Heraldic Designs

September entry for Travelling book (Leamington Spa and District Embroiderer's Guild). Inspired by the architectural designs on the porch entrance to Lord Leicester’s Gatehouse at Kenilworth Castle. The ermine cinquefoil and the Ragged staff represent the badge of Robert, Earl of Leicester.

The Gatehouse was built around 1571-2

 

I have used transfer paints onto cotton for the background, printing the cinquefoil design on using a handmade block and acrylic paint. The architectural features have then been created with hand and free-machining. To give depth to the design a ‘quilt’ effect was applied using wadding and free-machining.

Wired butterfly - Entry in Travelling book for August 2015

This month the travelling book I received the owner (Lucy) had requested a theme for all the entries if possible. I had been using Kenilworth Castle as my theme for each entry up till now, so instead I decided to stitch a butterfly. Inspired by the technique learnt on the Embroiderer’s Guild (Leamington Spa and District) Summer School August 2015 with Pauline Verrinder ‘Wired to Form’



Wired butterfly prior to beads being stitched on for the eyes

Using cotton covered wire to form the outline shape of the butterfly and dyed scrim. Free machine embroidery in zig zag is used to cover the wire and give detail to the butterfly. I have used a brightly coloured variegated silk thread to give the bright colours to the butterfly.

www.paulineverrinder.com

www.leamingtonembroiderersguild.blogspot.co.uk

Embroiderer's Guild Travelling Book

As a member of Leamington & District Embroiderer's Guild I'm taking part in the Travelling Book challenge. Basically we each (13 in my group) started off with a blank sketch book in March 2015. We each had to cover our book, have a signing in page and then make the first entry. There is only one rule..........the page must contain some stitching..........but you can hand or machine stitch, paint the page, use fabric, paper...........infact do anything! as long as it contains some stitch. The subject matter is your own choice. Then at the beginning of each month you pass the book onto the next member in the group to complete the next page. After the book has done the full circle of the group you get you own book back to keep complete with 13 different embroideries in it from each of the members.

  July entry for the Travelling book. This was inspired by the architectural design on the porch entrance to Lord Leicester's Gatehouse at Kenilworth Castle. The ermine cinquefoil represents the badge of the Robert, Earl of Leicester.
 

Layers of organza have been used over fabric dyed using transfer paints. The cinquefoil motif has been free machine stitched and then the surplus organza has been removed to reveal with orangey background fabric.

 

The ermine detail on the cinquefoil has been hand embroidered. The large cinquefoil has been formed with some wadding to give a raised effect and then has been hand stitched using stem stitch.

 

 

Leicester's Gatehouse, Kenilworth Castle built around 1571 - 2.

http://www.kenilworthweb.co.uk/what-to-see-do/kenilworth-castle/

Tree House Craft Fair

I'll be taking part in the first Craft Fair at the Tree House Bookshop in Kenilworth on the 6th September 2015, between 11am and 4pm. 
There will be limited space at the Fair so I may not have all my items available. Please email me if there is anything you are interested in and would like to see at the fair so I can ensure I bring it.

https://www.facebook.com/TreeHouseBookshop

William Morris commission

I was asked to make a 60th Birthday Card for someone who liked William Morris, here is the outcome.

I have used Art Nouveau paper for the background. I decided to use natural Honesty seed cases as I felt this fitted in with Morris' use of natural objects.  I coated dried Honesty seed cases with several layers of acrylic wax to enable me to free machine stitch a design on them. These were stitched onto a lace ribbon backed with thin card.
I'm now making a range of these cards in various colours for family and friends..............and a few to sell.

Sewarty - Warwickshire Open Studios

As part of Warwickshire Open Studios I'll be at Sewarty in Kenilworth with a selection of some of my work. So if you're free come along and see me and have a chat, I'll also have items available for you to purchase. If there is something you see on my blog and are interested in seeing then best to email me so I can make sure I bring it along to Sewarty.
My work will be there for you to see on the following dates:
 Sunday 28th June 2-4pm, Tuesday 30th June 2- 5pm, Friday 3rd July 2-4pm and Sunday 5th July 2-4pm.
Otherwise come and see me in the shop on the days I work there - Mondays and alternate Saturdays. If you don't know Sewarty  you can find us at 67 Station Road, Kenilworth. CV8 1JD. Opposite Wilko's.

Crochet Christmas tree decorations

Have been crocheting Christmas tree motifs for my Christmas Cards, have been experimenting with different colours and yarns, but like using a 4ply thickness variegated yarn (have previously used this to crochet Christmas bells - see gallery pages for pictures) that has a metallic thread in it to give it a Christmassy theme. Have added pearl beads to the edges and still trying to decide what to put at the top of the tree, have crocheted a small star for some,stitched on a pink star buttons for the pinky ones  but still searching for other ideas! 



For my cards I've attached a brad to the card to hang the decoration on, after Christmas it can be removed from the card and hung on the tree next year.

 

I've now decided to make some Christmas bunting using the tree motif, I'm using a green crochet cotton and a 2mm crochet hook to give a delicate tree motif. Using a smallish crochet hook gives the motif a firmer finish so it will hang better