White Threads » teaching embroidery

Elizabethan Strawberry Roundel

yvette — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:33:19 +0000

I thought I might spend a bit of time over the next few days giving you more information about the classes I’ll be teaching at Beating Around the Bush.

Elizabethan Strawberry Roundel
With Yvette Stanton
Sunday 15th April 2012

This charming strawberry ornament features Elizabethan embroidery stitches such as buttonhole filling, reverse chain stitch and plaited braid stitch. Working with silks, paillettes and good quality imitation gold threads, this project will introduce you to the delights of Elizabethan embroidery. In red, green and gold, it would make a lovely Christmas decoration.

Many people admire plaited braid stitch but are scared of attempting it themselves. In this class, you’ll learn how to stitch it, with personal instruction from both me and my written instructions.

Skill level: intermediate stitchers (not complete beginners). This is because we will have a lot to get through in the one day, so instructing complete beginners would suck up a lot of my time, meaning the other students would miss out on me. Because I want everyone to have equal access to my tuition, stitchers with some experience – even if they’ve never done THESE PARTICULAR stitches before – are welcome in this class.

Kit Contents: Linen fabric, cotton backing fabric, silk thread, imitation gold thread, pailettes, needles, padding, card, instructions

Please bring with you: 10cm embroidery hoop, magnification (recommended), wash out marking pencil or HB pencil, embroidery scissors

Kit Cost: $23.00 AUD

To book in, please go to the TryBooking website.

The Magic Flute and BATB classes

yvette — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:03:18 +0000

Last night we took our girls out for a huge treat (a treat for us too!). We went to see Opera Australia’s production of The Magic Flute at the Sydney Opera House. It was amazing! As you can expect, apart from the opera itself, I was transfixed by the costumes. Wow! Full of colour, shapes and pattern. It was fabulous! We’ll have two very tired little girls today, but they were so thrilled to be going, and really enjoyed the performance. Fortunately today is a public holiday (Australia Day) so we don’t have to do very much – no gymnastics training for one thing!

Now, if you’re wanting to do any classes with me this year, for Beating Around the Bush, the needlework conference being run in Adelaide at Easter time, two of my classes have changed. Beating Around the Bush is a fabulous event, and last time one of the things I loved best about it was simply being with so many other people who also love embroidery.

My one day class is now going to be an Elizabethan Strawberry Roundel, replacing the Hardanger class.

Replacing the difficult and unusual stitches class will be your first chance to do a class in Portuguese Whitework with me! We’ll be making the handtowel out of my upcoming book “Portuguese Whitework”.

The Mountmellick lily cushion class remains the same.

I would absolutely love you to join me for these classes! Bookings for Beating Around the Bush can be made at the Try Booking website.

BATB Hardanger bookmark kits

yvette — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 19:40:12 +0000

Because the advertising for next year’s Beating Around the Bush conference is now out, I have already had a few enquiries for the kit for the Hardanger Bookmark that I will be teaching.

I think it is lovely that people are keen to try this project, but the kit is not yet available. I have not yet even written the instructions! I ask that you be patient, as I won’t have the chance to even think about this until after the book I am currently writing is finished. Being completely realistic, I will probably end up writing the instructions and putting the kits together in the month before the conference.

The kits will only be limited editions – once they are gone, they are gone. This is because I don’t generally stock Hardanger fabrics and threads for sale – there are so many different types and colours of fabric and thread that it could take over my business. Writing books is my core business, not selling Hardanger supplies, and there are many excellent businesses out there who will happily sell you Hardanger supplies.

If you are interested in the kits though, and would like to be one of those who purchase a limited edition kit for the bookmark, you can register your interest here. That will help me with numbers for how many kits I should make up.

The advertised kit cost in the Beating Around the Bush programme does not include any postage (because I will hand deliver them to the students in my class!) and therefore is different than what will eventually be here on the Vetty Creations website. I am sure you understand this.

So, in short, the kits for the Hardanger Bookmarks that I will be teaching at Beating Around the Bush will be available after the conference in April 2012. They will be limited edition kits, but you are welcome to register your interest now, to purchase one. Thank you for your patience.

multiple wrap French knots

yvette — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 20:29:26 +0000

When I am teaching French knots, it in variably comes up – either by me or a student – that some people maintain that French knots should only ever have one wrap. The idea is that if you need a bigger knot, you use a thicker thread. I don’t subscribe to this point of view, because the traditional Mountmellick embroidery that has been passed down to me includes French knots with up to eight wraps. (Yes, you read that right!)

If teachers want to insist that French knots should only have one wrap, that is fine with me. That may be the traditionally correct way of doing it – who am I to say it is not?

However, when some of them start saying things like, “a French knot should only ever have one wrap; any more and it is a bullion knot”, that’s where I MUST take exception. This is so patently untrue!

Let’s think about the construction of these stitches.

Top-bottom: French knot (3 wraps), bullion knot (about 10 wraps), bullion loop (about 10 wraps)

French knots: If you work one, and then look at the back, you will see that the thread leads up to the knot, goes through to the front, creates the knot and then comes back through to the back at the completion of the knot. NONE of the workings for the knot are visible from the back of the fabric.

Bullion knots: If you work one, and then look at the back, you will see the thread leading up to the knot. It goes through to the front, does some magic and then comes BACK to the back of the fabric. But we’re not done yet. That thread appears as a straight stitch on the back of the fabric, then returns to the front at the beginning end of the stitch. On the front, it works its magic with the other part of the thread which is already on the front of the fabric, and then returns to the back AGAIN.

The difference? There is a small stitch on the back of a bullion knot, and there is not on a French knot.

Showing the back of the picture above. Top-bottom: French knot, bullion knot, bullion loop.

If you don’t believe me, get yourself a good stitch dictionary (I’d suggest either The Right-Handed Embroiderer’s Companion or The Left-Handed Embroiderer’s Companion!) to make sure you are doing both knots correctly, and do some of each.

If you want to make your point even more blatantly, work bullion loops instead of bullion knots. (Bullion loops are worked as an overwrapped bullion which has a short stitch length and many more wraps than are necessary for that distance, causing the knot to “explode” out as a long loop.) Bullion loops cover less distance across the fabric, making them notionally closer in style to a French knot.

However, if you turn them over to the back, you will still see that French knots have no stitch on the back, and bullion knots do.

THEY ARE DIFFERENT.

Can we put to bed the idea that a French knot with multiple wraps is a bullion knot now please? And of course, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.

home again

yvette — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 21:49:25 +0000

I’m back home again today, for a very short while before heading off to Hobart tomorrow for a Mountmellick class on Thursday and Friday. Yesterday’s class went very well, up at Springwood. It is lovely to introduce a new style of embroidery to people and have them “get” it.

The ladies really enjoyed themselves. I knew quite a few of them from my last class at Springwood, which was a merezhka class. Because they’ll be having an exhibition of work at The Springwood Community Arts Centre this weekend, there were a few framed merezhka pieces there (amongst other things), ready to go on display. It was great to see how well they had done with the class project.

I took my Portuguese whitework tablecloth with me to work on the train, and so that the students could see it and other projects from the book. By the end of the day several of the students realised *just* how much work is in that tablecloth, seeing they had taken the whole day to do what would amount to a tiny portion of the cloth.

I must admit, the tablecloth has been getting me a bit down. It is just going so slowly and taking so long. It really has put the book back by several months. I really hope that people DO make the tablecloth for themselves after seeing it in the book, as its taken up such a large chunk of my life for their benefit!

But I will be so terribly proud of it when it is done. I’ll have to see what competitions I can enter it in, to milk it for all it is worth!

kits for Mountmellick classes

yvette — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 22:09:49 +0000

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.

upcoming classes

yvette — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 20:31:12 +0000

Over the next two weeks I have 3 classes, so I’ll be just a tad busy getting ready for them, and then teaching them. On Friday this week I will be teaching a Mountmellick workshop at the Lake Macquarie Embroiderers Guild Group. Then the following Monday I will be teaching Portuguese Whitework at the Springwood Arts Centre. On Thursday and Friday of next week I will be in Hobart teaching Mountmellick at A Stitch In Time.

It will all be lots of fun. The people who turn up to my classes are always so very lovely, and what could be better than spending a day stitching in company?

However, it will also mean that I am away from the office a bit. You may hear from me just a little less, and orders may be delayed a day or so. I apologise for this, but am pretty sure you’ll understand!

BATB: Mountmellick class

yvette — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 20:30:39 +0000

This is the third of the classes I will be teaching at Beating Around the Bush in April next year. To book into classes, please visit Country Bumpkin’s website, where you can book online.

Class 52: Mountmellick Lily Cushion
Thursday 19th and Friday 20th April 2012
Learn to work traditional whitework embroidery from Ireland. Mountmellick embroidery is highly textured, featuring many knotted and padded stitches. The cushion design we will work features lilies, which are a favourite Mountmellick motif.

All the stitches will be taught in class, and the traditional fringe will be demonstrated. Mountmellick classes are always fun, as we play with variations and combinations of stitches.

This class is suitable for stitchers with all levels of expertise.

BATB: Beyond the basics – mastering challenging and unusual stitches

yvette — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 22:47:41 +0000

Today I continue with my explanations of the classes I will be teaching for Country Bumpkin’s Beating Around the Bush conference next year in April.

Class 51: Beyond the basics – mastering challenging and unusual stitches
Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th April 2012
Expand your stitch vocabulary! We will work a colourful sampler to master twelve challenging and unusual stitches, starting from the top left:

Cable plait stitch
Crested chain stitch
Hungarian braided chain stitch
Breton stitch
Spanish knotted feather stitch
Spiral trellis stitch
Cretan catch stitch
Plaited braid stitch
Diamond stitch
Interlaced chain stitch
Half chevron stitch
Sorbello stitch

This class is an advanced class, for experienced embroiderers. Part of the kit provided is a copy of either The Left-Handed Embroiderer’s Companion or The Right-Handed Embroiderer’s Companion, which will be our text book. If you already have a copy, bring it with you, and that part of the kit cost will be deducted.

This class will be lots of fun – playing with stitches and seeing how far we can push them. If you want a new embroidery challenge, this is the class for you!

BATB: Hardanger class

yvette — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 20:50:29 +0000

In April 2012, Country Bumpkin’s needlework conference, Beating Around the Bush, will be on again and I’ll be teaching at it. It will run from Saturday 14th April until Friday 20th April 2012 in Adelaide Australia. I will have three classes, and over the next few days will tell you about them. Bookings opened last week, and several classes are already booked out. So get in quick!

Class 50: Hardanger Bookmark with Yvette Stanton
Sunday 15th April 2012
I have previously taught Hardanger at BATB, and this time received requests for beginners to be able to take my class. Management wanted more experienced stitchers to be able to take the class, so the best way to solve that was to offer the choice of two bookmarks in the one class. Beginners will learn with the upper bookmark, and the lower one will take those students who have previously done some hardanger, that little bit further.

Beginners will learn counted satin stitch, cable stitch, Algerian eyelet stitch, four-sided stitch, cutting threads and needlewoven bars.

Intermediate stitchers (those who have already learnt the basics of Hardanger) will be extended with extra stitching and the addition of Greek cross fillings and a dove’s eye filling. Please note that this option will not be available for beginners as it will be too much to cover in one day.

The bookmarks are worked on natural 28 count linen, with pretty variegated pearl cottons and stranded floss. They are constructed by hand, so a sewing machine is not needed to finish your bookmark.

If you have any questions about this class, please just ask. If you’d like to book in, that can be done through the Country Bumpkin website.