As I wrote at the end of Not black blackwork! (part 2), I needed to do some unpicking on the left hand tower to mirror image the diaper. That wasn’t too difficult, but when I tried to stitch the pattern, I got in a right muddle several times, even after I had flipped it on the computer and only needed to follow it.
After I finally lost patience with it, I put in a variation on the two smaller towers.
Simple and effective.
I then put in the centre part of the bottom tower.
I decided to start at the top and work down, rather than working up from the bottom, and for some reason this worked better. I still had to concentrate and take it slowly …..
…… but eventually got there.
I definitely need to work on it with no distractions around, at least until I have got into the rhythm of the pattern. I now have to work out the patterns that I want for the next sections.
However, other pieces for the Grasby Embroiderers’ Exhibition next weekend have taken precedence.
I’ve continued working the diaper pattern from last week, and realised I can do variations of this one pattern on several of the castle towers, getting quite different effects.
It will look quite different if I have the diagonal stitches touching, rather than off-setting them, also whether I put in a horizontal stitch at the top and bottom of each rectangle.
I was keen to try out variations, but realised that the castle really needed to have some fabric strips putting round the edge of the blue background fabric, to stop it fraying any more…..
…….. also to be able to stretch it on a frame and put it on a stand, making it much easier to work on, with one hand on top and the other underneath.
I’d counted my backstitches and worked out how many repeats from one side to the other. I was being too impatient to get stitching, so started at the top rather than working out from the middle and outwards from there. I was also playing thread chicken with an old wooden reel of Coats Satinised Machine Twist.
I was really pleased with how it was looking, and continued stitching…..
……. only to find that the last pattern was two threads short of the backstitch edge. I’d had about 6 inches of thread to spare. I was happy with the colour, so didn’t want to unpick and start again and, on looking at it, realised the darker effect on the right hand side and lighter on the left makes the tower appear rounder. Phew!
I then did two rows of the same pattern, but with the diagonal stitches touching on a narrower tower.
I’ve reassessed the threads I’m going to use in better daylight, eliminating some for being too light, too grey, too mauve, or too turquoise. This is the selection to choose from at the moment.
I’ve started with a thicker perlé in the foreground.
It’s also slightly brighter.
I’ve also made the decision to use the same thread and diaper on the symmetrical blocks, so the foreground section will be mirror-imaged. (And writing that has made me aware that I haven’t mirror-imaged what I have done on the left hand tower.) Some unstitching to do next, then.
I’ve done some more on my blackwork sample piece that’s not black, which I started with Liz Almond at the Spring Gathering a couple of weeks ago. The central motif was relatively simple to be able to spot mistakes before doing very much, and it was obvious which stitches were the ones that needed unpicking. The little square motif below was not so easy, in spite of looking small and simple. The diagonal stitches threw me a couple of times. There are four….. one down, three more to go!
Every time that I thought I’d cracked it, I made a silly mistake, so there was quite a lot of unstitching. Even on the fourth corner, I managed to do two stitches over three threads instead of three stitches over two threads. It looks right, the pattern is right, it joins up and nobody has spotted it (yet) until I’ve managed to find it again and point it out. So I’ve left it. I’d already finished off a thread and started a new one before I realised.
I then ended up spending quite a long time on Liz’s website, and reading a couple of blackwork books. I’m still struggling to make decisions on how to progress my Blackwork Palace Project which continues in Finished bubbles and more.
I thought I’d shown a photo of the outline finished, but it seems not. It stalled again here, which was one of the reasons I chose to do Liz’s workshop.
It will be in shades of blue, and I’ve gathered various threads.
I also looked at Sarah Homfray’s blackwork on YouTube. Some very useful basics, such as starting in the middle of each area to be blocked in, both vertically and horizontally, so patterns look even. She demonstrates how to work various diapers (patterns). This is the beginning of one of the patterns from Liz, but worked in one colour rather than two that she’d used. It’s come on slowly, but I think it will work for one of the towers.
I’ll test out at least three more diapers between the corners. In spite of taking the hoop off each time I finish working, the fabric is marking, so I intend to put the castle on a rectangular frame before continuing with it.
Last Saturday was the first Spring Gathering of YHEG (Yorkshire and Humberside Embroidery Group) at the Regan Centre at Riccall. The venue is used for the Summer Gathering, what used to be Regional Day of the Embroiderers’ Guild, there were workshops morning and afternoon, and the usual lovely lunch.
I chose to do Liz Almond’s blackwork sessions, one in the morning and continuing for the afternoon session. Most of the other workshops were just for two hours, so you could choose two different ones.
I’ve not done much blackwork and not particularly successfully – the usual counting problems! But I really want to finish my blackwork castle from “In the stitch zone” last summer. I’ve only done the outline so far, and thought this would be the push to pick it up again.
Liz had got a pack for each of us, with fabric, needles and enough patterns to keep us going for six months (she said!). More like six years, I thought! We could stitch on Aida in the kit, or swap it for a piece of 28 count Jobelin if we wanted to. I thought it was an ideal opportuntity to try it. But there was no white or cream, just a pinky peach, which I wasn’t sure about at first. But after a rummage through Liz’s bag of floss I came up with a pinky chestnut that I found was kinder on my eyes. (The last photo is the nearest in colour.) Blackwork doesn’t have to be done in black.
The pattern that I chose to follow was intended as a bookmark, with the motif repeated several times. This is just a tiny part of it.
I started off ok, with backstitches following the pattern……
…..until I got to the top of the second set of steps and turned left. I soon realised I’d miscounted and done one step too many, which meant the pattern was too far out from the centre motif. Fortunately it was soon unpicked and corrected. This is where I’d got to at the end of the sessions.
There were also sales tables from many of the individual stitch groups, always good for a bargain. Not that I needed anything, but who can resist?
I have got back to it during the week ……
…… and finished off the first block, apart from x-stitches or beads in the middle of the two central motifs and the centre square. I’m not going to do the bookmark as the pattern, but work outwards from here.
Liz had a huge amount of samples and finished pieces of work, and told us about her website with lots of information, freebies and patterns. I spent several hours browsing on Monday evening and I’m planning on going back soon http://www.blackworkjourney.co.uk
I managed to finish my “bubbles” piece for Lincolnshire Textiles before last week’s meeting. The sequins, beads and French knots took longer than I expected, mainly because there were lots of little areas still to fill, and each bead and sequin had to be attached individually(see above).
There’s a “hole”, at the end of the kitchen table! The hoop is still resting on the chair with the remaining fabric and backing still attached.
I also stitched in my initials, tiny and difficult to spot! I ended up cutting it out once I got there, wanting to make sure I left enough seam allowance for the assembly.
Several other pieces have been finished, all of them very different from each other, but there are lots more to be handed in yet. I’m looking forward to seeing all of them joined together.
I kept thinking mine would look good on the back of a jacket, it twinkles beautifully when the light catches it. I’d thought that it was all going to stay as one piece after the exhibition, but I’ve now found out that we’ll all get our work back.
For quite a while I’ve been looking in the charity shops for a suitable jacket to embellish, but hadn’t found anything and had given up. Recently I bought a piece of cotton drill in the same green off a sales table, and needed to find a suitable pattern. But now I know I’ll get “bubbles” back, it’s on hold until August 2024 after the exhibition in the Chapter House at Lincoln Cathedral. Jo has also very kindly said to keep the rest of the fabric, so it might work for a collar or pockets.
Having given up on finding a jacket to stitch on, I’ve found a perfect lightweight one for £3.00, “Dash”, unlined, 55 linen, 45 cotton, slightly fitted and looks unworn or barely worn. It’s more taupe than the grey it looks in the photo, and will go with most of the colours I tend to wear. I’m going to wash it before I start stitching, in case it shrinks.
Some of the button holes look slightly frayed, but I’ve seen some decorative finishes for button holes recently and some fancy embroidered buttons in a book, so I’m thinking that’s where I’ll start. My plan is to wear it and it’ll gradually evolve over time. I’ll just have to check for pins and needles before I put it on. At the moment, I’m thinking a brightly coloured silky lining once it’s finished.Several other pieces have been finished, all of them very different from each other, but there are lots more to be handed in yet. I’m looking forward to seeing all of them joined together.
I kept thinking mine would look good on the back of a jacket, it twinkles beautifully when the light catches it. I’d thought that it was all going to stay as one piece after the exhibition, but I’ve now found out that we’ll all get our work back.
For quite a while I’ve been looking in the charity shops for a suitable jacket to embellish, but hadn’t found anything and had given up. Recently I bought a piece of cotton drill in the same green off a sales table, and needed to find a suitable pattern. But now I know I’ll get “bubbles” back, it’s on hold until August 2024 after the exhibition in the Chapter House at Lincoln Cathedral. Jo has also very kindly said to keep the rest of the fabric, so it might work for a collar or pockets.
Having given up on finding a jacket to stitch on, I’ve found a perfect lightweight one for £3.00, “Dash”, unlined, 55 linen, 45 cotton, slightly fitted and looks unworn or barely worn. It’s more taupe than the grey it looks in the photo, and will go with most of the colours I tend to wear. I’m going to wash it before I start stitching, in case it shrinks.
Some of the button holes look slightly frayed, but I’ve seen some decorative finishes for button holes recently and some fancy embroidered buttons in a book, so I’m thinking that’s where I’ll start. My plan is to wear it and it’ll gradually evolve over time. I’ll just have to check for pins and needles before I put it on. At the moment, I’m thinking a brightly coloured silky lining once it’s finished.
I’ve continued with the outline for my blackwork palace, making the most of the good natural light we have at the moment.
I’ve done little bits of unpicking in places to get the shapes looking balanced and symmetrical where relevant.
It was all working until I got to the top of this turret, which so far has been unpicked twice and is still not right. I stopped as I had run out of patience, also so I can try drawing it up on graph or squared paper. I thought it was the last bit before being able to go back to do the easy in-fill stitches, but looking at the photo I’ve noticed a stray line on the bottom left! I need to check that out…… and it needs another turret!
This is what we have been working on at “In the stitch zone” with Alex Hall at Scunthorpe Library. I have done very little blackwork previously, a couple of little pin cushions, but that’s about all.
I’m not good at counted work, too easily distracted and lose my place in the pattern. I also find working black on white hard on my eyes and, with the high contrast, prone to trigger migraines.
All the same, having seen the start of Alex’s piece I was keen to have a go. We were to use coloured thread rather than black, and a suggestion of working on 14 count Aida. I decided to base my palace on Neuschwanstein, a wonderful castle that we visited with our German friends when camping in the Black Forest many years ago, unfortunately before digital cameras.
When we went to Neuschwanstein, it was a glorious morning, so I decided to use a pale blue linen rather finer than Aida (first mistake) for the background.
Last minute before the first class, I machine stitched round the edge of 8 by 9 inch fabric to stop it fraying as I worked. I used a zigzag stitch, first two sides ok, then something jammed up. Bobbin? Fraying edge? Soon a case of more haste, less speed, but eventually I got it sorted out with tweezers and scissors and quite a bit of tugging.
Once I got to class, I tacked in a centre line both horizontally and vertically, which showed part of the machining problem: the fabric was nowhere near square. Fortunately it is big enough, and can be stretched and mounted square when I eventually reach that stage.
I have a bundle of Paintbox threads that I bought years ago, which I have sat and stroked a few times, but didn’t want to break in to.
I finally have done, using the middle darkest blue for the outline. I’m using running stitch and will go back round to fill in the gaps. The scrappy sketch at the top is what I’m working with, and making the size of the shapes by eye.
By the end of the first session, I’d got a door!
I had hoped to draw up a scale(ish) pattern by the following session, but didn’t get to it. So I continued with the scrappy sketch, using the door for proportion.
Alex had given us a couple of sheets with turrets, arches, windows, etc., which helped for my triangle at the top of the tower.
I then started putting in a turret. The slight curve didn’t work, so a bit of unpicking, much easier with running stitches than back stitch. After a couple of attempts trying to work it out, Alex advised doing a straight line as everything else is straight lines.
It immediately looked better, but by the end of the second session I’d only got to here.
I’ve had a couple of short sessions since. It’s hard on the eyes even with my strong glasses on, much easier to count running stitches than back stitches …..
……for mirror-imaging the bits that need it. I’m working in a hoop at the moment to make this bit easier, by seeing it all at the same time, but being very good about taking it out each time I finish stitching. And I’ll either attach it to a square frame or work it in my hand, once I’ve done the outine. It’s a slow process and will be a WIP (work in process) for a while.
debbidipity 