brenda’s shiny blue

I was so busy on Saturday and Sunday at the Ashmolean that I completely forgot to take pictures of all the students lovely progress, but Brenda sent me a picture of hers because she hadn’t been able to make it due to caring for a sick hubby. She’s been experimenting with recreating the manuscript diaper patterns I’ve been using lately – isn’t it glorious!

needlework convention

as well as the embroidery lady I’m also teaching a version of the selfie girl at the world needlework convention later this year.

and in other news they’ve just realieased a day rate for those who are local enough not to need a hotel

https://needleworktours.com.au/convention/2023-world-needlework-convention

icy blonde

the little icy blonde is all finished, and yesterday as I waited for the Van to be MOt’d I sat in cafe and wrote up her class handout so she’s all ready to go.
I do want to slip mount her though, and the red velvet I have stashed is too warm and welcoming for her, as I feel are the yellows and purples – perhaps the time has come to break out that piece of dark cream silk velvet I’ve been sitting on for nearly ten years?
am thinking (I know, you can hear the cogs creaking, stop whining, they’ll grind to a halt again soon enough)

underside couching

the first episode of the underside couching masterclass has been mailed out to all concerned (but Cathy if you are reading this please contact me because your email keeps bouncing)

it starts, of course, with the basics

you can still sign up if you wish, use the shop icon at the side of the blog

icy blonde

she is absolutely screaming silver halo, although I’m not sure if it’s the colour scheme or if I’m a bit bored with doing gold ones.

anyway, she’s a class project for a goldwork guild residential, so I’m going to do her with silver and offer a gold option for students if they prefer. I’m sure goldwork guild members are flexible enough to be silverwok guild members occaisionally’

needlework convention

I will be teaching my queen emma design and two opus designens at the world needlework convention in october

You have to scroll right down to find me, it’s in alphabetical order of first names

https://needleworktours.com.au/booking/2023-world-needlework-convention/choose-your-projects

testing

spotty toad

I was going for something that looked like a fat, spotty, slightly oily toad, but bluey.

I think I nailed it, as they say.

blue

Laid and couched was used as background /filler a lot in later opus, as well as being used more conservatively in earlier stuff, the theory being that it quicker.
Only I don’t find it *that*much quicker.
The thing is that to give good coverage you need six to eight strands of tricksy filament for your laid work, which takes time to wrangle. Then if you’re laying a long span you might only get four or five stitches before you’re back to the Silk wrangling.
That sky blue is jolly pretty though.

chirstmas presents

I’ve been making christmas presents – bathrobes as well as shirts this year because the microfibre ones in the shops are horrible.

these two gave me a lot of trouble but I think they’re lovely. Mostly the trouble was because the william morris towels I got from tk maxx are much thicker and plushier than the usual ones a get from george at asda (if you shop online they have an amazing range of cute designs – I’ve got grogu towels stored away for next years presents). I think each of these broke a whole pack of needles, and because the right side is so plushy they kept walking aorund under the sewing machine foot like velvet.

(the grey one had to have a cheap towel canibbalised to make the belt longer because it’s a bit bigger than the other one, and by the time I realised they’d sold the hand towels – each robe normally uses two bath sheets)

and why is wordpress asking me to list my five favourite grocery items? (OK, if you want to know, supermilk chocolate, illegal gjandija, dark dizzy praline, supermilk ceasar and champagne truffles – hotel chocoalte is a grocery store and I’ll fight you to prove it, ok?)