2016-12-31 13:32
Better late than never.....Typepad had a bit of a meltdown earlier. Today it's September and October.....it's like a Ledger convention! Pages....pages....pages. It's also the end of Clara an… Read More
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Karen Ruane Blog
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thoughts on embroidery and tradition, cloth, stitch, hand worked embellishment using new and vintage cloth for embroidery. Online tuition available.
2016-12-30 12:57
July and August appears to have been a never ending stream of video....wow. How did I find the time? I still have September, October, November and December to get though too. Let's see what… Read More
2016-12-29 13:06
I spent an hour on my sewing machine this morning with paper scraps, a fine cloth background and a paper background. I would have spent longer but life got in the way. This was a little… Read More
2016-12-28 12:57
Hello! How are you? How have you been? Have you had a good time? Was the big guy good to you?
I had a great few days, domestic goddessing, kitchen, cooking, eating, washing pot… Read More
2016-12-24 12:47
May, my birthday and four videos and sample portfolios and Clara and the pink gingham and silk wrapping cloth. I can't linger today, I have domestic goddess duties to attend to. I h… Read More
2016-12-23 12:46
There's no looking back today...this is now, this is current....embroidery for my happy cloth and some pinned scraps for accessories for said cloth. Then there are glimpses from thi… Read More
2016-12-22 12:35
The first image here has to be one of my favourites from this year....yards and yards of lace cloth being put together, day after day for my workshop in France. The last two images… Read More
2016-12-21 12:33
It's March today and there's another video. (from March) I made a lot of things in March. It must have looked like a button factory for one thing! I was probably panicking abut France… Read More
2016-12-20 12:46
Three unfinished pieces from 2016....I've been sorting out, tidying up, making room for Christmas guests, Christmas gifts, Christmas dinner, Christmas stuff, that's how I came to spend so… Read More
2016-12-19 12:40
You were spoilt in February. Two videos?! I've been doing it again, looking back.....today it's February. (I have nothing else to show you, my days are filled with wrapping paper, dom… Read More
2016-12-18 12:42
And then there were three....three little ''kind of faces'' on one piece of silk, one half of a pocket. This particular piece is finished now, no further embroidery needed here. The paper… Read More
2016-12-17 12:50
I had an idea to look back at 2016, look back at my blog posts, my images. Wow.....I'm a bit of an addict aren't I? This is a a small selection just from January....there were hundr… Read More
2016-12-16 12:44
My happy little friend from here now has a friend of his own. I now have two....I need five....I'm on it. They're not ''peas in a pod'', they're not meant to be. I don't think there will… Read More
2016-12-15 12:55
At this time of year people usually look back over the last 12 months....I was going to do that but I got sidetracked, distracted by this piece. I see this every day when I make the… Read More
2016-12-14 12:43
The last time I touched cloth properly, spent a long time sewing......my class last week before I went away. It's not a complaint, ( I had a great break and can highly recommend Berlin) n… Read More
2016-12-08 12:41
A selection of hand embroidered adornments that I will use to titivate my happy cloth when it is backed. There are a few new pieces here, the puffs, the wrapped buttons and the toggle you… Read More
2016-12-07 12:41
The reverse of my happy cloth, very much still in progress. I promised to show you this, I have promised several times and here it is. My happy cloth will have an embroidered and titiva… Read More
2016-12-06 12:53
Scraps of paper, embroidered fragments, a few buttons, considering what goes where, which pieces compliment, which surfaces enhance ...paper, cloth, embroidery. If you think back to my mi… Read More
2016-12-05 12:46
A new class for the New Year. What will we be doing? Everything....buttons, beads, embroidery, artwork, pages, paper stitching, lace fiddling........you name it, we will be doing it… Read More
2016-12-04 13:00
This is the last piece I worked on in the re run of ''an embroiderers ledger''. It's not finished, the overlay, the piece with the greyish cloth and partial embroidery. It lives with th… Read More
2016-12-03 12:43
My embroidery time, my sewing hours, my focus......this cloth. I started to count how many bullion knots were on here and gave up. I didn't give up in desperation, I just thought there will… Read More
2016-12-02 12:57
It's like a pocket factory here. Well who doesn't love a pocket? This is the surface of my ''happy cloth'' which I should maybe rename my ''pocket cloth''. The first image is the newe… Read More
2016-12-01 13:01
Remember this? I've been playing a little bit, sampling in an effort to decide what comes next. I did try a little blue ink but that didn't work out.....so I stitched more torn papers t… Read More
2016-11-30 12:55
I may not be here....you may be happy about that......but......I found 17 mages for you. Images taken over the past week. (in case you are wondering I am here, m… Read More
2016-11-29 12:48
A little pillow......for me. It will be used for pins because let's face it, you can never have too many pin pillows. This one measures 7 x 6 inches (not counting the prairie points). It… Read More
2016-11-28 12:51
This little page was put together over in class, in the ''sample portfolio'' segment of our stitching marathon. Every so often we work a little on paper, a distraction, a change of method… Read More
2016-11-27 12:48
My ''happy cloth'' from class now has a surface pocket which is embroidered and titivated and which is also crammed with Suffolk puffs.....Suffolk puffs which are securely attached to t… Read More
2016-11-26 12:54
Ledger class finished this week.....or should I say it's supposed to finish this week.....there may be more. However, today, the images, my latest page for class. Scraps of cloth stitched… Read More
2016-11-25 13:00
I spent a little time playing with blue and white paper yesterday. I treated myself to some blue batik paper earlier in the week and couldn't resist adding a little of that to some of my… Read More
2016-11-24 12:50
You last saw this pocket here, minimally embellished with embroidery although the Prairie points were in situ and it was waiting to be embellished, adorned. Since then a large, pleated… Read More
2016-11-23 12:56
Yes....another collection. This one is white, blue, paper, silk, lace and printed cloth. When I don't have a lot of time , when I am busy working on things for class and I find I have… Read More
2016-11-22 11:52
I'm early today. That's because I am required to leave the house soon....twice. I will leave once then come back before having to leave again. Not good....I prefer to be incarcerated. So… Read More
2016-11-21 12:52
There are two pages here, two sheets from my current work for the ledger class. This morning I wanted to generate ideas to move this work forward so I cut a little fabric, folded… Read More
2016-11-20 13:07
Yesterday was amazing. Yesterday was busy but in a good way........videos for both classes and most importantly, embroidery. This piece is for my ''happy cloth''. It's a long way from b… Read More
2016-11-19 13:07
Lots of images today, images from the past week or so. Some from London, some pre decorator (the mess, the upheaval) a few from after the decorator (the paper isn't dry in some of those) and… Read More
2016-11-14 15:30
Shhhh......don't tell anyone I am here. The decorator has gone out for half an hour while his paint dries. Never one to miss a trick I have moved all his paint pots, his ladders and plugg… Read More
2016-11-09 12:48
Do you remember my new shelving from the other day? Well I figure that new shelving deserves a new pin pillow. I know....any excuse here to make a new pin pillow. This one will sit happil… Read More
2016-11-08 12:40
Surprise.....I wasn't sure if I'd make it but in the end I can't keep away. A sore throat is no excuse. Well, a sore throat and not having any work I can share was the excuse but I found… Read More
2016-11-07 12:52
Just a few from my phone today, from my Instagram. On Thursday I go to London for a few days then return to the decorators. I will be unable to post here for around 10 days or so from… Read More
2016-11-04 12:55
The latest addition to my ''happy cloth''....a tiny pocket secured in a seam with a very tactile bumpy bit on the inside. Embroidery is happening as often as I can fit it in, I also want… Read More
2016-11-03 12:45
These pieces, scraps of embroidered paper, snippet cloth, torn edges, delicate and fragile pieces were out yesterday for a little play. I was making a ''sample portfolio'' video for cla… Read More
2016-10-27 11:38
Today, more embroidery, more cloth, another diversion from the paper and colour which you have seen a lot of recently but which I am still working on, having fun, beavering away......pa… Read More
2016-10-26 11:53
I promised you yesterday that you would see embroidery today and last night I had a hankering to make buttons , it was the arrival of the rich, red cloth (courtesy of the postman) l… Read More
2016-10-25 12:37
The third colour/pattern study. This one is much less involved than the sheet from yesterday. This one was an exercise in what could be achieved quickly. The sheet from yesterday is a s… Read More
2016-10-24 11:57
More colour, more pattern, more stitch, more cloth. You will be seeing a lot of this kind of thing from now. I want to devote my embroidery hours to my ''happy cloth'', to my girls in ''… Read More
2016-10-23 11:53
My table this morning was fascinating, two very different classes, three pieces of work in progress yet a seamless flow from one busy pile to the next. ''An embroiderers ledger'', still… Read More
2016-10-21 11:53
First of all, please don't judge me on my painting skills....or lack of painting skills. I'm not a happy painter. What I am is a happy player, happy to play with thread, fabric, paper… Read More
2016-10-19 11:55
A sample portfolio is in progress over in class. It's an extra, a diversion.....this is my effort up to now. It's very much unfinished, more work is needed on the paper section. I did ha… Read More
2016-10-18 11:55
It's finished....the spotty pocket. I lined it with spotty cloth. It had been suggested I line it with a paler spotty cloth but I don't have any. Thankfully this one works, the happines… Read More
2016-10-17 11:51
Mostly I am working on pieces for class, my happy cloth, samples, paper pieces, sample portfolio. It isn't always possible to share that on here so I like to also have a little something… Read More
2016-10-15 11:52
The surface embroidery on my spotty pocket is finished. I added pleated cloth, cutwork and bullion knots. I've folded it here in a couple of the images to see how it will look when it's… Read More
2016-10-13 11:44
My obsession with pages and artist books continues in fact now this one is finished I may be compelled to start another one. This one is ''white'' focused, collages of white paper, emb… Read More
2016-10-12 11:46
My spotty pocket has had a little more attention. A few hexagons have been added to the surface, eight of them to be precise and there will be more. I haven't finished edging the lace clo… Read More
2016-10-11 11:56
It's a hive of activity here. I won't say it's like a production line because ''production line'' makes me think of boredom and boring repetitiveness as opposed to creative repetiti… Read More
2016-10-10 12:10
Colour studies, identifying pattern, extending pattern , design, composition.....an embroiderers ledger. This is the most popular of my work on your own classes. I am altering thi… Read More
2016-10-09 11:53
Buttons and puffs, spotty ones. These will be used to titivate this cloth when it's finished. Most of the lace surface is embroidered now, each circle of spotty cloth is edged with chai… Read More
2016-10-07 11:45
It's been a productive week making surfaces, stitching paper and then stitching it to cloth, using cloth scraps to create base fabrics which live alongside torn papers. Some of you wil… Read More
2016-10-06 11:54
Spots, dots, spotty cloth. My sewing machine has been working overtime lately. There have been several pieces of new lace cloth created, lots of stitched papers, lots of cloth and paper… Read More
2016-10-05 12:03
Wow....you like paper, you like little books. Thank you so much for wanting my things, really. Today it's cloth, a pocket, a pretty pocket with pink and lime green and Prairie po… Read More
2016-10-04 11:50
Three little books, two Art Pieces....now in the shop. I am becoming addicted to the little books, loving playing with fiddly things and dangly things. I think I will make more of… Read More
2016-10-02 12:01
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… Read More
2016-10-01 11:59
The next artist book in progress. I began this one with the intention of making a book which would be smaller than this one and this one.....less complicated, less crammed...ha.....faile… Read More
2016-09-30 11:49
You are spared books today, spared pages and samples. (can't promise you won't see those tomorrow though) Today there's a little bit of colour for the ''bored minority''...lol. Check ye… Read More
2016-09-29 11:56
You may remember this paper piece from a few weeks ago....last night I added snippets of cloth before embellishing this edge with gimp. I'm now at the pondering stage, pondering possibil… Read More
2016-09-28 11:52
I have put together three little inserts for pages in little artist books. There are two quite big artist books finished and waiting to go in the shop so I thought I would make a baby on… Read More
2016-09-27 11:48
Continuing the colourful theme from yesterday....happy snippet cloth. The piece on the right in the first image is for class, for a sample portfolio. The piece on the left was made in res… Read More
2016-09-25 11:41
I'm very paper focused at the moment.....loose pages and a few pages which need to be finished before I can stitch this little book together. I am surrounded by mess, chaos, torn paper… Read More
2016-09-24 11:53
Similar images I know but I couldn't pick a favourite....two pillow tops in progress. The biggest one has had more cutwork added. The smaller one which you saw in a hoop earlier this week… Read More
2016-09-23 11:50
I am still in book mode, putting together little compositions which will live on pages. Last night it was a white one, scraps of white cloth stitched together then mounted on a little sq… Read More
2016-09-20 12:02
Another finished piece of paper, beads, embroidery and complimentary cloth. Can you tell I am having fun? It's like paper party time every day in this house recently. There will be a sh… Read More
2016-09-19 11:38
There's progress with the paper pieces I have been working on recently. This one is finished...edged with circular, disc like beads. I embroidered silk and cotton cloth (which I put tog… Read More
2016-09-17 11:49
Cloth, strips of silk, lace and silk velvet. This is one of the pieces I have put together to accompany my paper embroidery and is now ready to be attached to paper and mounted onto a whi… Read More
2016-09-15 11:51
New paper, old paper, paper in progress. You've seen quite a bit of paper recently. That's because paper seems to be the answer for me at the moment, the answer to my indecision......my… Read More
2016-09-14 11:44
Most of yesterday was spent putting new surfaces together, mixing silk, lace and off white silk velvet to create cloth which I can use with my planned paper pieces. This is the first time… Read More
2016-09-13 12:06
Yesterday I showed you two new pieces of ''paperwork'' and mentioned how I think the paper is enhanced by the presence of silk and embroidery. Cloth was an integral part of bo… Read More
2016-09-12 11:45
The latest paper experiments.....with cloth and embroidery. Going forward I will gather all the recent paper samples, look at them for a while, go away then come back and look some more… Read More
2016-09-11 12:13
Surface embroidery is continuing on the silk piece which will become a drawstring bag for Clara. Clusters of French knots are being scattered across the open space and hopefully it won'… Read More
2016-09-10 12:08
Yesterday if you remember I was having some kind of mini creative crisis. I still am I think but not as much, I think I'm beginning to see the light. I definitely won't be throwing a… Read More
2016-09-09 11:50
I know.....it's not a silk drawstring bag like I promised you yesterday. Sorry about that. I didn't get the bag damp stretched...oops, I'm slacking.
Instead I give you a gl… Read More
2016-09-08 10:02
I have been promising you a final look at Clara for a few weeks now.....here it is. She isn't finished. There are many more ways in which this little lady can be adorned and titivated bu… Read More
2016-09-07 11:47
Paper is a recurring theme at the moment. I am testing, sampling, trying out ideas....of which there are many. Part of me wishes I could focus but it's too soon. I know there is a lot of… Read More
2016-09-06 11:58
Developing more pages in this very inspirational notebook. This ''set'' , these two pages aren't finished yet, they definitely need more. At the moment I am thinking pen, doodle… Read More
2016-09-05 11:48
It's finished. I love it. I am going to miss working on it. A video show and tell. Three minutes long.
Someone sent me this, thank you. A very worthwhile reason to get s… Read More
2016-09-04 11:58
I've been doing that thing again...you know, looking at old work in order to inform new work. This piece is 11 years old. Can you believe that? 11 years, where has the time gone. Recently… Read More
2016-09-03 11:55
wet, damp stretched cloth
The past week or so....finishing a class, preparing to begin a new class. Planning the finishing touches for my gingham and silk coverlet and drooling over b… Read More
2016-09-02 11:55
Paper dresses, press studs, hooks and eyes, page overlays. Clara has been titivated to the nth degree. I will miss her. I said earlier in the week that I would create an image he… Read More
2016-09-01 11:49
The top of my gingham and silk coverlet is finished, embroidered, titivated, embellished. It is now damp stretched and dry. It will stay laid upright against the cupboard for now until I a… Read More
2016-08-31 11:52
I have really enjoyed playing with this book, these pages over the past couple of days. Not being very comfortable with a pen or pencil I prefer to fold and stitch and because I'm not… Read More
2016-08-30 11:55
There aren't any problems in the embroidery department of Ruane Towers but there are plenty in the camera department. Two cameras, two non functioning cameras means photographs taken wit… Read More
2016-08-29 11:48
We made buttons in class last week.....then we made a page to put them on. This page now forms part of the story for Clara. You must remember Clara? You can reacquaint yourself here if… Read More
2016-08-28 11:52
A finished page and the start of a new one. There is a short video about the pink and green page in this post....the last time you saw this. Yesterday after finishing the first page… Read More
2016-08-27 11:59
I have been buying a lot of bright and busily patterned fabric recently. These fabrics were bought with my new class in mind where I am hoping to combine them with white, snippets of pa… Read More
2016-08-26 11:59
First image, lowest seam running left to right.....29 inches, 101 bullion knots.Each bullion knot has 35 wraps......that makes a grand total of 3535 wraps. I need a lie down! In truth it… Read More
2016-08-25 11:55
Thank goodness for my phone. Thank goodness for Instagram. Without either of those things you wouldn't have any images today. I'm not here you see......I am here....there's no… Read More
2016-08-24 11:40
Following on from my ''stitching a story'' class I am creating a bag in which to keep my finished book. I think you have seen the early stages of this before but we now have two silk d… Read More
2016-08-23 11:54
A new piece of white in progress. The teardrop shaped motif isn't finished yet, the embroidered insert isn't attached. There are two tiny beads visible in the second image, there are more… Read More
2016-08-22 11:45
I've been playing with Astrid again, titivating her a little with a scrap of paper and a few French knots.
I have started a new piece of paperwork following on from here but it's so… Read More
2016-08-21 11:50
I pinned this edge on camera in this post. Last night I embroidered along the seam with bullion knots. It made me think of paper, it had me wondering if I could use it in a bigger piece wit… Read More
2016-08-20 11:48
36 x 25 inches refers to the size my coverlet will be when this final strip is added. For the sake of cohesion and consistency I have continued with the applique/ cutwork theme here. T… Read More
2016-08-19 11:55
The last time you saw this I had merely pinned these pieces together on the video at the end of this post. (it's a repeat, you saw it before)
It has now been stitched together wit… Read More
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