RSN Diploma Module 1 – Canvaswork

Tags

#HamptonCourtPalace, #royalschoolofneedlework, Canvaswork, RSN, stitches

Undertaking the Canvaswork Module has been both a joy and a pain so far. I explained in an earlier post how I came to take on Canvas Stitches as my first module in the Royal School of Needlework  Diploma, when usually Appliqué is recommended as the starting module for this qualification. On the one hand I have enjoyed the process of working through selecting and blending threads to bring my project to life. Now that I have a better understanding of the types and qualities of some canvas stitches, I have even enjoyed the process of selecting stitches to convey the elements of an image. On the other hand I have not particularly enjoyed the sheer drudgery of have to fill ever single hole in the canvas – which is a definite requirement for this module.

Thankfully the piece is reasonably small. The module brief suggested it should be no bigger than 6 * 8inches and I have followed this suggestion. However that is still leaves a lot of surface to be stitched when all canvas threads must be covered. Ensuring good coverage means having sufficient strands of thread in the needle to fill the spaces – for example a lot of the areas I stitched  in stranded cotton required at least 10 strands in the needle. The technique chews up a lot of thread, and sampling stitches on the side of the work has been really useful.

The Canvas has 18 Threads per Inch (TPI) and is a reasonably stiff canvas with a rough surface as I found out on the first day when I accidentally dragged my knuckle across the underside of my piece while tensioning and took a layer of skin off the back of my knuckle joint. I learned to be a little more cautious of canvas after this incident. Having silicon thimbles for both protection and to grip the needle has been invaluable.

Once again the skilled RSN tutors have been really helpful in guiding me forward and on the whole I am happy with how this piece is coming together. I have used a range of threads; stranded, wool, silk, linen, metallic to name a few and think I have managed to achieve good texture on the bullfrog. I also wanted to convey the vibrant colours and semi transparency of Autumn leaves against an early Autumn clear sky and I think this has worked fairly well.

There is still work to be done on this piece but time is running out and mounting day approaches. I am now finishing all of the surface stitching including the twig stems that will hopefully bring this ‘Frog on the Windowsill’ piece to life.

Autumn leaves

 

The secret to protecting stitching Fingers

Tags

RSN, thimbles

One of the questions I have been asked most often throughout the 12 weeks of this Stitching adventure is, “how have your fingers coped with all that intensive stitching” or “surely you must have holes in your fingers by now”.

As many stitchers will know it can be very difficult to continue working when your finger tips have been pricked multiple times, or a hole has formed where your finger has been pierced by the eye of your needle. Once the hole is there then the back of the needle seems to unerringly find the same sore spot over and over. Then there is also the constant fear of getting blood onto your work!

After lots of research and trial and error the answer for me has been thimbles – but not just any thimbles these amazing little Clover silicon thimbles. Many thanks are due to my friend Louise from New Zealand for introducing me to these gems.

Clover 57- 371 (16mm) Thimbles, 2 per pack.

 

I have worn two of these thimbles – one on the middle finger of each hand – since almost the start of my 1st RSN intensive class some 12 weeks ago. They have saved my fingers and I do not have any holes or sore spots at all. The two original thimbles are now showing significant signs of wear, so I have just moved onto a new pair in the last week.

12 weeks constant wear on the two thimbles on the right. New thimble on the left of the picture.

I will admit to being a ‘sometimes’ thimble wearer in the past; I would resort to one when I was having difficulty pushing the needle through the fabric. My thimble of choice has usually been an open top Tailors Thimble as I tend to push the needle with the side of my finger. In more recent years I have used silicon thimbles of various types, but these Clover thimbles which come in two sizes (16mm is the largest) are the clear winners.

They are so comfortable that I often forget I am wearing them and head off for lunch with my thimbles still on my fingers. They also have the added advantage of offering a little more grip on the needle as you are drawing it through the fabric, which has proved invaluable with canvas work.

They may be difficult to find but are really worth the search!

Clover 57-371 thimbles – Comfortable and lightweight

 

Visiting RSN satellites – Durham and Bristol.

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#HamptonCourtPalace, #royalschoolofneedlework, RSN, Travel

I have been off the air lately due to limited internet access as I have been travelling around the U.K. visiting and stitching at the RSN satellite studios in both Durham and Bristol – with a fly by of the RSN Rugby site along the way.

This part of my stitching adventure started with picking up a hire car in Kingston and setting off for Durham in the north east of England. I was accompanied on this trip by my Husband who is keen on trains, so stops along the way included the Tram museum in Crich and the National Rail mueseum in York. After spending a couple of days exploring York and a visit to Whitby to see the Abbey we arrived at our apartment in Durham.

The Abbey at Whitby

Tracey Franklin has a wonderful studio in a historic part of Durham in a street just behind the main town market square. The studio consists of one main room with a mezzanine office level, and Tracey has packed it out with all sorts of embroidery goodies.  During my visit I was tutored by both Tracey and Pippa Foulds and I managed to commence my Diploma Canvas Stitches piece under their guidance.

Tracey Franklins studio in Back Silver Street, Durham.

Tracey Franklin in her studio at Durham.

 

While Appliqué is usually the first technique worked on the Diploma course it had been agreed by all that a framed up Canvaswork would be easier for me to cart around the country, considering the many separate pieces that can go into constructing Applique. Regular followers of this blog will not be surprised to learn that my Canvaswork piece has Oak leaves and acorns included in the design, though this time the Oak leaves have taken on a decided Autumnal hue. Autumn is certainly coming in the North of England now and we saw some beautiful leaf colours as we travelled around.

Inspiration for my Canvas Stitches piece

After three wonderful days a Tracey’s studio we bid goodbye to Durham and started the drive south to Bristol. Along the way we drove through the town of Rugby and I managed to get a quick snap of the front of the Arnold House were RSN C&D classes are held in Rugby.

The RSN satellite at Rugby

We arrived in Bristol in the late evening and early the next morning I headed to the studio of Kelley Aldridge in the Kingswood Estate were the RSN classes are held.  Kelley herself was in attendance an gave us a guided tour of her studio.  Due to Kelleys busy schedule with the RSN Future Tutors course, the four classes I took in Bristol were brilliantly led by either the vivacious Deb Wilding or the calming Lisa Bilby, and they were both assisted by Chrissie Mann. Both tutors had great ideas on elements or stitches to incorporate into my piece and assisted me greatly to move my Canvaswork along – though by this time I had come to realise that Canvaswork is probably not my favourite technique. I think after the excitement of the certificate classes I have found the repetition of preparing lots of thread bundles for various canvas stitches a bit slow going. On the up side you do get to use lots of interesting threads in this technique.

Entrance to the RSN Bristol

Part of the shop and studio spaces at RSN Bristol.

This has just been a very brief summary of what was actually a really great opportunity for me to see how others lay out and manage their studios. I gained insight into the space and equipment needed and a better appreciation of the hard work that goes on behind the scenes to ensure every student has a good experience from their time at an RSN school.

I am very grateful to both Tracey and Kelley for allowing to undertake lessons in each of their satellites. I have so many ideas running through my head on how I can set up my own studio space once I return home – no more spare bedrooms at my place!

 

 

Summer Holidays – with recreational stitching

Tags

#royalschoolofneedlework, Canvaswork, needlebook, Needlecase, RSN, Travel

For the last two weeks I have been having a short break from taking RSN classes.  The RSN doesn’t schedule classes during the assessment periods (there was an Assessment week at the end of the last of the summer Intensive classes) and the late August/ early September period is also their Summer break before classes start up again in mid September. I know that my RSN tutors have earned their break, and I think after 8 intensive weeks I really needed to focus my eyes somewhere else as well.

I have used these two weeks to get in a little travel, starting with five days in France and, after a short trip back to our U.K. base, another 5 days in Iceland. These trips were not meant to be anything more than relaxing sightseeing however I have not been able to resist a couple of thread and fibre related excursions.

In Paris, which was mostly hot and sunny,  I used the Metro to get around and managed to visit a few haberdashery shops – you can see which ones in the photo of business cards attached. Some beautiful silk and linen threads, some plain handkerchiefs ideal to Monogram, interesting beads, along with a couple of small kits from Sajou made their way into my luggage.

Shops I visited in Paris

 

During our short break in Iceland, during which we experienced rain, sleet, freezing temperatures, blowing winds and hot sunny periods, my fibre explorations were limited to fondling Icelandic wool products, with some lovely felting to be seen in many shops. There were so many amazing sights to enjoy – waterfalls, tectonic plates, lava beds, and northern lights –  that each day was filled with excursions and exploring.

Little felted folk

Waterfalls

Northern Lights

 

On both of these trips I took along recreational stitching in the form of a Rachel Doyle Canvaswork kit called ‘The Wool Rack’ that I had picked up in the RSN shop. Rachel has intended this small kit to be made up onto a pincushion and each stitched square is about 2cm square.

Rachel Doyle – Canvas Stitches ‘ The Wool Rack ‘

My reasons for commencing this kit included using it as an introduction to some basic Canvas stitches before commencing my next RSN class in Durham on the 7th September, and as a lovely reminder of the wool rack that can be found in the RSN studios at Hampton Court Palace, which I managed to get a photo of during a special studio tour.

The wool rack in the RSN Studio at Hampton Court Palace

 

I decided that to give myself more practice in Canvas stitches I would extend the stitching area of this small project out to 10 columns of 5 stitches. This gave me room to practice some of the additional canvas stitches that are recommended in the RSN brief for the Canvas Stitches Module. Rachel had allowed plenty of extra canvas around her design so it was possible to extend the grid of squares reasonably easily. I intend to make up my stitched piece into a Needlebook.

We have arrived back at our U.K. base tonight and currently I have 4 columns of stitches remaining on this project. After a couple of days here catching up on washing etc we will then head north by car aiming to reach to the RSN satellite site in Durham ready to commence my next class. My next update should be about the Canvas Stitches class.