I've had a great day today down at Art and Stitch in Peterborough. Gina Ferrari led a workshop exploring the basics of free machine embroidery. While I've done several machine embroidery workshops I was keen to work with Gina again as she is a very calm tutor and inspires confidence. Before I went to Peterborough today I watched Gina's DVD "Creative Free Machinery Embroidery" which she made with Colouricious. I was really glad I did as it put me in a good position to benefit fully from today.
The aim today was to slow things down (not literally as far as the stitching was concerned) and concentrate on excercises involving only straight stitch.
My main efforts working on different patterns within in a grid, after having played with some very basic (more basic than this!) scribbles to settle into controlling my machine and tension.
The next step was to work on a 'colouring in' exercise which took a while but was a lot of fun!
I was so pleased with my effort I even signed it! lol It's about 4" x 3" (10 x7.5 cms)
With the remainder of the time (in my case not that much of it) we made flowers and leaves which again was fun and I can see lots of uses for these,
The leaves are made of paper stitched onto felt.
The atmosphere all day was one of fun and enthusiasm and there were some great results considering most of us were fairly novice (as in havn't practised enough before!) at FME
Don't you love Sally's dragonfly and mushroom?
I don't know who did the owl but I love him!
Sorry I can't attribute any of these properly but everyone did really well.
Of course, a workshop at Art and Stitch wouldn't be complete without lots of cups of tea and coffee and a little treat to keep the day moving:
Raspberry and white chocolate cupcakes. Oh my!
I need to catch up on another workshop I did last weekend with Hilary Beattie (no wonder I'm shattered!) so I'll try and get that on here in the next couple of days.
12 comments:
It sounds to have been well worth attending!
Id have been at the front of the queue for that cupcake mind you lol
Great results there!
Hi!
I went to the Quilt Museum in York today and was thrilled to see your lovely stitches on one of the art quilts representing the UK. Quite nice ... and it is amazing just how well such a diverse number of block worked up into such a nice quilt. The exhibition was terrific and the building is a wonderful place in which to view quilts.
Susan
That looks a wonderful day. You all produced such lovely pieces. I must find time to practice my free motioning :-).
This looked a great w/s - i've seen snippets of the DVD, very calm, as you say! Lovely trip away you had - I'm still drooling over Shelly Rhodes ;)
That workshop sounds really good. I have just ordered the dvd from Gina and am looking forward to it. I am too far away to attend a workshop so the DVD is next best.
Great stuff Julie! Can see fme appearing in your quilt work!
Sounds like a great workshop - love your fish and the flowers. With FME confidence is the key to smooth machine control and practice makes perfect. I need more practice!
I only 'know' Gina through her blog but am sure she is a lovely person.
Once you've mastered it there's no looking back!!!! You'll be addict and there's no antidote!!!!!
Thank you for such a lovely post Julie. It was a fun workshop and you all did really well... although it was certainly very lively at times!
Glad you enjoyed it Julie. It was lovely to catch up with you again, it seems ages since the last time.
Beautiful sampler stitching, and I love the paper leaves!
Oooh you have so much fun Julie! Your colouring in is very neat :-)
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