Welcome to my blog. I live, knit, crochet, spin and craft near the Northumbrian Coast (but not too near – the waves won't be splashing my yarn!).There's a story in every stitch, every grain of sand, every blade of grass. I thought I'd blog about it…
I do love a craft workshop, so when my plans for today got cancelled I realised I could go to one that I thought I’d miss. This was the first embroidery one I’ve been to at the Amble Pin Cushion where I teach my crochet workshops.
Today we were learning “Embroidery with Sea Glass” taught by skilled stitcher Bronagh, who works at the shop and is studying for qualifications with the Royal School of Needlework . She is also part of the team of skilled needleworkers that make and repair textiles at Durham Cathedral.
Bronagh collects seaglass as she walks on local beaches and has found a way of incorporating them into her embroideries – today we were learning the techniques used in the piece she made pictured at the top of this post.
We used some lovely batik printed fabric in subtle shades of sea green as a background and attached the pieces of sea glass using a network of stitches.
Bronagh then demonstrated various embroidery stitches which we incorporated into our work.
Finally she showed us some techniques for adding beads, so we had a go at that.
All the material (embroidery hoop, fabric and backing, wadding and felt to line the piece, ribbon for hanging, seagrass, needles, embroidery threads and beads) were provided with instructions and a tote to carry everything.
Bronagh is a great tutor (you can tell she’s been a teacher in a past life) and I really enjoyed spending my Saturday in her company along with the other lovely participant.
This is my work in progress. I’m going to have so much fun doing it.
It’s been a strange few weeks. The weather is all over the place (four seasons in one day) and as we gradually come out of Lockdown and readjust to yet another “new normal ” it is reassuring to find a few constants in life. Friday Knit and Natter Zoom meetings have become that, though of lately knitting seems to have ground to a halt. Fortunately the other group members have been very productive, whether they fit knitting in between work and family commitments or knit around the clock. I’m always curious (and Inspired) to see what everyone is up to because they produce such range of items. We all have such diverse knitting interests, whether that is participating in a community or charity project or knitting for ourselves and family members. Some prefer to knit smaller items such as hats or baby clothes and others prefer longer term projects like blankets or adult sweaters. There are always so many techniques being used too, whether that is colour work or cable…..and not just knitting but crochet too…and in this selection, embroidery and patchwork! Here are some of the many items they have been completing via screenshots from our weekly Zoom meetings.
LC was inspired by a pattern in a magazine and quickly completed this Fair Isle Cushion cover in bright primary colours.
Y completed her sock knitting challenge and raised money for charity. She also made a boy’s hoodie with a diamond cable panel, a red jacket with a contrasting white design on the yoke and a reverse stocking stitch jumper in pretty pastels with a lacy panel (from her “Knit in a Box” subscription). She even made some mittens at the request of someone with a Bearded Collie – they already had some yarn spun from their dog’s coat and wanted an item made from it. They look super-warm! Both Y and her husband spin yarn – he’s been prepping several different sheep fibres on the drum carder and now Y is knitting him a jumper with the yarn he’s spun. Teamwork!
R finished her aqua ombre scarf and is now working on something completely different. She’s returned to a project she began with her mother some 50 years ago! She’s hand sewing a patchwork of hexagons. It’s been lovely to see all the fabric colours and designs and watch it growing with each week as more sections are added.
Also getting bigger is T’s blanket. We’ve all fallen in love with the raspberry pink/red shades.
LG’s crochet blanket in black and grey with a hint of pink is now finished. It’s a great colour combination….sort of girly goth! She then moved on to a colourful rainbow scarf and is now making a much paler baby pink blanket
The group have made a lot of baby clothes since we began, and these have been sent to good causes at home and abroad. Gill has been busy continuing this and producing some lovely items, including a very pretty multicolour cable jumper.
S has been making baby items too.. These her most recent completions.
She also told us about a project she’s been involved with to create a banner for the Climate Change Summit being held later this year. This will be comprised of many small panels made by participating crafters, each with their own environmental themed designs. S has used some examples of endangered wildlife on her contributions. The finished banner is going to give an amazing depiction of biodiversity under threat from climate change.
Our newest member A has also been making charity baby clothes including, bootees and hats as well as a cuddly bunny. She recently acquired a new book full a patterns for different hats and scarves and made a flowery one – perfect for using up oddments of yarn!. She also made a cabled headband with a Celtic weave design
After some information was circulated round the group about a plan to create a display of knitted poppies for Remembrance Day later in the year , we were all a bit puzzled by the pattern supplied. It included a twist to give the shape but it wasn’t very clear about how to do this. We put our heads together one Friday and Y worked it out, then A found a You Tube video that showed a similar technique. What a collaboration!
No doubt I’ve missed some items out for which I apologise….I really need to keep up to date with my blog!
STOP PRESS
The group met again today and I just had to post about LC’s Fair Isle cushion, now completed with a stylish ribbed edge and button closure as it looks amazing. I didn’t take any other photos as we were enthusiastically discussing potential plans to take part in a yarn bombing project. !
Have you ever done yarn bombing? I’d love to hear about what you did.
I’m a great believer in recycling, repurposing and upcycling. I hate throwing anything away unless it’s absolutely necessary. A case in point was this blue and white check shirt of mine. I’d spilt something on one of the pockets and much as I tried to get the little stain out it was still faintly visible, probably not visible to anyone else but I knew it was there and I didn’t feel right wearing it. Otherwise I rather liked the shirt and would have been quite sad to part with it. It just needed a little bit of a makeover to disguise the stain, so I decided to embroider a row of daisies across the pocket.
I began by making the daisy centres. Using yellow cotton yarn I sewed a row of equidistant French knots. to sew a French knot you bring the thread up through the material where you want the dot to be, wind the thread round the needle a few times then insert the needle very close to where the thread came out, holding the knot in place with thumb as you pull the thread through to the back of the fabric.
Using white cotton, I worked the petals in lazy daisy stitch (also known as single chain stitches). Beginning by bringing the thread up close to the flower centre, insert the needle close to the thread and pull it partially through to form a loop, then bring the needle up where you want the end of the petal to be, inside the loop. Pull the loop until it lies in the right position and insert the needle in the same place, stitching it down. These steps are repeated for each petal until the flower is complete.
I embroidered a row of six daisies along the pocket.
Of course I had to do the other pocket the same. I’m pleased with the result. My shirt has a fresh new look and a new lease of life!
Stitches by the Sea 