Adventures in Creativity: Other projects in embroidery

Birthday card using blackwork and goldwork. I am happy to make these to order; I just need some notice as they can take a little while to complete.

Pair of cushions using silver metal threads and fabric paint, from a design supplied by Sophie Long on a day course at Hampton Court, originally stitched in gold.These were ordered by a local customer.

Tortoise and Turtle.

Two little pincushions using hexagons and machine stitching patchwork.

A small turtle on is available on my sales page.

Book cover using fabric printing and machine embroidery.

Some stumpwork Bumble bee cards after attending a workshop at Stitchfest, Ardingley. All of these were given away or sold.

Beaded dragon fly after attending another Ardingley workshop, which was sold at an open house sale.

Book cover after attending a machine embroidery course on Klimt designs. I have given severla as presents to fruiends.

A foray into bag making and the joys of using PVC fabric!! See my sales page for bags for sale.

And another.

A little stumpwork design from Sachiko Morimoto's book, Stumpwork Flowers. This contains some beautiful little projects that can be stand alone pictures or made into notebook covers or other small items. I am about to make another version of this for a commission.

A Cosmos design from a course with Kate Cross at the RSN sold at Brighton Open Houses in May 2016.

Another RSN day course project. This is available for sale framed at £40 13.5 x 11.5 ins

Insects

Whilst creating my stumpwork, I made a beaded 'slip' for the glade which I didn't use in the final piece. Since I store away such pieces for future inspiration, I knew it would ultimately find a use. Having also experimented with making wings from shear fabrics and machining, the two ideas came together to make beetles!

Having made one, I was then asked to make another, so I have a growing collection of creepy crawlies, many of which I have sold!

A small beetle is available at £15 and measures 5x5ins

Shadow applique

This project was started at the Embroiderers' Guild summer school in June 2016. It involves applying paper, stitching, gimp, lurks and beads and sequins to a piece of sheer fabric. The honesty design was great and very delicate; fastening off was tricky and stitching with the silk floss quite a challenge. I loved the effect of it being suspended and therefore appearing real. The design and tuition were by Jennie Adin Christie, a really organised and supportive teacher. I gave this to my brother as a housewarming present.

Sweet Pea

For some time I have had it in mind to do a silk shading of another of my paintings. Last year I purchased a small travel slate frame, planning to take it to Central America. However the prospect of taking something that complex and the doubt of having appropriate lighting, made me change my mind. But this spring I set about tackling this project. I had to reduce the size of the picture in order to fit it within the bounds of the frame. I used all the proper procedures for setting up the frame and transferring the design. I had collected a substantial range of silk floss but due to the reduced size of the piece, needed to reduce the range. It was only after I had begun stitching that I realised the silk Dupion I had purchased was sitting in my bag and I had embroidered onto the calico! It is a perfectly suitable background so I carried on, saving my silk for a later project. I worked on this during my two weeks in Scotland, and completed it in August. I did not use RSN mounting procedures, double sided tape works perfectly well for framing purposes.

This is framed and available at £30 It is 10.5 x 12.5 ins

Stumpwork project

After completing the project for my RSN diploma, I decided to try another, similar composition.this was created in a similar way with separate pieces cut out, embroidered and applied. The wings were machine embroidered before application. This was displayed at Kirdford in April 2017 where it was sold.

I always like to take some small projects when I travel and these two floral pieces were done whilst I was in Central America. This latter piece has been sold at the Kirdford Community shop exhibition.

This piece was inspired by a painting course. We were advised to take a flower and analyse it mathematically. This was a fascinating investigation and resulted in a drawing that looked like a plan. So it became the plan for a piece of silk shading. The background silk was part of an experiment for the background of one of my RSN projects, which didn't quite work for that project. Everything finds a use some time. So now I have embroidered several other versions of this.

They re in stumpwork, silk shading and applique and are priced at £20 & £25. They measure 8x8 ins

My latest piece was a special request for a friend for a family gift. It is a Diamond Anniversary clematis in wired stumpwork set in a garden. The work was sold framed in a washed boxframe set on a maroon mount to complement the colours. I use Nicolas Gentle Framers Washingtom, West Sussex.

I have also made some embroideries and applied to calico bags for the Art Fayre in October and am making more covered books with similar embroideries, and some more of those favourite pincushions, that have been so popular. All would make presents for Christmas!

A little private sale at my house and the Bonnet cap mushrooms, top right has now gone.

This was a little brooch project made st Ardingley Stitchfest in July with the Embroiderer's Guild. It has even survived the washing machine!

I am now making items for the Horsham Artists' Open Studios event at Parkside in October.

Small pincushions on a wooden bases.

A variety of embroidered book covers stiffened with pelmet vilene and reusable on standard book sizes. These all have lined books in them, A5 and A6.

The books were all sold at the HAOS event in October.

I am currently working on another Autumn leaves piece based on observations in New England in 2016. I am embroidering the leaves individually and forming veins from florists' wire, then I will overlay and embroider them onto brown tweed to look like the forest floor.

This piece is now finished and framed, having added some felted and stumpwork pieces during the Annual Embroiderers' Summer School in 2018. It was exhibited at the South East Embroiderers' exhibition at Roffey Park, Summer 2019 and has now been sold.

I have just completed a piece started at Stitchfest 2017. As usual I am not happy to follow a prepared design, so have modified that provided adding beads and ribbon work and changing part of the layout. It uses a variety of metal threads with homework techniques and is all hand embroidery.

This is 11.5 x 11.5 ins framed and is priced at £60 It is now reframed with a cream mount.

More book covers, one decorated with a stumpwork beetle and printed leaf, the other with embroidered stumpwork. All ready for the Coffee and Crafts morning on 11th August, see events page. This has been sold.

I am now making some more little boxes based on my tuition at the Royal School of Needlework, and some little gift bags. I am hoping these might be of interest towards Christmas. This is an ongoing piece of work and these are proving popular.

If you require one of these please contact me with an idea of size and colour.

These little gift bags are available at £6.50 and will be for sale at forthcoming events.

More items for Christmas sales. A good way and relaxing to pass the evenings and use up odds and ends of thread and donated aida fabric.

I also have gift tags with similar designs at only 50p!

a cushion design started with printing at the Embroiderers' Guild Summer School.This was sold made into a cushion Christmas 2019.

A design developed from a stay in Rosemoor Gardens

This selection of projects were made using embroideries I brought back from Nicaragua. Whilst there in January and February, I taught the local family to embroider. They took to it very well and made many designs which I brought home. I am now making these into saleable items. They are still continuing with whatever come to hand and being very creative too.

These are all sold and I have orders for more.

During the lockdown for Coronovirus, I have set out to complete various projects. Here is a stumpwork strawberry. I wanted to use the little mounts I had in a creative way, and the notion of the leaves coming out over it appealed to me. My sister now has this! The other project is a set of jam jar covers from some simple projects I did whilst in Nicaragua.