July 2010

I cannot believe that yet another month has passed and we are now into Summer. As I type this, three black and red woodpeckers are pecking at the nut feeder in my garden and two ring doves are cooing in the trees.

I made a resolution at the beginning of the year that I would finish all the projects that have been outstanding for months and mount all the embroideries that have been completed and left in a pile. I have started to frame some of the work, but I have also been looking at other ways in which embroidery can be used. There is only so much space on my walls and not everyone appreciates embroidery as a gift, so over the next few months I am going to present some different ways of using blackwork.

I hope this will give you some ideas for your work. Many of the patterns in "What's New" and "Charts" can be used to create different embroidery ideas. By using a little imagination you can easily move away from the traditional use of embroidery.

If you are creating more than one item, consider using a colour theme.

The theme for July uses black and white designs for a new office. A blackwork border stitched on a black place mat, an embroidered ruler and scissor keeper go hand-in-glove with a pencil pot, coaster and heart design picture in a square black wooden frame - all designed to make working both practical and a pleasure.

The 'Gift of Stitching' magazine June 2010 edition, has featured my article and design which will continue into July. They have also kitted the design 'Fountain Mandala'. To connect to the 'Gift of Stitching' click on the "Links" page.

Fountain Mandala Gift of Stitching June 2010

June 2010

This has been a very uncertain month, not only in the United Kingdom with the major political changes, but also in Thailand where there has been so much conflict and given this upheaval in the world, it is especially important that we find some inner peace and space to dream and follow our own thoughts and hobbies.

I was sent a card recently, the words of which were so simple, but true!

I have also found a simple quotation from the writings of Buddha, which I have adopted as my goal in life and designed a small sampler around these words, which you will find in this month's "What's New" section.

"Be the change you want to see in the World"

The third copy of the Blackwork Guild magazine was released this month. It is full of interesting information and designs and I have included the link: www.theblackworkguild.com if you want to investigate this internet magazine further!

Enjoy the change in the weather, take time out to look around you and have a peaceful month.

May 2010

How can I stitch into old age?

I have worked as an embroidery teacher, lecturer  and designer for many years and I am very mindful of the problems that aging brings and the frustrations when you really want to do something but don’t  know how to achieve the results any more. There are ways of achieving your aims and equipment is available at minimum expense.

The first thing you have to do is have a good hard look at yourself. Which bits ache? Which don’t function as they used to do 30 years ago? What state is your eyesight in? How do you sit and where and when do you work? Is there a reason why you have developed one specific problem more than others and what medical advice have you been given?

Once you are armed with, in my case a long list resulting from a serious back injury, arthritis and deteriorating eyesight, set about tackling each one in turn. Having worked with older people for many years during the course of my teaching career, the same list seems to be common, so here goes:

Eyesight – most people have deteriorating eyesight and they need to be realistic about what projects they work on. If you are working in the daytime face the light. Don’t work in your own shadow. Use a daylight simulation bulb in a good magnifying light so that your stitches are enlarged and lit at the same time. I stitch all my designs using a good light and especially if you are working on fine material it helps to take the strain off. There are magnifying glasses that will fit over your own glasses and even a headset with built in magnifing lenses as used by model makers. Talk to your optician!!

Posture – watch the way you sit!  Don’t slump in a comfy chair. Sit in one which gives your back support. This in turn takes the strain off your shoulders. If you are comfortable you will stitch better, the results will be neater and the tension more even. Don’t sit in the same position too long. Move and stretch at least every 15 minutes. Rotate your shoulders and move your neck. Do some finger stretching exercises and rub the joints – gently!!!!!!!!!!! Bring your needlework up to you rather than your head down to your needlework. Like sitting over a computer for a long spell – needlework can damage your health.If it hurts - stop!

Use a fanny frame which goes between your legs or under your bottom to free up your hands and avoid  stretching over a slate frame or gripping a ring frame which can be impossible for swollen joints. It looks bit unusual but it really helps.

Materials, needles and threads. There is no reason why you cannot stitch until you are ninety if you take stock of the materials, threads and needles you are using. USE NEEDLES YOU CAN SEE TO THREAD! There is no point struggling with a small needle if you cannot see the eye.

Change the fabric to suit the thread. Move to a smaller count of material  e.g. Aida 11 threads to the inch, lower count evenweave with fewer stitches to the inch. There is no reason why designs cannot be stitched on  tapestry canvas, either single thread or double count  or locker stitch canvas and still produce a beautiful result.

Change to wools or increase the number of  embroidery strands you use to increase the thickness of the threads you are handling. Arthritis limits grip and control. Larger needles, threads, courser materials and a frame give you back some control.  If your hand shakes as in Parkinson’s disease, a felt covered house brick laid along the arm helps to limit the shaking and gives more control back to the hand. You look a bit odd when you get a brick out of your sewing bag but it really can help.

I have taught students from 16 – 90 and most people have problems of one kind or another. I hope this helps you to think positively about your problems and remember that nothing is insurmountable.

Portable workbase with fanny frame and magnifying light

The World of Cross Stitch April 2010 Issue 164

March/April 2010

The blog this month is a combined one - three weeks in Thailand rather changed the schedule, but gave me masses of inspiration.

It is a very beautiful country, not just the people, but the architecture and countryside generally. To watch cranes dancing in the paddy fields was magical. There is so much colour everywhere and after such a miserable winter in the UK it was a joy to feel warm. Everyone smiles more when they are warm, especially me! Even the gold statues on the temples displayed teeth and tusks!

From the temple dancer and the boatwoman in the floating market to the tribeswomen of the north, politeness and charm were a memorable part of the experience. The young woman from the long necked hill tribe of Northern Thailand wore her necklet with pride. Extra rings are added annually. It is seldom removed and was very heavy. Buddhism and its gentle rituals were evident in all aspects of daily life as was the calm and sincerity that prevailed. It all made a lasting impression on me and I hope to reflect this later in Blackwork Journey.

Thailand is noted for its handicrafts - wood carving, lacquerwork, umbrellas, textiles, jade, jewels, silk and silver. There is no end to the variety of hand made items available, many of which are produced to a very high standard and tempting to the tourist. Being able to watch these crafts being created was a priviledge and an insight into a world which is fast disappearing under modern influences.

I hope you enjoy sharing some of these images.

February 2010

January in the UK has been very snowy and unpleasant so to see the bulbs beginning to peep through the soil is a very welcome sight and an indication that Spring is not too far away. The one bonus about having to stay indoors for long periods is that I have been busy designing some new projects for my site and for various publications. I will also be adding new pages to Inspirations over the next few months. Visits to Prague, Vienna, Budapest and Andalucia provided some interesting ideas and Thailand is beckoning...

On a serious note! All the images and embroidery designs on this site are copyrighted by the designer, Elizabeth Almond, and may not be used in any form without permission. People who purchase my charts have permission to make a working copy of the chart for their personal use. As you can imagine it takes time to create designs and it is annoying to find that they have been copied elsewhere or misused.

It is great fun to see something you have created in print and "Tabatha's Sampler" is at the newsagents now in the January/February 2010 issue of "Just Cross Stitch". which is an American publication. They have introduced a digital version of the magazine for the first time and (for now) that digital downloadable issue is available FREE!

http://www.just-crossstitch.com/faq.html

http://justcrossstitch.epubxpress.com

Please keep sending your photographs of your finished work for Gallery, sort out your silks, decide what your Spring projects are going to be and start stitching!

"Sitting quietly, doing nothing, spring comes, and the grass grows by itself."

Buddhist proverb

January 2010

Happy New Year!

I hope 2010 brings peace, health and happiness to a very unsettled world.

The decorations have been put away for another year. The turkey and the trimmings are just a distant memory and it is time to take a positive look at all those New Year resolutions.

My resolution is to try and finish all those unfinished projects, create some new designs and take Blackwork Journey a step further! This year, I would like to introduce some specialist stitches into a number of the blackwork designs and broaden the horizons by integrating it with other techniques, such as hardanger and pulled work. I have been experimenting with this idea for some time and the results should begin to appear on this site over the next few months. I will explain how these stitches are worked, so that hopefully everyone can understand them. 'Inspirations' will also have some new pages reflecting the countries I was fortunate enough to visit in 2009. Watch this space!

Needlework is constantly evolving and I think it is important to try new ideas. It is very easy to get stuck in a rut, but making the effort to reach out for new techniques, materials, threads, colours and patterns away from one's 'comfort zone' can be very rewarding.

For me, one of the saddest sights is a car boot or jumble sale where someone's hand embroidery, piece of crochet, or lace is dumped in a pile, dirty and neglected. I think of the hours someone has lovingly spent stitching their project for it to have such a sad fate. Remember, whatever you create, whether it is embroidery or quilting, is special to you and you should be proud of it! Name and date it so that in a hundred years time someone will look at it and wonder about the person who created it. The heirlooms of the future start with you!

'All there is'

Make the most of yourself,
for that is all there is of you.

by Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882), USA