I’m known as One Pin Smart to a quilting friend of mine but all that is about to change. With shiny and straight new quilting pins purchased I’m about to begin quilting a large embroidery. (120 cams x 125 cms approx)
Here are the first stitches in the embroidery and the last in North, East, South and West.
With the preparation done and the quilting about to start, I know this is going to be a challenge, but nothing is gained from ever standing still.
Happy quilting days …
Come join me on Saturday, 21st June @ Castle Court Quilters, Whittington for a freehand machine embroidery workshop. Suitable for all skills.
Stitch, shape, add some writing, and we have a bowl with a story. Voila!
For more information you can get in touch by
email … suzettesmart1@btinternet.com
or Tel 07816658633
truly free range …
A big thank you to the North Wales Embroiderers Guild for a wonderful weekend @ Plas Tan Y Bwlch, Porthmadog. (4th to 6th April)
Lots of wonderful boxes and birds were made, here are a few …
Stitching days …
Very, very excited! I`m the Machine Embroidery Category winner of the Madeira Threads Competition, Glimpses of India, at The NEC this week.
This is my masala chai inspired piece and this is me accepting two rather lovely boxes of new threads and an engraved goblet.
With a theme such as Glimpses of India, the embroideries were rich in colour and texture. This won`t be their last outing though as they can be seen at shows throughout the next year.
Stitching days…
Following on from a competition piece (on show at the NEC this week), I`ve since stitched and assembled these two. Made up from recycled embroideries, linen/silk shirts and newly stitched cups they were a lot of fun in the making.
Happy stitching …
Since a new lovely sewing machine arrived last Christmas for my daughter, Tallulah, I have had to `budge over` on my work table. Not quite as messy a worker as me, but definitely getting there! I now know where to check when my favourite threads disappear … Tallulah`s sewing box!
As for me, I`m working on a piece which has been quite a challenge. I have wanted to incorporate some of my 3D cups and saucers and also a little 2D embroidery for a while. Sometimes ideas don`t get fully developed until a couple of years later! What can I say, there is always another project waiting …
Here is a little glimpse.
Happy days …
Freehand machine embroidery workshop on Saturday, 21st September @ Castle Court Quilters, Whittington (Cost £30 and some materials are provided) Suitable for all.
For more information, get in touch at suzettesmart1@btinternet.com or on 07816658633
This is the second in a series of works which find me “bashing” out some developing ideas and themes. The variations in textures are created by loosening off the bobbin case and using a wider range of threads. Those to thick for the top get run through the bobbin and stitched from the reverse.
Happy stitching …
![DSCF1928[1]](https://suzettesmart.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/dscf19281.jpg)
There must be something in the air … I am going large creatively! Embroideries have got bigger and so have figures, apples, oranges, cups and saucers.
Not wanting to slave away for months on one piece by only using fine machine embroidery threads, I`ve taken to “stitching blind” (stitching on the back) and running yarns through the bobbin. I`m not a hoarder but I will confess to buying the linen and cotton yarns over 20 years ago from the Handweavers Studio, London. Well you never know what will come in useful when you stitch!
The density of the cotton yarns in particular gives the appearance of crewel work. Mixing this with areas of less intense stitch and finer threads, allows a gentle manipulation of the forming embroidery. ![DSCF1941[1]](https://suzettesmart.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/dscf19411.jpg)
![DSCF1943[1]](https://suzettesmart.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/dscf19431.jpg)
Happy stitching …
A big thank you to all those who attended my talk @ The North Wales Branch of the Embroiderers Guild last evening for such a wonderful welcome. If you remember the story of the fox, missing chickens and wigwam , here is the very tale illustrated in stitch.
Happy days…
