White Threads

An old Singer sewing machine

Twice a year, our local council runs hard rubbish cleanups. For the week or two beforehand, people put their hard rubbish out on the kerb, ready for the council trucks to take it away on the allotted day. You see heaps of people slowly driving past with their trailers hooked up to the back of their cars, looking for good finds. I think everyone regards it as an excellent way of recycling things at a community level. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure…

Just across the road from us, there was an old singer sewing machine sitting forlornly by itself. It was beautiful and ornate, a little rusted, but looking so sad and lonely. I couldn’t just leave it there! So I raced across the road and scavenged it for myself.

I don’t know what I’m going to do with it, maybe clean it up a bit and use it in some of my embroidery photographs. Its certainly beautiful.

One thing you may not know is that you can find out when your Singer was manufactured. Each one has a serial number that you can look up the serial number of your machine. I found out that the one that I nabbed from across the road dates from 1930.

All things Ukrainian

Because I have written a book on Ukrainian Embroidery I occasionally get phone calls from people wanting to know if I know of anywhere that they can learn other Ukrainian crafts, particularly pysanky which are Ukrainian Easter eggs.

Unfortunately I don’t know of anywhere in Sydney that people can learn these crafts. I do know that there is a large Ukrainian population in the Lidcombe area. Because of this, my usual suggestion is to contact the local council or library in that area to see if they can help you with your enquiry.

Any if anyone can recommend classes for learning pysanky anywhere in Australia, it seems that there is a bit of interest in it. Please use the comments section to let me (and others) know of such classes.

Of course, if its Merezhka Poltavska (a type of Ukrainian drawn thread embroidery) that you want want to learn, my book “Ukrainian Drawn Thread Embroidery” will teach you all you need to know, step by step. You can purchase it at the Vetty Creations website.

Pink bikies on a quiet Sunday morning

This morning I was quietly at home by myself, doing some Googling. It was a pleasant Sunday morning – normally would have been at church, but I’m not well enough to go at the moment – and the birds were tweeting happily. We have a lovely bushland park across the road, and love the fact that we hear birds all the time.

We live on a pretty quiet street, but do get some through traffic. Its not as quiet as the cul-de-sac I grew up in, but also not nearly so noisy as a main road. So you can imagine I was rather surprised when I heard LOTS of rumbling bikies going past… again and again. Eventually I decided, (when the third lot went past) that I had better take a look. Most of them were either wearing pink or had pink streamers or ribbons.

Being mentally very quick (wink!) I decided that it was obviously some sort of bikie breast cancer ride. I hopped back onto the internet and Googled some likely search terms and came up with The 2008 Pink Ribbon Motorcycle Ride

It was fun to wave to them as they all went past. I hope they have a fun time, raising money for a good cause! They certainly looked like they were enjoying themselves.

Mountmellick embroidery in a novel!

I’ve been reading a lot lately. Today’s book is Kate Grenville’s “The Idea of Perfection”. I’ve been quite enjoying its portrayal of a sleepy little Australian country town. One of the main characters is a museum consultant, in town to help the locals set up their own heritage museum.

I’ve got to the bit where the consultant is at a meeting for the heritage society, and the locals have brought along things from home to show to her. The first person brings along a tablecloth made and embroidered by her mother, with “some very ornate Mountmellick Work in the central medallion”.

Mountmellick embroidery in a novel! 🙂 Woo Hoo!

Should needlework be taught in schools?

I have been mulling over the question of whether needlework should be taught in schools for some time now. I am certainly extremely grateful that I did needlework at school. It was where I first learnt Hardanger embroidery, which was the start of my whole embroidery publishing career.

I know that many schools do not have needlework in the curriculum anymore. I believe that textiles (using sewing machines, garment construction, fashion design etc) is taught as part of the NSW curriculum, but I do not believe that hand embroidery is taught anymore. I suspect that this is largely because the teachers do not have the skills to teach it anymore.

But, even if the skills were there, should it be taught? Why should hand embroidery be part of the curriculum?

In this day and age where schooling seems to be all about getting ahead in this cut-throat world of economic rationalism, what is the place for a subject that has basically no economic value? Well, if you think about it like that, there doesn’t seem to be much justification, does there?

Hand embroidery is essentially a craft and hobby skill. Why would schools want to devote time to teaching that sort of thing? What benefit could there possibly be, in the preparation of students for the big wide world out there? With all the things that teachers DO have to squeeze into school these days, why include something as useless as needlework?

So, if that’s the way we choose to look at embroidery, what about art? What about music? (Please note, I am definitely NOT suggesting that either of these subjects should be removed from the curriculum!) If a good education includes study of the arts (and I think it should!), why are art and music the two that are seen as acceptable? What about hand embroidery, woodwork, metal work, cooking etc? Why are these vocational subjects being slowly squeezed out of the curriculum?

Is it because one the whole, only things that we do with our heads are valued these days? After all, blue collar workers (to generalise, those who work with their hands) are paid much less than white collar workers (to generalise, those who work with their brains). Because of the way people are paid for how they use their bodies, society seems to be communicating that you are worth more if you use your brain, rather than your hands. (No matter that people that use their hands have to use their brains to do so!)

How about we look at it another way. Embroidery is something I do for relaxation. It is my very favourite hobby. As a child, I was always creative, but I hadn’t yet learned needlework. Now that I have, it is my favourite thing to do to relax. But is school the place to learn things that are essentially only useful as hobbies? If the answer is no, then why are art and music included in the curriculum?

I mean, how many people actually make money out of art and music? Yes, some do, but for the most part, society uses these activities as pleasurable ones for relaxation and enjoyment, outside their working (economically productive) lives. Is it because there are other skills and disciplines that students learn from studying these arts? I would suggest that the answer is yes.

Studies have definitely shown that studying music is good for you. It helps brain development, coordination, self-expression etc. It utilises skills that take time to learn, promoting perseverence and delayed gratification. There are many more benefits. The same could no doubt be said for art. Actually, I think the same could also be said for learning embroidery.

So there is little economic benefit in learning needlework. But there IS educational benefit.

Please, can we have embroidery, patchwork, quilting etc as part of school curriculums again? I’ll teach it – I don’t mind!

What do you think?

Lighting for stitching needlework

Very occasionally I’ll write an article for EzineArticles. I had one published this morning, so reproduce it here for your information.

Lighting For Stitching Needlework
By Yvette Stanton

It is amazing to see incredibly fine works of embroidery from times past, which were worked when there was no electricity and therefore no artificial lighting. When you consider that many women would not have had the chance to do any embroidery during the day, because that’s when they were out working in the fields or in the home, how did they see to stitch in the evening?! I don’t really know the answer to this. If you’ve ever tried to stitch by candlelight during a blackout, you’ll marvel with me at their achievements.

If I am stitching in the day time, it is my preference to sit by a window and allow the natural daylight to illuminate my work. The colours are more accurate, and it adds nothing to the greenhouse effect or to my electricity bill! However, sometimes I want to stitch in the evening, when there is no or little daylight available. Because of this, it is wonderful that today we have the advantage of electricity and many wonderful lamps to light our work and make it easier to see as we embroider. This will assist with accurate needle placement, and with guarding against tired eyes or eye strain. So how do we use these lamps to best help us?

Incandescent, fluorescent, halogen, true colour etc.?
There are many different types of bulbs. Many needleworkers feel that true colour lamps such as Ott lights and daylight lamps are the holy grail of lighting for embroidery. They provide lighting that does not give a warm or cool colour cast to the light as many other types of light do. If colour is important in your needlework, a true colour lamp may be what you need.

However, regular incandescent and fluorescent bulbs in your lamp can also work well. They are much less expensive than true colour lamps, and there’s certainly no reason why you can’t use them. I do! Just be aware that they are not true colour, and will change the colours of the threads and fabric that you are using. If you are using these types of bulbs, do all your colour checking and choosing in sunlight.

Halogen lights are a popular type of lighting in contemporary homes, and can be used for lighting while you stitch your embroidery. Keep in mind that halogen bulbs do produce UV rays which can cause skin damage (just like sunlight). Choose a bulb that filters these rays out so that your skin is safe.

Floor standing lamps
If you are a right handed person, the best place to position a lamp is so that the light shines over your left shoulder and onto your work. This will mean that your stitching hand will not obstruct the light as it falls on your work area. If you are left handed, you will want to position the lamp so that it shines over your right shoulder. Experiment with the precise position to get the best effect.

Desk or table lamps
If you are a right handed person, position the lamp on the table to your left. This will mean that your stitching hand will not obstruct the light as it falls on your work area. If you are left handed, position the table lamp on your right. Experiment with the exact position, and the proximity of the light to get maximum benefit.

Clip on lamps
I find that small, clip-on, battery powered lamps with LED bulbs are an excellent portable option. By clipping the lamp onto my needlework hoop or frame, I can work with good lighting wherever I am, whether at my kids’ after-school classes or sporting activities, in a cafe, or in a waiting room. For right-handed people, clip the lamp on the far side of the frame or hoop on the left side, and vice versa for left-handed people.

By choosing your lighting carefully, and positioning it well, you too should be able to make exquisite embroidery too, just like in days of old!

Yvette Stanton
http://www.vettycreations.com.au

Author of “Elegant Hardanger Embroidery”, “Mountmellick Embroidery: Inspired by Nature” and “Ukrainian Drawn Thread Embroidery: Merezhka Poltavska”

Yvette Stanton is an Australian embroiderer, embroidery teacher and author of instructional books on needlework. Yvette is passionate about whitework embroidery. To learn more about Yvette’s books, designs, and upcoming classes, visit her website or her blog: http://white-threads.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yvette_Stanton
http://EzineArticles.com/?Lighting-For-Stitching-Needlework&id=1474599

new search function on Vetty Creations website

I have added a new feature to the Vetty Creations website. It is a search function so that you can look up specific terms within the Vetty Creations domain.

You might want to know everything I have to say on “Mountmellick knitting cotton” or “Hardanger embroidery books” or “merezhka”. You can type the search term into the search box at the top left of my pages (just under the Vetty Creations banner heading” and you’ll be taken to a listing of all the bits of my website that are relevant to that search term. From there you can select any of the ones you want to read, by clicking on them.

I hope that you find it to be a useful addition to the Vetty Creations website.

making spelt bread

I recently visited a naturopath to try to get on top of a few things. She suggested that our family change over to spelt, rather than wheat. Spelt is an ancient version of wheat, and it has a higher level of nutrients.

We thought we’d give it a go. We can buy spelt bread at our local shops, but because its specialty bread, its much more expensive. So I decided to give breadmaking a go. My first try on the weekend was not anything to write home about.

Because I’ve been sitting around very unwell, I’ve been doing a bit of reading. My husband (who is a school librarian) brought home some books for me to read. Amongst them was one called “Bread Alone” by Judith Hendricks. It was a good read, not least because it had some bread recipes and tips in it. The character in the book spent some time in her past learning to make bread at a boulangerie in Paris. So I decided to incorporate some of the tips into my bread today.

I used a bread recipe found at Bio-Oz and made a few changes. I used wholemeal spelt flour rather than white, dry yeast instead of fresh, and normal salt as we don’t have any sea salt.

The book suggested halving the amount of yeast and doubling the rising time, so I decided to give that a go.

I combined the lukewarm (rather than cool) water with the yeast, and added a soup-spoonful of honey for a bit of extra flavour. I intended to let it sit while I measured out the flour. However, the phone rang, so I ended up letting it sit for about 1/2 hour. I measured out the flour and put it in the Kenwood bowl (“Kitchen Aid” for Americans?). I poured the yeasty liquid in and set it to low to mix with the dough hook. When it was nearly combined, I added in the salt, which is apparently to strengthen the gluten or something (highly technical here!)

I mixed it until it was just mixed, then took it out and gave it a VERY quick hand knead to make sure all the dryish bits hanging around the edges were combined.

I washed out the Kenwood bowl, dried it, and painted olive oil all over the inside. I plopped the dough in and rolled it around in the bowl to coat it lightly in oil. I placed it in the sink which had about 2cm/1inch of warmish (but not too hot) water, and a damp teatowel over the top.

I left it, taking occasional peeks to see how it was going, and replacing the water about hourly. After the three hours, it had doubled in size, and I thought it looked pretty impressive!

I took it out, gave it a bit of punching, then a very quick hand knead. I shaped it and put it in my oiled cake loaf tin. (I don’t have a proper bread tin).

Then I put it in the sink again, with the damp tea towel over the top. I left it an hour to rise, then put it in the oven and cooked it as directed. It rose yet more as it cooked.

At the end of about 15mins at the reduced temperature, it was looking quite dark, so I took it out and tapped it. It sounded hollow, so was done. With a bit of effort, I got it out of the tin.

And here’s my result. I haven’t tried it yet, but am just itching to. It is a marvellous improvement on the weekend’s effort! According to our baking book, its a bit dark and overcooked. Possibly that’s because of the sugar (honey) and possibly the oven was too hot. I have yet to try the bread itself to see what its texture is like inside, but we’ll see.

I am very proud of my effort though. 🙂 Hope it tastes good.

No embroidery, just reading.

I have been unwell a few too many times over the past two years. It is frustrating because I am very much a do-er, not just a sitter.

At these times, it is my sincerest wish to just sit and embroider all day, but unfortunately I haven’t been well enough. I’d also like to be designing, if I’m not up to the embroidering. Unfortunately, I just don’t feel all that creative at the moment either.

So I’ve been reading. But because I’ve been sick so much over the last few years, all the books here have been read. All the books at my parents house have been read, and all the books at my mother in law’s have been read. I did raid her shelves again the other day, and came home with three that I hadn’t read before, until I realised that I did actually read one of them last year.

When I get stuck like this, I usually head back to Harry Potter. So I have spent the last few days enjoying the first three books. I will continue with the rest. JK Rowling really is a wonderful writer!

And I’m really looking forward to hopefully being able to do some embroidery again soon…

Hardanger embroidery photographs in magazines

Was thinking this morning about when Hardanger embroidery is unfortunately displayed in magazines with the back of the piece showing, rather than the front. There have been a number of times in my career where I have submitted Hardanger for publication in magazines and books, and they have been photographed with the back showing.

I always find this so disappointing, whether its my work that’s been photographed in that way, or other people’s. And unfortunately, it happens way too often.

While it always goes through my mind “They should know better!!”, I can understand how these things happen. Usually, there is a photographer, maybe a stylist, and maybe one of the editorial staff at a photo shoot. They usually have a number of shots to do in the one day, and usually only one of the items is Hardanger. The stylist will lay the item out, and prop it. The photographer will light it, and the editorial staff member will check that it looks ok and fits with what the text describes.

Often none of the people on the shoot will have any familiarity with Hardanger. They simply DON’T KNOW which is the front or the back of the hardanger. They just pick the side that they think looks best. So it gets photographed the wrong way up. The photo then goes into the layout, and possibly still none of the people working on the magazine have any real familiarity with Hardanger, so they don’t notice the problem. Also, when the magazine layout is on the computer screen, all the photos are shown in low resolution, meaning that the details can’t really be seen.

And so it goes to print… and then hits the stores… followed closely by a dismayed phone call or email from the designer, and sometimes also complaints by observant readers, or readers who can’t get theirs to look like that (because they’re following the instructions, and therefore are getting the right result!).

My top tip for anyone sending a Hardanger doily, runner, tablecloth etc (something flat) to a magazine or a book, is to neatly and as inconspicuously as possible, sew a small label to the back of the work, that says “THIS IS THE BACK”. Make sure that it cannot be seen from the front, no matter what colour the piece is laid on. This should stop these unfortunate accidents from happening, and it will mean that your work is always shown to its best advantage, which is what we want!!