“Hello…It’s Me…

…I’ve thought about us for a long, long time”  (sing along with Todd Rundgren)

Yup.  I’ve thought about us for a long, long time.  Through two computers, in fact.  I have killed two computers in one year!  And frankly dealing with anything computer-ish has been sickening for me!

Actually, I have been loving being computer-free!  I’ve had a lot more time for stitching and reading.  I’ve participated in a few stitch-alongs (SALs).  A couple have been blackwork!

One of three blackwork finishes in the past year.

This is the beginning of a SEBA SAL around Xmas 2013

SAL by Brodeuse Bressane

 

Currently…

I’m working on three SALs and in the last two weeks of a design class with Sharon Boggon.  The first project in the class was a monotone piece.  I used a kaleidoscope image of one of the patterns in the chess board that I made for Jeff.  Here’s the finished class piece:

Some old blackwork fill patterns mixed with some modern threads, a few canvas stitches, some embroidery stitches, and some beading!

Would you like to join me in the two blackwork SALs I’m doing?

Both are year-long projects.  One is a quick to stitch canvas take on Sashiko, very much like blackwork.  You could be caught up in less than a week.  The pattern is updated on the first of every month and is FREE.  You can find it (and a lot of other cool patterns) at Blue Dogwood Designs.  I am using my own colorway.

My own rainbow colorway.

The other SAL is more time-consuming but a true joy for the blackwork freak (a non-derogatory 1970s term for someone loves something almost to the exclusion of all else!)  You will learn oodles and oodles about “journeys.”  You don’t have to do this as a reversible piece; in fact, I don’t think you can.  But you can practice tracking journeys so your backs will be very neat so when you want to do a reversible piece, you will feel more than ready.

In fact, for the first blocks I will be posting pics and notes about how I tackled each block so you have as few dark threads crossing as possible on the back side.  So if you’re anxious about how to tackle the more complex pattern, we can talk about it here.  We can help one another!

The best news is that the piece is designed by Elizabeth Almond, one of my blackwork heroines!  The design is called “Saving the Stitches.”  Here’s a bit of my work.  I’ve gotten quite a bit further on, but don’t have it photographed yet.  But, I think this will entice you to try your hand at this free pattern, too.

This the first 3 blocks. Not all metallics have been added yet.

Shows work a bit more clearly. I am loving stitching this. You will, too!

Are you convinced yet?  Get the pattern at Elizabeth Almond’s website with new installments on the first of the month every month for a year or so!  When you are ready to share your progress send me a note so I can link to your blog or website!

 

 

The Trouble With Trebizond

When I started to stitch on my Blackwork Thread Sampler project I wrote this:

Product image from http://www.purlsoho.com

“I was going to use the Trebizond for the cover because it’s so shiny and pretty.  But I didn’t like working with the silk.  Let me be more specific.  I did not like working with stranded Trebizond.  I will do some more research to find out if there is a way to handle stranding the twisted silk so it will handle more neatly in the stitching.”

Today I was reading Mary Corbet’s newsletter and learned how to handle Trebizond and other filament silks.  I thought you might be interested in the info, too.  Also, by putting the link here in my blog, I will always be able to find the info when I pull that Trebizond out to make the Trebizond page in the Thread Sampler book!

And how about that!  As an old friend used to tell me:

“Bury a rock and save two birds!”

Blackwork SAL Starting May 17

Avis of “Oh Sew Tempting” is organizing a Mystery Stitch Along at her blog.  It will feature a design she has created.  Get the details at her blog.  I don’t think you have to do anything to join.  Just show up!  I’m going to!

I just finished my Seba Claire93 SAL that Avis mentions.  You can read about it and see it on the latest The Shop Sampler post.

SAL combo cross stitch blackwork 1st part

Jump in! The water’s fine!

Blackwork Journey

Reversible Blackwork: stitching the same on both sides of the canvas

The word journey keeps coming up for me these days.  Of course, thinking about the word journey leads me to think about blackwork stitching, especially reversible blackwork. (We’ll look at blackwork journeys much more closely in the future.)

It also makes me think of my two blackwork design projects, the mystery sampler and the thread sampler fabric book.

Since I’ve started my virtual apprenticeship with Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo to learn the process of creating Tibetan Buddhist thangkas, I was reminded that concentrating on the end product is not as valuable as attending to what is learned in “the journey.”

This is so true when I consider my impetuous and rather simple-minded plan to design a blackwork sampler.  By the time I’ve completed the design I will have learned about

• thread and it’s interaction with ground fabric and one thread’s relationship to other threads
• shading in blackwork by working with different numbers of strands of thread as well as different weights of thread
• the process of design, kind of like how a child learns plaids don’t necessarily go with paisley
• cultures that have been using blackwork in their designs for centuries
• innumerable resources.that I can catalog and share here
• and I will have met quite a number of people

Already I have learned

• to slow down and look more closely at details, the small bits.  (I’ve always been a big picture kind of person.)  This requires a bit a patience
• to accept that this blog is about sharing with others and documenting my process and interaction with blackwork embroidery.  It is not about producing something that will earn me followers and get big numbers.  (Although it is always nice to know you are not the Lone Ranger!)
• loads about balance, not just in design, but in daily life.  I’ve always been kind of an all or nothing sort of person.  But so much is missed when you don’t follow “the middle way,” looking all ways along the way.

I am enjoying this journey.  And, after all, stitching is supposed to be fun!

What does your stitching life teach you?  How has stitching changed your life in little ways or big?  What kind of Journey are you taking?  Are you on the Blackwork Journey with me?

Giveaway over at The Shop Sampler

This is what I’m doing at The Shop Sampler.  Join in if you like!

Hurricane Sandy Embroidery Pattern Giveaway

Posted on November 3, 2012 by Julie

I’m slowing but surely getting back to regular life given traveling, the leg injury, and frozen shoulder—just like those effected and affected by Frankenstorm Sandy.

I have purchased an extra of a charming pattern created over at The Floss Box to help support the financial efforts of recovery from Sandy.  This is the image:

This pattern is being sold as a fund raiser for Frankenstorm Sandy survivors.

I will give my extra copy to the 13th person to like and/or comment on this post.

For those of you who would like to do the same on your blogs, here is the link to the page at The Floss Box.

http://www.theflossbox.com/store/pattern/sandy-cross-stitch

Go to The Shop Sampler if you’re interested in participating.

Uh-Oh!

I am taking a break from blogging (“Again?!,” you say) for a couple of weeks.  I have had a severe injury and we are heading south on October 15.  So, I need to heal, do what I can to help get things stowed away for hauling the trailer, and then have my 35 stitches removed.

If interested, you can read the saga at my latest post at The Shop Sampler.  Since then I have developed what looks to be a giant blood blister under one half of the stitching that I am hoping will resolve without becoming an open area, compromising the stitching.  The good news is that the hospital my Doc works at has a top rated wound care center.  I can vouch for it personally having been a patient there for several months after an annual visit to the barbaric practice of mammography.  The pressure caused a cyst to erupt and I ended up with an incredible mess that had to be debrided under general anesthesia. Thermal mammography is the only way for me now!

I am going to start the blackwork stitching, i.e., prep the fabric by hemming.  Will let you know when we get to Alabama unless I’m able to sit for hours in front of the computer before then, not to mention run around to prep photos, and all the other stuff that goes into a post.

Thread Sampler Cover

I have been working diligently on my Thread Sampler.  It’s unfortunate that life keeps getting in the way or I’d be onto the first page of threads!

I finally came up with a title for my fabric book.  I wanted something that sounded kind of Medieval and definitely wanted to use an old English script for the lettering.

The title:

Specimens
of
Threads
Sampled
by
Julie Castle

The lettering:

I like the letters, but not the spacing

The little numbers represent the width and height of each word.

I like the lettering which I found on the (free!) alphabets pattern page at Embroidery and Embroider.  But I decided I want only one space between letters, two between words on the same line, and three between lines.

I don’t like the program I used to graph this.  It’s really hard to move things around and copy and paste repeats.  So where I would expect to graph in an ‘e’ once and copy and paste where needed repeatedly I ended up graphing it over and over.  Very tedious. Graphing colors could be easier, too.  In November I’ll be taking Sharon Boggin’s course on using GIMP which I’m hoping will be the answer to my design software needs and wants.

I am loving the Kreinik silk Mori thread.  It is so soft it makes me think of one of my favorite scarves/shawls.  A very warm and comforting feeling.  But I ran out.  Actually I should have had enough to do the full cover, but I think the last length of six strands walked away with a dog (most likely my black and silver mini schnauzer, Taz) and is probably hanging in a bush outside somewhere.  Ah well, a bird or chipmunk will have access to some real luxury nest material!  Next week I’ll go to my favorite local shop and pick up a couple more skeins.

Title of the thread sampler fabric book stitched thus far in cross stitch with Kreinik Silk Mori, two plies of black

And here is the back of this piece:

This is the backside of the stitching thus far. It is not supposed to be reversible, just very neat.

Part of the reason I wanted the space between the letters to be one stitch width is so I don’t have to worry too much about being able to see lines of black thread being carried from letter to letter from the front.  I use a loop method or away knot to start my threads and bury them as soon as I finish a length of thread.  In this way I can assess my neatness as I go and there will be no disappointments when the piece is completed.

Now, on to the actual thread samples and the pages of this fabric book!

When we get to Alabama for the winter I will order some fabric for the book cover that will frame the title stitching.  I’m thinking a brocade, something sturdy and heavy.  I like this and this, too.  I’ve done some research on what might have been used in early book binding and really don’t want to use leather as my sewing machine probably wouldn’t be able to handle it.

Which of the cover fabrics do you like best?  You might want to seriously consider this question because if I order too much I may just have to give the extra away to some lucky reader!  I’ll keep you posted!

Blackwork Thread Sampler Continues

I have stitched my first stitches on my Blackwork Thread Sampler!  Feels good!  Of course, I’ve already had my first snag.

I was going to use the Trebizond for the cover because it’s so shiny and pretty.  But I didn’t like working with the silk.  Let me be more specific.  I did not like working with stranded Trebizond.  I will do some more research to find out if there is a way to handle stranding the twisted silk so it will handle more neatly in the stitching.

Instead I decided to use an old faithful—Mori stranded silk from Kreinik.  I have used this before and enjoyed it.  It is soft, but strong.  It does not fuzz up while you’re stitching, nor does it break as some threads do.  It is a matte finish, but I can live with that.

So, what exactly am I stitching?  Let me back up a step or two.

I mentioned before there are some factors to consider before laying thread to fabric.  And these are the factors:

1. The threads should be identified clearly in the sample or there should be a legend that will never be separated from the sampler.
2. The threads should be used as fully as they would in any worked piece.  In other words, if the thread is a stranded one, then strand usage should be incorporated to the piece.
3. The sampler should answer any question a person might have about the thread as used in any type of work.
4. The threads sampler should show very clearly the differences between the various thread samples.

I also said that I wanted this work to be like the Encyclopedia Britannica of blackwork thread usage.  For those who don’t know what the Britannica was, it was a reference book, the oldest English language encyclopedia in fact.

So, I’m making a book!  A fabric book!

It took me a while to find information about how to construct a fabric book.  I had a basic Idea, but I really am not interested in trial and error when it comes to finishing.  I want a fail-safe method that will make me proud to show my work to others.  I found a very nice answer at Shade Tree Art.  My model will be my take on Shade Tree’s model.

1. My cover will be the title stitched in black silk on linen.  This piece will be bordered with the “cover fabric.”
2. Each page of the book will be devoted to one thread.
3. There will be a Table of Contents identifying the order of the threads sampled.
4. I will leave several end pages to accommodate threads that will come to market in the future.
5. I’m not sure if I want each page to be the linen with the thread sample or a muslin page that I appliqué the stitch sample onto.
6. If I do attach the sample to a foundation page, I will embroider the page number and identifier info onto the foundation fabric to show how the thread handles on a different ground.

Boy, this is a lot of work to do just to stitch a sampler!  But I’m loving every minute of it, truly a labor of love energized by passion!

What do you think about item 5?  Should the stitched sample be applied to a foundation page or be the actual page itself?  Tomorrow I’ll show you where things are at with the cover.  And for now I’m going to go stitch on it some more.  Feedback, people, feedback!

Orts

Ort: noun Usually, orts. a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. In this case bits of thread left from stitching!
Pattern for Ort Box Designed by Marilyn Owen
Color Design by Julie Castle

Just a quick note to let you know I have posted something I think is important on The Shop Sampler about the increase of infringement of confidential and copyrighted information on the internet.  Would love to hear your thoughts on the subject.

Also I’ve been updating some info on my pages (see tabs associated with header.)  Still checking links, was surprised to see Seba Blackwork Designs web address had changed.  Good thing I’m checking!

Preparing for a dinner party and my current TAST challenge, so will catch up with Blackwork this weekend!  BTW, my Trebizond silk has been ordered and is on its way here!  Yea!