October Meeting: Saturday, October 15th

We will be starting off the new stitching year with two possibilities for you.  We will offer two classes.  Lynn Payette, our local celebrity teacher, will join us to teach her "Dragon".  This first day will get us started on the design, and a second day of instruction will take place on Feb. 11^th.  A second group led by Julia and made up of those members who would like to stitch Tanya Berlin's "Etui" will work together to begin that project.  A second gathering for this group will also take place on Feb. 11^th.  We invite you to bring one or both of these projects to our meeting in December.  We'd love to see your progress and find answers to any questions that may have arisen.  All of the teaching fees and other costs of the class will be paid by the chapter.  You need only to supply the cost of the kits.  It is possible to be a member of Lynn's class and purchase the kit for Tanya's project.  The descriptions below tell you more:

Lynn's Dragon

PROFICIENCY LEVEL:  Basic/Intermediate

TIME:  Two Days (October 15^th and February 11^th)

PRICE OF KIT:  $52.00

GROUND FABRIC:  Student's choice
Can be worked on fabric {14" x 18"}, or a
garment (See student letter included)

SIZE:  6 1/2" x 8 1/2"

DESCRIPTION:
A "bejeweled" and "bedecked" black and gold winged Dragon with piercing red eyes is stitched on a student's choice of background; (mine is worked on greeny gold silk dupioni).  He is worked in a variety of surface stitches, appliqué (of both sheers and opaque fabrics), beading, and (gold) metallic techniques.  Though he is stitched mostly in black and gold, tiny touches of teal, blue, green and rust iridescent beads and metallic threads can be sprinkled here and there.  The student will be given a complete materials list prior to the class so that color embellishment choices may be made, if desired.  The kit, however, contains enough embellishments in black and gold to complete the Dragon.

His body sections are padded (with felt) and are then covered with velours, and metallic (fabrics).  These are then overstitched with a variety of threads, fibers, metallics, beads and techniques.  Several types of edgings (for fabrics) will be taught, including couching of silks, metallics and novelty threads, buttonhole on a back stitch, twisted cord, and whipped back stitch.  Overstitching will include buttonhole, raised chain, couching.

The Dragon's wings are first worked in sheers in "stitch and cut" appliqué, or are applied with a bondable web.  They are further defined using a variety of stitches, threads and fibers.  Stitches taught include raised chain, raised outline, couching combinations (mixing techniques, threads and metallics), and bead work (including stitching on beads using fly stitch.  His claws are worked in beads (these can be stitched into the "Orb", or worked on fine wire, if the student chooses to use a large bead for the "Orb"); and his nails are black metallic stitches.  His face and "ears" are worked in split, outline, chain and couching with flosses, silks and metallic threads.

Many techniques and ideas for working the Dragon will be demonstrated, and the student will be encouraged to choose from these to use on their own Dragons.  No two Dragons in the class will be alike; at the end of the second day, a "show and tell" will be held, so that all the students will be able to see what others have done.

KIT CONTENTS:  Working frame (mounted with muslin backing fabric); sheer and opaque black and gold fabrics, netting, silks, and velours; felt; fibers and threads (flosses, pearl cottons, novelty threads); beads, black and gold metallics (including Japanese gold, pearl purl, metallic braids, Cresta d'oro, metallic ribbons).

STUDENT SUPPLIES:  Needles (a variety of sharp and blunt, including a beading needle); invisible thread; white sewing thread; and very sharp, small scissors (for trimming sheers); a piece of fabric at least 14" x 18" or a garment, on which to stitch.  A complete list of supplies and suggestions will be sent to the student.

Tanya's BLACKWORK ETUI BOX

The Etui Box is for all levels of embroiderers.  This kit has a 13 page Instruction Booklet (8 1/2 by 11 or A4 size sheets) with diagrams for the Blackwork stitches.  The instructions are detailed and concise, written with the beginner in mind and intended to guide embroiderers of any level through the embroidery from beginning to end.

Working the embroidery:  A thirteen page Instruction booklet guides you through each stitch with diagrams and concise instructions.

The four outside panels and the lid of the box are knot garden designs.  The hedges of the knot gardens are worked in cross stitch, in-between the hedges different Blackwork patterns are embroidered.  Included in the kit are 83 different Blackwork patterns to choose from and 16 different border designs that can be worked around the rim of the lid. 

The kit can be worked in traditional black on white or with coloured threads and fabrics depending on the embroiderers preference.  The inside panels of the box can also be worked with Blackwork patterns or they can be covered in a complimentary fabric.

This Blackwork project is suitable for beginner to advanced embroiderers.  I am offering free correspondence and free on going critique for this kit, for more details go to - Free on-going critique.

EMBROIDERY SIZE:      Height: 5 inches (13 cm)      Width: 4 inches (10 cm)

KIT CONTENTS:  Thirteen page Instruction Booklet  |  Pattern for knot gardens  |  Blackwork patterns  |  Cardboard templates to make the box  |  Instructions to construct box.
You will need to provide fabric threads and tacky glue.

KIT COST:  $40.75

Outside of box		Inside of box		Inside of box

Please fill in the registration coupon to enroll in either of these groups.
 

Stitching Getaways:  The following is the schedule for the West Side Day and Evening groups. They will meet in the months that we do not have a chapter meeting, and a focus for each meeting is listed below:

DAY			EVENING
			May 24	Nancy Bancroft will demonstrate bobbin lace
Sept. 13	Lisa Green will discuss Japanese embroidery		Sept. 27	Linda Berry will discuss beading
Nov. 8	Kathryn Lord will demonstrate triple matting		Nov. 22	Julia Appell will discuss finishing of small counted thread items

The West Side Day group will be meeting from 10 AM to 1:30 PM at Suzanne Newton's house in West Simsbury.  Bring along your lunch and a project you are working on and/or any project you would like to share.  Please email or phone Suzanne at sfnjsn@sbcglobal.net or 860-658-2037 if you plan to attend.

The West Side Evening group will meet at Julia Appell's house in Farmington from 6:30 PM to 9 PM.  For those coming from work, bring your supper or a sandwich.  Also, bring along a stitching project or something you would like help with or are willing to share.  Please contact Julia at juliaappell@comcast.net or 860-677-9125.

Pequot Colony Group is a local area group that meets from 9:30am to 11:30am on the third Thursday of every month at the New London Library.   They work in different media, most of them stitching on workshop pieces that they have started.   The set meeting day provides a time when old friends know they can meet for a morning of work and visiting.   They welcome anyone who would like to join them.   The library is easy to find, and Doris Boas (ndboas@worldnet.att.net) will be happy to send instructions to the building.

Is anyone interested in joining a knitting group?  This would be open to experienced knitters as well as those who would like to learn.  Day of the week and time are still to be determined.  If you think this is a good idea and would like to be a part of it, please contact Julia at juliaappell@comcast.net or 860-677-9125.
 

See you at the June 4th meeting!