2016-08-18 11:46
I started a new artist book last week....do you remember? I said it wouldn't be ready soon......it won't. I will put pages together whenever I have a half hour or so in which I feel inspir… Read More
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paper
cloth
french knots
wrapping cloth
miles
french
story book
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embroidered dress
clara
thoughts on embroidery and tradition, cloth, stitch, hand worked embellishment using new and vintage cloth for embroidery. Online tuition available.
2016-08-17 11:53
More paper samples, experiments, investigations....the cloth laid here was created for use with the paper, to compliment and extend the paper. This one is different to the last one which… Read More
2016-08-16 11:50
Since you saw her last Clara has acquired a rather lovely backpack and a very trendy hat along with a matching embroidered cloth...tape measure related. It's been such a happy thing t… Read More
2016-08-15 11:58
More work on the paper piece from a couple of days ago. Scraps of blue and white embroidered cloth are now secured behind open space and inside defined areas. beads have been added to… Read More
2016-08-14 11:49
Do you remember this post about Clara, the post where I showed progress with my story book from class? Some of the patterning which has developed during class is now being used to make a… Read More
2016-08-13 11:58
I said it here.....I have a hankering for a new paper collection, paper samples, experiments, playtime bits of white paper with a little stitch, a little fabric and perhaps a little blu… Read More
2016-08-12 12:05
Gimp secured with bullion knots, strips of French knots, French knots seams, pockets, lace.....surface adornments on the final panel of my gingham coverlet. I mustn't forget the cutwork… Read More
2016-08-11 11:55
I hope you enjoy these.....I'm not here. I'm here. See you tomorrow Read More
2016-08-10 12:02
I am going to repeat myself now but I stand by the thought process which tells me it's always a good thing to look back at past work. I say it a lot.....because it's true. Generally it… Read More
2016-08-09 11:51
Neglected? according to someone not a million miles from here....(3779 miles to be precise) you know who you are. Actually, I have to agree.....it's been languishing, cast aside for newer… Read More
2016-08-08 11:54
The final panel for my pink and gingham coverlet has been put together. Two tiny, spotty pockets have been inserted into two of the seams and one seam has been embroidered with a mass of… Read More
2016-08-06 11:56
Piles of little scraps, embroidery offcuts, samples, all stored carefully and neatly, kept safe on a shelf. Thing is you can't really ''see'' them, can't be inspired by them as they are… Read More
2016-08-05 11:57
I've been a bit ''off'' this week creatively, a little short on ideas and excitement for embroidery. I know.....it's a curse. It doesn't happen very often, (thankfully) but it's so hard t… Read More
2016-08-03 11:39
First picture, top left corner......the next piece for this coverlet which I fall in love with a little more each day. This latest piece needs more embellishment, more cutwork, more app… Read More
2016-08-02 11:55
You haven't see Clara for a while have you? There is a glimpse for you today of how she is progressing...who knew a storybook could provide so much insp… Read More
2016-08-01 11:48
You know me...always rifling through boxes, cupboards, shelves looking for ''old'' work, ''old'' samples, new sparks, more information. That's what I was doing this morning. These two pie… Read More
2016-07-31 12:03
Even with just a tiny amount of attention this white piece is evolving. Last night, a couple of hours, a looped gimp seam was finished, two scraps of white lace found their way onto the… Read More
2016-07-30 11:58
My recent ''pocket itch'' has now been scratched......a pink and lemon spotty pocket has been placed into a seam on my gingham and silk coverlet. That makes three little pockets on this p… Read More
2016-07-29 11:50
I received this email today, such lovely words. (and I didn't pay her...lol)
It came at a very appropriate time too as today is the day I list my new class, wrapped and bound in stitch.
You… Read More
2016-07-28 12:05
A bit of a different post today, a mini show and tell of some precious ''bits'' which I guard with my life. These aren't all of the things which fall into that category, these are just a sm… Read More
2016-07-27 11:59
You haven't seen this piece for a while....it has been neglected really, waiting for me to create more of the cloth surface in order to extend it. Meanwhile I had a hankering to add more l… Read More
2016-07-26 11:55
Aside from classwork these are my ''in progress'' pieces. You saw the white for the first time here and the floral piece is to enable me to extend this piece and if you remember, to scratc… Read More
2016-07-25 11:52
Moving samples forward, mixing them up, joining different surfaces....all in the name of experimentation with a hope it evolves, informs new samples. For now these three pieces are just… Read More
2016-07-23 11:58
Another piece of lace has had embroidered silk appliqued to its surface for the stand alone piece which is evolving from my current class. Both pieces are laid together here so you can s… Read More
2016-07-22 11:51
It looks like I have spent a week chained to the table......I have. I don't think I would rather be chained to anything else. I have also developed a deep love for my Postman.....he… Read More
2016-07-21 11:48
A partially stitched silk panel, the next piece in this puzzle. There is more embroidery needed on this surface but I am itching to make a pocket, positively straining at the leash. I wi… Read More
2016-07-20 11:50
Yesterday i was tempted by bling, by beads, blue beads. Two scraps of the lace and paper surfaces I have been creating for the past couple of weeks have been given a blingy seam, royal… Read More
2016-07-19 11:49
I think I said here that I had been doing a little embroidery on some of my new surfaces...well here it is. I have only taken small snippets and added them to a base of white cotton but… Read More
2016-07-18 11:43
This cloth may need to be renamed...at the moment I refer to it as my gingham and silk coverlet. As I'm forming a bit of a pocket addiction however I may have to start calling it… Read More
2016-07-17 11:48
Finished, complete, titivated, stitched together, ribbon added, delicate tissue paper added, listed in the shop. Yes, the second ''sample portfolio'' is no longer a work in prog… Read More
2016-07-16 11:48
A new surface, just cloth, no paper. Text drawn onto silk Habotai, cut into strips and laid on scrim before embroidery. This one is very delicate, wispy, fragile....there are open areas… Read More
2016-07-15 11:50
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… Read More
2016-07-14 12:00
I'm still creating surfaces....delicate surfaces using lace, paper, cloth snippets, mostly white but with tiny amounts of blue too. There will be more of these. Each piece I have… Read More
2016-07-13 11:51
Another video? You're spoilt.....oh, okay then.....you're not spoilt, I just like the sound of my own voice. A tiny, lemon gingham pocket.....explanation on camera, in the video....
… Read More
2016-07-12 11:44
You saw this page a few days ago when I added the scrap of lace along with a few silk French knots. Today I add a scrap of silk and three tiny glass beads. There is something quite satisfyi… Read More
2016-07-11 11:46
Yesterday I told you I had been distracted by paper.....here it is. Two paper pieces, created from scraps, from torn fragments, laid together, stitched, torn again and on and on… Read More
2016-07-10 11:51
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… Read More
2016-07-09 12:02
Then final piece is finished, altered and added to from here....there are six pieces now which will become my next sample portfolio. Putting it together will take me a couple of hour… Read More
2016-07-08 11:52
It's a good thing I love these colours....I am using this palette in class too....I am surrounded at the moment by baby pink, soft greens and all things pretty. Once upon a time, in ano… Read More
2016-07-07 12:02
I bet you didn't know I took requests.....yesterday I was asked to show detailed images of the pieces completed so far for my next sample portfolio. Your wish is my command!
The… Read More
2016-07-06 12:02
So...catch up....still catching up....still disorganised and upside down. Last nights embroidery was something for class and this. I reckon you don't want to see that again yet so I made… Read More
2016-07-05 11:51
I'm back again. I'm staying this time. I am however playing catch up and despite my best efforts I haven't yet ''caught up''. That will teach me to go swanning off to London without a ca… Read More
2016-06-29 12:12
New embroidery on an ''in progress cloth'' which you have seen before. This seam.......sigh....triple bullion knots, coloured loops, lovely. I could titivate everything I own with this… Read More
2016-06-28 15:32
I'm back...hello!! Old images....oops, sorry. I have been busy partying though and wading through mud and sleeping in a tent and washing dirty clothes non stop since I got back. You can… Read More
2016-06-20 11:39
As I'm leaving you now in order to enjoy these kind of delights I thought I would spoil you with two pieces of work. I know...I'm too kind. What can I say.....
I finished another paper p… Read More
2016-06-19 11:52
The next piece of the next portfolio puzzle. I now have four finished pieces, four finished samples, four mini compositions. There needs to be six. I do have plans for two more, two pap… Read More
2016-06-17 11:40
The next piece of my pink gingham and silk coverlet in progress....Up to now it has two applique circles, a lace frill embellished with French knots and a partially couched trail of c… Read More
2016-06-15 11:20
Lots of images today....please indulge me. I want to tell you how much I love this. I don't want you to think i don't love my other work, I do but last night when I was embroidering… Read More
2016-06-13 12:01
Finally, it seems to have taken me weeks. I was scared, I was anxious not to spoil it. I put it together several times before taking it apart and doing it again. Now...I am happy wi… Read More
2016-06-12 11:40
Evidence...evidence that I do have lots in progress here. Alphabet silk, flowery doodled silk and lace cloth. Each of these is at a different stage of completion with the alphabet piece… Read More
2016-06-11 11:46
Most of the past couple of weeks has been spent stitching, doodling or working with paper....honestly it has. The evidence is here. How come I don't have anything solely stitch or… Read More
2016-06-10 11:51
I succumbed.....I joined these two pieces, the temptation got the better of me. It's one seam, one seam now embellished with lace and bullion knots. You do know what this means? It mean… Read More
2016-06-09 11:59
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 the… Read More
2016-06-08 11:45
The doodles happened in this post.....today the doodles get a little stitch treatment. This afternoon I will finish this row. I will then doodle another row, maybe two. In a few days… Read More
2016-06-07 13:03
This time I chose the right colours.... the pinkish one, the raspberry like one was created first with the wrong coloured embroidery thread. The top image, the darker colours, they are t… Read More
2016-06-06 11:47
The fear of this project left me long enough to put the first page together. This is the third time I have done it, two failed attempts to achieve exactly what I envisaged led me to t… Read More
2016-06-05 11:53
Saturday afternoon was very productive chez moi. I made more lace cloth for the cross stitch alphabet piece and unlike last time will use the correct colours to embellish this surface. (Y… Read More
2016-06-04 11:52
OK....so no cross stitch, French knots won the day. (I'm talking about what I said yesterday) Disregard the fact that I used the wrong colours ( I was supposed to use the same colours t… Read More
2016-06-03 11:59
This has to be my favourite pattern for cross stitch lettering. I adore the tiny roses which overlay each letter and the ornate nature of the letters themselves. I have this piec… Read More
2016-06-02 11:55
You last saw this book in this video. Since then I have added more to my first page although I haven't finished that yet. Today, another brief video of my attempts at a second page. I know… Read More
2016-06-02 11:55
You last saw this book in this video. Since then I have added more to my first page although I haven't finished that yet. Today, another brief video of my attempts at a second page. I know… Read More
2016-06-01 11:43
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 bo… Read More
2016-05-31 11:57
The contents of my sample portfolios are taking shape. I now have enough pieces to put one portfolio together assuming each one will consist of six pieces in total, three cloth and… Read More
2016-05-30 12:00
You last saw these two pieces here and if you remember I asked you if they lived together. Your opinion was yes, they do live together.....I agreed with you. There's no going back… Read More
2016-05-29 12:00
Sample portfolios....looking at where I am up to, laying things together...all in the name of moving this little project forward. I'm no wiser ''paper work'' wise but I have put to… Read More
2016-05-26 11:53
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 for Clara, my story book for my cl… Read More
2016-05-25 11:54
Don't worry, this isn't transforming in to some kind of no skill, low ability art blog. I haven't had much time for concentrated embroidery over the last couple of days except for stitching… Read More
2016-05-24 11:50
Remember the other day I said I had an idea for new patterning? Well here it is. Draped cloth, doodled in pencil with a little watercolour added. I like it....but.....I have come… Read More
2016-05-23 12:00
The silk piece, the petal piece is almost completely embroidered....just one or two petals left to embellish. Having said that, I may add something else to that surface, I'm thinking… Read More
2016-05-22 11:47
As you know I am about to get new cabinets in which to keep all things stitch......so....I've been sorting out which mainly consists of moving one pile of stuff to another space and rep… Read More
2016-05-21 11:40
Another piece has been created for my ''sample portfolio'' plan. Here I have taken photographs of the ''whites'' for this collection along with the new piece finished yesterday. More… Read More
2016-05-20 11:57
It's been a busy week...I resisted temptation in Paperchase. I would say that was my biggest achievement. New cabinets have been bought, white of course....they go on the wall n… Read More
2016-05-18 11:38
Just an idea, a query, a curiosity.....wondering how sample portfolios might work with circular mounts. I'm just playing really, aimlessly playing with embroidered scraps, a little fabr… Read More
2016-05-17 11:52
Yesterday I mentioned the embroidery for Clara was inspiring me and I had begun another, separate piece. Here it is, flowers, petals, on silk. It's the stitches, the colour combina… Read More
2016-05-16 11:43
I'm playing with lace cloth as an overlay on collaged and stitched paper for my sample portfolio idea. These two pieces were created separately, without the other in mind but they give… Read More
2016-05-15 11:59
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 unfi… Read More
2016-05-14 12:03
A small piece of paperwork is taking shape inspired by the cloth piece from yesterday. This piece is also for my small sample portfolio although it most likely won't be placed alongside the… Read More
2016-05-13 11:45
The latest ''in progress'' sample for my planned mini sample portfolios. This one has striped silk in shades of grey and off whites which I bought in London earlier this year. So far… Read More
2016-05-12 11:36
Another sample, white, gimp, pleated net...the next step in my sample portfolio play. This one has couched gimp overlaid across pleated net, a seam of French knots and four tiny cu… Read More
2016-05-11 11:46
This piece of work hasn't been touched for almost a week. I rectify that today, adding piping cord and embellishing it with bullion knots. This piece won't form part of my 'sample po… Read More
2016-05-10 12:43
The second ''page'' of my mini portfolio plan has been put together. I now have more questions to ask myself......should each mini portfolio have one colour scheme, should the wh… Read More
2016-05-09 11:59
port·fo·li·o
(pôrt-fō′lē-ō′)
n. pl. port·fo·li·os
A collection of works or documents that are repr… Read More
2016-05-08 11:51
These pockets came on holiday with me to France......then they came home with me. I have been asked to list my unsold items from France in the shop so here you are. I also have a few butt… Read More
2016-05-07 12:09
Still inspired by this body of design work I have moved temporarily to paper. Hopefully the paper compliments the cloth and vice versa. I'm going to have to be careful here th… Read More
2016-05-06 11:44
I flounder no more.....I am newly inspired......I kicked myself several times for not thinking to ponder this collection, this library of samples, this body of work which was created with… Read More
2016-05-05 11:56
Remember this from Tuesday? These images are of the piece which followed that. Layers of lace and fabric, doodling onto cloth, embroidery......I like it, I like the one from Tuesday...b… Read More
2016-05-04 11:55
The ribbon was bought in France and the notepaper is from France too.....my daughter found that for me when she was in Bordeaux recently. She knows me so well. The glass buttons, in t… Read More
2016-05-03 11:49
Yesterday if you remember I was talking about some thoughts I'm having about taking a different approach to ledgers, artist books. This is the start of that, mixing surfaces....cloth an… Read More
2016-05-02 11:46
Two of these little stitched and titivated artist books made it home with me from France. If you want one they are now in the shop.
It seems I am consumed with all things ''ledger'' at t… Read More
2016-05-01 11:54
White lace, white silk, an embroidery hoop, pale thread, flowers, French knots, buttonhole stitch, lazy daisy stitch, cross stitch....a new piece of work started before I went to London an… Read More
2016-04-30 11:55
I have spent so much time with lace recently that I thought I'd look back to ''old'' lace work. Having said that, I spend time with lace most days......we have an obsessive relationship… Read More
2016-04-29 11:55
If you watched the video on Wednesday you will be expecting this.....a wrapping cloth show and tell. Two cloths, both of which travelled to France with me and are now safely home. … Read More
2016-04-28 11:31
My old friend ''doodle doo'', a ledger/sketchbook/journal I bought several years ago and which is gradually filling up with ''white'' ideas, stitching and a little pen. None of these im… Read More
2016-04-27 11:59
I'm convincing myself that I am capable of embroidering a bullion loop following on from my chat about failure in that department in France which I posted yesterday. I'm also unloading a… Read More
2016-04-26 12:09
OK.....France again...you were warned. A video for you in which I ''bang on'' about the workshop and other things....
Your response to yesterdays post was phenomenal...thank you. I'm st… Read More
2016-04-25 12:03
workshop in progress
my vintage purchases
oops.....more shopping!
a fabulous gift....thank you...
I'm back.....there's no place like home. I am unpacking, washing, putting aw… Read More
2016-04-16 11:46
I did it, I managed to find the two spare hours needed to satisfy the hankering I had for white lace cloth...I spoke about it yesterday. The two hours were hiding in the cupboard mar… Read More
2016-04-15 11:55
Lace cloth is now in rolls...as opposed to coming out of my ears like I said earlier in the week. I love how it looks rolled like this, it also makes me realise how little housework I've… Read More
2016-04-14 11:39
A glimpse for you of what I've been doing. There's been a bit of French printing going on as you can see. There's been a lot of stuff put in bags...(for protection in transit and for… Read More
2016-04-13 11:43
I was worried last week that as I am focusing on getting ready for France and have also been consumed by making lace cloth that I wouldn't have anything to put on here to keep you inter… Read More
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