After the presentation

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Embroiderers Guild in Hexham for inviting me to talk to your members on the subject of designing blackwork in the 21st century. I thoroughly enjoyed talking with so many of you afterwards; I always find that part easier than the actual presentation. You made me feel very welcome and the discussion that ensued afterwards has helped to inspire further confidence in my own work. I don't profess to be an expert in the field - I simply enjoy pushing the boundaries to see what kind of artwork I can produce by incorporating historic techniques such as blackwork and cross stitching into it. And I hope in some small way that I have encouraged some of you to find more of the artist within yourselves as well.

Design related talk for Embroiderers Guild

Tomorrow I will be giving a talk on designing blackwork in the 21st century for the Embroiderers Guild in Hexham. I am really looking forward to spending an afternoon in the company of people who love to stitch. Can't wait for 2 pm at the Torch Centre!

Arts & Crafts Fayre

You can find me demonstrating blackwork at the new Arts & Crafts Fayre being held at South Causey Inn, Beamish Burn Road, Stanley, Co.Durham DH9 0LS on Tuesday, January 27, 2015. As always, I'm also happy to help anyone who has run into a cross stitching brick wall.

Gateshead Inspired Officially Opens

Today certainly passed very quickly! I thoroughly enjoyed the ladies who attended my blackwork workshop this morning. I'm really looking forward to the next session I'll be undertaking on August 17. There is still some room for last minute attendees...

Then our official opening was underway with fantastic Northumbrian music provided by Robson's Choice. St. Mary's Heritage Centre is such a lovely venue and the acoustics were perfect. A great place and day for our opening event!

Gateshead Inspired Exhibition about to start

I'm taking a few minutes off from stitching to let you know that it's full steam ahead for the Gateshead Inspired exhibition showing at St. Mary's Heritage Centre in Gateshead, 9 - 22 August, 2014 (closed Mondays). I still have some room on my blackwork basics workshops if you are at all interested. I'm not sure about the other workshops but a phone call to St. Mary's Heritage Centre should provide you with the information. Must run as there is still a lot to do...

Gateshead Inspired: exhibition and workshops

News of our exhibition, called Gateshead Inspired, has reached the latest edition of the Gateshead Live schedule. The exhibition is running from Aug. 9 - 22, 2014 at St. Mary's Heritage Centre in Gateshead (next to the Sage Gateshead). It includes a variety of workshops run by several of us who are participating. Entry to the exhibition is free; costs for the workshops vary depending on the artist holding them. My taster sessions in blackwork embroidery are starting to book up so you need to contact me soon if you want a place on either Aug. 9 or Aug. 17.

Exhibitions 2014

Two of my pieces are off to Hexham to take part in the Showcase Exhibition at Queen's Hall Gallery 2 from 7th June to 21st June, 2014. Patterns for 'Spring at Cragside' and 'Seaton Delaval Hall' will be available for purchasing on site. I'm also stitching my fingers to the bone getting ready for the upcoming exhibition at St. Mary's Heritage Centre in Gateshead in August...

Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering

It's that time of year again... when I head to the Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering. I'll be demonstrating my blackwork in the craft exhibition area of Morpeth Town Hall, for one day only, on Saturday 26 April 2014. Hope to see you there!

"Gateshead Inspired" Exhibition

Plans for an exhibition at St. Mary's Heritage Centre in Gateshead are well underway. I am joining forces with Trish Turnbull, Wyn Barnes, Sheila Smith, Christine Walker and Barbara Kennard, all from Network Artists North East, to put on an exhibition of our work. "Gateshead Inspired" will run from Aug. 8 - 22, 2014. Several demonstrations and workshops will run throughout the exhibition - dates and times yet to be confirmed through Gateshead Live.

All of us live in or have connections with Gateshead. We bring different media to the exhibition in the form of photography, painting, print making, hooky and proggy, jewellery making and stitching with textiles. Each of us came to Gateshead from very different backgrounds. Our work "represents aspects of our journeys to this place and our journeys to this time in our lives when changes in previous careers and caring reponsibilities have given us the time to explore our creativity."

More details will emerge as our plans progress.

Plans for 2014

Now that I'm on track with the way I want my business to go, I'm ready to start posting messages again. The big news for 2014 is that I have joined Network Artists North East. Plans are afoot for an exhibition later in the year...

Winding Down

Now that I've recovered from the weekend, I thought I'd share with you another aspect of my job as a designer of counted stitch patterns. This one involves attending fairs and markets which I'm sad to say is rapidly coming to an end for me as the sales are not enough to warrant the expense of travelling to them. My one exception is the Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering as I'm getting the distinct impression that demonstrating my work there is popular. If nothing else, my demonstration imparts a sense of how much time and work goes into the arts and crafts that are entered each year in the competitions. This year's entries were again of the highest quality that I have come to expect of the competitions at the Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering. All that hard work and the way they are displayed after judging really make this competition stand out in my opinion. Keep up the good work!

So, what is involved with demonstrating at an event such as this? Well, there are weeks of preparation time before I even head out the door. First of all, I try to come up with a design that relates to the Gathering in some way, whether it stitcks to the current theme or incorporates some of the 'characters' who regularly attend. I've already written about my designing process elsewhere so I won't repeat it here. The only point to note is that it takes a lot of time. I'm getting quicker with experience but the computer doesn't save nearly as much time as I would like it to. I work from my own photographs and they just don't convert readily into the cross stitching software. A lot of manual adjustment is needed before the pattern looks reasonable enough for me to use. I could cut a step and work directly from a grid over the original picture but that requires more concentration than is really possible while stitching in public. So, I spend a lot of time in the planning stage in order to make life easier at my table in the craft exhibition hall.

I also find that blackwork suits itself better to public demonstrations than does cross stitch. Blackwork uses just one colour so I'm not tied to the pattern as much as I am with colour changes in cross stitching. The silhouette pieces I do in blackwork involve cross stitch but I just need to start at one line and end at the other, thus eliminating the need to flick back and forth to the pattern. Where double running stitch comes in, I just need to find the starting point. After that, I'm repeating steps until I hit the other line before reversing the steps on the return run. So again, there is no need to spend a lot of time referring to the charted design. It's easy for me to stop what I'm doing for a chat because I can pick up where I've left off without needing to work it all out again. You have no need to worry about interrupting me at all!

As the 'day' approaches, there are also practical matters to consider. Is the car filled up with petrol, the tyres with air and the windshield washer bottle with liquid? Have I packed all the bits that I need? Do I have the right change for parking? Am I going to need my thermals or will it be rain gear this year? (ha! ha! ha!) The list is endless.

One thing I don't do is prepare a script of what I am going to say at the event. I know my own designing process and how I tackle the various elements involved in my work well enough to wing it. I judge your interest in what I am doing and build from that point. This means that I can get through the entire weekend still sounding fresh and enthusiastic instead of turning into a robot. I really do enjoy my work and I want you to go away believing that I mean it!

Starting time for me is pretty early each day that I'm demonstrating. I prefer to start my day with a substantial breakfast so I can just keep going all day... saves sticky fingers when working with fabric and thread later on. Sometimes it just gets too busy to actually wash my hands and the wipes aren't always enough. The first day also includes setting up time so the days are long.

My day doesn't end when the exhibition doors close either. I spend each evening stitching as well so the design grows enough over the weekend for you to see the difference each time you return. I thought I'd have this one nearly finished by the Sunday but the linen I'm using for the design of the bondager costume is not co-operating. It isn't as even a weave as I thought so the counting side of things is rapidly going out the window! However, I will post a picture of it here when it is completed... I'm working on it every day so hopefully that won't be too much longer. Finishing up a proper pattern for sales purposes will be a bit longer though. I prefer to stitch as I design my patterns so I'm sure I'm achieving the effect I have in mind. They simply don't look quite the same on paper as they do on the fabric. That way I can make adjustments to better suit the fabric. I leave the instructions for stitching the design until I'm happy with the fabric side of things.

So, that's what it takes for me to provide you with a demonstration of blackwork. I have yet to have anyone take me up on my offer to guide you through a difficulty you've encountered with a pattern... it doesn't have to be one of mine... but maybe that will happen the next time we meet at the Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering. Meanwhile, I am learning lots from you as well. One of this year's conversations of note revolved around the Quaker tapestries. Others involved national costumes - many thanks to Lesley Bentham for keeping me straight with the bondager design. Hopefully some more designs will surface for next year... I'm running some ideas through my mind while I'm finishing this one. All in all, I've had a most enjoyable time and I hope it has been the same for you.

Dusting off the models

It's nearly time to dust off stitched models of my designs for the Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering.

I always find that this event recharges my designing batteries so it's all systems go at the moment. Hope to see you there!

Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering Approaches

Although I'm quiet at the moment, you can rest assured that there is plenty happening behind the scenes as I get ready to attend the Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering this coming weekend. I'll be demonstrating blackwork in the Morpeth Town Hall from Friday through Sunday.

For those of you who have never been, the Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering has lots of activities to suit the entire family. There is plenty happening both indoors and out so the Gathering is not completely dependent upon good weather. Hopefully, we'll see you there!

Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering Postcard

As you can see, I am getting on with some designing and stitching in preparation for the upcoming Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering.

The Gadgy, as the town bailiff character is popularly known, is amongst the favourite figures present each year at the Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering. I am busy capturing this character as a textile postcard. Just a small amount of seed stitch and a Northumbrian tartan surround needed to complete this design.

More designs to come soon!

New Year well under way

I can't quite believe that it has been this long since I last posted something. Where did those few months go?? It sure is scary just how fast time passes these days...

Speaking of time passing, the Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering is nearly here. It runs from April 5th until the 7th, inclusive. I shall once again be demonstrating blackwork and cross stitch in the craft exhibition area at Morpeth Town Hall. I do hope you'll stop by to see how easy it is to do these crafts.

Maybe your latest project has stalled because you are having trouble with a particular stitch? French knots immediately come to mind... (smile). Or perhaps you've run into problems while designing a pattern of your own on the computer? Whatever the stiching problem, I'll be there to help you through it so please do stop by for a chat, even if it is simply to help get your stitching mojo back.

I shall do my best to make a weekly report of how my designs are progressing between now and then. I'm not sure if there'll be any photography with them as time is getting very short now. However, I'm really looking forward to the event and hope to see you there.

New business strategy

Finally! I've had a good think about my business strategy and have now changed several areas of my blog to reflect it. That strategy is to focus more on designing and let others do the selling. In other words, simplify!

Craft fairs and markets are fun and give me plenty of opportunity to talk with people but the sales simply aren't offsetting my expenses. It isn't good business sense for me to continue that way so I'm pushing to find stockists and other creative opportunities for selling my patterns instead.

I will be placing a few new designs on my blackwork page (see the tab above) over the next few days. If anything interests you before I find stockists, by all means contact me (see the More about me tab above). Although I'm not planning to continue the mail order service that I was doing before, I am willing to make the odd exception.

As before, I will continue to update you through this blog so you can access the information at your own convenience.

Blackwork Demonstration

I'm demonstrating blackwork tomorrow (June 24, 2012) at Cherryburn National Trust. Plans are also afoot for providing some classes via The Textillery which is based there and is soon to go operational. Find out more when you drop by. Regular charge to see the site applies.

Thomas Bewick Exhibition

A lovely time was had demonstrating blackwork yesterday on the first day of the Thomas bewick exhibition at St. Mary's Heritage Centre in Gateshead as you can see from this picture taken by June Holmes.

I have chosen several subjects from Thomas Bewick (and his apprentices) prints to turn into textile postcards. Patterns will become available as I complete my samples. I find it helps to stitch them as I design them so problem areas can be refined before passing them on to my customers.

The exhibition is running until the end of May so there is still plenty of time to catch it. What appears behind me is only a small part of the actual exhibition. There are lots of extras to go with that as well about which the staff at St. Mary's Heritage Centre will be only too happy to tell you when asked.

You'll next find me there on May 12 at which point I should have at least one or two more of these postcards actually finished. No pressure on myself! You may wish to return a few times to see them actually grow between May 12 and the end of the month. I am happy to chat as often as you like!

Bewick in Blackwork Demonstration

I'm all set for demonstrating blackwork at St. Mary's Heritage Centre in Gateshead for the opening of their exhibition about Thomas Bewick tomorrow. I've pulled together a few examples of Bewick's work which I'm turning into postcards. These can either be sent through the post or kept as collectors' items and are ideal for displaying on small artist's easels or dish stands. I'm stitching samples only at this stage in order to simplify the final patterns that will be available for sale. If all goes well, I might actually have the patterns ready for sale by the end of the exhibition. So come back from time to time to see the progress. You'll find me there May 1, 12, 19, 20, 26 & 27.

Blackwork Demonstration at Cherryburn

Thought I would post a quick few words to remind you that I am demonstrating blackwork at Cherryburn National Trust today from 11-3. I'm turning a couple of Thomas Bewick's prints into textile postcards in the process. Well, I'll be working towards that end as it takes a bit of time to actually stitch the picture onto the cloth. I'm sticking with double running stitch as much as possible as that was the traditional stitch used when blackwork first began. Also, it means that the postcard itself stands a chance of making it through the post without snagging on anything along the way. Hope you'll want to come along to see what I'm up to. There is no extra charge - just the regular fee to view the property.