Gold part II

Day two was chip work over felt, surrounded with couched pearl purl. The chip work is a 'crimped' wire, called wire check which is cut into tiny 'beads' and then stitched randomly. The effect is super-sparkly.

Gold

This week's technique is goldwork, something completely new for me and I'm really enjoying it.

We started with couching gilt thread (we aren't let loose on proper gold yet) which was fun and surprisingly easy (photo above of the front view).  Unfortunately, to finish off, the couched threads need to be sunk through to the back of the fabric (called plunging) and tied off (stitched), both of which are much less easy and also really tough on the fingers. 

The photo to the right shows the reverse of the fabric, part way through the tying off process. 

This is the same technique in a spiral which I much prefer (not least as there are hardly any ends of thread to be handled).

Tomorrow is chip work and pearl purl - even the names in goldwork are great.

Japanese embroidery

I went to a fascinating workshop in Japanese embroidery recently.  It was run by Midori Matsushima, a very experienced Japanese embroiderer. 

We used flat silk thread, both in it's pure flat state and also learnt how to twist it (so it looks similar to a superior perlé thread).  The shape on the left is done in satin stitch using twisted thread, and the flat silk on the right (the photo doesn't do justice to the amazing sheen).  The knots are Japanese knots - similar to French knots, but the technique is slightly different (and, given the state of some of my efforts, much more difficult). The final thing we tried was using fine gold thread.  Sewing with the gold was easier than I'd expected, and beautifully rewarding.

One of the lovely things about the workshop was using different tools: an awl, a minimalist pair of scissors and a small, slightly chunky needle with a round, rather than flat, eye (shown next to a size 10 embroidery needle).  Apparently the round eye puts less strain on the delicate silk than a flat eye, and the small needle was actually easy to use.

The whole experience was great, an intriguing insight into a different way of stitching led by a real expert.

Ceramic inspiration

I went to Ceramic Art London at the weekend which was really interesting.  A wide variety of ceramics, some functional, some weird and wonderful and a lot of them inspiring. 

Photo from: http://www.jamesandtillawaters.co.uk/images/lidded-jars/

The friends I went with were unanimous in our liking of James and Tilla Waters' work.  I love the muted blue grey east coast seascape feel, which is put into beautiful relief by the bright orange.

I've been playing with fluorescent orange quite a bit recently, and so their ceramics inspired this sample - not sure I'd have thought of putting these colours together previously, but I do like them and it's definitely something I want to pursue.

Silk shading

I'm trying to convince myself that I like the new technique we started learning last week: silk shading.  It's so tiny, ridiculously small, which means it takes forever, and then the finished piece is just ... flat.   

I know, the whole point is to create light and dark through shading, but it just does nothing for me.  I have consoled myself by choosing colours I like for this exercise (inspired by agave and echeveria plants), but I'm still not sure it makes up for the fact it took a day and a half. 

Beatrix Potter

Quite some time ago I promised Beatrix Potter 'name' pictures for two young friends of ours.  I have finally got them finished (who would have thought hedgehog spines would be quite so time-consuming?).  The second one has yet to be framed and stretched, but I'm awaiting any last-minute suggestions from OH, and wanted to blog about them now.

The lettering is done using Caran D'Ache water-soluble pencils (so in effect watercolour paint), overlaid with seeding. 

All of the figures are appliqued, padded with toy stuffing and then embellished with stitch.

Jemima Puddleduck's bonnet was a piece of shaped felt folded and stitched into place and her 'coat' is a piece of printed cotton fabric with detached chain stitch.  The hollyhocks are more Caran D'Ache, with embroidery on top. 
 

Mrs Tiggywinkle is more applique, her bonnet and apron are from a recycled laundry bag and her blouse (and bloomers hung out to dry) are from an old bra(!).  The laundry basket was a variation on basket-weave stitch and the socks on the washing line were my first success with needle-felting.  After much trial and error and suggestions from many different friends (various threads, wire, paintbrush bristles, wood splinters ...) I used bristles from a (brand new) scrubbing brush.
 

Penguin plethora

Have been meaning to post all Christmas and it's not happened, so thought I'd do a Twelfth Night post.

Both of these were Christmas presents - the lovely Scandinavian tree from a friend, and the penguins from me to OH, courtesy of the V&A shop.  Both are my kind of design - I like the foldable, interlocking elements, not to mention the clean lines and simplicity.

Happy new year.