Saturday 22 October 2011

Silk Ribbon Embroidery

I am busy designing three ribbon embroidery pieces.  The yellow one is a lid for a small pompadour which will hold a pair of small scissors, a thimble and some needles; the pink one is going to be a small pouch, either for jewellery, or as a gift for a bride and then the heart shaped one is a "just because" - just because I felt like updating a piece I had designed when I first started silk ribbon embroidery nearly 18 years ago.

My Sewing Pompadour

And this is another project I am working on - and teaching as I go along.  It is one of Di van Niekerk's designs called "Summer Garland".  It is full of ribbon work, stumpwork and beading and is just glorious to stitch.


I will endeavour to keep you posted on my progress.

Sunday 2 October 2011

Casalguidi Class


Caslguidi Pouch stitched using
Chameleon Hand Dyed Threads
 Yesterday I taught my first class at Bee Crafty http://www.beeingcrafty.co.uk/ - a lovely shop in Ellington, near Huntingdon. I taught a Casalguidi embroidered pouch using very non-traditional wedgewood blue linen and beautiful, variegated hand-dyed threads.  It was a small class, but this made it quite cosy.  It was a very sociable one too, as it was held in the shop, so customers coming in found themselves receiving a quick lesson in Casalguidi.  Sarah and Julie kept the tea and coffee flowing, as well as the lovely home made biscuits.  A complete kit is now available for this pouch.  If you would like to purchase one please email me at tdfhaines@aol.com
 
If you are interested in learning a bit more about Casalguidi embroidery then I highly recommend this book "Casalguidi Style, Linen Embroidery" by Effie Mitrofanis.  You may also find this blog very useful http://italian-needlework.blogspot.com/2010/07/casalguidi-embroidery.html.  

Here is a more traditional piece of Casalguidi
which I am busy stitching