Twinkle, twinkle

This fabulously-glittery star is another exploration of gold-work techniques.  I've adapted it to make it quicker and more accessible for general stitchers and I'll be teaching it at workshops during November.

The project can be completed in two evening workshops or one full-day and will be taught at my new studio in Keighley Business Centre.  The dates are Wednesday 23rd and 30th November, 6:30-9:00pm or Saturday 26th November 10:00-3:00.  The cost is £45 which includes all materials.

Contact me on 07904 010430 or cketteman@aol.com to book a place.

All that glitters

 

I've ventured into the realms of traditional embroidery over last few weeks and have surprised myself with the results.  Yes, there are elements that are a bit too precise or fiddly for my liking but on the whole I've loved the challenge.

The two brooches shown are adapted from a design by Rachel Reynolds that first appeared in Hoop-La magazine in Spring 2015.  The original design was for 'gold-work' which involves the use of precious metal threads and wires that are couched onto the surface of a fabric.  But I wanted to explore how I might use fancy yarns and general haberdashery items to create a similar effect using the same basic techniques.   The results are rather stunning and certainly got the seal of approval from my friends at Skipton Embroiderers' Guild.

Yorkshire buttons

A Yorkshire button made in salmon pink embroidery thread is the perfect finishing touch for my little felted jewellery purse.

Taking a slow stitch to organisation

Slow stitching has taken over! I've collected some fragments of fabric: linen table cloth, scraps of lace, fine silk; and stitched them onto a piece of wool blanket.  The rhythm of the stitches changes as I move across the different textures.  I work in straight lines but curves in the damask pattern encourage me to stitch a circle.  Neutral colours soothe jangling nerves. 

The piece is finished as a haushuf: a place to keep needles and threads neat and tidy on my travels.

Remembering 1976

1976 will be remembered for its long hot summer and as a teenager I made the most of it: playing outdoors, riding my bike and going on my first Guide camp.

It also happens to be the year that Skipton Embroiderers' Guild was founded and by way of celebration they are holding an exhibition of work spanning the last 40 years.  There will be historical work and items with a "Ruby" theme but also new pieces that have been inspired by the 1970's.

I chose a piece of work by Audrey Walker, an artist I have admired for some time.  I chose this picture because I fell in love with the colours and the contemporary feel of the piece.   I love the way she uses layers of stitch to 'paint colours'.  I usually prefer to make my own design but copying someone else's work can give you an insight into their practice as well as broadening your own.  

I started by laying down a patchwork of small silk squares and secured them in place with herringbone stitch - a strong feature of this piece. Then I introduced the key elements - tree, clouds, water using shapes of semi-transparent fabrics (habotai silk, georgette and organdie).  The rows of squares are softened by long stitches.  Again I chose to use an elongated herringbone stitch worked in several overlapping rows to create depth.  Finally, small circular shapes are worked in French knots.  

Snip snip

Why do we keep useless junk?  A big question for me at the moment but clearly a family trait!  Here is an iron chicken made out of scissors found in my Auntie Jean's stash.  Why did she need so many? Who knows! 

The scissors have been securely stitched onto a velvet shape mounted on deep red hessian, with comb and wattle made out of safety pins (also in the stash).  The tail feathers are loops of measuring tape.

It is a gift for my cousin Sarah for her birthday.  Like Auntie Jean, she keeps a menagerie of poultry and I think she'll like the recycling theme.  A nice way to remember our much loved aunt.

Idle hands

Oh dear - so much for stitching every day!  My house has turned into a B&B for teenagers and there seems to be little time for myself.

I received a bunch of heather from one of the many visitors.  It was gathered from the moors on a walk to Top Withens.  Little fly stitches worked in columns seemed to be the right kind of stitch for the purple flower spikes.

I have not been entirely idle over the last couple of weeks - I have rented a studio space in a nearby mill.  It is a white box that I'm quickly filling with my stash, but it has provided an opportunity to display my work and surprise, surprise, it actually forms a cohesive body!