Saturday, April 27, 2013

American Needlepoint Guild - Royal School of Needlework

My friend has written another article for the American Needlepoint Guild magazine, "Needle Pointers."  This time she included six students from the Royal School of Needlework.  The article is wonderful.  She ask each of us questions about our projects, what was your challenge, what we learned, why we choose the picture.  

My challenge was to make a round waterwheel on square needlepoint canvasMy tutor suggested queen stitch, my favorite stitch, so it was easy to remove parts of the stitch to make the curves.  I learned two things that I could make a circle on canvas and make a reflection in the water.  I choose the picture because it is the perfect picture to stitch for a memory of one of our favorite places.

 Mine is the canvaswork project I did for my Certificate course at the Royal School of Needlework in Hampton Court Palace.  The others were done in England and/or San Francisco, California.  The courses are offered in San Francisco in the spring and the fall. 


The waterwheel is located in Bayeux France near the Bayeux Tapestry.  We visited France in the summer of 2008 when I was taking classes.

There are four Certificate courses Jacobean Crewel, Canvaswork or Blackwork, Silk Shading and Goldwork.  Each course is 8 days of instruction and 3 days working our your own.  The tutors are all trained at the Royal School of Needlework in England.  When your project is completed the tutors do an assessment so you know how well you have done.

I am not an employee of the Royal School of Needlework and do not benefit from the school, but I do love taking the courses and learning.




Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Teaching . . . .


Recently I had the opportunity to teach for Pacific Northwest Needle Arts Guild.  (click here to see their website)

I taught goldwork, Henry Hedgehog and my Golden Tree.  I had 6 students, 3 doing Henry and 3 doing the tree.  It was so much fun, I loved teaching these ladies.  
 
Henry was a little goldwork and a little silk shading.  



The Golden Tree was all goldwork using many different types of gold threads.  I have seen two of the trees finished. Every tree is different because I give the shape for the trunk and the students create their own tree.  So much fun!

I am looking forward to teaching more in the future for PNNAG and other guilds and/or shops.  If you are interested in a class for your guild please send me a message.

Thank you for checking back . . . hope you are enjoying spring weather!