Lace journey

Have a bit of  a busy time in the last couple of weeks . Between lace making classes and embroidery classes and a full time job I actually have just a very little time to do anything else.

Making lace at the lace weekend in May 15

 I am very happy and proud to let you know I had my first interview ever in my life  with The Irish Examiner paper and I can't believe in special when you think about 16 years ago I had not a single work in english .
Anyway very ....very happy and in special when I see the classes have been starting to fly of the grid .
Been notified as for the Lace Convention in An Grianan in September all the places have been booked and I have 3 extra in the class.

In other hand I hope you all have a great summer as I have to enjoy here every minute of good weather . this weekend it was so nice and worm I actually enjoyed a lot to stay in my little shed (studio ) and do some alterations.
Got this dress from a friend to fix out. She brought the dress to a dry cleaner so to be safe on cleaning . And the moron had put it in a hot dryer so all the beads have melted to the fabric.

 I don't know if there is clear enough in the picture above but the little frill what was going over the shoulder was having holes actually .I had to take that out entirely .

Anyway I manage to pull them out as you can see below they are totally destroyed .Not like the beads was I don't know what high quality but still ... if they had bee n designed to be attached to a garment they should have been of a better quality .
And you are thinking how much money you spend in something which pretend to be a kind of a houte couture dress

For the month is saved and is going to be worn for few more times . With this economical situation people can't afford now anymore to buy a new dress for each occasion .
 For me was a great experience and a reason to relax playing with some beads.

So hope you enjoyed your self in the past weekend so much as me and I am hoping to have the next one same as I really need some relaxing time now.
I am hoping to do some alterations to my own clothes next weekend as I notice barely if I can fit in the ones I have . For the moment still need to hang in there as I can't really afford to get new ones.

Now I have to get some other work done .

Happy crafting all
Hugs
Renata

Port Marmion Trophy

What a great weekend have been the one just passed .
I have been at the embroidery guild scheduled like usual to teach the Romanian point lace .
I had to take with me few embroidered things as in the afternoon I had to go talk to the lovely Rosemary from The Constant Knitter about some workshops .

On my way to the guild I remembered about the Port Marmion annual competition and lo behold find my self submitting 2 of my pieces which I had in my bag.

After I had a hard time in the Royal School of Needlework I decided to relax by working on two small projects in my spare time, creating these two lovely pieces (above).

Well these two pieces actually had shared the Port Marmion Trophy and took me by surprise.
A very big surprise especially for the white one titled 'A Powerscourt Garden' which had been planed as I was sewing and which I completed in just 2 days.
So now I start to feel the pressure to make things better and better .
Another good day was Sunday too as I did try and manage to re-frame the blackwork portrait  trying to give it a more professional look .
Anyway is not 100% but I can say is 99.99%  ..... ha ha

Now looking at the picture I can see a bit of a light shadow between the wooden frame and the black card but I can say for sure when you are looking at the actual picture is not there. 
Well I am very happy with the way it come out so hope you will not try to disappoint me .....ha ha

Happy crafting all
Hugs
Renata

Lace weekend at An Grianan

Had a lovely weekend at An Grianan with the ladies from our Guild of Irish Lacemakers .
Have been very impressed with all the work and talent going on in there .
I had a small class compared with the previous lace day in Dublin and all have been starting this lace for the first time. The single one with some experience have been my lovely friend Mildred .
Everybody  started with a small kit with a small design to get accustomed to the process of couching the braid and filling stitches
After a quick snap of pics I notice I actually have only the very busy hands doing they own things.

 This very brave hands are Mildred's hands working very busy at a much bigger design than all the other girls because now she is in an advance stage of her classes.

As we can see on the other pics the designs are a smaller size and by some experience over the many classes I was just hopping they will finish or be well on the way of achieving this.
Then surprise ... surprise. All finished by Saturday mid day and start another bigger designs or start to play around with the braid making .
I have to confess I sort of get them out of class Saturday after 5 pm which never happen with the other classes and still they was on the top of they own work .
Very very impress and so very happy as I had some time for my self doing different things and had a good chat with other girls .

 Here above I have a very quiet class of 6 and I actually was amazed how quiet they were.

 In this two pics above Maree  is modelling her lovely flower and patiently is waiting for me to give her a butterfly kit . Her hands ha a go to the braid in the process of waiting  :)

 Then here is the lovely star of  Elaine same as Bronwen below

 

All in all was a great weekend and I do believe a great success for the Guild .

Happy crafting all

Hugs

Renata

Back and Go

I had a very busy few days ... maybe weeks in the last month .
Officially all done and dusted at Royal School of Needlework :)
Yes handed in the silk shading and the gold work projects for assessment . Now fingers  crossed all to be OK.

Now this is the silk shade in the process of been put on the card.I am pretty happy with how come out and the fact had not to much of unpicking.
Then when I took it out and turn on the back the tutor was so impress with my back and put me to take a pic of the back too.
I was not so impress but oblige and here it is

The gold work did not go so smooth as I had to unpick the cutwork on the upper stem few times. The rough purl keep cracking very fast in special when I was taking the frame with me to the hotel.
It was enough to touch slightly with the nail and was cracking .
I manage anyway to hand in the work with no cracks which I hope will reach the judges like that,  but never know .

And as a little treat I will show you some pictures from the famous screen which had been donated to RSN .
Is all hand made in crewelwork , very old and very very beautiful

This was a great source of inspiration for me and many other students.
Now I have to let you as I am in hurry to get to An Grianan for teaching Lace at the weekend .

Will be back with few more pictures of this screen

Happy crafting all
Hugs
Renata

Salvaged wool and week review

A good weekend is starting with a good week finished. Very happy to find out I have finished on Tuesday my  calico garden or white work or anyway you want to call it .
I still need to figure out how to make pictures to white things :)

 This two yellow ones are the pics without the flash and then with the flash on.

 And then today I finished and nearly up in the wall the project done with the salvaged wool . I actually liked a lot to work with all this crazy colours :) ,, well this would be me ... very colourful .

Both of this projects are based on my own design and now I think is time to start up the patterns and the kits plan.
I had many times the one project you don't think so .. that is the one were they ask for a pattern . 

Happy crafting all
Hugs
Renata

New Project on the way

I know I should have been good and finish few thinks which are already started .I really do need new ideas to be put down before I loose them. So I will definitely get back to my UFO's soon as I have a bit of a go to this one. Anyway will not tell you what is about as is small and need to be finished by summer.
The single clue to give away is going to be monochrome

 This is the real colour above.
I don't know what happen below but my camera decided she have enough of flash and decided not to use it . 

Have good intentions to finish this soon as I comeback from Hampton Court were I go in a week time to finish my last two modules of the Certificate .
Next week need to be used to max to finish the Silk shading project .
And I need to get back to the gold work to have a go at some practise for the cut work to get back in shape for the classes.

Well... will keep in touch by then .

Happy crafting all
Hugs
Renata

Salvaged wool - Update

Some progress have been done in this piece even if time do not allow to much .
Anyway the big surprise to realise I actually spend about a day in doing only a promenade. Can't believe my self how slow this one been  .
Thought I am  very happy with the outcome as I can actually see my self good progress in how the edges looks to my satin stitch . Did not need any stem stitch to hide  the loose ends.

I'd love to say is perfect  but I do have to patient and to do some more practise. I did learn I need to be a little slower in my work so I can pay attention more , but as they say all your life you still learn.


Happy crafting all
Hugs
Renata

Silk Shading for my RSN Certificate in Technical Hand Embroidery

Some progress have been done on my silk shading of the apple blossoms . I still I am not really happy with one of the petals but I can put my finger on and say way ...

The very low petal is looking a bit off color and cant understand way .
The colors have been chosen together with the tutor and looks perfect against the actual picture. Yet ... the actual work is a bit off .

Is a still long way to go if you take in consideration I had worked for about 2 days for that petal and still 1/3 to go.

so wish you luck as I go to put two more stitches in there tonight

Happy crafting all
Hugs
Renata

Salvaged wool

I had got this bag of wool in a charity sale in our Lace Guild some months ago. Well ... have to say did not look at for long time until few weeks ago when I decided I have to use it for few practised pieces.
Easy said than done .... Start looking thru the bag and discover the threads was between 20 -25 cm or8-10 inches.
This should be OK for some kind of crewel work ...isn't?
Have to say NO , is not enough as I start the work and is a bit of nightmare . If I manage to unthread the needle on the middle of the work is some tough time to rethread it.
Anyway here is the start of my struggle :)

Hope you all have a more productive weekend than me as for the moment I actually have the speed of a slug .......


Happy crafting all
Hugs
Renata

Embroidery classes

As we come to the end of my first classes we have to take a break from Rua Red as the rent in there is mad.
Anyway for few weeks over the summer we will try to have a very reduce group in my friend house.
Anyway I was thinking in same time we may actually spice the curriculum and have some fun over the summer . So the next designs will be something funny as crazy quilting .
OH... NO..NO... don't expect you to go home with a full quilt . Nope!!!!
You may have a nice piece to frame or as in the pic here to do a front of a pouch or cushion or something

So who's for the challenge ?

Message are welcome thru my FB , Blog or email





Happy crafting all
Hugs
Renata