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Work on my workshop has been delayed for a couple of days.....never mind. (weather apparently although to be honest I've been glad of a couple of days of peace and quiet)
Meantime.....even though I am unpacked I am far from organised so the big sort out has begun starting with threads.
The little book was made in 1999 as part of my City and Guilds. That seems like a lifetime ago, someone elses life.
As promised yesterday, a video. Piecing cloth.
You've seen this before but not in its current form, more has been added. This is my first page from 'Ledgers, a record of stitch'. There's plenty more to add on here over the coming weeks.....my first page is going to be time consuming (in the best possible way).
I can't say too much else about this as it's class sensitive but I hope you are enjoying seeing my progress from time to time.
Yesterday I made quite a long video for you, for my public blog which I am going to share with you one day this week. I think it's around 15 minutes long so you best pull up a chair when that appears on here.
This little piece measures 10 x 10 inches although once the seams are taken into consideration it will be smaller. I'm thinking ahead to a cover for when my artist book book is finally put together. (the book you have been seeing pages for in the past few posts)
I'm hoping for a sturdy, acrylic paper cover which I can then wrap with a long piece of embroiderd cloth. Initially I cut a very long piece of cloth to embellish, to add layers to, to add toggles, pom poms and tassels but it was overfacing so I cut it down to this size, a more manageable piece and a good size for appreciating progress as it happens. One embellished section on a vast expanse of white cloth is daunting, with the smaller piece it's much easier to see your progress in terms of surface embellishment.
So now the plan is to make several of these smaller pieces and join them to form my wrap. I'm not sure how many I will need at this stage, I will join them as each one is finished and measure as I go along.
I've started to play with placement of all these pages. This placement will change I'm sure as more pages are created, more inserts finished. I'm loving working with the ribbon especially. Who knew I would become a ribbon addict?
Things are still a little topsy turvy here, workmen, mess, drilling. It will be going on for a while longer I guess. I will just have to keep trying to work round it all. They have been working on my new workshop this week and I'm hoping they'll be finished by Wednesday and I can start to move my stuff in there. Keep everything crossed for me.
You can see a picture of how that's progressing on my Instagram feed here.
This morning I made you a very short video, a closer look at this work.
There are lots of pictures today. I have been snatching stitching time in between all the goings on. These are more additions for the little artist book I am making for myself and the pieces I am showing you today will be joined to these when the little book is finally put together.
Stitching for both my classes is on hold until peace descends at the weekend. There's too much drilling going on here and I can't concentrate.
This past week has been such a joy. I think it's the first full week I have had since we moved here where I haven't had any disruption, no workmen, no excess noise or dirt. I've been relaxed, progressing work for both my classes and indulging myself with pages for a little artist book.
The work we are doing in both classes really does give me tummy flips and even more so when I think about what's to come. The lace piece here, the strip, that's a new sash for my baby dress which we are titivating in stitch along. You have seen the ledger earlier this week, that's from our first couple of days in ledgers, a record of stitch. The other pages, the stand alone pages as you know are my little gift to mysef, a little artist book.
You will remember how I was undecided, dithering about overlays for that one. I have decided I won't have overlays, I will try something else.....inserts. I will keep you posted.
Tomorrow the workmen are back. There shouldn't be a lot of mess (famous last words). There are a couple of internal doors to fit upstairs and then work to do on the building outside which will become my studio. I may go quiet for a couple of days but it's all for the greater good. (I repeat that to myself hourly)
Meanwhile, both classes are still open for registration. Both are 52 week classes and your access to them lasts forever. You can see them both here in my little shop.
I have three pages now. Three pages for my new.....gift to me......artist book.
As yet there aren't any overlays. I do have an idea for those though.
I will work on the overlays a little just as soon as I can stop picking these up and looking.
Ledgers girls.....stand by your computers, there's another set of videos coming very soon.
I said I might put it in the shop?
If I didn't get too attached?
Well guess what?
It's not even half finished and already I am too attached. It's a keeper.....you were right Jillayne.
The embroidered piece today is sample number three. The page for this one is well underway.
I can imagine you all thinking, 'isn't she too busy for this?'. She has two classes on the go and more builders than is good for her sanity. Well...the builders have had a week off and I have had a week long stitching party. I have made pages for ledgers, sashes for stitch along and still had time to indulge myself with these pages for a new artist book.
It won't last. The builders return on Monday, I'm going to make the most of my weekend.