Hand Embroidery Samples 3 …. Straight Stitch

Straight stitch is a versatile stitch…. the more I experiment with the stitches on this course, the more I am seeing unlimited possibilities for their uses in my own work. The sample below is Straight Stitch on Irish Linen, using threads including imitation silk, DMC stranded embroidery thread, hand dyed linen, Sylko 50 weight sewing thread,  Tudor Twist, and King Tut 40 weight variegated quilting thread.

The following experimental piece was created on silk fabric with threads including Tudor Twist and hand dyed linen thread. I am enjoying sharing this work with you all. I hope I am inspiring you all to have a go and experiment!

 

 

The Eye of The Needle at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

Last weekend my brain was buzzing and I was on ‘Inspiration Overdrive!
The Big Stitch, organised by the Embroiderers’ Guild, was on at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, England. Textile artists galore, demonstrating their skills and techniques, were dotted throughout the museum. In addition, me and my chum, had tickets for the renowned Eye of the Needle exhibition, displaying 17th century embroidery pieces from the Feller Collection.

For me, the highlights of the day,
….. were firstly, the Eye of the Needle pieces – and what really made it, was that magnifier lenses (a bit like Sherlock Holmes would use) were made available in abundance within the exhibition space, enabling us all the opportunity to see the textiles up close – this made me see the work in a very different light.
….. and secondly, the textile artists. Each left me with more and more ideas and the enthusiasm to try out and experiment at home.

By the end of the day we sat down for a coffee and rested our feet….. I love a coffee at the end of a long day of looking. Sometimes I don’t see or absorb everything. Discussing highlights and thoughts with another, consolidates your creative thoughts and is a great way of sharing how those ideas can be implemented in each others work.
Here are the highlights of the wonderful day.

Stitches galore in every piece in The Eye of The Needle. It’s hard to believe these pieces were made without the stitching equipment we have available to us today…. stump work, gold work, white work, needle lace and so much more…….. and I do love the embroidered bugs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

… and now for the world’s Longest Embroidery!…..

 

 

A brilliant day and a definite date in the diary for next year!

A Wander Along The Silk Route

Over the past few months I’ve taken part in a Hand Embroidery course.  One of it’s aims is to encourage stitchers to expand their textile horizons for inspiration.   I love any excuse for a day out especially when it  revolves around textiles. So I formulated a plan for an indulgent day along the Silk Route.

Essex and Suffolk have a long standing history in the Silk industry.  Consequently my route took in two Silk Mill Shops in Sudbury in addition to the silk textile archive in Braintree.

Warner Textile Archive

First in the itinerary was a visit to the Warner Textile Archive in Braintree, Essex.

It was a real eye opener, containing beautiful colourful samples dating back hundreds of years.

Warner Textile Archive Continue reading “A Wander Along The Silk Route”