Karen Ruane

with added embroidered hexagons

I've added a few embroidered hexagons to the piece from yesterday.

I'm just playing here, as yet the bigger picture is a little blurred but if I keep going that lightbulb will come on!

web stitch....gingham, Liberty, hand embroidery

 

Gingham has featured a lot on here lately. That's because I have been making a table covering in 'sewing circle' inspired by memories of my nanna's. Those memories include gingham.

What particularly appeals to me in this work is how 'web stitch' appears to be perfect as a filling for those little squares.

(I'm hoping you notice the little isolated squares of web stitch dotted across the open gingham areas.)

The pieces here are 'ingredients' for my next cloth, stitch sample book.

I have one more page to embellish then I can start to put all this together.

Please take a look at my new class which begins in a few weeks.

This one is project specific which may appeal to some but as always in my classes you are free to work on any embroidery project, the guidance and support I provide remains the same whatever you decide to create!

bullion knots with blue and white

In my quest to continue with the type of work I showed you yesterday I have been titivating a scrap of stitched paper. Pieces like this need a stock of scraps to pull from...that is what this is. It's quite therapeutic to stitch a row of bullion knots onto collaged, stitched paper. The surface is obviously very different to cloth yet it has it's own unique appeal. 

I have plans for a lot more work like the piece I showed you yesterday. More collage needs to be put together, more paper needs to be stitched to scraps of fabric. There is new lace on order for a lace cloth/paper combo I wish to make too so prepare yourself for quite a few ''scrappy, paper, collage'' posts over the next ten days or so.

Cloth hasn't been completely abandoned, don't worry. There is embroidery on cloth happening in ''embroidery school'' and I hope to give you a glimpse of that sometime soon. We have been open for almost a week now. You're not too late to join us if you'd like to be part of a wonderful group of creative people.  There is more information here.

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torn paper and a page

paper

how paper might sit with cloth - Karen Ruane

subtle.....

 

A new pin pillow is taking shape, this one with more subdued colours, a subtle piece of Liberty fabric. Three seams are embroidered with bullion knots, one with stab stitch. There are two prairie points and I have begun a length of flowery long thingies, there are more of those to do. 

I was between creative ''jobs'' and put this together as a filler, to pick up at those times when for whatever reason I can't continue with a bigger project. Yesterday I was waiting for ink to dry on work for doodle, gather, create. Out came the fabric  boxes and hey presto!

Thank you so much for the response to my hankie cloth. It caused quite a stir. It's such a happy piece to work on, non precious in the ''don't touch'' sense, relaxing, innocent, fresh.....There is a lot of work still to do on it, I have plans for additional embellishment on the surface but first I have eight hankies to secure with running stitch.

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the ninth hankie

light as a feather

still sampling the bling....

More paperwork, more sampling, another page for doodle doo. I thought I'd throw a little colour into the mix, see how I felt about that.  It's OK...but OK doesn't really set me on fire. It is something I could investigate further, play with a little more in terms of scale and placement of the coloured aspect. For now though I prefer this particular piece without. It fits in doodle doo without the colour too. There is no colour in doodle doo.

The sampling bling with cloth is continuing. At the risk of boring you rigid I may have to show you that tomorrow. I'm painting, (allegedly) over in Simply Stitch 4, with blue, you may get to see that later this week. Meanwhile there are beds to change.....the excitement is killing me......not.

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black and white...

Doodle doo continued part two

back to doodle doo

The simply stitch 3 pouch

almost finished....

 

 

 

It's out of the hoop today, it's damp stretched. I have almost finished the embroidery on this pin pillow. Didn't take long did it? I surprised myself......I have added a couple of new things to it this morning, on camera, for the girls in simply stitch. This time tomorrow they should be embellished and then it's all systems go to backing and finishing.

 I nearly never came today, nearly had  a day off, playing hooky, hiding. I sometimes wonder if you get sick of me, the same old same old. I don't feel like I ever have anything interesting to say. When I think about it my life is 90% embroidery. Take that out and the domestic stuff and I don't do much that you would find  exciting. I'm not dissatisfied with that. I love my life and feel lucky that I get to sit and play during the day but really........it must get boring for you.

This morning I went out to the shed. My drier is out there so as it's raining I had no option. Later, in around an hour I am going to clean the bathroom....bit of an obsession that one. Much later I will cook salmon......see, I told you it wasn't exciting, unless you like salmon of course.

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parcels?

an interview....

lollipop?

sandwiches and tabs

 

 

I'm a little late today. That's because I am doing everything in slow motion, my attempt at taking it easy. I am still getting through more tissues than I ever thought humanly possible so less of that and I would have an abundance of time. I haven't even been to school today. It could be mayhem over there as they have been left unsupervised for so long. Actually....I daren't look. What have you been up to? 

Gentle embroidery on pin pillows is how I spent yesterday evening, when I wasn't nodding off in the chair. Two are now sandwiches ready to be finished. One of them is already spoken for and the other? well I got a bit carried away with that one It's huge....I am not listing anyway until they are all finished. I can't give you a day yet it depends on the tissue, blowing, nose situation. I also made tabs....I love those, tiny little things, very cute.

I also have hexagons on my mind,  a plan,  a plan for part of simply stitch. It is taking all my strength to control myself and not rush headlong into that one. Honestly....I am bursting with excitement, itching to do something with it....maybe a doodle. But then  I couldn't share. I would have to become a recluse...........

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the many stages of a pin pillow

today....

It's all good today. Up early, ironing board straight up, fabric out. A new piece put together, (you may see that tomorrow) and a lot of excitement removing last nights work from the damp stretching board...I positively couldn't contain myself. I added to my next pouch thingy with bullion knots, a snippet of lace and two very appealing edges that have me obsessed. I can guarantee there will be more of those. I made a video to show you those closely. This afternoon I have an appointment.  I don't want to go. I want to stay home and play.....

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Alchemy and Lace...

titivating

It's a long one today...in terms of images at least so maybe you want to put the kettle on. I'm being indecisive, couldn't decide which ones to leave out and didn't want to leave any until tomorrow. I have been making more cloth of the lace variety...ripe for titivating into pincushions. This is the cloth we will be making in lace class in a couple of weeks. There will be a lot of these images going on facebook and instagram later....you will be bored to death and have grown beards before bedtime. Death by lace cloth, there are worse ways to go.

We had a lovely meal last night....d e l i c i o u s. There are pics of that on instagram too...there is a link up top. (right hand side) Then there is this...my latest pouch/pocket thingy.

This one is coming along, slowly but it's coming. I feel as if I am on a roll and don't want to stop. It would be better if my trip to London was three weeks away not next week. Then again....all those lovely fabric shops, vintage shops. I will force myself to go.

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Alchemy and Lace...

pocket? pouch? thingy?

a tiny patchwork pocket....

a hoop full of bullion knots and another corner...

I finished another corner of my veil/festooned/lace thingy last night. I only have around 4 inches of the edge to complete now but I am searching for the right piece of lace to fit in there. I can't just add any only tat can I. I didn't feel like rummaging last night, I was cosy and chilled on the sofa so I picked up my wrapping cloth and added a zillion bullion knots to a seam...I think someone asked me what I was going to use this veil thingy for. The answer is nothing. It will just sit beautifully on my bed.

I feel slightly 'un focused' today....does that make sense? Like I need a challenge...like I want something new...not that I have a clue what I need or want or am searching for. The answer? Probably to put the kettle on.....

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adding lace to lace

two hoops....

Lace....