Some thoughts - continued

I had begun writing a blog post last Friday at a time when I was not feeling too great ... my stomach continues to be touchy and is stopping me from getting much done in any area, but I digress.  I thought I had put the post in the 'Draft area' because I got sidetracked by 'technology'.  I realized that my lengthy post in March after returning from Advanced Class at the Japanese Embroidery Center where I attempted to share some thoughts and reasons had never posted (!) and  was sitting in the Draft area.   Anyway, this is just to explain the rather abrupt post on Friday - I had planned to insert some photographs of my slower than planned progress on the Norwich Sampler.  I will rectify this here now for those of you who are following this simple but charming cross stitch sampler with interest:

Part of what I was trying to say also in my last post was that I have restricted my blog posts mostly to samplers and western embroidery and that I have shared many more things on my Facebook page - shared links and articles there (too many perhaps) on a variety of topics.  I do think that many of them have the common underlying threads of mastery, passion, focus, heart. I know that many of you are not on Facebook but may find some of the embroidery related links I find through my 'research' as I browse the internet just as interesting.  Even though I like the 'sharing' on Facebook, I do wonder about the communications and about some of the ways people just 'take your posts and share' without giving credit or thanks or taking the time to comment or say anything.... it is similar to what puzzles me here on this blog -  few people comment here or subscribe but when I look at the statistical analysis there are some posts that have over 500 views and some of the whitework closeups I so naively provided in full resolution because of 'everyone wanting to see more details' without even 'marking/watermarking' my photographs are over 1000!
It is also interesting to note that when I provide a link to the new blogpost on Facebook, traffic increases, comments and likes ensue there but rarely here ! I have met many people who have told me in person they love to read my posts but I had no idea they did since they had not subscribed or commented.  Some of my needlework friends want me to share on Instagram ... I have watched some of the things there and it puzzles me even more ... videos are available briefly there and then 'disappear' just as quickly as they arrived.  I must confess I do not understand the ins and outs of 'technology', of bombarding /marketing laterally on various platforms with the same images.  I know that this constant bombardment of info must be effective,  people are earning money somehow or launching/promoting their business in this manner.  The sheer string of # (hashtags) attached to each post is interesting to observe.  I know there are a number of things I have to sort out, a number of decisions to make - all of that takes time.  And, again, I am not writing all this here 'looking for likes or comments' - just trying to assess if it is worth my sharing anything at all - all of this takes time; no problems with me on that IF there is relevance and IF this has a value.  There are certainly a multitude of images of all sorts of embroidery available on the internet and I certainly don't want to add to the 'noise' since I am not an expert.  There are plenty of people with much greater knowledge of techniques and historical context.  I addressed this in my March post - suffice it to say that the world of the professional embroiderer is a world that inspires me.

For now,  I hope I can figure out how to attach some links to my blogposts here and also to find out if you feel this is of value.


Here are just three links I have shared on my Facebook page many times before

Joy Jarrett of Witney Antiques on Samplers
https://youtu.be/BHlhRyoTQmU

An interesting video with the director of the Cluny museum
https://youtu.be/1oTIBmTeKGg

making a tapestry :
https://youtu.be/jIbu-dJuEh0


After seeing some of the discussions on Facebook regarding providing details on samplers because of people 'stealing' the information,  I have gone back and reduced the size of all my images here even though I know that this is no 'protection' per se and that those 'stealing' have already gleaned all the information and incorporated it.  The reason for me to go back and do this is not to 'protect' my embroidery ... I have my work and pictures and some of my own smaller designs that I so enthusiastically shared have already made it to Pinterest etc.  The main reason is to try and 'protect' the work and copyright of the designers of the samplers. Most of them provide closeups of the original samplers on their websites anyway and share good pictures on Facebook so that I can 'study' and 'compare' or further research things on my own as I am apt to do but it was never my intention to provide people with clear magnified pictures... I have described and shown closeups of many techniques - the idea was to share my experiences and show some ways of how I work through my projects - some of the questions being talked about on social media now have been addressed in previous posts here - just studying some of the pictures provides many clues.  I sincerely hope that showing such detail did not harm the business end of things for some of the designers.  I know from a few of them that my blogging about certain samplers or crewelwork pieces brought in some orders for them.  I do hope that will continue... I choose to believe in the goodness of mankind.

Home after an amazing week at Advanced class at the Japanese Embroidery Center and an attempt at an explanation ....

Got home after an amazing experience at the Japanese Embroidery Center in Atlanta, Georgia ....as many of you know I enjoy all types of needle work and am always eager to learn and improve my techniques. This time I can at least say that I came back with a little bit better understanding of how gold leaf, dye and stitching can be used to complement and enhance an embroidery.  There is much more for me to learn and study on color, texture, historical context and of course, the refinement of techniques is a good challenge in itself.

I do not blog or show pictures of my Japanese embroidery often - although it is one of the silk embroidery techniques I focus on most of the time.  Some of you have contacted me on this many times asking for details so I thought this might be a good time to share.  My journey to the Japanese Embroidery Center in Atlanta started in November, 2005.  My master teacher, Masa Tamura, introduced me to the world of filament silk.  There are 47 basic techniques which are introduced over ten phases... I was smitten and went through all 10 phases rapidly - all other embroidery took a back seat while I simply inhaled the Japanese embroidery techniques... took many trips to Atlanta during the following year and a half  and  attended phase 10 class in October, 2007 after taking all my finished pieces down for Masa to see and approve before this Phase 10 class.  That is when I was told that not too many people have finished the ten phases that quickly and stitched them as well as I had managed to do; for most people this is a 7-12 year ‘process’.  Oh well, I know I have always had my own pace and not having boundaries and immersing myself fully into the intricacies of this beautiful embroidery was just perfect for me !  Teaching Japanese embroidery had not crossed my mind at all, Masa had asked me around phase 6 if I want to teach which surprised me.  I gave her a diplomatic answer (I was proud of it at that time ) saying that if and when the time comes I would consider it but that I had so much more to learn and refine so my focus for now would be just enjoying my own learning.

Totally by chance, at my very first EGA local meeting in November, 2007, a lady sat down next to me during the break, briefly looked at what I was doing and talked to me and then wrote out a check and handed it to me saying that she would like to learn Japanese embroidery from me.  I was surprised and taken aback, tried to get her to go to the ‘teachers’ in New York State or Massachusetts but she wouldn’t budge ...  I got home; my husband expected me to be all excited about finally meeting one of the designers I had previously corresponded with via email in person only to see my confused face and hear my story about being asked to teach Japanese embroidery! During that week I got emails from two other women saying that they heard I would be teaching and they wanted to be part of my class!  I guess the drums were beating in the embroidery world in Connecticut!  I was amazed and called Masa ...she reassured me and said that I would learn to teach as I instructed my students through Phase 1;  she said that she too went through a similar process when they first moved to Atlanta.  So, I started out on that venture -  I stitched Phase 1 again taking pictures, videos and PowerPoint presentations to assist my teaching and over the years I have stitched just about all the phase projects 1-8 in the catalog so that my students would have a class sample and I would have a better understanding in guiding them if they chose that project... I spent a considerable amount of time and resources in this quest to be a better teacher - until Masa-san told me to stop and get back to my own pieces... and then 'life' intervened and I am still trying to get back to where I left off !

And as we went through years of ‘upheaval ‘ in our lives with one medical issue after the other, as many of you know who follow my blog .... samplers and other embroidery techniques helped me through,  thus rekindling my interest in all types of embroidery again;  I had taken all my stuff out of the closet as many of you know with the intention of ‘getting rid’ of other embroidery stuff ... just couldn’t do it and am so glad I did not act on my initial thoughts.  These past years,  dealing with frozen shoulder issues and then the mess after my fall have proven to me once more that all of my stash has value, all the embroidery techniques are the best form of ‘physical therapy ‘ - far better than the therapy I received from the specialized therapist I sought out after my fall...

Over the years, I have continued to teach my small group... we have shared many laughs and learned a lot of things about Japanese embroidery techniques and Life.  They are progressing well and have started understanding my reasons for striving for excellence, striving to develop a way of 'seeing' and understanding the complex dynamics of not just a well executed stitch, an organized approach, but also seeing color,  developing a feeling for texture and appreciating the design in it's historical context of Japanese culture.  I am always pointing out how certain designs were influenced by other countries and cultures - that even in ancient times designs and information were 'borrowed' and adapted, refined and interpreted. This 'give and take of ideas between cultures is what has fascinated me since my childhood and was at the core of my Master's thesis in German Literature a long time ago.  Appreciating this now in color and design, in music and foods is what many of my Facebook posts are about ; it is what I like to 'research' in my spare time - I realize now it is what surrounded me in my childhood growing up in India - it is part of the exuberance of life in India.

My personal study and fascination for needlework continues on - my approach has evolved though and will keep evolving - my intensity in learning has not wavered - I doubt it will and so life continues ... my focus remains 'learning and refining' - in my profession and in my hobbies.  The accumulation of certificates and honors has never been my focus - it is nice to have them ( Japanese Bead and Silk embroidery 'certificates' and the professional ones many of which are in drawers - I don't want all the walls plastered with certificates at the office - I need the space there for my needlework  after all! ) and it is nice to 'teach' - I do not 'advertise' - in my embroidery classes just like in my profession ...

Many of you have asked me why I don't share my silk embroideries, my bead embroidery or my own designs spanning all sorts of techniques.... this is hard for me to explain without sounding 'weird'.... some of you know how hard a process it is for me to even share my sampler related/ western embroidery.. This blog started as an interesting 'experiment' for me to try and understand 'technology' when I was home sick with a cold/flu as some of you may recall and the carrot was possibly 'winning' a sewing box ( of which I have many) by posting sampler related progress on a now defunct blog.

I will however, try to  make an attempt at explaining my approach, my quirky reasons for hesitating in showing my projects...
you see, in a world that now is becoming so increasingly "noisy"- where everyone is posting their work, their creations, their ideas (like I am here now)...  'true mastery' often is undervalued - overlooked even... 'everyone is an expert'... and yet, Mastery is undeniable, it presents itself with quiet confidence - it is an unmistakable sign of excellence rooted in years of focused work, deep understanding and " unconscious competence" as George Leonard puts it and many before him have tried to 'discuss" in their books. I am fortunate to get small glimpses of it in my profession - it has been a long focused journey.  I have also been fortunate to see exquisitely stitched pieces of Indian embroidery in the maharaja's collections, Japanese and Chinese embroidery and Western embroidery done superbly by talented, dedicated professionals.... when I observe their work, it takes my breath away... when gold, silver and silk threads shine brightly to breathe life into each line and angle stitched, when the stitches, twists and foundations themselves 'disappear' and all that remains is the 'whole' experience - that, to me is Mastery in needlework.   And  then, even within the ranks of the professionals you can see variations in skill and attitude.... just like many people can play a musical instrument or paint, and there are many very talented professional musicians or painters but there are only a few in that group who rise above the rest,  and then,  there are rare individuals like Bach, daVinci or the Chinese master embroiderer who stitched a large piece of double sided embroidery depicting a tree branch with a white crane on one side of the fabric and a brown feathered eagle coming in for a landing on the other side of the same piece of fabric - that is the endangered world of the Suzhou Master Embroiderer ( and this is not a tourist gimmick glue job but a certified piece of exquisite embroidery).

I realize that an argument can be made for sharing needlework etc - some of you have written to me  to tell me that my blog has helped you in various ways. It is interesting to note that usually a message or email arrives right around the time I am ready to stop blogging since few people comment here  and the likes etc on Facebook always leave me wondering but some posts have over 1000 visits (according to the stats).

Even at the Japanese Embroidery Center there is now a push to share whatever was embroidered in class - it is projected onto the big screen thanks to technology - so I have to now hesitatingly share my half baked ideas ( of which there are many when  I start a project ) and see them projected  on the big screen ....an interesting experience that makes me cringe each time! And then, the result for me now is that all this 'sharing'  of my half baked ideas  mingled and jumbled up with everyone else's thoughts and ideas and stitching experiments  at Advanced or Teachers class results in my not even touching that embroidery frame for a long while upon my return from class because even though I may have tried to prepare myself for the class and think about color and techniques before class and in the evenings whilst I am there.... all the sharing is just  'noise' and it gets in the way when I  come home from such a class and hinders me from continuing with that project.

 I used to come home from Advanced class with some idea of which of my thought processes were worth exploring, getting good ideas from the Master teachers as to what I needed to consider etc - now it is a constant bombardment of images in my head/or through social media of others 'sharing' in this seemingly new 'race' to be the first one finished
....and all I am looking for is quiet and clarity...
I preferred the old way.a bit more : less talking, more observation -which is now even more possible because the Master teacher has hooked things up so we can watch him stitch on the big screen if we weren't 'expected to stitch something to show' during that time,  more sharing of ideas through seeing beautifully stitched pieces by professionals - observing excellence in choice of stitching technique, seeing the expertly used colors and textures of a professionally stitched piece, hearing more about the historical context of life ....it is rare to see such works of quiet elegance and sophistication these days.... the world of the master embroiderer is now getting drowned out by all the 'chatter of the masses'.... it takes time to learn a skill,  more time to aspire to duplicate a professionally stitched piece in an acceptable way, and then even more time to find your own voice and  develop your own design at a decent level..... I hesitate, because I am just barely aware of how high the mountain is ...
which may not be a bad thing... all you can do is put one foot forward, then the next and then keep moving ...
It reminds me of something the German poet Rainer Maria Rilke wrote in a letter to his wife when studying Cezanne:  "I am learning to see, yes, I am beginning to see ... "

so, perhaps now you can understand my hesitation ?  Understanding a stitch is a start, and executing a technique is just one more step ... but there is a huge mountain ahead still.

A long overdue 'brief' update

It has been quite a while since my last blogpost ... the past few months have been good ones, productive ones.  Life has started to resume it's old rhythm which I am most grateful for.

First of all, I want to thank all of you who have emailed me personally, prodded me on Facebook or nudged me on Messenger or WhatsApp... inquiring about my projects, my hands, my activities and hoping I will continue posting on my blog.  I was touched by all this interest and a bit surprised too ... the 'Follower' area has not really changed much over the years, nor are there many messages left here; if I post a link on my Facebook page I get some activity with 'thumbs up' emoticons mostly...  so I have often wondered about the relevance of this idea of blogging for me personally.

You see, I am perfectly happy working away on my own projects of diverse nature in my own little corner of the world... I love all sorts of needlework as most of you might know and am passionate and intense about it - like just about anything I choose to spend my time on.  I started this blog at a time when I was down with a nasty cold/cough years ago, on a whim and egged on by people on another sampler blog (now defunct) who wanted to see more photographs of my samplers.
I am dealing with another one of those unscheduled cough/fever downtimes right now and decided to try and figure out the issues relating to why I cannot connect to my blog using my Apple devices....
still haven't been able to figure that out yet but, finally, now that my neglected laptop has finished updating a million things, I am just trying this post out - seems like a lot has changed again!

I have surprised myself as to how many things I did complete last year when I was going through my self prescribed 'hand therapy' mode of choosing projects.  I didn't realize it myself until I was putting them all away in the 'finished, yet to be framed' drawers or in the ' completed, can be used' drawers.  I took pictures on my phone ( not the camera anymore for a while now after I learned about the pirating issues and copyright issues ) ... but still, the phone takes pretty detailed photographs which makes me hesitate to post large or detailed pictures like I used to.  Even so, I know that the more recent pictures are not a deterrent to a determined person...which is really a shame.  My main reason for blogging on mainly samplers was to encourage people to try other stitches and explore this amazing world of 'needlework'; and many of you have emailed me to tell me that after you read my ramblings,  you  are now happily over your 'fear' and are busy learning and trying techniques you once never dared to even try.... my smattering of a few crewel, stumpwork, whitework, Schwalm, and other little needlework posts interspersed between the sampler posts have also had the desired effect and people have either started learning or rekindled their love of crewel for example.

Lots to share but have to still figure out all the new things here and the interfaces etc. and see if this even posts.  I even have a perfect sampler I started and finished this year that would have been good for a post yesterday, to celebrate Cinco de Mayo!
SO, I will be back to blogging periodically if this works and I can figure out the other issues shortly ...

For now, just experimenting with photos - from old blogposts:

Lessons in life and needlework

In the early hours of the morning exactly a month ago I realized that the amount of time for the body to heal is something one cannot always plan or predict. This is still a lesson I have to learn with all it's nuances.
Hard to do when until recently I was fortunate to live life simply by planning and doing whatever it took to make things happen according to my own time table...
I have to embrace a different approach and allow my body to heal on it's own time ... and accept 'defeat' and be grateful for the continued improvement ...
and let some things go.
For most people my progress is already almost 'normal healing and movement'... just happen to demand a lot more of myself in my profession and in my 'serious needlework projects'.... never knew how much I have fine tuned things over the years ... still working towards being pain free and regaining "my" full range of movement...

I will post on some of the needlework projects I have been busy with these past months shortly.

As this year closes - best wishes for the New Year !

Wishing you all a good time with friends and family and hoping that the New Year ushers in many moments of Joy.

We are busy recuperating and doing well.
The past few weeks have shown slow but steady improvements;
Still painful but good progress nonetheless....

Initial attempts at an intermediate sampler.... an inch or so of Montenegrin stitches and it took all day!



By Sunday it was already much better and I could stitch a bit longer and it seemed just a bit faster.  I was able to establish all the bands on Martha Salter,
an intermediate level sampler

On Tuesday, I switched to a Christmas related project. Initially it took some determination to push past the pain and just pull the needle up through the fabric



But slowly my fingers are building their strength back and I hope to have this tablecloth runner finished on Christmas Day

May the New Year usher in glorious days with needle and thread for all of us !

Lessons of 2016 and a new approach for 2017

As 2016 comes to a close and 2017 approaches, I can only sense it's potential. After quite some time I feel an excitement
about the coming year, about the chance to write a happier story and dream about all the possible stitches I want to make,
trips I want to take and things I want to learn.

I want to wish you all a very Happy New Year and hope it brings us all many moments of Joy and Inner Peace.

During these past few weeks of 'mandatory recuperation' I have finally had some insights that have brought me some peace.
Some of these points are worth sharing here since these topics reoccur in various chat groups and had been nagging issues
for me over the years.
In the past, my vast and varied 'stash' of needlework items had started to become a source of worry and analysis; I tried to see
if I could just limit my interest to one or two types of embroidery. The benefits of just sticking to one technique would be many:
I tried to convince myself to no avail that it would be simpler, more productive use of time, more focused
and easier on the pocket book. And, for years I have tried to prioritize and arrange my needlework projects, books and
accessories that way - only to have to change it all around again when I focused my thoughts and attention to another
technique that suddenly caught my fancy!

I had never considered my books to be a burden - they were a wealth of knowledge and inspiration always.
I had wondered about my need to keep all the different hoops and working frames, stands, lights, needles, and stuff I had accumulated over the years as I delved into this art form further and deepened my understanding, learned new skills, and refined others.

This 'mandatory pause' in most activity because of my broken ankle and severely sprained hands made it clear to me how much I enjoy all the various aspects of creativity with needle and thread. Initially, my books and surfing the internet gave me hours of adventure and I discovered many new techniques I will study more in the years ahead.
Then, within a few days I realized that I could just not sit still anymore. Although watching old shows and Christmas movies on TV is most pleasurable, I felt truly unproductive and realized how much TV watching for me is more about listening to it while I stitch.

As I contemplated what I could possibly stitch, I finally came to the realization that so many of my 'side projects' were started when I was not feeling well or when other aspects of life demanded more of my attention... and that having them all in my stash is a luxury I am most thankful for!
At this time for example, I knew I could not continue with any of the other projects I was working on before my fall - my hands were just not able to be that precise yet, nor did they have the strength; besides, the brace and the bandages ruled out silk work right away. So, I started slowly with a new sampler, on a lesser count of linen with larger holes in the linen to reduce the force required when pulling the needle in and out and allowing me to use a thicker needle ...


it was very slow going and not too 'interesting' but I managed to establish all the bands on Martha Salter, an intermediate level sampler by the Scarlet Letter which was quite an achievement.


Then I decided to add another project to the mix to start building more flexibility and movements into my self imposed therapy program. I needed something requiring more strength and allowing me to use various parts of my hand and fingers as I made the stitches. Martha Salter had a lot of satin stitches but in smaller areas which would require more precision; the Christmas runner I chose allowed me to test my stitching, my hands and build strength using a larger needle with more threads... the movements required were quite painful at first and not easy at all to do; I still need a lot of breaks and progress is still slow and yet, each day I could see an improvement in my stitches, each day my hands felt a bit stronger!

The orthopedic surgeon had instructed me to keep my broken ankle in the boot and my leg elevated at all times, so my Lowery floor stand and a larger hoop allowed me to recline back and stitch comfortably. The needle provided in the kit was too big and required too much force to pull through the fabric but having my stash of needles allowed me to switch to a thinner Bohin Crewel needle and continue in my self imposed therapy! I know that my needlework therapy along with the physical therapy will make it possible to resume my activities within a week or so... my leg will take longer to heal but at least my hands will be back to full function. So , having a variety of stands and needlework accessories is not such a bad thing after all!

I realize now how much I rely on my needlework to gauge when I can get back to work and what type of activities I can engage in ... it is not just one type of needlework that allows me to do this but rather the freedom to move between a variety of projects from my stash, using various types of stands and frames and paraphernalia. 

So, the biggest lesson I have learned at the end of this year is to embrace my stash of needlework items and treasure them with gratitude.
This also applies to all my other interests and 'collections'... I had not had a chance to read my German literature books for years or look at all the TIME LIFE Art books I had collected as a student by saving up for each volume. Having the time these past weeks proved to me how much I treasure books.

In this coming year, I will go through my stash and remove the projects I know I will not want to stitch at all, and I will not necessarily keep buying 'more' needlework projects; my focus will still be to work on projects I already have in my stash BUT I am finally free of 'feeling guilty' about it all... all my interests and collections bring me Joy, so from now on I will embrace them all and be thankful for my stash.

I have learned to be grateful for the small things , accept the slight imperfections in my stitches as small 'victories over the challenges and struggles of life' and leave them as part of the history marking the event in my life; as a quiet reminder of that time in my life - such imperfections only being apparent to me and to those who take the time to inspect things closely anyway. 

Wishing you all a happy and productive New Year - may you all enjoy the pleasure of spending time with needle and thread. I hope that my ramblings above make some of you feel less guilty about stash and more thankful for it. People 'collect' all sorts of things and spend time doing all sorts of things that they may never ever 'perfect' - they do them for various reasons and most do not feel guilty spending their money or time doing something that brings them joy. Not sure why I was starting to attach all these negative feelings to my books and needlework stash ... perhaps because 'life's events' these past years have made my needlework time less productive... but I am finally free of all that and finally have a way on how to arrange my needlework stash so I can enjoy all aspects of it. 

  I can't wait to implement it all and do look forward to all the adventures ahead with needle and threads and projects from my stash!

Dutch Beauty and the Golden days of Fall

Thankful for many things ... the skill of many people, good friends and family and the beauty around us  are just some of   those things
Here are some pictures taken around our home last Wednesday
and continuing on with simple cross stitch - page 2 complete

Plans and schedules are meant to be changed it seems...

Thanks to all of your well wishes on my birthday - I was amazed how many of you remembered!  We made a glorious 3 day weekend of celebrating the day since Monday was Columbus Day.  
I really wanted to stay home this weekend since we have hardly spent time at home lately.  The weather was absolutely excellent - beautiful Indian summer days that add to the celebration each year. We had planned to go to my parents' home for dinner but as I stepped out of the house I seriously twisted my ankle...got in the car anyway but then the pain was too much to deal with so we turned around after just  a few miles on the highway... spent Sunday at home too with my foot elevated ... BUT I didn't mind because I had finally started a sampler that has been in my stash for years!  Initially, this sampler, though intriguing, intimidated me a bit... now I find myself looking forward to the challenge ahead!  My plan had been to post things on my birthday in the evening but that changed; then I planned to post about my progress to date this weekend but that too will have to wait... we got a call from the doctor this morning and head back to Florida tomorrow instead of the latter part of next week as planned.  I will take this project, along with the Hardanger tablecloth with me but I suspect that our time will be spent differently this time...things do not look good with my father-in-law's health.
Plans this year seem to be elusive in our lives ... rolling with the punches is a better description of our life lately.
Here are just a few pictures showing some of the colors of Fall in New England - the colors are not as brilliant this year because of the dry summer and we are not yet at peak color - maybe by this upcoming week but Fall in New England is quite special every year.

Traveling with my needlework

Since my post with pictures of my large hardanger tablecloth project, many of you wondered and asked how I take such a large frame with me everywhere.
Well, we just got back from another flight to Florida and I wanted share these pictures with you to show you how portable things really are!

This is ALL I take with me : the tube contains my horizontal bars with my fabric rolled onto it;  the zippered pouch has the everything else, the magnifier fits into the padded pouch next to my laptop in my carry-on;  if my project is smaller then it fits into my carry-on and I do not need the tube. 

Just a few items to travel with

All set up in less that five minutes and ready to go!

I have tried to stitch in hand and with just a hoop also and so far I am not so sure if I like the results so much - I guess I have been used to scroll bars and stretcher bars and the drum tight feeling of slate frames or similar frames like the Millennium frame above.  It is less 'hassle' for me to have the frame set up and have both my hands free to stitch;  I also prefer less wrinkles and 'handling/crumpling/rolling/holding' things  in one hand and stitching with the other.  The sewing method is not as accurate for me so far - the threads sometimes twist or my needle sometimes pierces the thread of the previous stitch etc. I guess I still have to practice and perfect the technique of sewing in hand or with just a hoop.  I prefer the control on many things that a frame affords me - I can concentrate on the stitch and the tension and texture with a frame but find myself fidgeting a lot with stitching in hand.  I will keep trying but I suspect that my conclusions will be the same as many times before.  It is a matter of preference of course but I do want to continue practicing in hand for a bit longer this time. 

Good things....

Well, lots of good things happening in my little world :
- I am finally fever free and feeling 'normal' since Saturday
- my frozen shoulder is definitely a thing of the past - most range of movement has been restored thanks to Indian acupressure techniques and daily, gentle movement
- all tests I had them do to try and get to the bottom of these cough/fever/cold episodes revealed ALL numbers well within the range!
My final conclusion : refocus my mind and find a different way to deal with things.  So, I am on that quest now discovering all sorts of new things!

Since Saturday, I have continued my refining and editing of my needlework stash area AND I finally 'found' the sampler that I had slated to start this year... it was very logically kitted and placed in the 2015 folder but then had been placed back in the old system!  So, I will start this on my birthday this year instead.
It is very therapeutic to just play with stash... after the 'fun' times these past years,  I am finally resetting my goals and daring to plan again!
I am continuing to try my hand at stitching in hand, watching the U.S.Open tennis matches and organizing/playing... just enjoying the Labor Day weekend at home.
More travel planned... my father-in-law's issues remain and will continue to impact our lives... but that is okay - he needs our help;
Thank you all for all your encouraging words.... and look for more needlework related posts on various topics from now on!
"Savor each moment!" was my motto at the beginning of the year ... plan to do just that!  

Stitching simply? Needlework essentials - a matter of preference...

These past few days I have been thinking about how I am so used to always taking a "few" needlework things with me when traveling  anywhere.  I do not even consider them as 'weight' or 'cumbersome'; they are for me more precious than my clothes actually.
With all the travel this summer I had decided to work on a Hardanger tablecloth and here are some pictures my husband took of me working away in the hospital (some without my even knowing!) In case you wonder - I am wearing a mask throughout because I was running a fever, had a cough and cold and am still dealing with the aftermath of all the 'fun' we have been having this summer...

I have been wondering why I could not have just taken the project, a hoop and maybe a book-light/small magnifier combo with me - didn't need any books etc. since I was developing the design.... I realize that over the years I have just become accustomed to a frame, two handed embroidery and good, magnified light along with good tools (scissors, tweezers, thimbles, laying tool, good needles and pins) and find I do not stitch at all otherwise.

I do have all the various types of paraphernalia as you may suspect in my stash and have been trying to convince myself all last week that I need to perhaps try out my hoops, sit on hoops, hoops with lap stands or clamps etc. and simplify things a bit.  I have even taken them all out but then keep hesitating! I have not even tried them again yet because I do not want to crumple up my fabric!

I posted a question on this same topic last night in a few Facebook groups because I wanted to see what the majority of people use : a hoop, a frame, a stand or in hand when they stitch samplers or work on hardanger type projects.
I am intrigued by the answers so far - most seem to use smaller hoops or Q snaps or just stitch in hand and some use frames only for larger projects.  
So, I am not sure if becoming so pedantic about things is such a great trait - after all, beautiful needlework can and is done all over the world with simply needle and thread! 

I'm still around!

Life has been busier than planned with activities that are quite different to the ones we originally thought we would be busying ourselves with.  Since May it seems we have traveled all over the East Coast!
Just wanted to let you all know that I am still here and that I am still stitching - various things are being lugged around on the plane to give me something to keep busy with - in May it was Bead embroidery, June and July it has been mainly Hardanger (a tablecloth)... I used to think that only filament silk reflects your inner thoughts and calmness in the shine and evenness of each stitch... not so,  even Hardanger reflects the inner calmness or turmoil... lots to worry about lately - been in a strange bubble of  ICU/hospitals/nursing homes with perhaps tough decisions ahead.  The summer is  marching on relentlessly and I still have to plant the petunias and tomatoes plants I bought at the end of May!
This entry is most appropriately described by a word in German "Lebenszeichen"... it means a sign of life... I am still here and still stitching....my thanks to all of you who emailed inquiring how I was doing.... oh yes, all those Indian acupressure techniques and stretching exercises are finally showing good results - I am able to move my arm and shoulder up quite a bit more for the past few months!

Continuing on... focus, intention, new beginnings...

This past month has been action packed as always.
My needlework time has been very focused on continuing to use various types of needlework as a form of physical therapy.  I am at this point longing to get back to my silk embroidery and continue to strive to regain control over my shoulder movement... things have improved considerably but I am still not happy with my silk embroidery results yet...still issues with tension/shine so I am continuing to figure out exercises to try and build up strength and flexibility and regain more range of motion.

Earlier in January I was trying to sort out many things; when going through my stash I came upon a sampler kit by The Examplarery - it is a simple sampler, predominantly cross stitch but one that had appealed to me because of the color combinations.  Joanne's kits are always a joy to work with; her instructions are clear, her diagrams are so explicit and her stitch pathways eliminate the need to figuring them out which is something I enjoy so much so most of the time I do not use the specified pathways just to keep it interesting.  Her classes are an amazing way to gain so many more insights and put things in historical context.
Anyway, I was trying to figure out what I could do to keep exercising the motion required when pulling silk up and down through the fabric - and decided that the Ann Bowers sampler from my stash would be a good fit... simple stitches but perfect to try and build stamina and increase control.

Had it ready to start in my stash for years!

All the movements are still painful but the arm/shoulder feels stronger as I go through the motions - so I know this will also yield good results in time.
So, I will continue to practice my only intention for this year : Savor each moment and continue working on this Newport, Rhode Island sampler.  The color combinations are quite intriguing!
Here is my progress to date :

slow but steady 'progress'

  So this year begins, much like the last ended, with my still trying to overcome the issues relating to my frozen shoulder... continued lessons in patience, gratitude, focus and intention... amazing power of mind over matter!
And, in some ways this is an example that sometimes it is good to have a variety of things in my stash.    

On Sharing....

These past few days have been fairly busy and unsettled...
many of you know that I am pretty new to actively participating on Facebook or even sharing my needlework through my blog.  My needlework was and continues to be something I love to do as a way to settle down and cherish the day and think about all the events... I usually carve out my time in the evening or early morning and do try to keep my hands busy every day... with some forms of needlework this is also a very meditative process for me.

My shoulder issues have hindered a lot of my activity these past months but as I evaluated all the activities of the recent past at the end of last week, I got word that my grandmother's younger sister was not doing well and had been admitted to a London hospital.  I had had a 'weird' feeling about her recently and so this news obtained from an email from my father and a post on Facebook from her granddaughter made me stay up all night - and stitch and think.

I may have bored many of you and perhaps even irritated many of you with my posts to try and assess what you wanted me to do with the little Schwalm bird design... and I do apologize if I did and for any faux pas I may have committed with posting them on various Facebook groups....
BUT this news reminded me of the support and love I always received not just from my grandmother but also from my grandmother's sister - she was closest to having the feeling that my grandmother was still around.  She was most interested in needlework and was always interested in learning about new techniques - she was doing Goldwork and taking classes not too long ago!  I used to send her pictures of my work and we exchanged many emails and phone calls with needlework being one of the points of discussion.  This past year she was not doing very well, was trying to make the best of it all but her physical conditions were starting to wear her down.  She was courageous enough to undertake the flight from London to Toronto to meet everyone... I of course talked to her on the phone and could hear her despair over the phone but in true form she was more concerned about my shoulder than her own issues!  She stated that she couldn't even access her computer because of arthritis anymore and apologized if she had missed emails and longed to see my needlework up close and personal.  When we hung up the phone that Sunday, we both knew that we had to meet her - we rearranged schedules (not hard, since I was not really doing anything) and a few days later we drove up there accompanied by my parents.
This is when I realized that not framing everything was a good thing in some ways - I was able to pack a lot of my recent projects into two portfolio bags and take them up for her to see.  In her haste to get ready and meet us for lunch at the restaurant, (her treat! and we couldn't talk her out of that... ) she had forgotten her glasses at her daughter's home but that didn't bother her - she borrowed her brother's glasses and then we spent a glorious afternoon 'examining' my needlework with glasses, without glasses, with my magnifier or just up close in the sunlight.... she forgot about her pain, I forgot about mine, she was not interested in resting in the afternoon or having tea AND this was the best example of sharing.  A few years ago, when I visited my grandmother in India, she too enjoyed an evening just looking at all the pictures of my work on the computer screen - in those days my grandmother hardly came out to the dining room and preferred to eat in her room...but both of them got ready, came out and both of them enjoyed seeing what I was up to and 'sharing my needlework' with them will be my last memory of them.
In retrospect, I am amazed at the similarities - both of them 'forgot' even if only for a short time about the trials of age, both of them loved hearing about needlework techniques and both asked detailed questions.  Interestingly both 'needlework sessions' with each of them had generations of family around us, and both times they had one of their brothers there...both times all the rest of the family, males and females, were all interested to see ALL of the things which absolutely amazed me!

So, if my 'blogging'  and showing my needlework has this effect on some of you 'out there', then I will continue sharing some of my work here on my blog.  I have however decided that I will restrict my Facebook activities - I need to guard my time and many a time I was too busy reading and following links etc. and spending too much time with all that. It is time to refocus my energies.

So here are a few pictures of my great aunt from that afternoon last summer - I will always be thankful to have had the opportunity to have met and known this extremely intelligent lady for most of my life, thankful to her for teaching us some of the chess moves in Wales and Germany, making excellent scones and many amazing dishes we had never ever even heard of when we were kids, thanks for all the love and support you showed each of us at all times... she shared a lot of herself... I will always remember her grace, her smile and all her amazing talents - from needlework to cooking to just living.... thanks for teaching us all the many ways of sharing!

 
       

Thoughts on needlework....

I have been thinking a lot about various things regarding my needlework activities.  I came across a quote I had read many years ago today which propelled me to write today's entry on my blog.  I hope this inspires you... to try, to venture into areas that might feel uncomfortable at first - the nice thing about needlework is that the techniques are multifold and most intriguing, learning them is exciting and pleasurable, your own applications of techniques once mastered, are infinite... AND most of the time, needlework can be reversible.  It is one area in life that you can control, redo, perfect and play to your heart's content... practice makes perfect and time is 'relative'. 

The quote is attributed to Plato - it is an old 'friend' that I had forgotten about but rediscovered again today - always liked it, still do :

"Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow. "

Plato

 

Reading it again today reminded me of a story I was told at one of the classes at the Japanese Embroidery Center.  As many of you know I have learned most of the needlework I have shown on this blog on my own, mostly from books; my early introduction to the world of needlework was initiated by my grandmother and mother showing me some of the basics stitches of embroidery (cross stitch, stem and chain stitch,  lazy daisy, french knots), needlepoint, knitting and crochet.  I will always be thankful to them for this and remember fondly the long days of summer holidays trying to work things out.

The only 'formal' needlework education I have received is my training in Japanese embroidery and I will always be indebted to Mr and Mrs Tamura and Kazumi for 'putting up' with me during the year and half I was cruising through the initial ten phases and their continuing to support me in my endeavors today.
At the Japanese Embroidery Center each class starts with a 'morning talk', followed by a 3 minute quiet 'meditation' period... I truly appreciate this time... I rarely stitch much during class - too busy just taking all the information in and getting distracted by everyone else's 'stuff'.  The actual digestion of everything comes in the wee hours of the night and early mornings at home.

So, at one of the morning talks, they shared a story... it was a mixed class - people were working on different difficulty levels of projects... some of the beginning students were perhaps 'intimidated' by the higher phase students, the higher phase students in turn were perhaps 'intimidated' by others who were attempting more advanced 'challenge' pieces etc. etc.  I am always curious and inspired by what we can achieve if we focus our minds - so this idea of intimidation is really 'bugging me'. My ideas on  blogging about some of my needlework projects is truly because I believe in sharing, it is not about intimidation or boasting etc. - there are many, very talented people 'out there' and some of your emails and comments are giving me a lot to think about.

Anyway, the 'story' that morning was about a time long time ago, when the late Master Iwao Saito
 (founder of Kurenai Kai- the professional guild in Japan) was reviewing the apprentices of that year.  Most apprentices that year were young and unmarried, and quick.  There was one apprentice who was married, a bit older perhaps, and slow.  Many thought that he would not 'get to be a good embroiderer';  Master Saito, however, told them all to just let him be and supported each of his apprentices in the best way he could.  Time passed, Seasons changed, and years later, this 'slower' apprentice became the most exquisite embroiderer, and in time became the head of the workshop!  I have never met Mr. Yamashita personally but have seen pictures of him - in the workshop conducting organizational large projects and sitting at his frame, embroidering.  From the pictures of him embroidering,  I see a person totally engrossed in his work - his hands, his entire body is poised and focused on the embroidery in front of him...  I have never seen his embroidery 'in person' but recognize his hand - his work has a 'light/shine' all its own... it is what really embodies another well known phrase of Mr. Tamura "Hands are the Exit of the Spirit".  A few years ago, during Teacher's class, Arata-san shared with us the more recent pieces Mr Yamashita had been 'busying' himself with... his mastery of the techniques are widely accepted I think, he continues to head the workshop but now, after all these years, he wanted to see if Japanese embroidery could be more 'expressive'.  He set about trying to show the feeling of freshly fallen snow in his embroidery we were told and then a picture of his embroidery appeared on the screen... he had achieved his goal and he had 'broken' some of the rules of traditional Japanese embroidery techniques.... 'broken' was the word used but in my mind, a true indication of mastery in any field is to know when and how to use the rules and then apply your skills to move beyond them.   In embroidery, the medium of needle and thread then becomes the vehicle to deliver the message, achieve the goal.... it is something I aspire to in all aspects of my life.  Understanding the basics, appreciating the more delicate aspects of any field, learning more advanced techniques to then someday be able to go 'beyond just techniques' and  be able to make your mind and hands deliver a result you thought was possible, is what makes life so exciting for me.  Shortcuts or using other stitches because they are 'easier' keeps us in our comfort zone and makes us feel good BUT there is no harm in trying, failing, trying again with more insight, getting better and enjoying this process... it opens up a world and takes me on a journey I could not have even imagined.  It is worth all of it... in every field - at least in my opinion. 
Hope you all do not mind this type of a post... my hope is that it propels you to just 'try'... and learn to enjoy the process....     

About plans, UFOs, new starts and honing techniques...

I have recently read many blogs discussing the merits or non-merits of unfinished projects; lots of discussions of if it is worth finishing things if one has 'gleaned' the information one needed from a class etc.  While this is an entirely personal decision, the one point that I would like to make is that there is merit in finishing a project even after one has perhaps moved beyond it technique wise over the years it languished in the unfinished project drawer.  It hones your skill, teaches patience and strengthens discipline and best of all refines your skill and deepens your knowledge... all important traits for any 'current', more difficult project that you might be involved with presently AND if shared with others brings pleasure to friends and family even if you personally may have moved beyond it.  My blog posts since April of this year where my frozen shoulder side lined a lot of my current projects are perfect case in points... I am glad I was fortunate to have  'UFO drawers' with a variety of different types of projects to keep myself busy over the most painful months this year.
Now that I am starting to feel much better about my frozen shoulder I am starting to refocus my thoughts on my current projects and hope to delve into them fully by December.  My shoulder is still 'frozen' but in the absence of pain for long periods of time, I am gaining the range of motion and stamina back little by little.
So, this is the status - I will continue working on Tree of Life by Lynn Payette but will not show various steps here on my blog like I have with the other projects - mainly because I have emailed and called Lynn but have not heard back from her and do not know how she feels about my 'blogging' about her projects. I have decided to keep that project around for the the days that I am too tired to work on something else since all the 'fun stuff' is already done and now I just have to 'finish' some of the branches.
Yesterday, I tried once more to work on my silk embroidery but was not too settled with it yet... so, I looked through all the things I planned to do ....and found three projects that I had prepared, kitted and put together to be worked on at some point.  It is amazing how fast time goes by - they were at the time I kitted things up fairly challenging for me years ago... now they will still be good to work on because they address techniques I want to hone anyway but at the same time I will be truly tracking how long it takes me to work on each element for the first time.  This should give me some insights on my pace which is not fast at all... I will be working them in front of the TV so there may be a bit if time spent being distracted but that is okay.  These projects are all from the textbook the Royal School of Needlework published many years ago and I was lucky to buy it at the RSN shop when visiting Hampton Court then.
One technique that always fascinates me is realistic technique so that is the project I decided to start yesterday.
This is a picture of all the preparatory work I had done years ago:

For those who were hoping for more pictures on the Tree of Life design - I will post a finished picture in the near future.

Autumn Frolic - customer service at its best!... some thoughts

I had a great day today - my small little group of Japanese Embroidery students had all finished one of their projects and we had a 'Finishing Class' in addition to our regular class.  I was quite impressed by all of their efforts and triumphs - they each had a lot to be proud of and I am truly humbled by their willingness to allow me to teach them this beautiful art form.
When I got home, my husband had placed a package near my area.  It was an envelope from Barbara Jackson - the owner/designer of TristanBrooks.  Those of you following my progress of Autumn Frolic may have noted that I was afraid of running out of certain threads and that I had contacted her about this.  Well, she had not only responded immediately to my query but had put the threads in the mail right away.  I was expecting a few threads of the colors that I was worried about but was quite surprised to find that she had included more than enough threads - full skeins in fact!  I had not expected this at all!

I did want to address some of the comments on the Facebook groups and emails I have received while switching gears to this Crewel piece.
It is something my students have heard before.  I appreciate all the positive input but still cannot figure out if the 'likes' on Facebook means that you prefer the thicker stem vs. the thinner stem on my last post since Facebook is a very 'new' thing for me. 
However, I was also a bit surprised and actually saddened to see how many people commented that they were 'afraid' of Crewel - it is one of the oldest forms of embroidery, has many stitches and variations and has a charm all its own.  Plus, most of us embroider as a 'hobby' - so there is no financial downside to taking time to learn and try things AND, most of the time, all embroidery is reversible - one can practice stitches over and over and in time, master them. I personally love to challenge myself, learn about all types of embroidery in this world... there is such an amazing variety available to us.
We are also very fortunate to live in these modern times where so many threads and fabrics are available to us, so many teachers have dedicated their energy in producing top quality classes, kits, online classes, books and youtube/blogs.  It is not at all necessary to start with expensive materials or feel bad if our budget does not allow for silk threads for all projects etc. etc... there are so many embroidery techniques that use basic materials e.g. Hardanger, Mountmellick.
The kit for Autumn Frolic for example not only used authentic, high quality materials but came with clear directions.  All the designers I have featured on this blog so far strive to provide us with as much information and good materials as they can.  There are many other great designers and teachers that I will also feature as I work through my UFOs that I have found to be most supportive.  There are many books one can get through libraries - many of the older books on Crewel for example are absolutely excellent and more thorough than some of the newer publications.  All I can say is, don't be afraid to try something different - it is just needle and thread after all!

Another set of comments that truly puzzled me a bit were related to people feeling 'intimidated' by my stitching.  That is the last thing I want people to feel... it is irrelevant how well one stitches, how fast one completes a project... what is important to me with all my needlework is to learn something and most of all ENJOY my time... it is a 'reward' all my own at the end of a day to be able to take a few moments for myself and "play" with needle and thread.  There are so many very talented embroiderers and the professionals are absolutely amazing in their precise and fast execution.
I am not at all a fast stitcher, just a focused and deliberate one and 'blogging' about things was never meant to make anyone feel bad about their own work... we are all learning and practicing an artform and my intention is just to share a bit of my nutty endeavours.

So, please try your hand at various techniques - give yourself time - and enjoy the process!

Putting things more succintly:

"It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare,
it is because we do not dare, that they are difficult." 
                                                       Seneca




 

   
 

Early morning musings

I know that many of my family members and perhaps many of you all have often wondered why I spend hours 'messing about with needle and thread'  and why I love to learn more about embroidery, new techniques and art, history and architecture etc. etc.....Well, it is a bit like I always say to my niece and nephews  - there is a beautiful world 'out there' and it is a great adventure to discover even just a little bit about it.  Appreciating the manifestation of the human spirit in all the beautiful things it can create is a lifelong passion for me. 

I woke up early this morning and just happened upon this poem by Yeats after a long, long time. 

THE LAKE ISLE OF INNISFREE

"I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honeybee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all a-glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements gray,
I hear it in the deep heart's core."

(William Butler Yeats)

 There is indeed such an island off the coast of Ireland near Galway - it is known for Aran knitted sweaters, for it's quaint cottages and windswept coves BUT if you read this poem again it is also a metaphor for finding this place, this haven within us - it is always there, always present - no matter what turbulences our lives are presently embroiled in .... it is up to us to consciously focus our minds to such a place, to seek out this haven that allows us a respite, a place to create and reconnect to the beauty that surrounds us; it is a sort of meditation - something that is highly recommended by many all over the world as you all know.  For me, when I embroider I find this place of quiet and reflection quite often...especially when working on a Japanese embroidery project - just working with filament silk has a soothing effect on me.  I hope this helps explain my 'nutty' addiction for all things needlework.  It is my deepest hope that my niece and nephews will also discover something that they can be passionately 'lost' in.  It is important to find a 'job' / career that you love but also just as important to nurture the creative spirit within all of us.  This 'spirit' is sometimes strongly evident in the artworks of some of the old masters - in written language, in art, sculpture, buildings etc... but always present in nature.

The past few days were an amazing mish mash of impressions for me... a flurry of activity, learning new techniques, appreciating the customs and food of a distant country and enjoying the company of my fellow students, and relishing the quiet moments in the early morning.

My teacher was absolutely incredible in many ways - she was excellent in the way she explained things but her mastery of the medium was immense... I was amazed and invigorated by just getting a glimpse of what can be achieved by 'just a needle and thread'.  I am looking forward to exploring yet another area of embroidery!

I also found out that many people were actually reading this blog and following my progress on the samplers that I was working on.... they just read it but had not become 'followers'. And here I had been wondering about how important the whole blogging scenario was and if my posts were even relevant in the whole scheme of things.  They all said that they learned a lot from my ramblings... so perhaps I will post things more often ...

At the moment, stitching samplers has again taken a backseat to some of the other things I am involved in - hardanger, realistic technique and Japanese embroidery are areas of my focus for now.  The hardanger piece is a submission again so I cannot post pictures before it is judged.  I have again received requests from the EGA to send 4 of my MasterCraftsman pieces to the National seminar to be displayed there... trouble is they are still languishing in the appropriate 'finished' drawers!  It is a great honor that they continue to request my pieces each year... one of these days perhaps. 

As you all know by now, my focus remains refinement of my technique so framing up, displaying my pieces etc. are less important than the 'journey'.

Hope you all have a great weekend ...