource, a resource for colour, pattern and composition. It's my own personal stitch sampler.

This piece wasn't created in 'embroidery school', but it was most certainly inspired by the stitch sampling and the creation of the little stitch book I showed you yesterday.

I'm thinking dangly for the edges, beads, sequins maybe. That's my task for this evening.

Embroidery School 2018 has now been listed as a work on your own class. You can read about that here.

Posted at 01:04 PM in cloth, embroidery | Permalink | Comments (5)

Tags: back, embroidery, front, hand embroidery, silk panels

04/16/2018

stitch ledger

Last year I said 2018 would be the year of my stitch ledger......and here it is, created in 'embroidery school' which is now finished. In truth I have enough stitch samples for at least one more stitch ledger. That may happen at some time in the future.

This little, completely hand embroidered, hand pieced, hand 'put together' cloth book measures six by six inches with the internal pages being five inches square. I think I am a little in love. I also think I am lucky, lucky I have this, lucky that I can pick it up every single day.

Another podcast reminder. Please go here to listen if you haven't already or even to listen again if you're a glutton for punishment.....Liza....lol.

If you are registered for my new class which began today you should have had notification of our first post, our first videos and demonstrations. If you haven't had that notification can you please let me know. You should also have received your invitation to our private Flickr group. Again, if you don't yet have the please let me know.

You can read more about my new class here.

A quick flick through of my little stitch ledger...on camera.

Stitch ledger. Embroidery School 2018. We had such a wonderful and creative 12 weeks in this class. I'm sad it's finished. Happy times with an amazing group. #embroidery #2018embroideryschool #onlinelearning Don't forget to check out my podcast over on @stitcherystories_podcast where I speak about my online learning classes and my creative life.

A post shared by Karen Ruane (@karenruane) on Apr 16, 2018 at 2:55am PDT

Posted at 12:44 PM in cloth book, embroidery, Embroidery school...stitch along, online learning, stitch, stitch ledger, video | Permalink | Comments (6)

Tags: cloth book, embroidery school, online learning, stitch ledger, video

04/15/2018

Adornments part 3

Adornments part one and two can be seen here and here....this is part three and why I chose to use all white is a very good question as these were sooooo difficult to photograph on this gloomy day in Lancashire.

You can see two stages of creating these little embroidered beads here. The first three images are of before...'pre stuffing'. The last two images are 'post stuffing'. I will use these as a finishing touch on something as yet unknown, for an edge or a seam.

It's been hectic here today. I have taken tons of photos of a finished cloth book, of machine made cloth for embroidery, paper pieces, hexagons. I'm juggling. I have made a final video for 'embroidery school', (miss you already) they will get that video some time today hopefully. I have made a video for 'artist book class', they will also hopefully get that later today and I have had a flurry of late sign ups for my new class which starts tomorrow. (thank you..insert heart emoji)

Next on my list is 'clean the bathroom'.....no needles and thread required.

And if you are one of the only two people who haven't yet listened...below is a podcast recorded for ''stitchery stories'' where I chat about my creative life.

Posted at 12:58 PM in beads, buttons, embellish, embroidery, puffs, white | Permalink | Comments (10)

Tags: adornments, cloth beads, embellished, embroider, embroidered beads, fastenings

04/14/2018

details

There's a short video in this post where I embellish the cloth you see today, adding sequins to an embroidered stem. This cloth surface is now finished, these images show more of the detail.

I had been toying with the idea of using this cloth to make a pouch in which I could store bindings and sequins but I've decided against that. This will now be a small coverlet, a backed piece of embroidered silk which will be easy to pick up and put down in order it can be examined for stitch ideas, for composition ideas, for colour inspiration. Last night I began embroidery on a silk panel for the reverse of this. When that is complete I will make plans for the edges, for beading perhaps.

If you are registered for my new class 'create and embellish' you should have received sign in information for our private blog this morning. If you haven't received that can you please let me know.

I am posting my podcast again today. I will continue to post this until Wednesday of next week when a new podcast with a different artist will go live. I know some of you don't come here every day so this is for those of you who may not have listened yet. And....apparently.....my podcast hit number 101 out of the top 200 creative arts podcasts on i tunes this week! Who knew???? Thanks so much to everyone who has listened, downloaded, commented and emailed. I am so so grateful.