Karen Ruane

patterning

The new piece you can see here is the continuation of  'finishing' works started in 'sewing circle'.

Patterning has been hand drawn onto the background before being hand embroidered. It's not finished yet, there are one or two areas which still require hand stitch.

If you read this post there is another glimpse of this process. Also in the linked post is news of a newsletter with a free class attached.

I urge you to contact me today for access to that newsletter if you would like to take advantage of the class as I am taking a week off from today.

Registrations for 'interactive sewing circle' will remain open whilst I am away.

For the next few days I will be in London. Having not been able to travel for months I am more excited than I can say. I have two exhibitions booked, a lot of coffee drinking and sitting on the banks of the Thames planned along with a definite intention to replenish my 'stash'.

Whilst I am away the final pieces of my house renovation will be completed (the indoor stuff)...phew....next up, the garden.

Stay safe everyone and happy stitching x

 

how a collection might come together

Phew, I nearly never made it today, I ran all the way here.

The reason? I have been putting together a newsletter, yes, I don't do those very often and it's almost exactly one year since the last one but more of that later.

My oversized puffs/beads have now been added to the lower edge of an embroidered silk panel.

That piece is laid here alongside another piece from the same collection, my sewing circle collection.

Hopefully you can see how, with the addition of complimentary adornments, hand stitched seams and a consistency of colour and pattern these collections come together, the individual pieces are comfortable together, belong together.

Back to the newsletter. This one includes access to a free class from many, many years ago. It's not much but I hope it helps pass away a few hours for at least one of you.

If you aren't on my newsletter mailing list then please just drop me an email to

contemporaryembroidery (at) hotmail (dot) com

and I will forward the latest offering.

 

oversized, hand embroidered fabric beads

I've been making adornments, things to titivate edges, you can never have too many of those.

These are oversized, hand embroidered fabric beads, or puffs, whatever you want to call them.

They started life as eight inch circles of silk and now measure approximately four inches across.

I already have a plan for these ones, a lower edge where they will live and I will show you that soon. Meanwhile, although the current run of sewing circle has come to an end I am continuing to finish pieces I started there.

adorning a silk background, a page

Sewing circle officially finished yesterday. (not sewing circle interactive with live zoom sessions which you can read about here!)

The twelve weeks of this class have flown by but as usual I am playing catch up. That happens because my own work is put to one side as I introduce new ideas for the group but I like this period at the end of class when my own pieces begin to come together.

The images today are of my next page, the next piece of my 'sewing circle' cloth book.

You can see the other pieces here, here and here. 

a selection from embroidery school

The images today are from past 'embroidery school', 'sewing circle' online learning programmes.

I'm refreshing my memory, reminding myself of the possibilities.

It's my birthday tomorrow. The cake arrives this afternoon. You know where i'll be!!

pockets

Lots of images for you today, evidence that I haven't been sitting twiddling my thumbs.

These pieces have evolved over the past 12 weeks of 'sewing circle'. It's our final week next week. (how did that happen?)

There are one or two things to finalise for class but even then, when class is finished, I intend to take this work forward.

I hope you can see in these images the pockets I have built into this piece. You know how much I love a pocket!

In the last two images I have laid this piece alongside other finished pieces from this collection.

Sewing circle.

 

 

Sewing circle interactive.

Beginning Monday July 5th for twelve weeks, join me on this 'fly on the wall' embroidery journey, a circle of like minded women with a love of cloth and thread coming together for gentle sewing and supportive interaction.

Built into this twelve week programme, via Zoom are six live question and answer sessions and an opportunity for you to receive face to face feedback on embroidered works in progress.

(These live sessions will consist of three set days with two sessions on those days to allow for time zone differences.)

You are welcome to join a specific session or both sessions if your day allows for this.

Live sessions will be as follows

Monday July 26. 10am and 7pm GMT
Monday August 23. 10am and 7pm GMT
Monday September 13. 10am and 7pm GMT

You do not need a Zoom account to access live sessions. Codes and or invitations are sent via your email account.

(most latest model laptops have built in cameras and microphones as do iPads)

Participation in the Zoom aspect of this course is not compulsory.

It is also possible to participate in a Zoom discussion without video i.e. with sound alone.

(If you are shy we don't need to see you on Zoom. If we can hear you it would be a delight on its own. This is a steep curve for me too and I am going to have to ensure my roots are in tip top condition)

During non Zoom weeks video will be provided on a private, password protected blog detailing and demonstrating process carried out in the day to day of my life as an embroiderer.

There will be embroidery on cloth, embroidery on paper, button making, edge adornment and much more.

Throughout my life as an embroidery teacher I have experienced the joy created when groups of women join together to share their creativity with needle and thread. Friendships are formed, bonds are created and the shared love of embroidery is spread far and wide.

Being a member of this sewing circle will allow for the learning of basic embroidery techniques for the beginner whilst providing an opportuntiy for the more experienced needlewoman to develop her own personal style.

Joining our circle of stitchers will give you access to a private image sharing and discussion forum where you can interact with other members of the group, be inspired by the work of others, share tips, suppliers and receive encouragement with regard to your stitching progress.

My wish is for you to use this learning experience in the manner best suited to you, to learn in a way which makes you happy and furthers your individual creativity.

There are no deadlines, no set tasks.

Access to all video resources is permanent, forever.

Suitable for the beginner and the more experienced embroiderer.

Places on this course are limited due to the demands of the live sessions.

Registrations are non refundable unless I have to cancel the course for any reason in which case monies will be refunded in full.

A list of suggested equipment and an email containing more information will be issued four weeks before the commencement of class.

Register here.

 

the third in the series

In this post a couple of days ago I spoke about the next piece in this collection, a stitch sample in the form of a flower.

This is it, laid amongst the other finished pieces.

There are more flower samples which will be mounted in this way before I tie them all together somehow to create a little book of samples.

Suffolk puffs

This morning I was looking back at Suffolk puffs. That's because I was in the middle of making more to enhance the next piece in this series.

I have made many, many more than the ones shown here, these are the ones however which had me salivating this morning.

progress

I've been making progress with my heart embroideries. They are now both backed with embroidered and pieced fabric.

The pom poms are there because I couldn't resist.

Next up in this series are embroidered flowers. They too will be mounted and backed using the same fabric as here.

Meanwhile, work from sewing circle is continuing although class finishes next week. How did that happen?