Karen Ruane: loops

loops

01/22/2017

beaded loops and tiny stitching

It's a bit of this and that today. There's a tiny scrap which came away from a larger piece but has now been transformed into a page for a new artist book and there's a new piece in progress. I'm not sure what the new piece will be yet. I started it to satisfy a craving I had to stitch beaded loops onto silk velvet. Who knows where these cravings come from or why we are compelled....

The artist book is some way from being finished. There may only be a dozen or so tiny pages but what to put on each of those pages requires me to stretch my imagination and ponder for what seems like forever so please don't hold your breath for that to be finished. I'm hoping to make six of those....no pressure then. I'm not going to push it though. If I make six then great, if I don't then no problem.

We are making beaded loops, sample cloths and wonderful things with paper, collage and stitch in embroidery school. It's not too late to join us and you get to keep the videos forever, yes....and ever...so there's no rush to make anything at all, you can merely sit at the back, drink tea, eat cake and watch. You can read more here....

Posted at 01:08 PM in artist books, beads, bullion knots, loops, scraps | Permalink | Comments (5)

10/02/2016

lime green, pink and bullion loops

The ''nod to the bored minority'' pocket....progress. In truth there isn't a lot of embellishment left to be added to this. A couple of strategically placed hexagons will complete the surface later today and then I can line this, fold it, titivate the edges and it will be finished....a little pocket, a little pouch. The fourth and fifth images here give an idea of how this will look after folding.....

I have a huge ''to do'' list today. The good thing about my list, it's not a list of chores it's a list of good things, collage, machine embroidery with paper and cloth....I might fit in a little whizz round with the hoover too, (best keep the domestic goddess aspect happy). I started early today, finished the third little artist book. I plan on showing you those on Tuesday if all goes to plan because tomorrow I want you to see how good I am being with my class work.

Posted at 01:01 PM in applique, bullion knots, lace cloth, loops, pocket | Permalink | Comments (6)

Tags: applique, bullion knots, pocket

07/08/2016

my pink and sugary world

It's a good thing I love these colours....I am using this palette in class too....I am surrounded at the moment by baby pink, soft greens and all things pretty. Once upon a time, in another life I would have recoiled from this kind of colour scheme...how times change.

So what's new on here since you last saw it? Three half cutwork motifs on a strip of gingham, that's what's new. This piece can't get finished quickly enough for me, I am desperate to have it. I know I already have it but not as a finished piece to fold, to unfold, to hang, to lay over a chair, to look at every day. My fingers can't work fast enough........

Posted at 12:52 PM in bullion knots, cutwork, embroidery, gingham, loops | Permalink | Comments (8)

Tags: bullion knots, cutwork, embroidery, gingham, lops, pink

06/29/2016

triple bullion knots

New embroidery on an ''in progress cloth'' which you have seen before. This seam.......sigh....triple bullion knots, coloured loops, lovely. I could titivate everything I own with this process, I'm tempted....the edge of a curtain, the side of the sofa......can you imagine? I also managed to sneak in a new cutwork circle, medallion like and edged with chain stitch.

I do believe the shop link didn't work for most of yesterday. My fault entirely, Glastonbury brain fog....it's fixed now. (although it will be closing again later tonight)

I'm off again first thing in the morning. Technically I am on my holidays now.....I just can't keep away, I'm addicted, this little place in cyberspace and I are inseparable. I hope to return fired up and newly energised creatively from seeing the work of the latest batch of Design Graduates....here's hoping. I recommend a good look around the website, it's fresh talent, inspiring commitment, amazing creativity.

Posted at 01:12 PM in bullion knots, loops, seam | Permalink | Comments (10)

Tags: bullion knots, loops, seam, triple edge

06/10/2016

lace and bullion knot seam

I succumbed.....I joined these two pieces, the temptation got the better of me. It's one seam, one seam now embellished with lace and bullion knots. You do know what this means? It means I will have to make more of this cloth, embroider the surface with French knots and create myself another piece for another seam. I have such a hard life.......

Posted at 12:51 PM in bullion knots, lace, loops, seam | Permalink | Comments (8)

Tags: bullion knots, lace, loops, seam

04/27/2016

Bullion loops.....

I'm convincing myself that I am capable of embroidering a bullion loop following on from my chat about failure in that department in France which I posted yesterday. I'm also unloading a bit today about my lack of direction, my floundering as I am ''between'' things, classes and such like. I'm also talking about the fact that I am going away again tomorrow......sorry.....it's compulsory, there's a special occasion I cannot avoid. Because of that, if you register for ''Stitching a Story'' after today you will need to wait 72 hours for your ''welcome'' mail....thought I best explain that one. I'm not completely abandoning you though. I am working very hard to pre time blog posts for when I'm away....you don't get rid of me that easily.

If you weren't here yesterday I can recommend the video...a chat about my workshop in France.

Posted at 12:59 PM in beads, bullion knots, buttons, loops, silk, video | Permalink | Comments (8)

03/05/2016

pieces for a pocket

Do you remember this post, this red and white pocket? I said in that post that this pocket would look a lot different when it was finished and here are two more pieces of that puzzle, two pieces which will alter how you might expect that pocket to look when it's finished. I can' t say any more at the moment and this one may not be finished for a couple of weeks. There is stitching to add to these surfaces and then there's the lining to make before it's all put together.

In terms of stitching I need another two bumpy bits and possibly more Suffolk puffs.....the lining will be embellished too and let's not forget the button....

Posted at 12:49 PM in applique, bullion knots, loops, pocket, Suffolk puffs | Permalink | Comments (4)

Tags: bullion loops, bumpy bits, pocket, Suffolk puffs

02/20/2016

Pink Gingham....flowers...

Another pillow top is taking shape, pink gingham flowers, silk background, lots of bullion knots and a a little chain stitch. This one will hopefully have oversized funky puffs too, somewhere to stick the pins!!

There is a lot going on in the background here, all being photographed and recorded to share with you at some point. Final titivations are needed on some things but tomorrow I hope to show you a little white ''thing'' I have just finished.

As you may know I have been listing a lot of past classes as ''work on your own'' where there is no interaction with others on the private class blog and no interaction within a private forum on Flickr. I realise that a lot of people prefer to be part of an active group, a group where ideas can be shared and support is freely available as opposed to working in complete isolation. For that reason I will be ''rerunning'' some classes with new Private blogs and new Private flickr groups. All videos will be those used in the initial classes but the difference will be the access to a wider group and regular appraisal and input from me. (this does not happen with work on your own classes) (and....the price will be the same as that for the equivalent ''work on your own'' class. ....extra features....no extra charge)

If you took part in any of these classes first time round there is no need for you to register now...Video content is exactly the same as that posted in the initial run of the class. These ''rerun'' classes are for those people who have not taken these classes in the past.

There will be more news on the first class to be posted as a ''rerun'' on Monday.

Posted at 12:45 PM in bullion knots, cutwork, flowers, gingham, loops, silk | Permalink | Comments (8)

Tags: bullion knots, cutwork, flowers, gingham, pink, silk

09/03/2015

two....

Two pocket tops, one moved on more than the other. These are this one and this one with added titivations. One has a new pocket with lilac cloth with little circles, the edge of which is crammed with bullion loops and French knots. There's also a tiny double cloth applique on that one, edged with bright pink bullion loops.

The other, the one that has had least attention now has a length of gimp attached which is secured with multi colour bullion knots....I think I need to work on that one some more tonight.

I have been cutting out pages for little books and collaging scraps of tissue paper with torn paper doilies too. I may show you that tomorrow if I make enough progress....

Posted at 12:39 PM in applique, bullion knots, loops, loopy edge, pockets, two | Permalink | Comments (8)

Tags: in progress, patterned cloth, pockets, surface

08/14/2015

stems.....

Last night, buttons, stems and bullion loops with a little gimp thrown in. Buttons...continuing yesterday's video chat, bullion loops, stems and gimp...extending this piece as also seen here in it's earlier stage.

I didn't want to put this down last night, could have gone on all night....maybe I will tonight....then again I have pockets to titivate for class, panels to embroider for the body bag. Not a problem, I will just keep stitching, eventually everything will be stitched and stitched and stitched some more.