kits for Mountmellick classes

I supply kits for my Mountmellick classes and I expect that all students will have one of these kits. I don’t consider them to be optional. There are good reasons why, and its nothing to do with me making a bit of extra money on supplying a kit. Its everything to do with making sure we’re all working on the same page.

You see, Mountmellick embroidery is a little bit unique in terms of the fact that its supplies are quite difficult to get. If you were doing a Hardanger class, it would be reasonably easy to collect together your supplies from local or internet shops. It would be reasonably easy for the vast majority of people to turn up with the right things.

Some people think that its ok to use perle cotton or candlewicking cotton, and damask fabric for Mountmellick embroidery, but I do not. None of these were traditionally used, and if you use them, you will not get the feel for working with the correct products, or creating an authentic effect.

I maintain that if you’re going to learn something new, you should learn it properly. That means with the right supplies, and the right techniques. For Mountmellick embroidery, there are very few suppliers who have the right products, and Vetty Creations is the main one. So therefore, it makes sense for me to supply a kit. You’ll be getting the right products, and therefore have an authentic experience.

If I asked people to bring their own supplies for a Mountmellick class, I’m pretty sure that some people would bring the right things. But some people would collect together things that are “close enough” from their stash – I know this, because most of us do try to use up what is in our stash, and that is an admirable aim!

But if you were going to do a stumpwork class with Jane Nicholas and she asked you to bring specific silk threads, and specific silk fabric, and you turned up with rayon threads and homespun fabric, you couldn’t expect to get the same effect as on Jane’s class model. You would find working with those threads and fabrics quite a different experience than Jane had intended.

Neither could you expect to turn up to one of my Mountmellick classes with other supplies and expect to get the same experience as I had planned for you. This is why I supply kits for my Mountmellick classes. If you use something else, I cannot give any sort of guarantee of a similar result or experience.

Please understand that I am not trying to bleed you of more money. My kit prices (especially for classes because there is no postage included) are quite reasonable. It is all about giving you a experience that is pleasurable and the same as the rest of the students in the class.