Karen Ruane

wrapping cloths and other important news

Hi everyone......

The most important news today.

Meet Sidney Isaac Ruane.

Born on Tuesday October 8th.

Nanna is in love all over again.

My heart is about to burst.

It makes embroidery seem insignificant but I'm hoping this little man might one day find himself swaddled in one of my wrapping cloths.

Speaking of wrapping cloths.....in this post I spoke about two cloths which need to be finished.

Guess what? I found another one.

When I eventually stop cuddling this baby I will make you a video about my wrapping cloths so stay tuned.

In other news.....subscription learning. A minimal fee for a monthly online learning opportunity. Details below.

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Join me on my 'stitch along' journey. Suitable for both the beginner and the more experienced embroiderer, stitch along gives you exclusive access to my practice as an embroiderer.

Each month there will be one hour of video content demonstrating embroidery process, including but not limited to hand stitches, design, embroidery on both fabric and paper.

In addition there will be monthly 'Zoom' get togethers where we will chat and discuss our personal creative projects and where guidance and feedback will be given where required. Attendance at zoom sessions is not compulsory.

Should you decide not to participate in those I will be available to you by email 24/7 as I will to the whole group.

Zoom sessions will also be recorded for you to view at your liesure.

It is my hope that this learning experience will be led by group members. Is there a particular stitch you would like to learn? A particular process? Just let me know and I will do my best to provide the relevant demonstrations.

I will be very flexible throughout this programme, putting you, the learner, and your needs at the forefront of my demonstrations.

Register here.

Subscription learning...but first, wrapping cloths.

Wrapping cloths.....where it all began!

There are two wrapping cloths here...unfinished.

These have been out this morning and plans are forming to complete each one.

For now these will be the focus here on my public blog whilst recent works will be completed privately with subscribers to my new online learning adventure!

For personal reasons I am unable to commit to intensive, weekly learning programmes at the moment.

The next best thing? A more relaxed monthly approach which I hope you will consider sharing with me.

The details and link are below.

 

Join me on my 'stitch along' journey. Suitable for both the beginner and the more experienced embroiderer, stitch along gives you exclusive access to my practice as an embroiderer.

Each month there will be one hour of video content demonstrating embroidery process, including but not limited to hand stitches, design, embroidery on both fabric and paper.

In addition there will be monthly 'Zoom' get togethers where we will chat and discuss our personal creative projects and where guidance and feedback will be given where required. Attendance at zoom sessions is not compulsory.

Should you decide not to participate in those I will be available to you by email 24/7 as I will to the whole group.

Zoom sessions will also be recorded for you to view at your liesure.

It is my hope that this learning experience will be led by group members. Is there a particular stitch you would like to learn? A particular process? Just let me know and I will do my best to provide the relevant demonstrations.

I will be very flexible throughout this programme, putting you, the learner, and your needs at the forefront of my demonstrations.

Our first video will be uploaded in the afternoon of Monday October 7th.

Register here.

design sheet and embroidery on white

Two pieces today.

The latest, finished piece for my lace cloth collection which I have been working on for quite some time....and a design sheet, very much in progress and which is taking shape with my subscription tiers on Ko-Fi.

You can sign up to one of my subscription learning tiers at any time and get access to all video posted since the start. You will also get free access to a past class, a ledgers class once you have completed three months subscription.

Back to the design sheet...there is a long way to go with this, a lot of white space to fill and I have plans.....

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A post shared by Karen Ruane (@karenruane)

Sunday morning videos

Sunday morning, creating video content for Sewing Circle.

We're on design sheets at the moment so it's all things paper.

gingham and buttons

Four new gingham swatches/tokens have been added to the pile which is growing fast.

(the new ones are the four pieces grouped neatly in the images.)

In the hoop...another gingham swatch, bigger this time.

Also today, hand stitched and wrapped buttons. I am practicing here, refreshing before demonstarting a 'how to' with my subscription groups sometime next week.

Lots going on here.

I have had visitors all week (they've gone now) so my weekend will be spent preparing for Artist Books 2023.

video day

A glimpse for you of how it looks here when it's video making day for my membership.

I have to admit this is quite tidy in comparison to some days.

The painted piece in the foreground is old work from Uni which I was referring to on camera as is the next piece, also from my Uni days.

I find it amazing how this 'old' work can still inspire me and how it definitely still informs my practice.

Never throw anything away!

Zoom stitching

The left hand page of this double page spread was started in my live, monthly Zoom embroidery get together earlier this week.

The basics were covered, composition, stitch choices, colour choices and I have progressed it since then to a point where it's almost finished.

I will then have to work on the right hand side and I have ideas for that so no worries there.

The book is a simple notebook, produced for making notes etc and stitching into the pages is quite a challenge but as you can see, it's doable.

hand embroidered sample book

My latest gingham creation is finished and in the shop.

I love making these, stitching the tiny squares, embellishing those with tiny stitches before adding them to a mount and stitching them again.

These are true labours of love.

I am going to be AWOL for a while now.

This little guy will be one year old soon and I am needed for a party in London.

There will be cake!

hand wrapped buttons and sewing circle.

It's not gingham. (there will be more of that soon)

We are stitching papers in sewing circle, this one is very much in its infancy.

I also had a few spare minutes......ok not a few but spare minutes none the less to hand wrap some buttons.

These are so good to have in your stash....so useful.

pillows, pages and buttons

It's an image heavy post today. It's proof I haven't been constantly eating chocolate over the holidays or twiddling my thumbs.

I promised a little shop update, a rare shop update and here it is.

The buttons you saw in detail yesterday, they're here if you missed them.