Crathorne Bug - continuing trailing, and corners

At the end of the line, take the core thread through to the back of the work.

Then bring the core thread up at the beginning of the next line, and continue trailing.

Close up

Corner - Take the core thread down through the fabric at the end of the line.

Then bring the the core thread up at the beginning of the next line at the corner, and continue trailing as before.

Trail over the trailing, at the corner to produce a crossed corner.

Crathorne Bug - trailing

starting trailing - pin is the starting point of the design

needle up

needle up close up

needle down

needle down close up

Trailing is a form of couching, where a core thread is oversewn completely using another thread in a needle.  Use DMC Col.3782 stranded cotton for the trailing, five strands of this colour for the core, and one strand for oversewing.

To give the trailing some tension, knot the core thread, and bring the thread up a good inch or so away from the starting point.  The starting point is the beginning of the design, or where the pin is placed to show YOU, where I started trailing - image 1.

Secure the single thread to the fabric, using a No. 9 or 10 crewel embroidery needle.  Then start trailing. 

Tips on trailing - 

• Make sure there is always some tension on the core thread.  I am right handed, so I use my left hand to hold the core thread, whilst I stitch with my right.  Whatever works for you!
• Bring the needle up on the design line, oversewing over the core thread, taking the needle back down on the design line.  Completely cover the core thread, encasing it.  No core thread should show.
• When I bring the needle up - I move the core thread to the side so I know I am bringing the needle up on the line.
• When I take the needle back into the fabric - I move the core thread in the opposite direction so I can see the design line.
• All the time, I am holding and keeping tension on the core thread.  This keeps the line of trailing very fine.
• Don't forget to keep good tension on the single couching thread too!
• Finally, ensure your working thread retains its sheen.  Finish and start a new thread if it looks worn as it travels through the fabric many times.

This technique looks great when worked well, but may take a little time requiring some practice.  My advice would be to take your time and not to rush it.

Next post will show you what to do when you come to the end of the first line of trailing. 

Apologies for not blogging sooner.  I mentioned in a previous post that I may have a slow start as I have an enormous amount of work and responsibility, but I hope to work on this over the festive period, when I am less in demand and hope complete it 'very soon' before my next term of teaching begins to take hold. 

Thanks for your patience if you have been waiting.

Linear Contemporary Whitework

free style pulled work, stem stitch, herringbone stitch, woven silk chiffon, eyelets, running stitch, back stitch, hem stitching, free style pulled work, hem stitching

in more detail

 students work - part 1

 students work - part 2

This is a workshop I have just taught in the Scottish Borders in Jedburgh, working on a linear whitework sampler, creating a lot of hand stitch ideas on different natural fabric surfaces, including pulled work, drawn thread work, shadow work, eyelets and surface embroidery.

The idea for me is to continue the sampler and work more ideas which may include machine embroidery, mixed media, and more traditional and contemporary hand stitching.  

I will of course do more postings on my blog as I continue to experiment and explore.

. . . more gold work contempo . . .

More from my gold work sample based on line ~ zig-zag lines, and spirals . . .

gold work contempo!

I worked this piece a couple of years ago, but as yet, I have not really published any images of it, only a glimpse!

This is only part of the whole piece, based on couching and line.  My aim was to experiment with couching and work with straight lines, stepped lines, curves, spirals, zig-zags, etc.  I also decided to work the piece in black and gold threads, including tarnished threads, as I love the depth of colour they produced.

The threads include - Passing thread, Pearl purl intact and stretched, Rococo thread, Twist, Plate - crimped and upstanding.

Most of the plate I used was thrown in a bin by a student I was teaching on a residential workshop sometime ago which I lifted out and kept for myself.  She had obviously thrown it away because it was tarnished, but I loved it!

The last two images I experimented with in Photoshop.  I always slightly edit images anyway, but I thought I would experiment further and post them.

Enjoy!

18th Century waistcoat - sampling . . .

couching and stem stitch . . .

using metallic thread

In May 2014 - I will be teaching for the Royal School of Needlework in Williamsburg, Virginia.  I will be teaching three workshops, and this one is the longest - 6 days of teaching and creativity!  This will be a waistcoat front, inspired by 18th Century design, and so far - I am just sampling to see what works.

Logo - part six . . .

Pearl purl outline . . .

. . . all around the edge

The Pearl purl, is used to edge the final piece, which is couched into place and cut to fit the shape.  Nearly finished . . .

Logo - part two . . .

couching over paired passing thread with brick stitch

more couching

couching complete and the ends are ready for plunging

soft string padding ready for cut work

Every time I work this design, I approach it differently, shading with different colours, shading dark to light, or light to dark, working with finer threads or bolder threads. 

I used fine gold passing thread for the couching, which looks very delicate, with the whole piece worked on a linen background.

Lindisfarne Gospels return . . .

section from St Matthew's carpet

detail using Pearl purl and couching with passing thread

detail of couching passing thread and stitching using silk thread

crossed claws using Pearl purl

My piece to celebrate the Lindisfarne Gospels coming to Durham.  Now showing in Durham University's Palace Green Library till 30th September.  Must go myself . . .

Lindisfarne Gospel using burden stitch

work in progress

detail of stitch and the working needle

burden stitch

I have continued a little progress with my piece for the North East Embroiderers' Guild regional exhibition celebrating the Lindisfarne Gospels coming to Durham city this summer.  I decided to work burden stitch which has a weaving quality about it and thought it worked quite well.  I used some old silk threads I had and outlined with gold couching.  I wanted the blue area to have a different look to the red area which is very open silk shading with curled couching. 

The exhibition will be held in Durham Cathedral from 27th May to 23th June. 

Bayeux stitch

 

Bayeux stitch is a form of couching where the crewel wool is laid down first of all to cover the ground fabric completely. Further lines of crewel wool are laid over the top spaced apart at right angles and then couched to hold everything into place.  

Tip - Draw parallel lines on your fabric to keep the laid work parallel as it is easy to stray.

Lindisfarne Gospels workshop

a montage of students work

I taught a workshop at Burnbrae just north of Kelso in the Scottish Borders, testing my ideas on my students.

We worked on a combination of ideas including gold work couching and or nué, running stitch, applying gold kid leather, Pearl purl outlining and silk shading.

Crown continued . . .

crown update

detail

At last . . . more on the crown.  Now part worked in an exhibition entitled - 'Drawn to Stitch' at UCMK Galleries, University Centre Milton Keynes, 200 Silbury Boulevard, MK9 1LT.  The exhibition runs from 11th October to 9th November 2012.

The crown itself is mainly couching incorporating scoobies, plastic beads I bought from IKEA which I have cut in half both length ways and width ways, and elastic bands worked on linen.  It was really difficult couching the scoobies upright with such tight curls and curves, when they move constantly - but I love the result which is reminiscent of rouleaux decoration.  It has been so far a real learning process, but I fear I will run out of scoobies at some point . . .

mark making . . .

logo images with a gold whipped wheel, appliqué, seeding and a little couching

line

layered mono printing

I made these prints on a Alison King workshop through Hexham Embroiderers' Guild on a variety of plain fabrics and papers.  All are mono printed which involved acrylic paint and a laminated sheet.  Very easy and addictive because it is quick, once there is an understanding of the level of paint to use.  I plan to use some of them as backgrounds for future work.  This was all on the theme of Durham Cathedral, where I work as Head Broderer, and my logo which is a little like Saint Cuthbert's cross.

paper and metal

This work is inspired by Islamic design and repeat patterns, but not a copy.  I worked it in a very spontaneous way, by just drawing in basic lines and tracing the shapes very naively, although I maintained  a certain amount of accuracy.

the stamp

the finished stamp - showing detail of satin stitch and seeding

showing more detail and depth

The completed stamp was taken from an ink jet printed design.  My objective was to enhance the design with simple stitch rather than detract.  The whole design contains, couching, running stitch, seeding (single and double), satin stitch, stem stitch, using a tarnished 'passing' metal thread, stranded cotton, and a metallic stranded thread (which is a nightmare to use, but I am sure that is part of its charm!).  Design is approximately 12cm x 17cm and worked on plain cotton fabric.

Another glimpse . . .

gold in line formations

Another further glimpse of my latest work based on line as a pattern.

Gold couching in Line formation

stepped lines

straight lines

A glimpse of  some of my latest work inspired by LINE as a design source, and using tarnished, black and old gold metal threads.  More will be revealed at a later date!