Karen Ruane

new pages, more adornment and artist book learning opportunities.

Two new pages have been worked on in my little notebook. I am fitting this in as and when I have time in between working on lace class.

It will be a slow process to finish this embellished notebook but that gives me plenty of time to think about what I can add.

There has been a lot of interest in my embroidered notbooks, thank you! You can see more of those here, here and here.

I hope you like the latest additions to this one.

The images below are a snapshot of my table over the last couple of days. It's a busy, happy, creative and productive space chez moi.

 

If you are interested in learning the 'how to' regarding my stitched notebooks and artist books there are two 'work on your own' online learning classes listed in the shop.

Artist books can be found here and below is a small selection of pieces created during that class.

A shorter class, 'artist book explorations' can be found here and again, the images below give a snapshot of pieces worked on during that online learning programme.

 

 

stitching graph paper

Hi everyone, how we doing? I hope you all are healthy, mentally too, that lockdown isn't bringing you down. In normal circumstances being confined to the house would be my idea of heaven but I do miss my family, my kids as I'm sure you do too. There's going to be one hell of a garden party at the towers when all this is over that's for sure.

Meanwhile, this book....this amazing book of graph paper which for the princely sum of two pounds is giving me endless hours of creative pleasure. The second page is finished and if you are in my current class we tackle the third page on Monday. (don't panic if you haven't got any graph paper.....when have I ever let you down?)

I am loving working in this, it's occasionally tricky, often challenging but ultimately it's more than worth the fiddle.

On Sunday I will post the next installment of my free embroidery class. How's that going for you? It's hard for me to get a measure of how many of you are following that one but if you are following I hope it's filling a few spare minutes for you and don't forget you can mail me if you have any questions regarding process etc.

Speaking of embroidery classes....I have been mulling over if there should actually be another class of any kind. I do sense a tiredness, a familiarity and have considered calling it a day permanently. I did mention this to my group recently and one or two of them, (thank you) one or two of them contacted me asking that I please continue, that I reconsider.

In view of this I'd like to try and gauge how much interest there might be if I were to begin a new, purely embroidery class. I would be grateful for your thoughts on that.

Finally.....it would appear I have been ignoring poeple the world over.....not deliberately I hasten to add. For some reason Typepad has ceased to inform me when comments are posted here despite my settings being correct. I'm trying to keep up to date with those manually now but please accept my apologies and bear with me.

 

wrapping a stitched notebook

Hi everyone, how are you doing? I'm sending good thoughts your way from Lancashire and hope you are managing to keep well, safe and creative.

Don't forget my free embroidery class which you can find here. Dip in and out whenever you fancy. So far I have uploaded the first two posts, there is a lot more to come and the next installment will be going on here on Sunday.

Embroidering notebooks remains my focus outside of teaching. Another double page spread is finished and the wrap for this little book is ready to be attached.

I'm thinking about making some of these little books myself rather than using bought books. Later today i'll have a look at the possibilities of that, cut some paper, see where it leads.

layers of paper, lace and embroidery

Hi everyone, how you all doing? I hope you and yours are healthy and calm, doing what makes you happy in such extraordinary times.

Aside from class work I am continuing to embellish notebooks, double page spreads in tiny little booklets and going back to the last time I was here, that page edge which was troubling me.....it is now adorned with sequins.

I will post the next videos for my 'embroidering through the madness' offering on Sunday. We will be learning double knot stitch and raised chain band.  As always the link to that resource is at the top of this page under the header image. If you are wondering what on earth I am talking about then just follow that link, it's all explained on there.

Until next time....take care of yourselves and each other.

notebook stitching therapy

I don't know how often you come here for a visit but if you didn't see it the other day I am uploading a past embroidery class onto these pages so nobody has an excuse to twiddle their thumbs whilst we are on lockdown.  You can read the original post and see the first videos here. It's important to read that post if you haven't already as it clarifies one or two things about the videos. I will post new video every Sunday I think until the full course is on here. Although you haven't paid for this one I am going to make myself available to you for queries etc. That's only fair. I imagine one or two of you may have a few questions regarding process etc. Don't hesitate to mail me at contemporaryembroidery at hotmail dot com if you need anything in relation to the videos.

In addition, I have placed a link to the free class at the top of this page under the header image titled 'embroidering our way through the madness'.

I hope you are all keeping well, staying safe, your loved ones too.

Me? This morning I put in a substantial thread order. You won't be stitching through the madness on your own.

The past few days have been about notebook stitching The images here are the result of that work but there is a little bit of space on the right hand page which I'm not happy with so I will add to this one later.

Also, artist book explorations is in its second week of eight. Work is progressing for that class and if you would like to join us you can read more here.

layering papers, extending stitched pages

The first week of a new class in embroidery school. We are layering papers, stitching pages, ripping pattern, the Flickr group is looking amazing....my faith in your creativity and your love of all things stitch is strengthened daily, thank you.

progress

I shouldn't have posted yesterday. That piece wasn't quite ready and the photographs really didn't do it justice. Compare those to the images today where the embroidered lace and paper piece is now attached to a notebook page and the page wrap is finished. The wrap has buttonhole loops which I have threaded with pink gingham ribbon. I may work on that some more, add more buttonhole loops.

(if you are taking my new class 'artist book explarations'.....do you remember I said yesterday 'is a piece ever really finished'? The lace piece here, the piece attached to the page illustrates that perfectly. Can you see what I see? Maybe I should set you some homework lol)

embellished

When you last saw this piece here it was 'raw', unstitched, unadorned. It's now ready to be added to a page in my little notebook. After that I will finish the page wrap which is partially stitched and add that too.

I think that makes four notebooks in progress at the moment in terms of adornment, four notebooks already crammed with stitch which will have more embroidery added over the coming weeks.

If you are registered for 'artist book explorations' you should have received sign in details, passwords etc earlier today for our private class blog. Invitations to our private Flickr group have also been issued. If you haven't received any of these can you please let me know.

artist books and suffolk puffs

These images popped into my facebook feed this morning, memories, very apt as it turns out because it gave me the chance to post today and say if you are registered for 'artist book explorations' you should have received an email from me this morning. If you didn't receive an email can you please let me know.

and seeing those oversized, embroidered suffolk puffs again has got me itching to make some more.

taking stock

Today is about taking stock, assessing where I am up to with my sampling, my ideas for book forms, for creating sculptural and beautifully adorned pages for 'artist book explorations'. Tommorow I will make our first videos and looking here at my work to date we may find ourselves beginning 'in the middle' somwhere. Don't worry about that, it will all fall into place. Sometimes the middle informs the beginning and the end.

Looking here it's the white piece at the bottom of the image and the little folded booklet top right which have spoken to me today. There are plans for those now, plans which have taken some time to form but that's the reason I haven't been teaching for a few weeks, I wanted to allow these ideas time to develop.

I'm ready now....are you?