Karen Ruane

more buttons

I've been having a 'stock take' of my embroidered buttons, seeing how much attention my stash needs.

I don't have as many as I thought but I do use them to adorn embroidered pieces and to titivate pages in stitched notebooks so it's an ever decreasing collection.

Sewing circle has been active for almost one week. Already there is such a wonderful community spirit (in fact the sense of community and friendship is what I love most about these groups) and the early plans of each group member are very exciting.

It's not too late to join us.

You can read more here.

buttons

There's button making happening here.

It's so useful to have a stash of hand made buttons for future projects. These are rarely used as functional fastenings, they are mostly used for adornement.

You may see these on a seam or an edge at some point in the future.

hand embroidery

I can't tell you how much I am enjoying just hand stitching into silk. It's so relaxing and meditative.

I'm hoping to have a huge stash of these samples before sewing circle draws to a close, also maybe a few pillows and pouches and a needlecase or two.

 

four inch pages, an artist book

I finally finished this little artist book. The pages measure four inches square and are now crammed with embroidery, buttons, ribbons, patchwork, beads and pom poms.

It's now available to buy here.

Tomorrow my  'sewing circle' will get together for the first time. I am more than excited at the prospect of spending the next twelve weeks stitching and chatting with this group, sharing ideas, inspiration and a love of hand stitch.

If you are considering joining us it is not too late, not only can I guarantee you will have the best time, you will also be supporting this small business of mine.

Thank you to everyone who is already registered. It means a lot.

You can read more here.

circles

Circles.....one unfinished, sorry. This is continuing sampling, getting to know my needle, practicing.

In the last image my sample is laid alongside the pieces I showed you last time. They were pinned then, they are now secured with hand stitch, no pins.

My sewing circle gets together for the first time on Monday. I will be putting this work away and concentrating on sample pieces begun in that gathering.

It's started already, the past week has been a whirl of video making and new samples.

It's not too late to join us. Go here to read more.

binding raw edges

I'm in the process of securing the most vulnerable edges on these samples by binding them with ribbon.

Hopefully this will give some protection, prevent excess fraying until I find a permanent home for them.

There are two samples waiting in the wings to be damp stretched too, they will also get the ribbon treatment!

If you are joining my 'sewing circle' on Monday of next week, if you are registered, you should have received an email from me today.

If you haven't received that can you please let me know.

practice

Practice? Well practice just means sampling which I'm still doing, which I will be doing for the foreseeable, for the twelve weeks of sewing circle anyway.

I'm playing with an alphabet idea here and some circular things which started off as the simplest doodles of a button....boy they have morphed into so much more. I could definitely become addicted to those.

Back to the lettering...I don't consider the 'B' to be a success but you know what I'm going to say don't you.....that's what sampling is for, to see what works and what doesn't.

hand embroidered hexagons

The embroidered hexagons were first posted yesterday. Today they are posted again, as part of a sample.

I'm thinking I should have edged them with a lemon thread maybe but then that's what sampling is for, to sample, to test, to learn.

 

Doodling on cloth and sampling colour, stitches, placement and pattern is happening because it's fun! but also because this is what will be happening in my 'sewing circle' which begins next Monday. You can read more about that here and the following images are past pieces of doodled and embroidered cloth. Can you see the potential?