Welcome visitors from Pintangle!

Thank you very much for clicking over to see me. ☺

I was very flattered when Sharon asked to include me in her TAST interview series, especially as I haven't been able to join in as much as I'd have liked to.  Also, if you've read the interview you'll know I'm not very good at the exploratory process - I'm very different from many of the artists featured thus far!  However, I do like to learn new things and develop as much skill as I can, so TAST is one of the challenges that offer a constant opportunity to move forward.  I'm planning on looking more closely into the Embroiderer's Guild distance learning courses towards the end of this year, so they may provide the needed impetus.

If you'd like to know more about the wedding dress panel, you can see my series of seven posts on the project, or hop over to the Kreinik Threads Blog to read their interview with me about it. ☺♥☻

I'm having some technology problems at the moment - both my laptop and my digital camera urgently need replacing (the camera I can only use if I seal the battery door up with duct tape, and the laptop is exasperatingly slow, no matter how much I delete, disable or otherwise clean up), so blogging has been rather neglected of late.  It takes a lot of patience and planning to get anything done, so there are a few projects waiting to be published.  Assuming I get my tech up to speed in the next few weeks (as I very much hope to, and Sir has agreed the funds for it ☺) , here's a sneak peek at what's coming up soon:

Here you can see some previews of counted thread and freestyle embroideries, sewing and knitting projects, and preparation for entering some local summer shows.

I'll be blogging all of these projects and more in the near future, including my sewing workshop days and some overviews of all the handicrafts exhibits at the Bingley and Ryedale Shows held later this month and the Shadwell Flower Show in mid August.

You can subscribe using the e-mail service (just remember to complete the verification process, or you won't be signed up), or any of the usual reader services.  There are widgets for some of the most popular part way down in the side bar.  I'm also on Instagram.

If you'd like to know more about my work, please do feel free to have a look at the gallery pages which you can find links for just under the blog header image.

My apologies for a relatively short and dull intro post, but I seem to be in for a bout of tonsillitis (or a cold at least) and I'm feeling just that little bit ropey today. However, thanks very much again for calling in and I hope to host you in my web home often. ☺♥☻

If you haven't seen the interview I'm referring to in this post, click here for a look!


Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2017

Needlequest July round-up and August intro - fabric colouring techniques

Another quiet month for NQ participation, but here's what we do have for the theme of Crockery and Tableware:

* I finished up my little blackwork cup.  Thanks for the comments about wonky being OK, I appreciate your encouragement.  Having said that, I do prefer straight myself so, when I re-do and develop this design (as I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would), I'll straighten it up somewhat!!=)

* Pamela worked a cross stitch trim for a kitchen towel for her piece.  She used the design from an old favourite crock set as her inspiration and pattern.

* Dorte has posted photos of her finished up pouch made from the blackwork pieces she did for the May Quest and also an experiment textile sample for her line work for June.  She's been on holiday on the island of Rhodes recently and has posted some glorious photos.  The text is Danish, but the photos are universal.=)

My stitching plans for July with results follow:

* Finish the wedding ring cushion.  Done!
* Finish this Tudor Lady piece.  Done!
When those two were complete, then:
* Do the blackwork pottery sample for the Needlequest.  Done!
* Complete, or at least substantially progress, the feather.  Done!  (It'll be complete to show you on Weds)
* Make up the Hanako scatter cushion (and do my trouser alterations) whilst I have the machine out for making up the ring cushion.  Finally chose the finishing materials, but haven't started any sewing yet.

Had I not lost about a week in total to illness, I would easily have finished this list, so I do still consider it a victory and any and all pigs may take off at their earliest convenience.=)

So, onto August's theme: Fabric colouring techniques!  Time to experiment with anything and everything that will change the colour of your fabric.  Here are some rather vibrant samples from my C&G days:

Painted silk habotai ready for embroidery

A rather over-lurid fabric painted sample.  It was meant to be autumn leaves, but the vibrancy of the sky made it look more like a brilliant spring day!!

Hand-dyed fabric with some Broderie Anglaise stitching on it.

My plans are to try a bit more with fabric and silk paints, maybe do one or two simple flowers and stitch in some outlines.  I also want to try more dyeing of fabrics, both a few pieces to stitch on and also some clothes that have got stained and aren't wearable in their present state anymore.  I need to get a larger dyeing vessel first though, maybe just a big bucket!!

Other than that and getting the leftover sewing from July done, here are my plans for August needlework-wise:

* Start tropical island cross stitch (for WIPW)
* Work butterflies small piece (the one I planned for NQ April)
* Stumpwork face card for my niece
* 20th anniversary card for my bro

* Find a way to create a single image banner for my stitching blog (ideas welcome!)
* Try to mend Sir's jumper (doubtful)

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2014

Needlequest Update - 28 July 2014

I haven't done a thing stitchwise from completing the Tudor Lady a week ago until just now when I did a bit on my NQ piece for the month!  Nice to have a week off to devote to other things (like the huge wardrobe clear out that took place early last week!), but also nice to get back to it.=)

I transferred my charcoal sketch to a piece of graph paper and divided the parts of the design up into sections using the two six element blackwork filling patterns you can see here.  The idea was to reflect the shading by filling in more and more sections of the pattern.  I think it would work well, if carefully done.  However, I decided to cut the design right down and just do the cup at the front both in view of time and interest constraints.  It's only a challenge sample, when all's said and done, and isn't meant for anything else.

It's when you get to stitch the outlines that you realise just how wonky your sketch is!!  If it was for something important/serious (i.e. had I still been doing it for a C&G sample), I would have reworked the whole design to make sure it was decently symmetrical!!  Anyway, the next stage is to fill it in and I should be able to show you that for the monthly round up and next month's intro which is due on Friday.

In the meantime, if fellow Needlequesters have any links to post, esp. for inclusion in the monthly round-up, please leave a comment on this post by close of play on Thursday.=)

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2014

Needlequest Update - 26 May 2014

I've finished a Needlequest month on time!  Wow!  Last night, in fact, so with six days to go.  Stunned, or what?!

Here is my last small blackwork piece for the challenge this month, a little heart which I'll mount in a card for Sir's anniversary card this next month.  It's actually only tiny, just under two inches each way, but who wants to look at teeny-weeny photos??=)

I've enjoyed relaxing with blackwork this month and will come back to it more later on.  As you might remember from the month's intro post, I have a couple of kits and other designs in reserve, waiting for when I have time to devote to them.  For the next few weeks though, apart from (hopefully) completing the peacock feather piece as my 'Line' sample for Needlequest June and finishing off the Tudor Lady, it's all focus on the wedding ring cushion and completing the April NQ piece as practice.

Back on Wednesday with the progress on the Tudor skirt - filling in many of the gaps etc.

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2014

Needlequest Update - 19 May 2014

OK, I'll be honest, I haven't done a stitch of blackwork in the last 10 or more days.  Well, I was ill in bed for at least five of them, so I have some excuse.  Also, I've learned how blackwork works and am ready to tackle a more meaningful pattern than just little practice samples.

In the meantime though, I got this book out of the library a fortnight ago.  Actually, I used to own this one and it wasn't really long before I remembered why I'd sold it on through the Amazon Marketplace arrangement.

It's an OK book for what it offers, but I don't really think it deserves the title of 'Beginner's Guide to' and I can't help feeling that most of the contents aren't really blackwork as I think of it.  The cover tells you most of what you need to know about the contents as the focus is on outline-type patterns and not really areas of a picture or pattern comprising different filling stitches.

To be fair there are four pages of sample filling stitches, (here is one of them), but there are far more pages of outlines, borders and so on.  In the instruction section, there's plenty of information on threads, needles and suitable fabrics, but the only actual stitching tutorial is for the three outline stitching methods that I posted about two weeks ago.  As the book focuses on those, I can see the reason for their inclusion, but there doesn't seem to be a word on how to work filling patterns.

Where I think the book does do well is that it gives you an idea of how to go about designing your own repeat patterns, which could be outlines or, preferably (IMHO) for fillings.  Here is that section, which I think could be quite useful and I may have a go at one day.

Anyway, I was glad I could borrow the book (and was even more glad that a couple of the Lonely Planet guides I wanted to look at more than you can in the book shop were also available!!!), but unless you're really interested in a sort of blackwork meets doodle stitching sort of style, it's probably not for you.

Next up for me is to make a start on Sir's anniversary card using some of the heart designs from this magazine article.

What about you?  Anything to report, Needlequesters?

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2014

Needlequest Update - 12 May 2014

How are you getting on with your blackwork project(s)?  I've been doing a little more and am quite pleased with progress thus far.

The first photo shows the backs of the small pieces I did during the first few days of the month.  You might remember that the very first samples were the three leaves on the far left which were a go at each of the three outlining stitches.  The top one was done with a combination of running and back stitch, the second in holbein, or double running stitch producing a reversible effect, and the third one was back stitch.

Moving onto the flower design.  I worked the outline in holbein stitch, then trialled both methods of filling by doing the petals working all the stitches in one direction at once, and the leaves by working adjacent stitches together without regard for direction.  The effects on the back are quite different, aren't they?

This next sample is shown here quite a lot 'larger than life' as the real thing is less than a 2 inch/5cm square!  This was also worked one row/direction at a time for the black parts, with the gold being added one diamond at a time.
 

This third photo shows what it looks like on the back, with a regular grid having been created.

That's as far as I've got over the last week, but I've learned quite a bit so far.

What about you?

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2014

Needlequest Update - 5 May 2014

I've made a good start with the blackwork section of the Quest!  I'm working through sections of Mary Hickmott's 'Easing Into Blackwork', which I showed you in my last posting and here are the first two 'projects' completed!=)

The first is outlining stitches.  Although you can't see from the photo above, each of these tiny leaves is worked with a different stitch.  The first one is back stitch, the second holbein (i.e. two lots of running stitches) and the third a sort of mix of running and back stitches.  You can see the difference clearly from the backs - sorry I can't show you just now as I neglected to take a photo of the back and Sir has my camera on his research trip until Wednesday night. The holbein stitched one gives the more or less reversible look and I liked that a lot, even though it takes the longest time to work of the three.

Here's a page from the book showing how to work a simple flower using two different methods of completing filling stitches.  The first one, which I used on the flower petals, is as you can see in the photos below - stitching all in one direction at a time.

I used 'Method 2' for the leaves (so that I could have a go with each one), i.e. working the stitches in any order that seems reasonable given the pattern and spacing of the filling.  I used the same thing as in the third outlining technique above: part back stitch, part running stitch.

Here's my completed simple flower (except the two horizontal stitches on the left hand petal, which I forgot to put in, but have done so now), my first real piece of blackwork.

I'm very happy with that as a start.  I've had a go at five different ways of stitching so far and that's great.  I like to give all sorts of ways a try so that I can choose the best one for me.=)

Next step is a square design with gold stitches as well.  I may be able to use that for cards if I work it well enough.

For information, I'm working on 18ct white Aida with Anchor pearl cotton #12 for the outlining and one strand and regular floss for the details.  I'm using a finer gauge than one might normally do in the early stages as I came across a pile of about 30 pieces of this Aida that I bought years ago and that are cut to greetings card size (about 6"x4"/15x10cm).  This seems a good time to put them to use, especially as I'd never even opened the pack before and I've had them about 13 years....  I have some odds and ends of 14ct too, which I hope to put to use later on.  Having said that, I can always use sewing cotton if I need a finer thread as that's about half the thickness of one strand of floss.

What about you?  Have you ever worked any blackwork pieces?  Why not share links to your photos and share them?  I'd love to see what you've done, even if you're not actively in the challenge.  Oh, speaking of which, we have a new challenge member.  Welcome, Pamela!

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2014

Needlequest - April Review and Introduction to Blackwork (May)

So, how did we get on in April?  Not a lot of movement for most of us this month.  This is as far as I personally got with my 'Spring' piece.  It's not worked at all well - the voided areas are too large, edges aren't even, stitches look bad (the silk stretches and makes long stitches a nightmare to work well) and the colours really don't go (looks even worse when you can actually see the piece!), but I still intend to finish it off.

Wendy was our one challenge participant who came up with a finish this month.  Have a look at her pretty floral appliqué piece.

Dorte posted a retrospective post on her goldwork.

And that's it!  And now onto May and a sparkling new topic:

What about May and blackwork then?  This is the first (and only for the challenge topics this year) technique that I can honestly say I've never done a stitch of before, so it's totally new ground for me.  Here are some of the goodies that I have in stock though...

First of all, I plan to work some of the simple, introductory pieces in this book.  I used Mary Hickmott's 'Easing into...' series for learning hardanger and found them very good and easy to follow.  Although this one is somewhat different, I'm hoping that I can learn plenty from it and maybe even complete the bookmark (not shown here) as part of Sir's anniversary stuff for this June.

Speaking of anniversaries etc, there's tremendous card potential in this next collection from 'New Stitches' issue 166 (2006)

Here are two kits that I've had in my stock for a while, two of the few that I haven't sold off recently!  I hope that, if I take to the technique, I can work these in the near-ish future.  They have some lovely metallic touches, although they don't show up well in these photos of photos!!

This, to me, is the ultimate in geometric blackwork pieces.  It's called 'Elizabethan Elegance' and is a table runner from 'New Stitches' issue 75.  I've had a piece of antique white quaker cloth ready in stock for this for many years.  Maybe I will actually work it one day, but it's not a beginners' piece, methinks!

Of course, geometrics are by no means the only things worth working in blackwork.  Here's an iris from the RSN book, which shows just how detailed you can make pictures created in blackwork stitches.

I'm also hoping to have a go at some miniaturisation of blackwork once I've got the necessary skills firmly under my belt.  I tried some miniature hardanger (which I must show you) a while ago and am keen to have a go at a few more ideas sometime soon, probably after the ring cushion piece is done.

I hope some of these have given challenge participants some inspiration and that many of us can have a great time over the coming month learning and working this classic technique.=)  If you're in the challenge, are you planning to join in this month?  What have you got in mind?  Would love to hear from you!

Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2014