Karen Ruane

stitching a notebook

I've had a lovely couple of days playing in my grids and guides notebook, stitching, cutting out page pieces, folding pages. There are so many more things I want to do here and I'm really happy I picked this one up again earlier this week.

After posting this little book a couple of days ago I heard from quite a few of you how you had been inspired to pick your own grids and guides notebooks up and work some more into them.

Wouldn't it be amazing if we could share our efforts? With that in mind I have created a Flickr group for grids and guides stitching. It's an open group, anyone can join. You will find it here.

the next page

The next page/sample/test/exercise. This page is working for me, there is another layer to come which isn't in these images, it's not quite ready. What I'm not so happy with is where the two pages here come together, all that white space.

That's what sampling is for isn't it, assessing, changing things. Hopefully that is how 'artist book explorations' will evolve too, testing, sampling and changing where necessary, moving work forward in a different manner.

So what to do about this one? all that white space? The toggles will be removed and saved for a different area and the new page will be laid over that area, softening that space.

grids and guides

If there is a negative to constantly working in sketchbooks, artist books, ledgers and journals it's that one or two of them become neglected. I guess 'negative' is a little harsh, there really isn't a negative in any sense but there is the positive of having too many lovely books to work in.

This is my 'grids and guides' notebook which I haven't worked in for some time. Every time I post this notebook I get asked where you can buy it so the link is here....not on commission, I wish. I worked this little page over the weekend and below are a couple of images of previous pages in here. This book is so tightly bound it's impossible to flip or fold to show them alongside this work.

a little in love with paper

The past couple of weeks and the next week or so will be full of sampling, testing ideas and playing with book forms for 'artist book explorations'. This piece has been progressed over the past day or so, pages have been put together, combined with loose stitched pieces, attached to a sheet of acrylic paper to add a little strength and paper toggles have been made to adorn an edge.

A little like what came first, 'the chicken or the egg' I'm beginning to think about what comes first here, the stitching, the sampling or the artist book form. I'm leaning toward the stitching. There may be a vague plan as to how I hope the artist book will turn out but of course a page has to be suitable for a particular stitched piece or at least that's the way I work.

Paper is such a wonderful medium to stitch into, yes it can be tricky as some papers are very fragile but with care and patience it's mostly doable. Paper has a flexibility not present with cloth, it holds a fold better, it can be manipulated in so many different ways to cloth and it tears beautifully giving unexpected, unpredictable fragile edges.

more paper manipulation, artist book explorations

This is the latest piece in my 'pre class play' for artist book explorations. At the moment this is very much in it's early stages, there are still lots of pins and frayed edges.

How this one will evolve I'm not quite sure at the moment. There are a lot of possibilities for folding and even pockets here so I think it needs at least a couple more days of exploration.

I'm hoping to be well informed with regard to my new book forms before class begins so I can dive straight into the making, the pages, the artist books and embellishment with the group.

my little book of sewing

My little book of sewing is finished......inside are tiny collar samples, rouleau loop samples, piped edge samples and French seam samples. I have lots of room left to put more samples in here but there's a problem.....the pages are so heavily adorned that I am loath to cover those up.

Have plain pages then I hear you say. Well yes, but once I start I can't stop.

The upside, as my sample pile grows I will have need of another little book of sewing. It's a win win.

I'm taking a couple of weeks out from embroidery school. That doesn't mean I won't be sewing though. I will be continuing my sampling from here and here ready for 'artist book explorations'.

folding pages, folding paper, artist book explorations.

No, I'm not taking up a career in Origami. What I am doing is folding paper, testing page ideas, trying out page manipulation for my next class 'artist book explorations'.

This one is a sample. I am learning from this. It has inspired new ideas.

There's more paper to fold and a lot more stitching to do but if this is all I achieve I am happy....I love this just as it is.

pages in progress

This page is 'in progress'. I'm thinking it needs a little colour to lift it and there is quite a bit of white space to fill too. The drawstring which flows across both pages is cut from a very old garment and still has the original cord inside which I love but which I also think may be enhanced if I was to thread a narrow piece of coloured ribbon in there alongside it. I will play with that idea later.....

Artist book explorations.

Begins Monday March 9 2019 for 8 weeks.

Online format.... Private password protected blog.

In response to numerous requests and following on from the success of my last ''artist book'' online learning programme I have created this 8 week online learning experience to which you will have unlimited access. Yes, one sign up, unlimited access...forever.

Join me whilst I sample 'artist book' forms, building samples and stitched pages which I hope to present in an unusual and unique manner.

***please note. I have only basic book making skills. I am hoping to extend these skills by 'testing' various forms of page binding using paper and perhaps cloth too. I am happy for you to be experimental and adventurous with your own books. I encourage the pushing of boundaries, the exploration of idea and thought.***

My role will be to demonstrate the creation of collaged and textured sheets of paper, cloth and embroidery, to illustrate the creation of stitched scraps for pages and to then share how a page can be adorned in order to enhance the presentation of your sampling before investigating and testing ideas for finished book forms. This in turn will lead to the creation of unique ''artist books'', a library of ideas and inspiration and a valuable resource for the future in terms of design and the extension of embroidery sampling.

In addition to a private class blog where all video and images will be hosted you will have access to a private Flickr group where you can upload images, view images from other group members and participate in discussion re the course, suppliers, relevant exhibitions, artists etc. You will also be free to begin your own discussion topics.

Images of my own ''Artist Books'' can be seen here. From viewing these images you will gain an appreciation of what can be achieved during this programme and beyond.

http://karenannruane.typepad.com/karen_ruane/artist-books/

Please note, certain tasks within this programme may require the use of a sewing machine.

Access.... Unlimited. Forever.

Materials required.... List sent upon registration.

***No prerequisites, suitable for beginners and the more experienced.***

You do not need to have participated in any of my previous online learning programmes to take part in this class.

Register here.

my little book of sewing, it's growing.

My little book of sewing is almost finished. My samples are made and the pages fully embellished. This class finishes on Monday of next week when we will bind our pages and place each of our samples inside this little book. More samples can of course be added later if I wish and they most probably will be, sampling this kind of needlework is something I wish to do more of,  we have barely scratched the surface in class.

When this class has finished I am going to take a couple of weeks off from teaching and hopefully return refreshed and inspired to begin again with a short 'artist book' class.

Artist book explorations is listed here and all the details are below.

Begins Monday March 9 2019 for 8 weeks.

Online format.... Private password protected blog.

In response to numerous requests and following on from the success of my last ''artist book'' online learning programme I have created this 8 week online learning experience to which you will have unlimited access. Yes, one sign up, unlimited access...forever.

Join me whilst I sample 'artist book' forms, building samples and stitched pages which I hope to present in an unusual and unique manner.

***please note. I have only basic book making skills. I am hoping to extend these skills by 'testing' various forms of page binding using paper and perhaps cloth too. I am happy for you to be experimental and adventurous with your own books. I encourage the pushing of boundaries, the exploration of idea and thought.***

My role will be to demonstrate the creation of collaged and textured sheets of paper, cloth and embroidery, to illustrate the creation of stitched scraps for pages and to then share how a page can be adorned in order to enhance the presentation of your sampling before investigating and testing ideas for finished book forms. This in turn will lead to the creation of unique ''artist books'', a library of ideas and inspiration and a valuable resource for the future in terms of design and the extension of embroidery sampling.

In addition to a private class blog where all video and images will be hosted you will have access to a private Flickr group where you can upload images, view images from other group members and participate in discussion re the course, suppliers, relevant exhibitions, artists etc. You will also be free to begin your own discussion topics.

Images of my own ''Artist Books'' can be seen here. From viewing these images you will gain an appreciation of what can be achieved during this programme and beyond.

http://karenannruane.typepad.com/karen_ruane/artist-books/

Please note, certain tasks within this programme may require the use of a sewing machine.

Access.... Unlimited. Forever.

Materials required.... List sent upon registration.

***No prerequisites, suitable for beginners and the more experienced.***

You do not need to have participated in any of my previous online learning programmes to take part in this class.

Please allow 24 hours from registration to receipt of email detailing suggested supplies.

page composition

Pages, playing with putting little compositions together, seeing how they live on a page, how they might be manipulated, altered in some way to add more interest.

I swear my brain is overloaded with ideas but lacking a plan. The best thing I think is to just keep playing and hope it all falls into place.

And a memory from when all this seemed so much easier, less angst ridden. Where did those days go?