Inspiration : Ravenna

 Inspiration for designs in embroidery can come from all sorts of places: Books, museums, mosaics, old Christmas cards, nature, fabrics seen in foreign places, and my favourites - old buildings (to name but a few). In the old days (pre-internet), we didn't have an endless global resource literally at our fingertips. We went places and looked at old buildings, and sometimes we were inspired and took a photo of what we saw. (Which is why my garage has numerous heavy boxes filled with old photos and slides).

Of course, Sunday Church was routine for nearly all, and church decoration helped to keep children occupied whilst their parents went about their devotions. So it's not surprising that Churches still remain one of my favourite places to nosy round. Italy is, of course, filled with artistic treasures of all kinds: music, sculpture, buildings, painting, fashion, wine and food. Even most of the scenery almost seems to have been deliberately formed by some bucolic maestro! So, when a lifelong ambition to visit Ravenna was finally achieved in 2019, my only disappointment was that we only had a day visit. If I ever get to go again, I'll go for longer - a lot longer. So what is the attraction of Ravenna in particular? Some of the finest church mosaics anywhere are all collected together in one small town.

As we all are taught at school, mosaics are made up of tesserae - small pieces of square glass or stone. The details depends on the size of the work and the size of the stones. Smaller stones on a big work make for a very detailed image. You can tell the size of the tesserae by looking at the little flashes of gold in the bottom panel of the picture below - each flash represents one tiny piece of gold-backed glass. The detail on the two deer and the figures in the arch indicate the high number of tesserae used. And did those Byzantine folk know how to work their Art! 

And then there is Pattern, as evidenced on the photo below. First there is the gold and indigo vine scroll pattern on the outside of the arch. Then there is the complicated multicoloured Greek key work just inside the arch - FAB-U-LOUS! I still have to fathom out how it works. I wish I could have got closer to take more detailed pictures. And the Circles - Yes they are just circles of various patterns, but they are so effective. (It may all look very simple to you natural artists out there, but to one such as myself who was told not to bother with Art at the age of 15, it's the work of genius!) Even the simple feather-work at the bottom works brilliantly. Refined and effective.

And of course, I have left the ultimate demonstration of this art form - the figurative pieces till last. It is difficult to know where to start. Each face is subtly  different. The clothes do drape, the birds do chase each other. The colours blend harmoniously, the Angel's wings really do have feathers. I could go on, but it's of more use, if you just simply look and observe.

So where does all that lead to embroidery you may ask? Well, for those who have little to no artistic talent like me, we can copy, or we can take small bits and modify them to our own needs, or we can use the ideas as reference points to return to constantly as sources of inspiration and as examples of excellence to which we can strive (though in my case, probably never come close to achieving). 

In cross stitch we take tiny stitches to make up pictures, just as tiny bits of stone or glass make up mosaics. The principle is the same, The detail that we achieve in our cross-stitching depends on how small we are prepared to work our stitches, and the size of the canvas with which we choose to work.

Though few of us will ever come close to such artistry, we should at least try to do our own small personal best. 

I hope you enjoyed the photos! 

Christmas stocking 2021

 So, yes, it was completed in time for Christmas (it was a bit of rush at the end, I will admit!), and I am very proud of it. To say that doing Cross stitch patterns with metallic thread is difficult is a bit of an understatement, but it's worth it for the results. Unfortunately, a still photograph does not show up all that wonderful sparkle sufficiently. Next time I will take a video to show it's full sparkly glory, before I send it off.

Peace on Earth - 2021's original Christmas stocking

There are a few things I will change when I do the final charting, mainly around the 'Christus est natus' section. I would use Gothic lettering for that section too, and I would change the scroll's colouring from mauve to red. The angel's hair needs a little modification too, and I would position him/her a little further down, so that I could make a little more of the star (some say it was Halley's comet - I don't know, but I like the effect).

My current view on what metallic thread works best in cross stitch has not really changed from my last post about cross stitching in metallic threads. Gutermann metallics and Madeira metallics worked best for me. You may have to group two, three or even four threads together to get satisfactory coverage on 25 count evenweave, and this can make handling quite exciting. Using shorter lengths helps, but there is still a high wastage due to the wear on the threads. Despite all the niggles, I would do it all again for the sumptuous effects you get (you can't beat a bit of bling in the dark days of the winter Solstice). As Madeira metallics have a much bigger colour range, I will probably use them more widely in future. Both types are widely available in the UK; Gutermann on Amazon and in stores, and Madeira at Barnyarns and in some stores.

There are lots of different types of metallic threads on the market - some are easier than others to use for cross stitching purposes

I hope to try Kreinik threads/ Braid in my next 'glittery' project. The problem I have with them, is getting hold of the full range of colours in each of the braid thicknesses. If anyone knows of a good source in the UK please let me know.The best I have found so far is Lakeside Needlecraft.

In the meantime, I have started designing 2022's Christmas stocking, and am looking forward to finding some new inspiration on my travels (Covid and travel regulations permitting........Umm!).

Happy stitching! B x 

Taking embroidery on Holiday

 I don't know about you, but I always take a bit of embroidery with me when I go away from home for a few days or more. Mainly it's a work in progress, which I pick up and put down over many years. I think the longest I have been stitching a particular project must be something like 25 years! Yes, I know, I should be ashamed of myself. But I have a low boredom threshold, and that is the excuse I am sticking with.

'The Chase' A Williamsburg Sampler that I have been working for 25 years or more!

Now that I have got that particular confession out of the way, I shall tell you how I choose what I am going to take with me. The first criteria is size. Now unless I'm planning on going on a world cruise (would I go on one now, with pandemics now a feature of our lives - not sure), my choice would be for something that would fit in a ring frame. It's just easier to pack and whip out, and mostly I can use a desk clamp to hold it steady. A big floor frame would take up a lot of luggage space.

A Barrel Desk Clamp. Very easy to pack, and it's fairly easy to set up on any old desk that is handy.

The next thing to consider is lighting. For those of us over forty (well over, in my case), the quality of light is crucial to how much detail you can see without giving yourself a headache. Bearing in mind that you often don't know what the lighting is going to be till you get there, I usually opt for something that is fairly large scale, with an easy pattern to follow. 

Recently I went on a long weekend to London to see my daughter and her family. I decided to take my three sheep surface embroidery. The original design was from an Inspirations magazine from many years ago. I transposed the pattern onto some spare linen, picked out some wools from my stash and got going. I'm pretty sure that I'm not following the instructions from the magazine, but that's what embroidery is for me - taking an idea and making it your own. Most of the bodies of the sheep are worked in French knots.

French Knotted Sheep

Now French Knots en masse are very handy as you don't have to be particularly fussy about placement (except at the edges). This means that you can happily motor along  putting in random knots, filling up any spaces as they appear. It makes for satisfyingly steady progress.

Sue Hawkins' Pansy Heart

Other types of stitching which I find useful to take away with me are needlepoint pieces. I particularly like Sue Hawkins' kits for this purpose. Her heart patterns always attract attention if I am working them in a public space. Prairie Schooler Santa samplers (cross stitch), worked on a bigger thread count, (e.g. 25 count over two threads) are always a satisfying project to take with you, and can be rolled out every Christmas for the admiration of your friends!

A Prairie Schooler Santa

Finally I have the sampler that I have been working on for all those years. One of these days it will get finished. Again, people always come to have a look if I am out and about working on it. Though embroidery is nowhere near as popular as it was in the 90's, people are still interested in seeing it worked. So, don't be afraid to get out your work when you have a few minutes or hours to fill. Be proud of your work! It may be just the inspiration someone needs to have a go!

These are the Instructions for 'The Chase Sampler' Kit Only 25 years + old!

If you do leave your embroideries for any length of time, remember to:

• Remove the needle from the fabric (we don't want any nasty rust marks)
• Remove from the ring frame, if you are using one
• Fold the linen carefully (use tissue paper?)
• Store in a dry place away from light (a drawer perhaps?)

Happy Stitching!

Cross stitch and metallic threads WIP

Yes, I must be mad! I'm doing a cross stitch embroidery using metallic threads in various combinations. Not only that, I am working on a dark background- sheer masochism, I hear you say.

Section of Christmas stocking (sorry the sheen doesn't really show up well!)

So why am I torturing myself this way? Well, I am trying to achieve an illuminated manuscript look to a Christmas piece I am doing, as part of a Christmas present. Last year, I managed to do two and a half Christmas stockings (one did not quite get finished in time), but that was in lockdown, and I wasn't using metallic thread much. This year I will be happy if I finish this one.

So for those who have not yet worked with metallic threads, I shall briefly outline why they are difficult to work with.

• the threads are stiffer than normal floss
• they fray
• they tangle
• they wear very easily, so lose their sheen quite quickly

Just some of my metallic thread stash (I really must get it organised!)

A few years ago, I went on a Goldwork course with Helen McCook. Now Helen is a graduate of the Royal School of Needlework, so knows what she is talking about. The main tips she gave us on working successfully with metallic threads (apart from being an amazing embroiderer) were:

• use shorter threads than you would with ordinary thread/floss
• wax your thread
• finish off the thread when it starts to wear

I have followed two of these rules religiously, and they pay off. I have to confess that I do not always wax my thread, as some of them get a bit gungy when you do.

The other point to note is that metallic threads are not really designed for intensive cross stitching. They are really threads designed for surface embroidery, and there are many techniques which work better for these types of threads, for which there are many dedicated great courses and books. (I recommend Sarah Homfray's introduction to metallics on You Tube. She covers an extensive range of embroidery techniques and is very down to earth and clear.)

Gutermann metallic thread Colour 235

I am using a variety of threads, including: Gutermann metallics, DMC Diamante, Madeira metallics, Superior threads, and various metallic flosses from my stash.

So far the Gutermann metallics give the most blingy finish, and are not so bad for fraying and wear. The downside is that there is rather a limited colour palette.

Madeira Metallic thread Art 9842 Gold-5

Another thread I quite like is the Madeira Metallic Art thread. This is a fine single thread, which I am using in groups of four in the needle. It gives a nice shiny finish and does not fray. I think I bought it as a machine embroidery thread many years ago, but hey-ho it works!

More info to follow as I progress!