Kit preparation

I am going to make a bit of fuss over my first embroidery kit .

 The background is not off-white is strait grey. :)
Did not was very excited at first but I am yet have to find a good supplier for twill linen. 

There is going to be used in my first official class of embroidery .
Can't wait to see how my students will get on . I try to not crowd the design but in same time I was very tempted to add lots of stitches . I presume they would need to do some work on they own or they will still need to comeback  for more classes after the first session is finished  .

Happy crafting all
Hugs
Renata

Saturday class

Had a great day yesterday at Dublin Embroidery Guild were I had Romanian Point Lace class.
I know sound weird to have a lace class to an embroidery guild .
Anyway taking in consideration the lace is using needle point filling can be consider to have something in common with embroidery or so I like to think .
My class yesterday was very enjoyable and here are some pictures with some of my students work

 So very big concentration I felt a bit left out , kind .
Some of them started to actually download and work some designs from Internet

I am actually very happy about this fact as this mean my lovely craft is starting to take flight and so is start to spread around the world .
I am sure my gramma would be very happy about even if she would tell me '' hey something is loose here and some stitch is not like I told you :( ''


Happy crafting all
Hugs
Renata

Bloglovin

Hi
Try to set my self up in Bloglovin and looks like a PAIN .

here is the link



Follow my blog with Bloglovin 

Happy crafting all
Hugs
Renata

Embroidery classes

Hi,

I am happy to let you know we got a space for the embroidery classes advertised at Tallaght Library in Nov 2014 .

The chosen venue is RUA RED beside the Tallaght Square ( 2h free parking , Busses and Luas at the door).

We are planning to start with a package of 6 weeks for €95.00 and a €15 kit. This will provide you with a high quality foundation in Crewel work which can be used for all kind of embroidery decoration (household, cloths , bags and all sort).Payment in two installments  - one of €50 before course start and second €45 in week 3.

Course will start on 1^st April2015 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm

After this introductory  course anybody interested can progress to other modules( Blackwork , goldwork, silkshade )and we will progress on your own designs and stuff.

Please can you let me know if you are interested so I can arrange the space in function the number of people by end of next week as demands are great.

Happy crafting all

Hugs 

Renata

''Embroidery Windows '' more updates

Hip hip ura!!!! I have finished the embroidery in this small Sampler .

Now only one step left - to make something with . I am not very sure if to do a wall hanging or a bag.
I will probably opt for a wall decoration as a bag is getting messy and I am not having the luxury of washing it constantly .
All this little motifs will be part of my classes which will start in April I hope.
Here are pictures individual for each motif which I posted so many times thru the process in my blog or FB

Well I will hope to post over the weekend the final piece with edges finished

Happy crafting all
Hugs
Renata

Crewel Embroidery -- past and present - series

Well it have been some time from the last post. I have had another go to RSN in Hampton and started my Gold-work embroidery   and Silk shade embroidery  modules.
Not so much of work done but lots of new projects started .
Anyway manage to do few picture to try to go on with  our explanations in the field of crewel work .
 Last when we did talk about was about the fabrics used.
the next step you want to have is drawing your design
I use at first to get to put together a picture using different small pieces which I got from books or internet. Then when you get the idea about the crewel principles you are going to create your own designs from your imagination. 
Big bold flowers and leaves which are disproportional from each other and will look weird in the nature make the best designs .

After you successfully   draw your piece and you are happy with the outcome next step is to copy to a transfer paper as per below .

Next step to be done it would be to prick the design . Pricking is the action of making small holes with a paper piercing tool or I use a needle with some cork at the end ears end.

Take the transfer paper with the design and put in the top of a cork board , a foam pad or if you don't have such think I usually use a small cushion and with a crewel needle make small holes . 

You can see the small holes in the picture above.
The the fun part begin. You need to line the design perfectly on the middle of you fabric and with pouncing powder you will transfer the design on the linen.
A very important thing is the fabric have to be very well stretch on the  frame or embroidery hoop before you start to use the pouncing powder.

Then will look something like this .
Is a lovely doted picture. With some acrylic paint you have to unify all the dots and paint your lovely design

So now you really start to fun part. I mean the embroidery :) :)

Happy crafting all
Hugs
Renata

Crewel sampler update

Hi Everyone and Happy New Year.
I know is a bit late ,.. maybe very late but can you believe did not get the chance to breath yet this year .
Between Celebrations , lace doing , having a fall down the stairs and lots of classes I did not even realise is nearly end of Jan.
I will try to take it one by one.

 My little owl is done all in DMC cotton and I have to say a love it . Is very shiny and very delicate , comparative with rest of the sampler .
Anyway took my quite a lot of time as was done in one single strand of cotton I could say like the silk shading techniques.

In this one here wanted to show the square which is kind of cord couched which I actually learnt from Tracy's Franklin face book page .This is taking very long maybe to long for my like but is a good exercise because I have to say I always seems to loose the strait forward direction :( :(
Now ... at the end of this week I have a trip to Hampton to start my Goldwork embroidery  module which was so much waited for. I am bit apprehensive but very excited too. Hope to have a better experience than with the black work . Anyway can't wait to get back my black work  piece .

Hope to get some time to make some updates about the trip to London soon as I start the work

Happy crafting all
Hugs
Renata

Crewel Embroidery -- past and present - series

So you did manage to get  all the tools needed for starting your embroidery
Well you may still need to choose your fabric base for the embroidery  which I would say is very important and have to be chosen in accordance with the use of your project .
For framed thinks or soft furnishing you be very well to get the linen twill but this days we find harder and harder to get the good stuff.

     linen twill pic
So I find a good replacement for the linen twill which is linen union

linen union pic

Is not having that grain going on from left to right but as a texture is not very far .
Anyway I think any cotton fabric which is a bit stronger than the normal linen or batik is good in off .
Very important is the tension in your frame to keep the shape of the project correct.
Once the fabric chosen you have to go to the next  step which is the design .
You can use a kit ready made by few of the companies which still selling this kits :
The crewel Company 
Royal School of Needlework 
and I am sure you can find many many more .
I usually try to do my own designs as they are unique and cheap in same time. All I need is a piece paper the size of the work I want to do , a computer for some inspiration and lots more imagination  .
I get little pieces from here from there , I adapt them to my  required size , some time I loose or add little bits and here I come with the design .

Once I am happy with my drawing I try a bit of colouring in to get a better idea of the final piece of work I want to get done .
Then choose my stitches which usually change few times , and this is not because they don't work just because I usually forgot  to check often my design .

Well we will get back soon for a following up in this process.

Happy crafting all
Hugs
Renata

Crewel Embroidery -- past and present

Crewel embroidery is impressive as is done freestyle.

 Traditionally, crewelwork is done on linen twill because of its strength, grain and color which go with all sorts of designs, but many different fabrics can be used today.

Crewel wool is much thicker than silk or cotton thread, so it has a textured, colorful effect and creates a raised, dimensional feel.

Crewel embroidery designs range from modern to traditional patterns inspired by nature, featuring floral and animal patterns with stylized vines and leaves which usually are out of proportion .

You can see the odd proportions from the picture below .

 

 Starting a crewel embroidery

The first step is choosing the right material.

Crewel embroidery backings need to be firmly woven with medium weight fabric. Having linen in the fabric content is preferred because it allows the fabric enough ‘give’ for when the needle and thread goes through and closes behind it.

Crewelwork requires an embroidery hoop or frame to spread the fabric. This creates an even tension so patterns will not distort after completion.

 

Anyway , a good needle is  the most important tool. Crewel needles are very sharp, usually with a large slender eye and thick shaft, which is great for weaving or whipping stitches.

 Well the next step I may have to talk you  thru another day 

So keep checking the site as next will be drawing down the design in a traditional way .

Happy crafting all

Hugs 

Renata