Archive of A Previous Program
Saturday, October 15, 2005
 

Lynn Payette's "Dragon" and Tanya Berlin's "Blackwork Etui Box"

Meeting Site:  Linda Berry's Home at 203 Tunxis Road, West Hartford

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 February 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 February 11^th.  We invite you to bring one or both of these projects to our meeting in December.  We would 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.  Your only cost is the price of the kits.  It is possible to be a member of Lynn's class and purchase the kit for Tanya's project.

The schedule for the day will be:    10 AM to 12:30 PM        Class

                                                          12:30 PM to 1:30 PM     Lunch and Meeting

                                                          1:30 PM to 3 PM            Class

Bring something for show and tell, maybe the stitching you have been working on since our June meeting.  You are all welcome to attend the meeting, even if you do not wish to participate in the class.  Bring your stitching and listen as we learn.

Students in Lynn's Class --
 

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.

Students in Tanya's Class -- Please bring the following:
 

Material - 16 count Hardanger fabric or a 32 count linen OR any type of counted fabric as long as the count is either 16 Aida or 32 threads to the inch.  The fabric needs to be 24" long and 54" wide to cover all the panels. Thread - DMC embroidery floss as follows:    DMC 3362    DMC 3347    DMC 931    DMC 433 A 4" or 5" embroidery hoop, needles, embroidery scissors are needed for project. For the October class each student should bring a pair of shears for cutting, 4 plastic bags to be used for the cut pieces, and the above supplies so we can begin stitching.

A new challenge was handed out in June.  You may still join in, so look for the information at this meeting.  Our plans are to have a display of the results at next year's annual meeting in April.

The descriptions of October's projects 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; (the pictured model 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.

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 colored threads and fabrics depending on the embroiderer's 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.  Tanya is 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