Karen Ruane

recording colour, threads and embellishments

There's lots of progress in my new embroidery ledger which is evolving in class. Embroidery on the paper background page (which is new, which I put together directly on to the page), embroidery on that background is now finished. I have thread wrapped cards which are ready to be mounted on there too so next time in class we will start another page, another process of examining colour and embellishments from our source pieces.

This ledger will be crammed with all things embroidery. It will become a 'go to' reference for colour, texture and pattern and I'm certain it will serve me well over time.

In addition to my embroidery ledger I am continuing to work on the pieces I showed you yesterday whilst also creating another one of the pieces below. That second piece, (a second 9 inch square piece) is quite well advanced and I hope to damp stretch it later today. It won't be finsihed today but I like to damp stretch at every stage.

a smaller wrap

The piece I was working on in the video yesterday inspired me to create a smaller piece, a smaller wrap. This little wrap will protect a very small artist book which will have 4 x 4 inch pages. I had a dilemma however, adding embellishments to a seam which don't work for me today. They're going, they are gone.....

(to answer a couple of emails I have received this week....both my current classes are running for 12 months. You can sign up at any time and not miss anything which has happened up to now as you will have full access to the private class blog. There is no cut off point, you keep access forever so can work completely at your leisure, take your time. You can read about my embroidery class here and my embroidery ledger class here. Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions)

beading a tiny edge

A quite short video today (and an excuse to hide in my little shed/studio.) I'm gradually making progress with the wrap for my artist book. I seem to have shared a lot of this process on here, it's almost 'your' project. There are so many videos on here about this piece, videos about piecing, videos about embroidery, embellishment, edges, pinning...so many. If you haven't seen them you can click on the 'video' link in the category list on the right hand side of this page. That will take you there (this post will be first, just scroll past it)

 

This weekend I will be working hard on pieces for embroidery school, two classes, both exciting, both needing lots of stitch and lots of attention.

 

soft rolled embroidered book

My little rolled book of cloth and paper is finished. I added a simple ribbon string and delicate little toggles before simply tying the pages together. This piece is beautiful to handle. It's so soft and really delicate. It's now in the shop.

This morning I've been playing with stash squares and charm squares, titivating cloth with embroidery, beads and sequins. I was in my 'cave', my little workshop, my happy place. Embellishing cloth with tiny beads can become addictive, the repetition of it, the ability to go anywhere in your mind. That's what I'm going to do now, as soon as I get off this PC I'm going back to silk and seed beads. See you tomorrow. x

my ledger

There's a twelve month ledger class happening in Embroidery School. This is my third page, (we haven't been going long). Laid next to the page is my source, my inspiration, a piece of embroidered cloth mounted onto a cloth page. (another project, a cloth book, not part of ledger class but borrowed for the purpose of informing my design work)

The page here is concerned with examining colour, a colour study of sorts. Using paper, stitch, beads and crystals I am attempting to reflect the colour seen in my source embroidery. So far so good I think.

You might have noticed the absence of paint, of drawing, of conventional 'art'. I avoid those. They aren't my natural 'go to' in any sphere of creativity. Basically I am scared of drawing but there's more than one way to examine design and hopefully I am demonstrating that here.

Registration is still open for this class.

To read more go here.

 

embroidery school stitching

For most of this morning I have been ensconced in my 'cave' making videos for 'stitch along, for embroidery school. This lovely pile of work was on my table. The wrap for my book is visible here too. That isn't part of embroidery school but I wanted it close just in case I was suddenly compelled to add something to it.

I was working on my little dress for class....this one....although it has changed an awful lot since this picture was taken and today it has changed again.

The area I was working on today is unseen as yet, class will get those videos later today. That won't be the end of it either....

I have a lot of stitching to do to complete today's piece.

rolling soft pages, an idea for a little book of embroidery

The soft embroidered pages I shared on here the day before yesterday have now been lined. Each of them has a reverse of pieced vintage lace and vintage trim. I now have a firm plan for these pieces, a soft rolled book of embroidery. The images here almost exclusively show the reverse of these 'pages' but when it's finished I will show the fronts, the embellished surfaces in more detail.

I speak about the 'putting together' of this and the rolling in the short video below.

(Ledgers girls....you have videos coming in around an hour)

 

 

charm square

It would be amazing to have twelve of these little hand embroidered charm squares, not exactly the same but each one complimenting the next. Creating this piece and the piece in the final image is the start of a new project in 'stitch along', my twelve month embroidery class. I'm going to move these on, follow the pattern and colour and create more of each size.

I showed you this one last week when it was partially worked here. I finished it last night, damp stretched it and hemmed it this morning.

I need to stop handling it, I will wear it out.

soft pages

These three pages will be brought together to form a little, soft rolled book. Made from delicate paper, soft cloth and lace these pieces roll beautifully. (I already tried)  The edges are in need of a little more embellishment and I have started that with the tiny white pom poms and lemon thread. I'm also going to titivate the reverses a little, layer them up with lace maybe.

Once rolled I will bind them with a ribbon string.....

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Karen Ruane (@karenruane) on Mar 23, 2019 at 4:17am PDT

toggles and ribbon

Yesterday I told you I was going to play with my new silk chiffon ribbon......and I did. There are 6 toggles embellished with tiny seed beads, each of those also has a little buttonhole loop embroidered on the reverse to allow me to fasten them onto cloth. There is also a ribbon string with beads and a little lace. That ribbon string is now being placed into a little rolled artist book which has three paper and silk pages embellished with sequins and hand embroidery. I will show you that very soon.