Karen Ruane

connected

 More surface embellishment has been added to this white piece. One edge now has three mirrors and a couple of other small areas have new loops added. I wanted to show this piece alongside this ledger page, to illustrate the connection between the page and the cloth. The last two pictures look the same at first glance but they aren't. There are different areas of the cloth visible in those. 

I'm not sure what to do with this piece of embroidery. A cushion? I really can't decide. I have a small hankering to over use mirrors, to add more. Indecision reigns.....

In other news.....my internet connection is dodgy today. I have videos made for SS4 but youtube is telling me they will take 340 minutes to upload???? Normally it takes between 5 and 10 minutes. So they are coming girls but please don't hold your breath.

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pages, ledger, body bag.

this and that....

edges and doodle doo

stitching, stitching and more stitching

yesterday....

green gingham loops

mirrors....

I'm running late today, too many distractions. The post arrived with some shiny, sparkly, dazzly things. I've been fondling. I've also been thinking, hard work sometimes. I'm scared I will mess this all up, make nothing of an acceptable standard, let you all down. I did have plans now I'm not sure they're good enough.

This is the result of the playing so far. Mirrors live beautifully with white. They live beautifully with lace. They also live beautifully with silk which I haven't yet used, not dupion anyway. I have decided to get ALL my design sheets out, ALL my recent ledger work, everything, the lot, look through it all and see if there is anything in there in terms of a design which could be tweaked to give me a better idea of a final outcome for the shiny, dazzly stuff.

Some of the stitching here doesn't meet the standard, the mirror stitching. I haven't done this for a while, it will take a little more practice so please don't judge me.

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white silk

a new surface

the beginning....

damp stretched

a new surface

I have been tempted by all things sparkly. I did warn you yesterday. These are ordered as is this, plans are afoot. All I need to do now is order more silk dupion, spend a few more hours on my sewing machine creating more of the cloth in today's pictures and wonderful things should happen.

The sewing machine part of this plan began yesterday afternoon using lace, metallic silk tissue and silk net. I embroidered on the surface last night, edging open areas and adding a solitary mirror. There will be more mirrors, they will happen when I am not half asleep...... at midnight......watching Netflix..... when I should be in bed.

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special.....

Lace cloth

paper page with a bullion edge

dotted.....

festooned/veil thingy

There are a few more images of my veil thing today, a closer look. I love this a lot. It is now hanging with the other cloth I showed you earlier in the week. It may just stay there then I can look at it more often than would be possible if it was laid on my bed. 

I have had a few mails about my pin pillow.....asking if I have any to sell. I am wondering if I should make some more for the shop. I probably will, as a small diversion. I will keep you posted on that one. Then there is the white bowl. A couple of commenter's asking why I am using something I bought for my son and his girlfriend, (for when they buy their house) to keep scraps of cloth in....well don't you remember? I bought them one and liked it so much I went back and got one for myself. So the ever present white bowl belongs to moi!

I have to go now, I'm going out. The girls in class have had their lesson, my pictures of embroidery that I take every day are taken, I have watched a decent amount of THE FUNERAL on TV. Then tonight I am going here, a belated birthday celebration for my little boy. See you tomorrow......

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details

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this weekend

the second one in progress

My second secret is taking shape and thank you for all the comments yesterday. I can't believe how many of you covet a little white cushion! This one is, in my opinion, going to be equally as lovely. You can let me know what you think when it's finished.  By my calculations the surface embroidery will be finished tonight.It will then need to be damp stretched, stuffed and titivated. And then there are the edges...I have plans, you will see.

I don't know what to post on here tomorrow. It's a quandary. I will have this embroidered and stretched but it will only be cross stitch that's new. There is a real danger that you will all die of boredom and I can't have that on my conscience so close to Christmas. So I am thinking....can you hear the cogs turning? I may just pull up a chair and invite you to embroider with me.......get the kettle on.

 

 

a little update......the stars that everyone loves in the comment section...I didn't embroider those. I wish I had but I didn't. That is vintage cloth bought from the internet. My guess is it's machine made.

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Alchemy 2013

continuing

Yesterday late, today early, bet you can't keep up. It's OK I can't either. I am expecting people later. People who allegedly are going to sort out my wonderful (NOT) internet connection. Least said the better. Get it sorted Richard Branson.

Embroidery, my veil, my festooned thingy. I planned this video last week. Two videos in a row you are so spoilt. Work on this continues, joining more pieces, adding sections and generally titivating. More work was added to my new piece last night too.  Do you think my 'distraction' phase is being awakened again? I do.....

a corner.....

What a day...I'm supposed to be in a hurry...I have somewhere to be. I am going here. I haven't been there for 12 years minimum. My son went to London this morning to spend the weekend with his sister so when the kids away the adults play!! There will be candy floss, bingo and donuts. The excitement is mounting...honestly. And yes...my definition obsession continues, can't help myself.

bin·go   (bngg)

 

n. pl. bin·gos

A game of chance in which each player has one or more cards printed with differently numbered squares on which to place markers when the respective numbers are drawn and announced by a caller. The first player to mark a complete row of numbers is the winner.

 

I do have quite a bit to say though...hope you don't fall asleep. First the work. I added yesterdays piece to a corner. I am quite pleased with the pictures despite the scruffy table back drop. They show the said corner off really well. There are also dangly things which don't really dangle but I preferred them this way. Next week there will be a video about this piece as in all honesty I do think you get a better sense of it that way.

Second, comments. I try and reply to every comment I get and manage to keep up quite well even if it does take me a while sometimes. It's also a good way for me to have a poke around your blogs and see what you have been up to. But...and isn't there always a but? I do have times, not often but I do when I get a little overwhelmed with mail. One of the advantages of Typepad is that I can reply to comments in the comments section. So my plan? This morning I have replied to every comment I got yesterday in the comment section of yesterdays post. I don't intend to only ever do it that way, I will...... I promise .......get round everyone's blogs at least once a week. Hand on heart I will. Aside from the fact that I think it is only polite I am very nosey and don't like to miss anything, proper curtain twitcher I am  and visiting other blogs is a true pleasure. So if you ask a specific question you could check here first to see if I have answered.

Finally.....yes I promise I'm going soon......this week the postman has been extra kind to me. I am so lucky. Don't know why....but I am also very grateful. I received some beautiful lace from Barbara and then out of the blue this morning a loud banging on the door and the biggest surprise I've had for a long time...a delicious fruit cake from Henrietta. I have no words.......

OK...I'm off to Blackpool. Who wants a stick of rock?

the next piece.....

Don't faint...second post of the day. Why? Well I can't just leave you with an old video can I, that wouldn't do at all. This is the latest damp stretched piece for my festooned veil/cloth. I am going to attach it tonight and enhance it with dangly things. This piece has an abundance of bullion knots, mirrors and open areas. My cloth continues to grow.....slowly....I'm in no hurry.

hexagon show and tell along with mirrors in progress.....

Today you have a short video. Why? Well I am hoping it will enable you to see the hexagon seam clearly but failing that the reverse of the seam is visible on the left in the top image and on its own in the last image. There are also mirrors in progress here....an idea I had whilst putting videos together for Friday's class. Can't say more about those until the girls have seen them on Friday but suffice to say I was enormously frustrated last night when I couldn't get these damp stretched for today. I ran out of time, bed was calling, they weren't finished.....such is life.

I have had a few enquiries about 'embroider, embellish, create''.....I have a dilemma. I could list it again and see who signs up BUT....If I didn't get enough takers I wouldn't be able to run it. It is such an all consuming class that without a minimum number it really wouldn't be possible. Then I could refund if I don't get enough by a certain date....what to do....What would you do?

Back to the here and now though...the video. A little chat about this piece with the hexagons and definitely a much better way of examining this delicate cloth that is evolving beautifully...(in my opinion)

 

 

          

questions, question, questions....

In my quest to transfer from the old place I have added a new page today...questions and answers. Just look up, it's at the top under the picture. It is quite long...you may grow a beard but hey just read until the boredom sets in.

In the embroidered world......this piece is now finished. You will be seeing a lot of this kind of thing from now on as I have a plan. A wrapping Cloth created from sections of this...at least that is the ''plan''...fingers crossed that I can pull it off. I envisage a cobweb like structure, light, airy, glittering with mirrors and festooned with bullion knots....

fes·toon   (f-stn)

n.

1. A string or garland, as of leaves or flowers, suspended in a loop or curve between two points.

2. A representation of such a string or garland, as in painting or sculpture.

tr.v. fes·tooned, fes·toon·ing, fes·toons

1. To decorate with or as if with festoons; hang festoons on.

2. To form or make into festoons.

 

Maybe I haven't used the word in it's most exact form...but I like it and it's my blog.

What will I do with it when it's finished? Haven't a  clue......but I will have it, it will exist, that's enough.

 

 

and I almost forgot...this is now in the shop.