Another glimpse for you of what's happening in class.....story book stitching, story book titivation........I can't give any secrets away I'm afraid, I just hope you like what you see.....
I do have more ''delicate'' paper and cloth work to show you which is similar to thisfrom yesterday. I didn't want to bore you or send you to sleep though so I am saving that for tomorrow.
It seems every day there is a new sadness to absorb........what can we do? Helpless.....all we can do is be kind to each other....
Stitching a story, (my current class) is inspiring these stand alone pieces of embroidered cloth. One will become a veil like piece to drape, to fondle, to lay on a chair or a bed....for me. There is still quite a way to go with that piece, more lace cloth needs to be made along with more appliqued silk.
The cutwork silk you can see here will find its way into the story book but will also inform other stand alone pieces of work which are yet to be started, which for the moment are just ''ideas''.....(as if I don't have enough of those already)
Stitching a story is live now, it runs until almost the end of August. It's not too late if you want to join in. You have access to all resources forever (and that's a very long time) You can read more here.
This morning I had planned to begin to putting this together. You won't be surprised to hear I got distracted. I got distracted by paper and I hope to show you a glimpse of that tomorrow.....
Embroidering a story book.....being inspired by illustration and text to titivate pages. This is a glimpse for you of some of my work from class. Does the book close properly? Nope....however...the book is inviting, it invites you to turn pages, to discover what is creating the bumps and knots of thread and overlapped papers....
Speaking of paper.....I'm working with paper this afternoon, putting a few collages together to complimentthese.....in order to create another one of these. (yes, it's a repeat....same as TV, one repeat after another..lol...)
Embroidery, sampling, creativity...inspired by a story book. This is my progress from class. It's a delight to work with these child like images, create child like illustrations and then play with stitch.....I am having so much fun and if time, along with oodles of other ideas wasn't an issue you might have been seeing a children's decor collection taking shape on here.
I wish you could see the work class is producing....it would knock your socks off!
I have had a few enquiries about my wrapping cloth class...why isn't it available as a ''work on your own'' option? The answer? I don't know. So this morning I have listed it as a work on your own programme and you will find that here. Big Cartel is playing up however and won't let me add any images so I will put some on here....a selection of my own wrapping cloths.
Clara is being embellished in class. Class is called stitching a story and that is exactly what we are doing...but....we are also stitching from a story, being inspired by our story books and beginning to create stand alone pieces of embroidered cloth. My first ''stand alone'' piece inspired by Clara is being created using applique, silk and lace cloth. I could easily become consumed by this at the expense of everything else. I love its child like qualities, its happy colours...it is so refreshing.
My second stand alone piece is also taking shape. I can't say too much about that one as the girls haven't seen it yet. At the moment hand embroidery is happening and plans are forming for what comes next.....I will show you just as soon as I can......
I'm always telling you that stitching is happening in the background, stitching for class which I can't share. Here's the evidence....more embroidery forClara, my story book for my class ''stitching a story''. It would be very easy to get lost in this, to not give a second thought to other pieces in progress but those pieces are pressing too...my mini portfolios, my new cloth taking shape from here. Some days I have to be tough with myself, be disciplined as I could so easily flit from one thing to another without achieving very much in the process. And then there's the doodle with paint from earlier this week and the doodle from yesterday.....oh my, what to do next? I think I'll put the kettle on.
A glimpse for you of what's happening in class, what I am getting fired up about in addition to my mini sample portfolios. You can see my first page here, my colour study, as yet unfinished. There is stuff going on over more pages....sorry, can't show you that but it does involve the alphabet embroidery you can see here. The lace, the lace with lettering....I have plans for that, for a lace like structure which will happen in class but which will not form part of a page in my story book so I will share that with you as I progress.
I hope you enjoyed seeing this. For me it provides a contrast to working on the mini samples, equally as enjoyable but very, very different to embroider and plan.
A story..... a narrative, either true or fictitious, in prose or verse, designed to interest, amuse, or instruct the hearer or reader...
or....in this case....to record with stitch.
Stitching a story, a children's book, a little doodling, play, stitch on pages, stitch on cloth.
Beginning Monday May 2 for 16 weeks.
There will be a two week break after week 7 (from June 19 to July 4) Actual running length of class will therefore be 18 weeks.
Two posts a week on a private password protected blog. A minimum of two hours video per week.
Access to all resources is permanent.
**you do not need to have participated in any of my previous online learning programmes in order to participate in ''patched pockets.''***
No prerequisites. Suitable for the beginner and the more experienced stitcher.
In addition to a private blog you will be given access to a private Flickr group where you will be able to interact with other members of the group, upload images of your work, receive feedback, give feedback, share technique, hints, tips.....
Previous online learning programmes I have hosted have resulted in the formation of a tightly knit group of like minded people who share the creative process in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. It's almost as if groups ''hold hands'' throughout. For me, this is one of the most appealing and rewarding aspects of these classes.
(I am also aware that some people prefer to work quietly with minimal interaction. That is OK too.)
There are no deadlines, no set tasks. You are under no obligation to create what I am creating. Many people in previous classes have merely taken notes in order to apply ideas to their own work. Please take as much or as little as you wish from this programme, tailor my demonstrations to suit your own creative needs.
During the course of this 16 week online class, using a children's book for inspiration and as a ledger (sketchbook) for design ideas I hope to develop stitched pieces on cloth which will be inspired by images from my children's book. Using processes such as stitching, doodling, collage, layering, cutting, pleating etc on the pages of my children's book, I will develop ideas upon and within those pages by allowing paper and page to become a vehicle for sampling and developing embroidery before beginning embroidery on cloth.
Stitch
Collage
Doodle
Layer
Fold
etc etc
The use of a children's book or any other type of book is not compulsory. It is quite acceptable to participate in this class at a level of your own choosing. For example, you may have no desire to work in a book of any kind, preferring instead to take information from video and execute your ideas directly onto cloth. That is 100% OK. I want you to take from this experience whatever suits you, whatever works for you.