California Poppy Transfer Design

It has been a busy, busy 6 weeks....but with good results.  Both of the pilot classes went well.  Of course there are still revisions to be made, but everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and the projects.

And during the time between the two pilots I received a call from the selection commitee accepting the two proposals I have previously shown here:  Leaf Collage (as a 3-day class) and Color Kaleidoscope (as a 2-day class).  I am very excited about both of them and will be completing the stitching on both upon my return from my next teaching trip....back home on April 21st.   Both of the pilots have already been scheduled and have been added to my teaching schedule.                                                                           But in the meantime I am finishing up the stitching on a small design I will be using for a new "guild" class.  Previously I have not had a good topic for short guild meetings so I'm very happy to now be able to share these techniques in this format.  This design (interesting border pattern, don't you think?) uses the same technique as I desribed in my blog entry of Sept. 13, 2009, and Leslie Riley's Transfer Artist Paper.  Also as part of the short class, the students will each transfer their own design and then we will review the sketch technique and the border designs.  Each student will have the choice of a leaf or this California Poppy design. 

Happy Easter to everyone! 

Terry

Stitching Progress

This last week I have been busy getting ready for the last pilot class. for this year....Flower Diamonds.....so lots to do.  The instruction book is close to being finished and the kits are almost complete.....just waiting for one more item.  (there is always one!).  The canvases are usually the last thing to complete.  The way they are marked has to a lot to do with how the instructions are written.  Everything must, hopefully, work together  and make sense., both in class, and after students get home.   But anyway, the kit box should be ready to mail early this next week.   

But, that is what has been going on in the daytime.  Most evenings I have been stitching on Mediterranean Squares so it will be finished by May 1st.   Since I last posted an update I've add some small squares along the left side, completed several partially worked squares, and started the large square at the lower left.  That leaves two main squares to add and other smaller items.  Even though I have sketches done and threads in mind,  things still need changing as stitching progresses.  In classes students ask about the development of the design.  I always answer it takes a bit of re-stitching, and this has been no exception.  During this last week I have changed threads at least three or four times.....either the color and/or texture of thread. 

I'll post one more update before the "finished photo".  Here's hoping each of you are finding time to get lots of stitching done.  

Happy Easter!

Writing a New Instruction Book

These last two weeks I have been busy completing the instruction book for the upcoming Poppies pilot class.  It has required a different approach to writing the instructions as it is a study in "random" stitching.  How structured should it be and still be random?  What type of framework should I provide?  I decided on a combined approach, so I began with a small rectangular area where I laid it out as a 6-step process, and gradually expanded the area.  My hope is that as each stitcher works her or his way through the area they will gain more and more confidence.  As I constructed the diagrams with my Stitch Wiz program I combined gray scale and color stitches for clarity.  The diagrams are scaled to be rather large and take up about 3/4 of the space on each page.  Stitchers will also be doing a little spritzing and spraying at the beginning of class to get some color on the canvas.  It should be fun and without a doubt, interesting.  Who can help but be enthused when they open a new bag of threads for a new project! Such fun! Over half the threads in the kit are partial skeins and I tried something new by putting each of the partial skeins onto my new Twitchetts cards and then put all the partials skeins and some of the full skeins on a 2" ring.  I am really interested to get feedback from the pilot stitchers about this new approach.  Pilot classes are always interesting as everything is new....including the teacher. 

I was taking a break today, checking out a few of the blogs on my links and came across Distant Stitchers (listed under Links).  It is way to study through correspondence, email and internet, the City and Guilds Level Certificate for Textiles/Embroidery.  There is also a Diploma program.  It is structured as a three year program.  I looked at the six modules and the material and presentation is very interesting, but I would like to follow the progress of several current participants in the program so I set up links to several of the stitchers blogs.  I grouped them all together under DISTANT STITCH under links.  Thought others might be interested also. 

My self-imposed deadline to complete Flower Diamonds and get in to the finisher is Monday, June 2nd so I will post a finished photo at that time.  I also hope to post some photos soon of new beaded scissors fobs and threader fobs which McCall is working on.  Her stitch markers on Etsy are very cute and well done, so I'm anxious to see these and try them out!

Wishing everyone a great, relaxing holiday.