Embroiderer's Guild of America National Seminar

I've just left Louisville, KY, where I attended the EGA National Seminar after a beautiful drive through the West Virginia mountains. I was hoping for beautiful fall colors on the trees but alas, our hot, very late summer has precluded that. One can hope.....

I'm took only two classes at the Seminar this year covering three days, but two that challenged me: Wool Appliquéd Fingertip Gloves and Crewel Necessities.

Deborah Gale Tirico is the teacher for the Fingertip Gloves. She's very energetic and funny, and a very good teacher. I loved the way she used technology to "film" and project her stitch demonstrations up on a screen to make it easy for all to see. Here she is in class:

These are her glove samples in the different color kits that were available for us to choose. I chose the orange and turquoise one, second from the right. This will be an easy and fun project to finish!

My second class was Crewel Necessities taught by Kim Sanders. It's a Necessary, storage for your needles, ruler, scissors, etc.  It opens like a book and is also embroidered on the inside. I love this project!

It's made out of Ulster Linen Twill, a fabric I've never stitched on. It's quite sturdy.

I'm also using an Evertight frame seen on the left in the photo above (not covered yet). The Appleton wools are the best and I'm challenged with the stitches. This is a class that covers many of the basic crewel techniques and stitches so it's a very good class for me. Long and short stitch has always been my bugaboo but Kim makes it very understandable.

The Ulster Linen Twill is attached to the Evertight Frame with tacks. Very different for me, but it really keeps the fabric taut.

Below is my progress on the second day of class. I'm pleased and I learned a lot. I know I will be able to finish this gorgeous project with what I've learned. 

Just Stitch Challenge Day Six!

Another day, another challenge to stitch on something else. I like to swing back and forth between different needlework forms: keeps me on my toes. So I brought a UFO back out: the Crewel Necessities Huswife...a needlework tool holder with crewel embroidery. It was a class I took with the EGA about 2 years ago. The front is completed, so now is a very good time to work on the inside of the case.

I'd already drawn the designs and pieces onto the gorgeous Ulster upholstery linen. Today I had to mount it on my stretcher bars. To begin, I marked the center of each side with a pin after folding it. Then I started inserting tacks about every inch along one end, starting in the middle and moving out to each side. Then I did the same to the opposite side, pulling the fabric taut.

Side three started.....

Last side to complete the tacking.

Next I used the hex wrench to really tighten the fabric so it sounds like a drum when tapped. There are two holes for the wrench on each corner of the stretcher bar rectangle.

The extra fabric on the one side had to be rolled up and pinned to keep it out of my way.

Ah...now I can begin stitching with a wrapped chain stitch line in green Appleton crewel wool.

So nice to something different and work ahead on another UFO! So what is your stitching challenge for today?

Just Stitch Challenge Day Seven!

It's the last day of the challenge and I want to thank everyone who has participated and visited both my blog here and Jeannie's blog. It's been fun for me and got me out of the pandemic doldrums and stitching every day. That's a good thing!

Today's work is in crewel embroidery. The Crewel Necessities Huswife by Kim Sanders. I've already completed the outside of the huswife, now it's time to work on the inside crewelwork.

I like to work all of the same elements, then go on to the next element, to save time. So I did the Whipped Chain Stitch stems first. Chain stitch is easy, and whipping them after completing the chain is even easier. Here I'm just starting the chain stitch. Both the chain stitch and whipping were all one color.

Next element are the leaves done in Closed Fly Stitch. They're very easy done in the wool. First you stitch a straight stitch one third or so down from the top into the leaf. I've drawn the vein to make it easier for placement.

Then you stitch a fly stitch straddling the straight stitch. A Fly Stitch looks like a "Y" and it reminds me of an open Lazy Daisy Stitch. 

There is a catch stitch to hold the loop down and it's right on the vein line: bring the needle up in the loop of the Fly Stitch exactly next to the previous catch stitch.

Then go down on the other side of the loop, again right on the vein line. Continue the Closed Fly stitches down the leaf to fill it up, like the one in the photo.

The catch stitches become the vein of the leaf. So easy and fun to do!

So today is the last posting of the Just Stitch Seven Day Challenge. Tomorrow I'll have an entirely different post showing what I've been doing redecorating a room for the previous three weeks. 

Lots of sewing!!

Huswife Revisited

 I brought out another UFO (Unfinished Object) after finishing the cape and starting work on another sewing project. I like to keep a sewing project and a handwork project in progress. The Crewel Necessities Huswife which I've written about before, was designed by Kim Sanders and an EGA class, was my target: close enough to finishing!

All of the inside pocket embroidery was completed except for some borders.

All pockets were carefully pressed and then cut out after removing from the frame.

The pockets top was turned over and stitched with a catch stitch. Then it was pinned to the pocket foundation and basted together. Machine stitching the pocket borders was next.

The needle pocket borders were completed in Pekinese Stitch with two different green colors of the Appleton wool.

Progress was made! Next up is attaching the ruler pocket and scissor case. Maybe by the end of the week this UFO can be finished!

Finished Crewel Necessities

 I am so pleased with this finish! The colors, the gorgeous Ulster upholstery linen, the design...everything! It's almost too pretty to use. The last finishing steps were the hardest and the most fun.

Back to lacing again after putting the padded side of the board towards the wrong side of the front. I used the heavy polyester thread provided in the kit and kept the thread "running" from the spool on the wood spool holder for the long amount needed (no knotting in between). First one way, then the other way.

The inside cover was pinned to the outside one to get ready for stitching.

The instructions said to slip stitch the two together but I used a slightly slanted Ladder stitch to make it a bit more secure with the polyester thread. A small opening was left on one end to eventually tuck the cord ends into.

I made the cord with pearl cotton and used my Spinster.

Next the cord was pinned to the edges of the Necessity starting at the little opening. Stitching the cord to the edge was the hard part. It took two days to slowly work my way around the rectangle using one strand of supplied embroidery thread to match the cord. Guided by the instructions I placed a piece of tape around the cord a little way from the opening and then cut in between the tape.

I used my "Purple Thang" to push the end into the opening, then repeated to the opposite end of the cord. Both ends we're secured together and to the edges. Whew!

A small pearl button was stitched to the cord endings to disguise the joining.

Opposite the cord, on the other side of the case, I made a button loop with pearl cotton over three strands of pearl cotton and then buttonhole stitched over the 3-strand loop. 

It's done. Finished! Here's the inside...

And the beautiful outside. Thank you to Kim Sanders of North Carolina for teaching this wonderful class and designing such a beautiful project!!

It looks so pretty and clean I'm hesitant to use it so maybe I'll display it in my newly remodeled sewing room!