Once “Early-Style Hardanger” is published, I’m going to look at doing some online classes. But I can start *thinking* about them already. There’s a lot to think through.
Have you ever taken an online class which was in a counted technique? Did you make a mistake with your counting? Did you find where the mistake was?
My concern about teaching online counted thread classes is that in an in-real-life class, I can check the student’s work and make sure they’re in the right place, and if they’re not, I can put them right. I could do this perhaps in an online class if the student was able to take a good, clear, non-blurry photo, as I *might* be able to find the mistake in the photo. But if I can’t find their mistake and neither can they, then that’s not a very satisfactory outcome.
How has it worked for you in online counted embroidery classes that you’ve taken?
Thanks for any input.
White Threads is the blog of Yvette Stanton, the author, designer, publisher behind Vetty Creations' quality needlework books and embroidery products.
I am a HUGE on-line class fan of classes taken from Craftsy. Are you familiar with them? They film the classes all in one day in their Colorado studio (so I was told by one of their instructors that I know) and are fabulous. I have taken classes from them on numerous subjects. The thing I like best is that the lessons can be downloaded and watched while I am in the arising I spend lots of time in airplanes. Plus once you buy the course it is yours forever and can be watched over and over. Students correspond with the teachers via the site for each class and can upload photos to the site and ask questions.
I have also purchased various lessons on DVD.
I think it is an outstanding idea and hope you pursue it.
I haven’t done an online counted thread class but while i appreciate the problems suggested i think clear instruction and clear photography on your part should make it possible and as you said sending clear photos from the student with problems should work too. please don’t let those considerations above dissuade you from giving it a go – i find that you can’t always foretell the mistakes or differences that individual students will and can make (i would include myself in that of course). a class should still be better than teaching ourselves (as i have done) and with access to a tutor for those little hints that make life easier what could be better? there does seem to be two sorts of classes that i have seen – one that runs from y – z times and is over and the sort that you download and can be returned to at any time – i wonder how a mix of both would work – class first then downloadable information at the end for future reference. i am willing to try any pilot classes and have a go – guinea pig if you like – interaction is good for the soul too especially for folk who cant get to face to facers for whatever reason. besides all that – tied in with your books should ensure success. Cheryl Hawkins-Clarke of Scratch@ITCH Arts & Crafts, Gladstone SA (member Emb Guild SA)
Hi Eileen, Thanks for your enthusiasm. Yes, I am familiar with Craftsy. My classes will not be like theirs! I don’t think I have the same video production facilities! But I will do my best.
Have you done a counted embroidery class with them? That’s what I’m particularly interested in. Thanks!
Hi Cheryl, Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions. Much appreciated!
I did the Tudor and Stuart Goldwork Sampler class with Thistle Threads, and most of that sampler was counted. I did go wrong, but I found the mistake myself fairly quickly, so I didn’t need the tutor to look at it.
Thanks Rachel. That’s very helpful to know. It’s the counting mistakes and not being on hand to help the students find the mistakes that particularly concerns me.
I’ve never done an online class, but plenty of counted work. The counting problem is probably not as big as you think. Very careful tacking of centre lines, diagonals, etc, will make most counting errors show up, and with Hardanger, the surface stitching can be unpicked if necessary before anything irreparable happens. So that shouldn’t be a major problem if you nag your students into doing it rather than rushing ahead. Of course, I’ve had to darn in the odd miss-cut fabric thread before now, so if you make sure you explain how to do this, people should be able to rectify most things themselves. (I’m just looking at a chunk of tiny silk cross-stitch over one that I’ve got to get out and re-stitch – so this is a very relevant subject today, Yvette!)
Hi Sue, thanks. Having taught many in-real-life counted thread classes, many of my students have a great deal of difficulty seeing the threads, and therefore with counting. Particularly in Sardinian knotted embroidery, this can be a large problem. Many, many of my students in those classes cannot see where their mistake is, so therefore cannot fix it. And it really is difficult, so I don’t blame them!
Hardanger, yes, it can be not so hard to find and fix mistakes, but Sardinian can be quite difficult.
So perhaps you simply need to inform people, at the point of enrolling, that they will need to be able to see the fabric threads very clearly (and comfortably) – either by investing in some good magnification equipment or by working with coarser threads on coarser fabric (a sort of ‘large print’ version)? Then it is their choice to take part, and they won’t have reason to complain if they have difficulties with counting.
Sue, LOL! I give recommendations about magnification and good lighting for every counted class I teach, and many people just assume they’ll be fine! 🙂 But yes, always stating it is certainly a good idea.