White Threads

meeting a reader

I have a very busy day today. I’ll be doing one thing that is completely new – I’ll be meeting up with one of my blog readers for coffee (or some other such drink, seeing I don’t actually drink coffee… or tea…!) But I am sure that we will have a lovely time together.

I will also hopefully be getting heaps of work done on my tablecloth. It is slowly getting closer to being finished. I had wondered if I’d be able to photograph it for the book with just 1 full side and the ends of the two adjacent sides done. My husband has not been supporting this idea, as he maintains that if I don’t finish it before the book is done, I never will. (He knows me too well!) And so, I keep plugging away, despite the lure of “cheating” with it!

We will also be having a good friend around for dinner, and I plan to make Thai green curry, which is always yum. I will never forget how blown away I was when I had my first Thai green curry. I couldn’t believe how wonderful it tasted.

On the weekend I also did a first: I made dim sims! I’d never done that before. They were so easy and so very yum. We’ll definitely be having them again. Next time I will purchase wonton wrappers instead of the gow gee wrappers I accidentally purchased. But they still tasted great!

Well, I had better stop procrastinating and get on with tracing some more of the motifs onto my tablecloth so that I have something to work on today! I hope you have a lovely embroidery, friends and food day too. 🙂

messy office

Mary Corbet has done the world a disservice by showing everyone how lovely and neat her workroom is, even when it is “messy”! To me it looked so tidy that I thought she must have only just moved in.

If you’ve ever visited my house, and sauntered past the door of my office, you’ll know it is an absolute pigsty. And no, I am not exaggerating! There are boxes everywhere, some full of books, and others half full. There are piles of fabric. Threads everywhere. Needles everywhere. Paper everywhere. Detritus galore!

It is a pain in the neck, because sometimes it takes me ages to find something. Some people maintain they can find things in their organised chaos. Mine has gotten to the stage where I can’t make that claim anymore!

I’d love for it not to be like that, but I rarely get around to putting things away once I’ve used them, and if I was to clean it up, it would take days and I wouldn’t know where to start!

Does anyone want to volunteer to come and tidy it for me? Otherwise it will have to wait until either I get completely fed up with it, or until after the book has been finished.

latest Embellish magazine

I got the latest copy of Embellish magazine the other day. Remember that a little while back I told you about a lace exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum? Embellish has a great article in it on the third international Lace Award and Exhibition, Love Lace.

There are two full spreads of photos of entries in the award and exhibition, and they’re fabulously interesting. It is wonderful to see how differently people have approached the theme of lace. Rather than featuring the winners of the award, the article focuses on the Australian entrants with a more textiley, craftish feel to them. I guess that means there may be some more industrial type exhibits also, that aren’t featured in the article!

The exhibition runs until April 2012, so there’s still heaps of time to see it. www.powerhousemuseum.com

And of course, you can pick up a copy of Embellish magazine from your local Australian newsagent. For those overseas, it is available through Artwear Publications’ website.

BATB: stitchers village fair

As you’ve read through my class details for Beating Around the Bush over the last few days, if you were paying close attention to the dates, you may have noticed I will not be teaching on Wednesday 18th April. This is because there will be a Stitchers Village Fair on that day.

I will have a stall at the fair selling my books, and will of course be available to autograph copies of them. I will also have examples of embroideries from my books on display for you to see in person.

At the last BATB, it was a fun day, where I met many lovely stitchers, and was reacquainted with some after meeting them at classes from earlier times. There was an Inspirations magazine launch that day, and I spoke about an article that I had written for the magazine.

Apparently this time there will be book launches and exhibitions as well as needlework vendors like me being there to sell our wares.

The day is free for conference registrants, and there will be a nominal cover charge for the general public.

I look forward to meeting you there!

BATB: Mountmellick class

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

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

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.

project complete

Yesterday I jumped on the bandwagon. I didn’t really ever expect to jump on it, but I did.

I made a biscornu.

Ok, that makes it sound like I’ve never made one before, but I admit that I did actually made a teeny tiny one for a friend for Christmas last year. But this is the first one I have ever made to sell the design of.

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while you may remember a previous post where I expressed bemusement at biscornus. Well, what is their point, really?

All that aside, there’s going to be a biscornu design in “Portuguese Whitework”. I know that its going to “date”, but I put it in because they are quite nifty in terms of their construction. And if people get sick of biscornus (I figure that will happen reasonably soon) it won’t be too difficult for people to make it up into a simple little pillow instead.

I had to buy two buttons to go with it – one for the top and one for the bottom. I found the most wonderful button to go on the top that looks like it is a tiny little pearl surrounded by a whole heap of bullion stitches. It suits the embroidery so well – and even matches the colour! It was a real find.

With the 1st of September yesterday, it is now officially Spring here. (Australia uses calendar months to determine the seasons.) The jasmine is out. Our Chinese elm is erupting with little bright green leaves. I saw sweet peas at the flower shop yesterday as I wandered past. The birds are singing early in the morning.

Its a fabulous time of year to be photographing needlework. All those flowers around! I think I’ll be supporting the local flower shop in the next little while. But first I probably have to finish a few more of the projects for the book!

blurb thanks

Thank you so much to so many people for your responses yesterday on my possible book blurbs. I received many comments on the blog, but also many emailed directly to me.

At this stage No 2 is by far the preferred option, receiving the highest number of votes, though many also suggested some tweaks for it. Thank you to Sue, who pointed out a grammatical error! I really appreciate that sort of specific correction because it makes me less embarrassed later! Sue suggested that probably I didn’t mean to say that the readers are packed with step-by-step instructions. 🙂 You’re quite right, Sue!

I’m still very happy to hear from you regarding the blurbs. I have loved reading your comments about why you like which ones, and what appealed to you.

Thanks again, my wonderful readers who are so happy to share your thoughts with me. I really appreciate it!

Writing a book blurb

Writing the blurb for the back of a book is an interesting challenge. You have to succinctly describe the contents of the book in such a way that it is irresistible to the reader! It is quite a challenge.

Following are some suggestions for the blurb for my new book “Portuguese Whitework”. I’d love your feedback, comments and suggestions for improvement. Which one grabs you most, and how can I improve upon it?

Thanks!

1. Portuguese Whitework is a gorgeous form of embroidery from Guimarães in the north of Portugal. The combination of drawn thread work and bullion embroidery create a strikingly beautiful style which is sure to delight beginners and experienced embroiderers alike. This book features a range of projects: small ones that could be given as gifts, medium sized projects for yourself or someone special, right up to an heirloom tablecloth. The projects are supported with in depth step-by-step technique instructions, so that all can learn this exquisite form of embroidery.

2. The latest stunning book from whitework specialist, Yvette Stanton: “Portuguese Whitework”, featuring an exquisite style of needlework from the north of Portugal, will inspire and delight you. Drawn thread work and bullion embroidery combine to create a strikingly beautiful style. Packed with step-by-step instructions, you will learn all you need to know to create your own masterpieces and heirlooms. A range of projects, large and small, for beginners through to advanced stitchers.

3. Portuguese Whitework, an exquisite embroidery from the north of Portugal, will inspire and delight you. Packed with step-by-step instructions, you will learn all you need to know to create your own masterpieces. A range of projects, large and small, for beginners through to advanced stitchers.

4. Lovers of whitework will be inspired and delighted by Portuguese Whitework, the latest book from whitework specialist, Yvette Stanton. It features an exquisite form of embroidery from Guimarães in the north of Portugal, in which drawn thread work and bullion embroidery combine to create a stunningly gorgeous style. Packed with step-by-step instructions, you will learn all you need to know to create your own masterpieces and heirlooms. A range of projects, large and small, for beginners through to advanced stitchers.