Karen Ruane

Ledgers, a record of stitch.

Monday was the first day of my new class, 'Ledgers, a record of stitch'. We tackled that fear of the blank white page, we overcame it.

Judging by the way our private Flickr group is filling up with images I would guess most of us are now fearless.

 

There will be a lot more information, pattern and colour added to this page as we progress.

That will include thread choice reference and perhaps a little embroidery stitch...or two.

It's not too late if you want to join us. We aren't going anywhere. We are going to be playing with this for a whole year.

You can read more here.

pages

If you were here the other day you will remember this.

This is what happened afterwards.

There are two pages now, titvated with beads and embroidery waiting for me to decide if there will be overlays or not.

(there has to be overlays doesn't there? Has to be....a crammed book is better than a flat book, a bare book, a thin book isn't it?)

One thing I have decided, there will be more pages.

this morning

This morning I retrieved my little dress from it's safe place and worked on it a little in embroidery school. More adornments were put together. They are just pinned for now and I hope to share those with you once the girls in class have seen them. Between now and then I'm hoping the pins will disappear as I embroider the surface and add little titvations.

If you are registered for 'ledgers, a record of stitch' you should have received all the sign in information early today for our private class blog. If you didn't receive that please let me know.

a new artist book?

What started as an idea for adding a pocket to a page, (here) has grown into an idea for a large paper based artist book. The unmounted piece here will form the basis of the second page. I'm considering creating this one for the shop but that's dependant on me not getting too attached to it as I progress and then if I want overlays that will make it cost prohibitive.

(can you tell I spend almost all of my waking hours being indecisive and debating with myself? It's a curse)

For now I'm focusing on creating the pages. Overlay issues will come later.....something to look forward to?

Don't forget...tomorrow....Ledgers, a record of stitch. I hope you've got your needles threaded and don't forget to wash your hands. (you might also need a brew, or two, or more.)

absence

I've been absent, MIA, a no show, elsewhere. Well I haven't actually been 'elsewhere', I have been here surrounded by dust again and messy workmen. I've been making endless cups of tea and dispensing with more biscuits than I ever thought possible.

The good news....they are gone for a whole week. I won't miss them, not in the slightest.

Meanwhile I have been missing my embroidery more than I can say. This coming week will be 100 percent stitch along, ledger class, videos and this little blog.

Fortunately I was aware of the disruption this past week would cause and made my videos for the new class in advance of the work beginning. Consequently I have been itching to progress that ledger work and my mind is brimming with ideas. Then there's stitch along....my little dress is tucked safely away and I am aiming to retrieve that later today, to look, to consider our next lesson in 'stitch along' and maybe to drool.

The new class begins on Monday. My first page is well underway. If you would like to read more about Ledgers and recording your ideas for embroidery go here.

piped silk

You have seen the edging of this piece many times but it's changing, being altered, something we are working on in embroidery school.

It now lays along the edge of a silk panel which is being embellished with piping cord inserts. It looks very sculptural in these images, sleeve like.....it's not going to be a sleeve however. I won't tell you what it's going to be, I will keep you guessing for now.

Meanwhile....I have around 80 more bullion loops to add to this in order to secure each strip of piping cord. I best crack on.

(if you are registered for my new class, 'ledgers, a record of stitch' you should have received an email from me today. If you haven't received that can you please let me know.)

planning, playing

Over the past couple of days I have been mentally planning the first videos for my new class, 'ledgers, a record of stitch'. A little sampling has happened too, some of which is already in the 'dogs dinner' pile and some of which will be carried forward into class.
I was lucky enough this morning to take these plans further, to play with ideas a little more. (I'm not giving anything away in these images, there was stuff everywhere!)

The main thing is however that I now have a concrete plan and the first video made! Happy dance here! Also today I worked a little on something we are making in 'embroidery school'. I can show you that at the weekend. Think baby dress and oversized Suffolk puffs.

a gathered edge

 

The frilly, lace drawstring edge with the pink ribbon was put together in embroidery school before Christmas.....that seems like such a long time ago now, so much has happened since then. It edges a large piece of cotton and silk mix cloth which is now a page on which to display the embroidered piece.

There hasn't been a lot of embroidery happening here recently and I am itching to get going again. I have a head full of ideas and not enought time. I need to prioritise. Do I make more huge Suffolk puffs? Do I play a little with lettering to start my project for 'Ledgers'...maybe a little of both? Oh dear. Now is not a good time to be indecisive Karen.

I am in the process of retrieving all my work from wrapping and boxes and trying to get most of it put away. More box unpacking and unwrapping took place yesterday and this morning but I think I have gotten as far as I can for now. There is a short video at the end of this post, an overview of the current state of play here....please ignore the carpet and the wallpaper!! Their days are numbered, they were inherited. There's aslo a couple of images from Instagram, documentation of my sorting out progress....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Progress report (put the sound on if you want narration 🤣🤣🤣) As always...ignore the wallpaper and carpet, their days are numbered 🤢 #houserewirenightmare #housemovinggoals #newhomegoals 🏡🏡🏡 ❤❤❤

A post shared by Karen Ruane (@karenruane) on Jan 14, 2019 at 2:56am PST

hi......

Yes I know it's late in the day but I have just emerged from a cloud of dust. I was warned. I was told that rewiring the house would create unimaginable amounts of dust. I believed it yet underestimated. The past 9 days have been challenging to say the least but the worst is over and looking at 'the bigger picture' I know it's worth it or at least it will be worth it when the plastering is finished followed by the decorating, folowed by the floors.

My precious things escaped unscathed, my cloth, my embroidery, my threads and the million other things I have here related to my creativity. They were wrapped and wrapped some more and stored in my car (the only clean place available) (I won't talk about the fact it broke down last week when I was miles from home) Some things were also stored in a very small room I have here which didn't need any work and which after the door was shut was sealed with tape all the way round.

Normaility is within reach. I will be checking up on my Flickr groups tomorrow. (I hope you've all behaved yourselves whilst I have been AWOL)

It feels good to be over the worst. I am smiling a lot today.

Not long now until this one either....Ledgers, a record of Stitch

A Ledger. 'a record'.

Begins Monday 28 January 2019.

Duration 52 weeks.

Video posts fortnightly.

Private password protected blog.

Private online forum for discussion and image presentation.

No deadlines.

No set tasks.

Lifetime access.

Learner location not an issue.

Suitable for the beginner and the more experienced.

No hidden 'extra' charges.

Welcome mail including suggested supply list sent upon registration.

Ledgers and embroidery. Why? How?

The why.

Record your ideas for stitch on beautifully composed and presented pages within a bound ledger, or other presentation method of your choice, creating a record, a resource which will become your 'go to' library of stitch and design ideas in which you will have catalogued preferred thread colours, favourite fabric choices and ideas for pattern and surface design.

The how.

Using video demonstration I will show you how (using your chosen imagery) pattern and stitch ideas can be developed through the study of colour, shape and texture. This sampling and investigating will be recorded in our ledgers where we will also examine exciting and innovative presentation ideas for stitch and embroidery samples.

During the early stages of our online learning programme I will guide you with regard to your imagery choice. This 'starting point' could be a favourite scrap of cloth, a postcard or an appealing image from a favourite book. There is no hard and fast rule for this, each of us is inspired in a unique manner with favourite patterns and colours which are personal to us.

Using our chosen imagery we will examine colour and record our discoveries by wrapping thread cards, snipping cloth and creating stitched scraps.

Paint and pencil?

I feel I need to address this. I am paint and pencil phobic. I avoid their use at all costs. There are many ways to create a colour study without their use. If there is a non pencil/paint method I will find it.
That does not mean you can't use paint or pencil. Instruction will be given on where that may be appropriate should you wish to utilise those.

Following initial investigations into colour we will progress to pattern examination, again using stitch and embroidery process to record our discoveries.

Through the duration of this online learning programme we will 'create and record', whilst always paying detailed attention to the presentation of our studies and samples.

Sampling in this manner often gives rise to ideas for finished pieces, inspires new work and informs the design process. Guidance with regard to this aspect will be given, you will be encouraged and supported throughout.

This is not a book making class. I will be working in a bought ledger/sketchbook during this online programme however you are free to present your pieces in any way you choose. That may be in a bought ledger/sketchbook, you may wish to make your own ledger, you may wish to mount your pieces simply, on sheets of paper or cloth. Guidance will be provided with regard to this apsect of the presentation process throughout.

Finally, no tasks/sampling are compulsory. You can choose to follow me diligently or you can take inspiration from video demonstrations and adapt those to suit your own creative needs. The most important thing as far as I am concerned is that this class brings you pleasure, that you have fun and that you feel at ease as part of a wonderfully creative community.

To register go here.

a pocket on a page

Just a little something I worked on over the holidays which was easy to pick up and put down depending on the room service demands of my numerous visitors. I said in an earlier post how I was anxious to try and create a page with an added pocket so I played with the idea and this is the result. I like it. It makes me happy. There will be more of these and when I have a few I will start to think about how I can bind them, make some kind of sample/artist book. It may take some time so please don't expect an update any time soon.

I may be absent for a few days or even a week from this point. My new house is being rewired from tomorrow. I'm already stressed out...the dirt, the noise. It'll be worth it in the end but meanwhile I need to find safe spaces for my work. Has anyone got a spare room? It is a worry, what to do with the cloth, the threads and the million other things you collect when you spend your life being creative. I'm guessing it would be the same for all of you too.

Stitch along girls.....your posts will be uninterrupted. Class is ready for tomorrow and I have started to prepare the one after that. The evidence is here...my Thursday morning playtime. (this work is not tomorrow....it's next time)