Thursday 19 November 2009

Machine blackwork

Yesterday I went to a workshop course run by a lady who owns a local plant nursery. In the winter she runs embroidery and craft workshops. She lives in a lovely little cottage, quite isolated a couple of miles from the village. There were seven of us (the maximum she takes is eight) and she provided a lovely lunch, salmon, salad, rice salad, vegetarian loaf, potatoes, rolls, fruit salad, date slice, meringues and cream. Brilliant. I didn't eat all of that of course, but it was there. So lovely to have a proper lunch provided, instead of having to make up your own and take it.

After exploring the stitches available on our machines and deciding which ones worked best, we set to work on making these flowers. I'm afraid the quality of the photographs is poor, but it's about 6.45 am, and I was too impatient to wait until daylight to take them and write this blog!






















The plan is to cut them out and mount them on a background fabric. The smaller flower will be wired as I do the satin stitch and then fixed on top of the larger flower, giving a 3D effect. I'm not too sure what I will do after that. I could make some more to make a larger wall hanging, or I could set just the one in a frame, or I could leave it unmounted and put it in a vase. Any ideas?

I've signed up for some more of her classes as I enjoyed that one so much, and they're terrific value.

8 comments:

Kay said...

Oh my! She gives lessons AND provides a luncheon, too. That's fabulous! I love that stitching project. I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with it. I'm just enjoying everything vicariously through you.

Amelia said...

Wow, I love them...I bet that class was fun...good food and watching flowers come alive right before your eyes. Yes, go ahead and take more classes...the good food is just an added bonus.

Lynn said...

How interesting that class sounds. There are so many possibilities. I think a vase for some and a wallhanging would be fun. The luncheon sound delicious, but that is lots of food. Salmon and sewing my idea of a perfect day!

Unknown said...

What a lovely technique - just the thing to make use of all those stitches on your machine you try out once and then never use again!

Lunch sounds lovely too - this wasn't by any chance somewhere over my side of Somerset was it?

Anita said...

Very nice flowers. I think it would make a striking wall hanging. Lunch sounds good and you have something to look forward to next time.

Simone de Klerk said...

Such lovely results! I can imagine you signed up for more of her courses!

Anonymous said...

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Green Thinker Award

Gina said...

What fabulous flowers. They would look great as a wall hanging or attached to some curtain tiebacks.

Love and hugs Gina xxx