Arch Complete

It has been a slow process, but I am now finished with the arch.  Well, almost.  I am waiting for a canvas to arrive, so I can mount it.

I just love the frilly edges. 

As intended, this is quite a textural piece, using stitch, silk paper, and scrim lace. 

I've really enjoy this piece from start to finish.  Now to try and complete another page.

Keep it Simple

The intention was always to keep this design simple and summery.

The stitch embellishment is comprised of clusters of french knots.  I've used colours that match the petals and flower centres.

 

At the moment, I'm contemplating the different options for finishing this.  Once I've decided, you'll be the first to know.

Arch Progress

I've made some progress with my Arch page, but this time in stitch.

So far I've used wrapped scrim to back a cut out arch.  Around the edge, there are lots and lots of french knots and bullion knots. 

This layer is done, but there is more to come before this piece is finished.

Cover Page

This is a continuation of the page trying different techniques with the tissue paper.

You last saw this page when I was waiting for it to dry.  The right panel is layers of tissue, then stitched.  The edge has blanket stitch lace, and then the page has been embellished with french knots, bullion and web stitches.

It's then been attached to the book as a cover sheet.  My next task, is to make cover pages for all the completed pages, using the different methods we've tried.

Page Progress

With lots going on in the background, a lot of things have come together at the same time and have been added to the ledger.

Based on the embroidery transfer, I drew and stitched a design onto silk, but it didn't stay like this,

It was used to fill in the cutouts on this piece of silk and an appliqued centre.

This was mounted in card, and forms a flap.

This is the page now, with it's fabric page and card flap.  I can't believe how much came from just one transfer.

Next it was time to turn to the peacock feathers.  The centre eyes are filled with french knots,

so a plain page has some textural interest.  This page isn't yet finished, but I like the idea of adding to it over a period of time.

Fabric swatches have now been added to the paisley page.

The tissue paper painting has been mounted in card and attached, so that's another piece safely inserted.  Now, I have lots of annotations and info to do and add to the pages.  I'm hoping to do that this week, and get them added to the appropriate pages.

An Embroiderers Ledger

Page one of the ledger has undergone a bit of a change. 

I used fabric paints and added some french knots.  I couldn't get the colour I wanted, but it gave me an idea of how easy the paints were to work with.  All being well this will extend into a bigger project.

This meant the extension page just got bigger.  As you can see, the page isn't finished yet, there are spaces, so the thinking cap is on and somewhere along the line, I'll be revisiting these pages.

Page two has also been extended.  The original shapes have been coloured using ink.  Where the circles cross over, both colours, red and blue were used.

I've used the shape from the original transfer and stitched it onto silk.  The centre is made up of bullion knots and stands quite proud.  French knots surround the centre, and blanket stitch is used for the outline.

This is the start of the extension page, leaf shaped cutouts backed with the original transfers, flower centres painted in ink, and hexagons.  I iron transferred the pattern to some cotton, then cut it up to cover the hexagons.

At the moment, they've just been tacked, they may end up on the page like this, or it may change. Hopefully, I will know by the end of the day.

Ledger-Page one continued

Page one now contains  some stitching.

There's a mounted colour swatch of french knots.  Lift the flap and you can see the paint test dots.

There's also a header mounted piece of embroidery.  Here I'm exploring the effect that plain, and more heavily stitched areas have on colour.

This is the page as it stands at the moment, it's still not finished, but I like how it's going so far.

Buttons and More 2011

I couldn't resist doing another of Karen's classes, so I signed up for Buttons and More 2011.    This time, I treated myself to some silk.  Due to illness here last week, finishing my cloth, and waiting for supplies, my start was delayed.  This weekend was all about catching up.

These are all now being damp stretched.  This one has needleweaving, blanket stitch lace, web stitch and lots of french knots

 Noughts and crosses

 this one includes my first ever bullion stitches, web stitches, and french knots

And this is the first completed button, with padded embellishment and buttons.  These buttons have been sat in my button box for years.  It's the same button box that belonged to my mum, and her grandmother, with various additions over the years.

The top three will be ready for making up, but, as I'm out today and tomorrow, they may have to wait a couple of days. 

Weekend Progress

A little more progress was made over the last couple of days.

 First, the embroidered points were folded and tacked ready to use

  The first was used at the side of the pocket, a decorated point was used on top of two plain ones.  This is the base of the pocket, the writing will be inside.  Top of pocket decorated with laced blanket stitch and french knots

This is the top of the pocket, complete with cut outs.  Hopefully, this can get attached to the main cloth today.

Embellishment has continued on this piece.  The french knots around the appliqued flower is now complete.  To the right is a line of laced blanket stitch and french knots. The piece at the top has been filled with cross stitch motifs.

Embroider, Embellish, Create-Progress After Two Weeks

Two weeks are now completed, the first lesson of week three is released today, so I thought I'd share my progress so far.

 This is two pieces  completed and the two I am working on.

 Daniel's cloth is here, already with his name and date of birth stitched.  He has always been a very tactile child, so this will have lots of texture.  I've left some rough, fraying edges around the padded areas at the top.  This is because Daniel is well known for coming out with the wrong thing at the wrong time.  The large circle, and the stitched piece at the bottom are representations of a couple of carnivorous plants that Daniel grows.

The hanky on the right has been ruched ready for stitching in place.  Before ruching, I added hearts, Daniel's nickname and words that describe him.

 This is Jonathan's piece, although I've only stitched on the left so far.

 His nickname takes the place of his name, as this is what we use most of the time.  The stitched words on the left represent the types of books he reads on bookshelves, and of course a heart.  To the right of there, the piece is bordered by two rows of chain stitch that have another thread woven through.  I thought this looked just like bike chains, and at the moment, Jonathan is doing a lot of cycling.

This is the handkerchief stitched in place, and well worth the sore fingers I now have.  The first thing Daniel did was to touch it, as I knew he would, and he even picked out the parts of the words that were showing on the top.

More details can be found on my flickr page

This week, the pieces will begin to be joined together which will change the look of everything again.  Can't wait for the rest of this week.

Embroider, Embellish, Create-Week 1, Task 3

I've finished embroidering on my first piece for the course.  I thoroughly enjoyed myself and am looking forward to adding other elements, and following from Karen's advice on further pieces.

 I've purposely left the section on the bottom left quite plain, as I want to add some prairie points along here when I join the next section to it.

 On the whole, I've used stitches that I enjoy, though I must say, french knots get addictive.

The next lesson is about damp stretching, and I can't wait to see the difference it will make to the appearance of this block.

One of the lessons learned from this piece, is to make sure that there is plenty or overlap of the pieces.  They tend to move as they're stiched, and without enough of an overlap, the edges can become exposed.
I need to go out again today, but I'm hoping to be able to piece another block this afternoon to work on.  There are some more stitches I can't wait to try.

Stitched Sunday- French and Colonial Knot

What a fun page this was to do.  As you can see, the colonial knot took me a little time to perfect, although more practise wouldn't come amiss.

They were definitely better when I got down to the scrolls lines at the bottom, but I must say, I much preferred the french knots, definitely more within my comfort zone.

The circle around the heart is done in whipped chain stitch and the heart in stem stitch.

That's another page caught up, fly and feather stitch is next.

Summer Days

Yesterday was the day for sorting and packing up swaps ready for posting.  The needle case is finished and packed, photos once it reaches it's new home.

Next were the blocks for the Barn Door Swaps.  Unfortunately. the other blocks got packed before I remembered the photos.

This was all done in time for the start of the grand prix.  Then it was time to sit and finish the back stitching and french knots on the cross stitch.

That's both the stitched pieces done, now is the time to choose the fabric to make them into a wall hanging.  I have some ideas, but it may be a little time before it gets finished.  I am determined to shrink the pile next to my sewing table first.