Welcome

* * * Canadian Craft Federation / Citizens of Craft.ca Podcast Series! : ) I'm in Episode #4... but you should listen to them all. : ) LISTEN

Tuesday 5 February 2013

Plenty of Progress

I'm working on it!  After one year as a member of the embroiderer's guild, I finally made my required name tag!  Sheesh.  It took me long enough.  Everyone in that guild has the prettiest name tags with the most perfect and intricate formal embroidery.  I don't have those skills.  I enjoyed the silk ribbon stitching on my last piece so much that I decided I'd use that in my name tag.  It's not perfect, but I think this little tag is really me.


It's on a little piece of linen with raw edges & neutral coloured machine stitching, so it's kind of rustic looking.  It has nature in it, sewing threads, French Knots, and the ribbons were hand dyed.  I think it suits me.

I was lucky enough to finally find an online ribbon source.  I got twenty metres yards? mailed to me for $12 plus a dollar postage.  That is SUPER cheap, especially after wasting a 1/4 tank of gas driving around the city looking for silk ribbon.  sigh

The rest of my many, many days away from the blog have been spent stitching that field of dandelion puffs.  WOOO!  I'm still NOT DONE.  It's been days and days.  I'm doing good though.  I'm certainly proud of it as it's one of my biggest pieces ever - 30 cm across / 12 inches.  (Funny how most embroidery is metric and quilting is all still the old imperial.)

Here is a sideways view of it so far:

blooming dandelions (in progress)

How many now?  I completely lost count.  I have no idea.  My guess based on past work is 2000-ish.

Wait!  There's more...

I finished off a piece that I had started a while back.  I didn't show you because I didn't love it.  I wasn't feeling like it was 'singing'.  Then it hit me - a few touches here and there and the whole scene just sprang to life!  It's finished now and awaiting the framer's.

Fields at Floral Road, 2013

As for my 'news' - oh there's so much piling up that I don't know where to begin.  I'm teaching and getting booked up for public speaking in a couple different cities in 2 provinces.  It's quite overwhelming but terribly exciting!  I'm getting more and more requests for things like this.  I bet if I wanted to, I could actually book up 2014 and just travel travel travel.  Motherly guilt will keep me fairly close to home however.  Still - it's nice to know I have a wide-open world just waiting for me.  Exciting indeed!  Have a great week.  : )


P.S.  I'm linking to The Needle and Thread Network if you would like to go see what other 'penniless' Canucks are up to.  Haha.  (That's a private pun that has nothing to do with poverty, FYI.)

11 comments:

HollyM said...

I get the pun, being Canadian! I'm curious about where you ordered your silk ribbon. My stock is low.
I can't even imagine that many French knots!
I think your name tag is perfect!

Dolores said...

I really like your name tag. Your stitcheries are beautiful. So you use iron on interfacing? Or what do you stiffen the fabric with?

CitricSugar said...

The name tag turned out gorgeous! And congrats on your upcoming "tour!" :-)

I must say I feel a little better about being penniless since everyone else is now penniless, too. LOL.

elle said...

Someone suggested memorializing the little thing!

Dahn said...

Truly lovely Monika--love it. And the Floral Road piece is simply lovely. I love it!!

Penniless--hahahahaha...

Patti said...

Beautiful work, as always! I love your name tag too, and still have to make my own for the Saskatoon MQG.

Peg's Place said...

Oh I love your name tag! Your thread is delicious too! What kind is it? Every time I visit your site I swoon with the intricacy of your stitching....again with the French knots and your finished picture! If you are ever in my area, I would love to take a course with you! What provinces are you going to?

Marjorie's Busy Corner said...

I like your name tag Monika...it is you!! and very lovely. Your dandelions are fantastic! I can`t imagine all that hand work...really so well done...

Mrs.Pickles said...

wow lovely work

Katherine said...

Beautiful name tag, Monika. I always swoon when I see natural linen paired with embroidery ... add in silk ribbon... and oh my, it's true love!

Wow. I'm loving those dandelions. Amazing details to your work, which are such lovely tributes to the natural beauty of the prairies.

Regina said...

You do the most incredible work, no wonder you are in demand as a teacher.
I'd like to know where you got your ribbon from (in case I need another stash).

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

* * * Here are some of the most viewed blog posts this month * * *