new books new inspiration

just read 'Mans search for meaning' and 'the book thief' both of which have given me loads of inspiration for 39-45. The wonderful ladies at Embroiderers guild Merseyside have also been in touch with me asking if I would be interested in doing a workshop, obviously I said yes! so finally things are starting to come together.
Anyway this is what ive been doing so far, apart from reading. Sorting out a colour palette. I think they scream 39-45, Europe and design. Europe because of the colours, but also design because If I hadnt of gone back to art college I would not have appreciated architecture, history, hand embroidery  the way I do now.

Dad's 1960s tie

What have I done? well printed a design on my Dads original 1960s tie then sat and hand embroidererd and hand embellished it. I love it!

so where do I go from here?

I came back from Birmingham with high spirits thinking about starting up workshops, possibly doing the MA Ive always wanted to do or even going back to freelance design work, but a week later and my head is still confused as what to do. All I know is I need a new job that involves working with people and textiles, but not sure how to go about it with the economy the way it is. If anyone who views my blog has the time to write a comment or give advice I would truly appreciate it.

Im back from the NEC

Anyway Im back from Birmingham. Thank you Madeira for sponsoring me and choosing me as one of your sponsored students to exhibit my work. I had a great time at met some great like minded people. Thank you to everyone who commented on my work you gave me a lot to think about. My sketchbooks and hand embroiderered garment shapes received  so many positive comments it has inspired me to reintroduce these techniques into my current work. One again thank you to everyone who took the time to look, speak or even photograph my work.

Heres my stand in all its glory

my innocence, passion and restraint pieces. which captured the ears and laughter of many a visitor

karen the great

lisa the wonderful

karen being all professional

Anita the genteel

Janet the creator



My Dads 1960s tie that I patiently embroidered during the exhibition. Not yet completed.  



close up of the gold sequins I was using, (the bullion from the Sari I had bought in a second hand shop).




hand embroidered fashion shapes



I can't believe I havent told you about Birmingham NEC

I have been so focused on my hand and lock ideas, embroidery for 39-45 and thinking about Birmingham NEC that I even forgot to post it ion my blog and promote myself. Maderia threads sponsered me for my degree show supplying me with £100 woorth of hand embroidery threads, which I used to buy silk and decora threads. All I cn say is they are great to work with and produce amazing results, mix them with diifferent threads in the same needle, use single strands or a few they all work well.
Anyway I was one of four people chosen to exhibit my work at  fashion, embroidery and stitch   at Birmingham NEC in March 21-24 and yes I am going tomorrow to set my space up.
I cant believe I havent even mentioned it before now.
 Heres a few things I have been putting together.

back on track with my embroidery and possibly inspired by my garden web photos

this was only a technique sample, not too sure about the large satin stitch  blob that looks like a mummy with a catholic halo, but on the otherhand it has inspired me to look outside the box for space 1969.



why plastic? to give the element of a new life style. 1969 life, new age, new materials




this looks as though I have just couched a glass bead necklace but each bead has actually been individually sewn by hand, yes it took a while.



hope these are better

Totally inspired by Charles Germain de Saint -Aubin



dont know why but this close up looks like an owl in a tree or possibly a cat,Im glad to say it doesnt look like that on the fabric, but perhaps I need to have another look because this is not good. I photograpghed it upside down. I cant look at it anyway now without seeing a cat. Must focus on the techniques I used.




please do not let this image put you off the book

 Got the book art of the embroiderer by Charles Germain de Saint -Aubin for Christmas, spent the holidays reading and making notes getting totally inspired and finally getting how I could turn my sketches and mark makings into embroidered pieces. These are more technique samples from which I learned so much, aswell as starting to think how I could turn them into full designs for garmet shapes, if anybody is out there and does read my blog, (as if ) let me know what you think. If not at least its a record for me to return too and when I see it on the screen it does'nt feel like my work so I can be honest about it and admit I hate or like it.

finding inspiration in the garden

reminds me of lace

broken lace or whats left after a riot or revolution perhaps

alien or  perhaps space roackets 1969

more wearing away of the past, pushing forward into the future

old ideas dying, broken new ones radiating out to reach everyone across the universe. If you havent guessed already Im right into eighteenth century versailles - french rebellion -  space 1969

its taken all day to post these images

Got it into my head to change my blog, with drastic consequences. I ve spent most of the day trying to figure out why I can no longer upload images from my desktop files. Not sure if I have changed something in settings, layout or template but Ive lost the browse button.  But as Im not one to give up through sheer determination I have managed to upload some images of embroidery I have been working on. Ive never done this type of embroidery before so bare in mind they are first attempts.

 my attempt at Hardanger embroidery. All I can say is very difficult.

this shows how difficult it is getting the correct tension on the thread. Pulling thread too tight will pull the weave of fabric leaving major problems when tyring to pull threads through to create openwork designs.

This was my attempt of wite satin stitch on white linen fabric. Thought 'How easy can it be', but not easy at all. Once again the right tension and the correct placement of the needle will determine how well the final execution will be. Although from a distance this doesnt look too bad but up close under a magnifier its a whole diffferent story.

these samples together reminded me of pac man. Well Group 2 of Hand and Lock did same combine with space age 1969, albeit Pac man is slightly later than 1969

the whitework on linen was hopefully to help me the execution but I can see this is going to be a long process of practice and experimentation. I can send this into hand and lock. Mind you like I said I dont expect this to get through to the second stage but one can dream.