I haven’t been sewing anything in particular lately. Instead I have been inspired by Claire Wellesley’s idea of a stitching journal. I am just stitching, playing with stitches, with no thought for the finished product. In fact I hope there is no product, and maybe no finish.
It is on off cuts of linen from a dress I recently sewed. It didn’t matter to me that the off cuts were odd shapes, nor that the edges are raw. The seams are handsewn French seams.
I was practising how to control running stitch to get different effects.
Circles in chain and stem stitches. They were fun to do, after I had traced around a 20 cent coin.
I will happily work on this, probably adding more linen as I go. However I am not starting any other textile projects for a while. At the moment I am working out where I want my art to go. Part of that is thinking about how to meld my textile work to my collage. I don’t want to just add textile bits to a collage, but instead to have the two media work together, where it is appropriate.
So, I am doing a lot of thinking rather than much making. This will be my last SAL, for a while at least. However, the others on the list below, will still be creating wonderful embroideries.
I respectfully acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land on which I live – the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung People of the Kulin Nation, their spirits, ancestors, elders and community members past and present.
You were all correct….my embroidered yoke needed time to talk to me, to tell me what was to come next.
I added more pistol stitches to each flower (although I think they may also be fireworks!); they gave the flowers/fireworks more oomph. Then it needed a line of stem stitch weaving its way. One line become a couple close to each other.
Once I had finished that I realised that the fancy, feathery yarn that was a feature of the front pockets would now work, as there is enough stitching to carry it.
My pattern was slightly out, as I found when I sewed the patch onto the yoke of the jacket….but not enough to worry me. If you look closely in the photo below you can see that the right shoulder doesn’t quite come to the sleeve.
And from the front
I am really happy with the jacket. It was the perfect weight to wear today, when the weather was cool enough to need an extra layer, but not something too heavy. It was fun to wear, and even the Fella said it looked okay. That’s high praise from him!
Thanks to the Fella for the photographs. He is improving, as he didn’t cut my head off in either of these!
This stitch-a-long is for our own personal sewing, so all the women on the list are creating wonderful things. Follow the links to see what they are up to. I am sure you will be amazed.
Neither the possums nor I have got the upper hand yet. I have doubled the number of strings to train the shoots up. A couple of shoots have reached the wires of the pergola, only to be eaten when they get to the top, but there are more inching their way up. I am optimistic, and determined, that I will succeed! However, to be sure I am still wrapping up the delicate little shoots at night. It keeps me amused!
I respectfully acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land on which I live and garden – the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung People of the Kulin Nation, their spirits, ancestors, elders and community members past and present.
Last time I had finished embroidering patches on the pockets of my jacket and was eyeing off the yoke.
I have worn it a couple of times and it feels good to wear.
So, I decided to play with the yoke. The front ones seemed a bit too obvious, so I have begun the back. Another advantage of the back is that it didn’t have to be a close match of the pockets. However I wanted to keep some of the same elements.
The fabric is quite different — a mustard linen from a dress I recently made. The colours of the threads give it a different feel.
What is the same is the stitching. The outside border is coral knot stitch, then white chain stitch. The flowers are created with pistol stitch, which I think gives a funky feel.
Now I am a little stuck. It’s not finished, and needs more oomph, more wow. I tried the feathery yarn that worked so well on the front. It didn’t work on this 🤔. So I am letting it talk to me, to tell me what comes next. It doesn’t need to be rushed. I am sure there will be progress to show next SAL.
This stitch-a-long is for our own personal sewing, so all the women on the list are creating wonderful things. Follow the links to see what they are up to. I am sure you will be amazed.
I respectfully acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land on which I live – the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung People of the Kulin Nation, their spirits, ancestors, elders and community members past and present.
Three weeks ago I showed you the square I was stitching. I had no firm idea about what it was going to be as I was just playing with stitches I learnt form my stitching wheel.
At the same time I was thinking deeply about my wardrobe. The full explanation is for another post. However one conclusion I came to was that I want the things I wear to be interesting, unexpected and things that I enjoy.
My mind wandered off to a plain lightweight jacket that I should wear more often. It is perfect for cool Spring or Autumn days, where you need something but nothing heavy.
And then the question/suggestion: “Why don’t I embroider patches for the pockets?”
So I did.
It was fun to play with different threads from my stash, including one that has long pink threads embedded in it. And more coral knot stitch.
The patches are only hand sewn on, so are easily removed if I decide to go back to plain ~ or desire different unexpected patches.
It’s an odd unexpected combination, but the patches make me smile. (I am eying off the yoke at the moment!)
This stitch-a-long is for personal stitching. There is a group of us who post every three weeks. Follow the links as there is such a wonderful diversity of stitching going on in the group.
I respectfully acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land on which I live and sew – the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung People of the Kulin Nation, their spirits, ancestors, elders and community members past and emerging.
Having finished my stitching wheel I was at a loss for what to do next. I knew I wanted to do something that used some of the stitches I had learnt. At the same time the Soul Craft Festival* began. We were offered the chance to embroider a bag.
The suggestion was to embroider plants that had special healing powers, and special memories, like lavender, thyme, echinacea. That would have been lovely, but my thoughts put the two things together. I began a square using different types of yarns.
It’s finished, but there will be more.
One of the delightful things about the Soul Craft Festival (and I describe it more below), is that Felicia and the presenters encourage me to think about my making process.
I am thinking about my need to have a finished object. I often get stuck on the questions of “What will I make it into? What will I do with it when I have finished?” The answer (“I don’t know”) often stops me from beginning. Not just sewing, but also with other art work. It’s obvious that knitting a jumper or making a dress is an end product, embroidering a square of material doesn’t. Neither does the stitching wheel.
So I am quietening that little voice that keeps asking “What will you do with this?” with a few answers. Maybe it will become a square on a tote bag, maybe it will join up with the others I am going to make. But the most satisfactory answer is “I don’t know, I am just playing, and practising stitches, and finding out which ones I like.”
Changing my thinking has also changed how I have gone about it. I did the panel in the middle with a Jacobean couching stitch (not sure if that is the right name), which ended up just too loose. (An embroidery hoop would help, but I can’t find mine, and I can’t go out and buy one.)
Out it came and I worked it in sections. It’s not fabulous, but it taught me a lot ~ and that’s the point for me at the moment.
I do like the outside edges.
I have done coral knot stitch in various threads. I have become quite a wiz at this stitch! The twisted novelty yarn is secured with couching. The wider blue band is double herringbone stitch. I like the contrast of the lighter blue, which I think works better than using the same teal colour.
This Stitch-A-Long is for embroiders to carry out their own passion projects. Each of us is doing something quite different and all are wonderful to see each three weeks. Follow the links below to find out what we are up to.
* The Soul Craft Festival is a wonderful, comforting month of talks and discussions that delve further into how making nourishes our souls.
As the organiser, Felicia, says:
It’s a festival of ideas, stories and conversations about how making elevates our lives; how making supports us, connects us and ultimately changes us, our communities, and our cultures.
It is running over October and while it has been going for 2 weeks, the programme will be available for the next 6 months. I am assuming it is not too late to join up.
I respectfully acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land on which I live – the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung People of the Kulin Nation, their spirits, ancestors, elders and community members past and emerging.
What to do with it? I am leaning towards making it into a cushion, but I am yet to investigate round inserts. At the moment my mojo is elsewhere, so it may languish for a while.
As for what to do next….I am not sure. I like doing my more freeform stitching, but with the stitch wheel I enjoyed not having to think too much. Once I had watched the video my only decision was what colour to sew.
This Stitch-A-Long for embroiders to carry out their own passion projects. Each of us is doing something quite different and all are wonderful to see each three weeks. Follow the links below to find out what we are up to.
A quick update on the Grand Final of the Aussie rules footy I mentioned in my last post. The Melbourne Football Team won convincingly, although the first half was a tight tussle. I have many happy relatives, and one resigned (“Maybe it will be the Doggies’ turn next year”) partner!
I respectfully acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land on which I live – the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung People of the Kulin Nation, their spirits, ancestors, elders and community members past and emerging.
This is where is is at the moment. Not much further to go!
Close ups of each stitch….
(I got a little muddled with my numbering on the photos. I showed you the one with the x last time. Also you can probably count better than I can. There is no #5!)
1. The line is Chain stitch; the flowers are lazy daisy, with some little French knots.
I have also added these sweet little pink flowers to the basket in the earlier ring. They are created in oyster stitch, which is rather fiddly. Some of the other stitches create petals with less fiddle.
I’m on the home stretch. Fingers crossed that it will be finished next check in!
I respectfully acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land on which I live – the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung People of the Kulin Nation, their spirits, ancestors, elders and community members past and emerging.
……for my Stitch-A-Long post that should have been posted yesterday.
So let’s get right to it.
I have been working on a stitching sampler from Cathy Reavy. Each stitch is well described on videos. I am enjoying them, but moving slowly. Thoughts are swirling somewhere about how I will use some of the stitches in my informal work.
There are two stitches completed on the outer ring.
The stitches in this outer ring will be ones that can be used for edges and boundaries.
Raised Stem Band ~ this will be an interesting one to create tree trunks and branches.
Stem stitch and outline stitch ~ These are very similar stitches, the only difference is whether the thread lies to the top or the bottom. Cathy has put these two together, with the stem stitch creating the pod on the left and the outline stitch on the right pod.
I have finished my jumper, so I am hopeful that I will be able to power along with this sampler at night.
This SAL is for our personal embroidery. The members of this group do wonderful and interesting work. Follow the links to be inspired!
I respectfully acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land on which I live – the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung People of the Kulin Nation, their spirits, ancestors, elders and community members past and emerging.
3. Laid stitch, with French knots to make the cup of the acorn.
I really enjoyed doing 2 and 3, so I want to give you a close up of them.
Sweet little acorns, laid stitch and French knots. The stem is coral stitch, which was a stitch way back in the first ring.Turkish rug stitch to build up this very cute little Christmas tree, with light spilling from the top!
Yay! I thought I wouldn’t be able to post this today. When I went to use my laptop to write I only got a blank page. No idea on why, but I can’t edit or write. So I have moved to the app on my phone, and am letting my thumbs do the talking. (How modern, but quite frustrating.)
Last SAL I had nothing to show, so I was determined this time to have at least a couple of squares completed on the stitch wheel. I put the knitting down and picked up the needle. Here are the results:
3 squares done on the outer right edge
Normally I would link to Cathy Reav’s YouTube channel to show how to make the stitches, but I am afraid easily adding links is beyond my thumbs at the moment! So I will just name the stitches and let you do the searching.
Battlement coughing
Burden stitch
Woven pivots– these make wonderful flowers, and while they are fiddly, they are quite easy.
It’s been a busy, exhausting couple of weeks and I hope to fill you in some time soon. In the mean time jump over to look at the other stitchers who post updates on their personal stitching. There are glorious things to see. (And if anyone has suggestions on how to fix my inability to write posts I would love to hear from you.)
Anne Lawson Art 