Karen Ruane

gingham, Liberty and hand stitch sampling

I last explored the potential of sampling hand stitch on gingham here, in fact if you follow the gingham category on here there is so much more of this. (this post will be first, just scroll past)

There are a few things in progress here and this has just lengthened that list.....too many distractions but that's a good thing.

I'm still working on pin pillows and fitting in sewing machine time where possible for lace cloth creation along with stitched papers.

I will be away for a week now, I'm off to London, a pre Christmas visit with Master Stanley.

Miss you already x

 

more colour sampling with stitch

Thank you so much for all the amazing messages regarding my last post.

Todays work is more sampling of colour with stitch but on a much smaller scale.

These pieces were worked at the same time as the larger pieces.

The large ones measure ten by seven inches, these are much smaller, only four by three inches.

I have been asked if these will be for sale at some point. I'm sorry but no, I keep these type of samples for reference, for future classes and my own personal collection.

I do however have one little embroidered gingham book for sale here.

I hope you enjoy looking at this little collection today. Next time you see them I hope they will be in book form.

sampling colour with stitch

I started these stitch samples a couple of months ago in the last sewing circle class.

They were waiting for a 'resolution', just samples on blue gingham, not backed, not resolved.

Yesterday they found homes on more gingham, gingham mounts stitched simply around all four sides with running stitch.

I'm a little bit in love.

Now I have to decide the next step. How to store them, preserve them. I'm thinking some kind of book. (as if you couldn't guess that, it's always a book ha ha)

I'll keep you posted.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Karen Ruane (@karenruane)

paper, lace, pattern and stitch

This work is so very inspiring, (for me). A ledger, a design exercise, a means of recording coulour, pattern and texture taken from an initial source. (my source being an embroidered sample.) Sampling in the manner shown in these images and in the study which precedes all this, the pages of colour study, proportion and shape will lead to embroidered samples on cloth which reflect this initial sampling, recording and study.

In addition to the sampling which will be worked within this ledger, within this learning programme I am inspired in other ways. This process has sparked many ideas for embroidery school and pieces outside of that too, so much so that I am about to begin piecing, stitching and adorning for a little personal project.

stitching a doodle

This is the second time I have stitched a little into a page with you. (recently at least) I refer to the first time in the short video today and you can see that here if you haven't a clue what I am talking about. In the video here I say I most likely won't work on this any more for the time being but as soon as I turned the camera off I added running stitch, more French knots and a couple of little beads.

It's surprising how little embroidery is needed to lift a page, to alter it completely, to add depth and texture.

mixing, paper, cloth and stitch....

The pages from yesterday....now laid between embroidered samples, embroidered cloth samples. I am loving the ribbon here, the green vintage inspired ribbon. There will definitely be more of that appearing in my work.

I'm not stopping long today. There's paperwork to do....I wish I could insert an emoji here....

A post shared by Karen Ruane (@karenruane) on Aug 27, 2018 at 5:09am PDT

The pages from yesterday....now laid between embroidered samples, embroidered cloth samples. I am loving the ribbon here, the green vintage inspired ribbon. There will definitely be more of that appearing in my work.

I'm not stopping long today. There's paperwork to do....I wish I could insert an emoji here....

A post shared by Karen Ruane (@karenruane) on Aug 27, 2018 at 5:09am PDT

a sequined edge

Here it is...finished, backed, titivated.....and edged with sequins on two sides. I resisted the temptation to use 'dangly' things. I love the contrast between the ornate sequined sides and the other two simply stitched using running stitch edges.

I guess this may qualify as a lap quilt...it's eighteen by twenty inches. It won't be used as a lap quilt but it will be on my lap a lot so I can examine it.

When you are in the process of creating a piece like this, or any piece for that matter you are always driven to continue, it keeps you going and feeds you creatively and even though I have lots of things which inspire me, work which is ongoing for online classes, plans for more design sheets.....there is still a hole left when something like this gets finished. There's a little bit of bewilderment about what comes next, at least there is for me. I may have several things 'on the go' but when one thing is removed from that group I am always left wondering how to fill the gap....

stitch ledger

Last year I said 2018 would be the year of my stitch ledger......and here it is, created in 'embroidery school' which is now finished. In truth I have enough stitch samples for at least one more stitch ledger. That may happen at some time in the future. 

This little, completely hand embroidered, hand pieced, hand 'put together' cloth book measures six by six inches with the internal pages being five inches square. I think I am a little in love. I also think I am lucky, lucky I have this, lucky that I can pick it up every single day.

Another podcast reminder. Please go here to listen if you haven't already or even to listen again if you're a glutton for punishment.....Liza....lol.

If you are registered for my new class which began today you should have had notification of our first post, our first videos and demonstrations. If you haven't had that notification can you please let me know. You should also have received your invitation to our private Flickr group. Again, if you don't yet have the please let me know.

You can read more about my new class here.

A quick flick through of my little stitch ledger...on camera.

 

 

Stitch ledger. Embroidery School 2018. We had such a wonderful and creative 12 weeks in this class. I'm sad it's finished. Happy times with an amazing group. #embroidery #2018embroideryschool #onlinelearning Don't forget to check out my podcast over on @stitcherystories_podcast where I speak about my online learning classes and my creative life.

A post shared by Karen Ruane (@karenruane) on Apr 16, 2018 at 2:55am PDT

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front and back covers

We are coming to the end of 'embroidery school' and my little stitch ledger is almost complete. These are the embroidered front and back covers. All that remains is for the whole thing to be put together and that will happen early next week. 

The piece with the tiny labels is the inside front cover. There is a more detailed image of that below. On this piece I am recording the thread choices, the sequin choices and referencing the bindings used to mount each little sample. The panel with strips of patterned cloth is the back cover which references the cloth used to frame each little sample. I'm record keeping and I love it. This little book will be an invaluable reference for years. 

I will show you the finished thing next week just as soon as the girls in class have seen it.

If you need a little reminder of how the individual pages look you can see those here. 

If you are registered for my new class, create and embellish, you should have received an email from me this morning. If you didn't receive that can you please let me know.

And again....my podcast with stitchery stories just in case you missed it.

 

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sequins on an embroidered stem - Karen Ruane

Details - Karen Ruane

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white window mounts

Inspired by mounting little samples for my stitch ledger in embroidery school I am mounting anything else I have lying around the house. These four little pieces have been languishing for quite some time in the pile.....you know the pile, you have one too. The pile is where stuff goes that you had fun creating but you don't quite know what to do with. Well they are mounted now. Most likely they will go in anther pile because even though I've mounted them I still don't know what to do with them. They may find their way into a little book...we shall see.

My husband has Norovirus. I'm playing nurse. If I disappear it's because I've caught it too. Please have good thoughts that I don't.