- - - Saturday Stitches - - - and a Mentor for me : )

Hi and welcome to Saturday Stitches where you watch me teach myself as many embroidery stitches as I can.  : )

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I needed more texture in a piece of my art, so I pulled out some ribbon embroidery books and stitching ribbons I collected along the way.  I did simple Straight Stitch first.  I think I pulled it too tight and it didn't lie flat.  So I tried a Japanese Ribbon stitch.  It's very pretty!  Take a look.

very easy to do, makes great petals & foliage!

I went around and around with different lengths, and it sure makes a pretty flower!  I also tried a Lazy Daisy Chain - also makes a really pretty flower.  I need more practice to not twist the ribbons though.  My second attempt already looks better than the first doesn't it?  See the twists?  (You don't want that.)

hey... practice makes perfect right?

I can use those, but it still wasn't the shape I'm looking for.  I want to stitch some prairie lilies into the foreground of a piece.  They need to be very narrow at the ends and wide in the middle.  Maybe the right size of ribbon would make a difference.  I'm definitely looking into more silk ribbon embroidery.  I just love it!

In the mean time, I want to say how incredibly fortunate I feel.  You've heard me mention how many times Margot Lindsay (local embroidery artist) & I have crossed paths.  I was so excited to learn about her!  I was even more thrilled to 'accidentally' meet her at a show I was in last May.  After seeing my art, so many people strongly suggested that I meet her.  At that May show, I watched one older woman with snow white hair looking at my work.  She came back a second time and told me it was 'very, very good'.  She told me her name, and the smiles and conversations began.  It was her!  What serendipity!  In the end, she gave me her phone number and invited me to stitch with her some day.  And that is how I finally met Margot.

As the story goes, I never got around to calling her over the summer.  I was so busy with the kids, and that dress.  I happened to see Margot the next time at our Quilt show and was tickled pink to be able to show her my prairie dress in person.  What are the odds!?  She really loved it.  I think (hope) I genuinely impressed her.  ; )  That was a very humbling moment for me.  I think sh'es been a prairie stitching artist for a very long time.

Finally, we made a date to get together.  As I write this, I have just returned from my first visit over to her home and studio.  She was SOOO kind.  My gosh - what a sweet soul.  She explained lots about her process to me.  She gave me a tour of all her art that was in sight.  In her sewing room, she opened container boxes upon container boxes to show me all the things she's collected, dyed, cut into strips, a decorative yarn or thread in hundreds of colors.  She showed me samples...  WOW.  I have wished for a mentor for so long.  This is really incredible.  I felt like red riding hood finally arriving at grandmother's house.  (No wolf, but that forest I've travelled through was a lot of work!)

Embarrassed after seeing all her incredible work, I told her I had brought a piece of mine to show her.  It was my re-do of Bloom.  She studied it for some time and seemed very impressed.  She pointed out a lot of things she liked, and oohed and aahed over the teeny stitches.  She loved the teeny purple stitches and the long stitched free-motion grasses.  o m g  That was a strange moment: humbling and exciting at the same time.  It's easy to show my work to someone who doesn't do what I do.  This was all so different.  I'm pretty happy, and happy that I'll have an opportunity to learn much from her.

She sent me home with this.  Thank you Margot!

It might look like a pile of left overs to you, but it's like being sent home with a big bag of candy!  I had to hurry home to pick up the kids from school, and so I only had an hour with her.  On my way out, she suggested we get together to stitch next time.  Oooh I can't wait.  She gave me some great ideas for alternative backings that are easier to stitch through than what I use.  What a GREAT visit!  I wish I had my camera to show you.  I came away so enriched in so many ways.  : )

The funny thing is, after school, a woman came to pick something up from my house and saw Bloom 2...

 ...and she bought it. (Thank you!!!)  This will still be on display for the show.

What a day!

What a year.  My goodness.  I truly believe I am right where I am meant to be.  Things are just unfolding.

Happy stitching!  Thanks for listening.