Running Fast - So What is New?

When last we left our intrepid embroiderer she was off to Pittsburgh for the EGA National Seminar. It was hard leaving, but it was good to be away and not see Pete in everything.

First came 4 days of Board meetings and Finance Committee. We work hard both with pre-meeting materials to digest and at the meetings themselves. There was lots to work through, but I think we have a workable plan to move forward.

Caped off the end of this part with a dinner with Rissa Peace Root, editor of CQ Online and her husband. Fun to finally meet people that one only corresponds with online. We have plans ... (insert evil laugh)... be afraid, very afraid.

Took time on Sunday to go to the Phipps Conservatory. It was a good place to go clear the head and just enjoy nature. They have a lot of Chihuly glass and were also having a Frabel exhibition of glass. Loved seeing it all - lots of eye candy and stitching ideas too.

Then plunged into my 4 day class with Jonalene Gutwein - 17th C whitework sampler. The 6-10 hour prework was really 30-40 so didn't get to do everything. Did learn some good hints and tricks. Did get to just spend time with ladies stitching and making new friends. All good!

Wednesday headed over to the Frick Center. I really wanted to see the house so we did the house tour - a snapshot of the turn of the last century including a player symphonic which they turned on for us. Way cool! It made for a nice half day outing.

I had been asked to do the Invocation for the closing banquet. I have been very vocal about not using words that people find offensive -- not so much the words but when put together are Christian. In a banquet of 400-1000 people, some people aren't and even the most liberal Christian wording can be offensive to those not of the persuasion. Instead, I gave thanks, hopefully in words that no one found offensive although some found it missing and wondered a bit when I finished. Now to find something interesting for the Invocation at 2010. This also meant we sat at the head table. Glad I decided to take the conservative dress up cloths and Will had brought his beautiful blue blazer,dark gray slacks, Italian silk tie, and conservative blue shirt. He was looking yummy as he helped pass out the 2010 invitational goodies.

We returned to hit the ground running to do the 1000 Hands Quilt at the booth for the Pacific International Quilt Festival. Immediately followed by my only opportunity to take a full day of professional training. Which was followed the following weekend by the Inter Kingdom Needlework Symposium at which I taught what was supposed to be a 4 hour Reticella workshop. The workshop (8 students) was going well when I found out that they moved the Kingdom Officers meeting up 1.5 hours. We ran through the remaining info and with the permission of the students, cut about an hour off the class (grump).

Then dived headlong into preparing for this weekend's Region meetion. This includes the Finance Committee meeting, a Board meeting, a Friday night workshop, and then the Saturday meetings. Of course I am teaching the Friday night workshop - Artist Trading Cards (stitched). We are planning on doing something with ATCs at 2010 -- stay tuned!

I decided I needed some fun so I signed up for a Temari Ball class called Mitsubishi - Diamonds. Below is a picture of the 3 balls from Barbara Suess's online Morning Glory class, the first ball I made and my Mitsubishi ball. I have signed up for Barbara Suess's next online class Morning Star and her Correspondence Class through EGA. The projects are such that I can do them in pieces. I actually find winding the balls a good mid-day relaxation.

Pete

Rest in Peace
1994/5-Sept 28, 2009

Learning Something New & Book!

Last Saturday I had the opportunity to take a short class on darning samplers. My local Sampler Guild has members do a brief class for some of the programs. This time the lady talked about her time in school, in Germany, and learning needlework as part of her school curriculum. She also talked about pattern darning and referenced my article from the West Kingdom Needleworkers Guild Website - http://wkneedle.bayrose.org/index.html. She even made me stand and talk for a couple minutes (grin).

The speaker and another lady brought darning samplers to show. One was from the 1800's and a couple from early 1900's. It was very interesting to see the stitching up close. The objective, of course, was to mimic the various weaves of fabric that they would encounter and need to fix. What was of key interest was the way slack was added both historically and on the more modern pieces - strategically placed pins at each end to go over. It was an "aha" moment.

Then we proceeded to do a straight darning piece (on right in picture). For learning purposes we had 25 count and flower thread. I finished the sample when I came home and of course my curiosity had been aroused about other patterns. I went searching through my library. You would think that with all the books I own, much less the web at my finger tips I could find instructions on mending darning. 1 book - The DMC Complete Encyclopedia of Needlework - had information. From it I saw how to do the twill darning - on the left of the picture. It also has various patterns for other weaves that I may try.

Purchased The DMC Complete Encyclopedia of Needlework a number of years ago - so the prior version of the large size one. This one is truly reprints of all the articles that DMC put out in various forms over the years; and not very good prints due to the age of the pieces. However, I have never not found information on a technique in this book. It may not be the easiest to understand, but it is truly complete and has a key place in a well rounded library.

Pearl Sticken - Gollar Done!

Whew! Spent the last couple weeks putting the final finishing touches on the gollar and developing a section for our website showing all the Pearl Sticken projects with research notes (visit http://www.bayrose.org click on the Pearl Embroidery link). The gollar has been quite the labor of love as you will see.

I have known for quite awhile that I can't just recreate something. I can't do someone else's pattern or project. If I am going to do needlework, it needs to be a creative experience for me. Once I got past the hurdle of re-creating the gollar in the portrait, the project worked for me.

For the most part, I kept the elements of the portrait gollar. The key difference is that I changed the lower wide band from geometric to one that was a floral. It is my Poppy gollar. As a member of the Order of the Golden Poppy, I can wear a wreath of poppies - this is mine :)

The gollar is heavy, but the weight distributes well enough to wear comfortably. It fits me better than the mannequin and I can do up the center hooks to "close" it as shown in the portrait.

It will have its first official outing this weekend at Purgatorio. I will take pics to post then. It is all about the setting and I'll have on the right outfit to show case the gollar.

Hope you enjoy the eye candy.

Temari

Toward the end of last year, I had the opportunity to take a workshop class on very beginning temari. The ball on the right is the result. And I was hooked! Bought rice hulls and began looking at temarikai.com and several books. Even began making balls for decorating.

Then this spring Shining Needle Society announced an online course with Barbara Seuss (www.japanesetemari.com). The instructions and pics were online and it came with a kit of materials for making the class ball and 2 companion balls. Finally finished the class ball (ball on left). GREAT class! The project really walks you through lots of the beginning designs and concepts. I will do the challenge pieces - eventually - when time permits.

I have also signed up for the EGA Correspondence Course with Barb. It was last months online group course (your group is all the people who sign up with you online and the group fee is waived). The instruction folder has arrived. Let the wrapping begin!