Moss Project Finished!

Moss Project Process

Stitching some moss

Experimenting creating the feel of lichen and moss with metal threads and DMC floss.  I digitally printed a photo of moss and lichen that I took a few years ago in New Jersey hiking on the Appalachian Trail.  I've been stitching on top of the digital print with DMC floss and metal threads using French knots, chipping, bullion knots, stem stitch, and s-ing.  It is a lot less structured than what I usually stitch so it's a bit unnerving, but I believe in a good way.  More to come soon!  I've still got a lot to do on the moss side, and I'm excited to see how the overlapping and layering works out.

Stem is finished . . . for now

So I've "finished" the stem.  I'm using quotes around "finished" because since last night I've been contemplating tearing it out and redoing it.  I didn't want it to be quite as solid stripy as the photo.  I wanted it to have a slightly more soft stripe to it.  Anyways, I'm on the fence on whether or not I like it.  I feel like it may need to more defined stripe to feel more shaded instead of blended flatness.  Hmmmm. . . anyways, hopefully moving forward . . .

Silk Shading- progress report

Progress has been a bit slow on my silk shading, mainly due to lack of time to work on it between baby and work.  I've been making time though recently and have been making some progress.  I have a really cute little helper now too!  One more bloom down, now on to the stem!

A Wee Update!

So a lot has happened in the past few months!  I started back to work in August and have been crazy busy between classes (teaching Sewing & Construction and Undergraduate Fibers Studio) and being the Faculty Advisor to Art2Wear (the student fashion show each April).  I have not been able to stitch as much on my RSN pieces as I need some concentration time for them.  My last class is tomorrow though and next week, I have a date with some size 12 embroidery needles, DMC floss and my silk shading RSN piece! 

Also, my husband and I are expecting our first baby at the beginning of January!  It has been quite the exciting summer and fall!  I thought I'd share some of the stitching I have been doing.  I needed to stitch something and with the craziness of school I wanted to work on something fun and mindless.  I've been working on a quilt for our little guy using backyard animal motifs and a style I learned from Natalie Chanin from Alabama Chanin.  I'm using organic cotton jersey double layer pieces (bought from Alabama Chanin) and mostly reverse applique techniques.

Central St. Martins: Couture Tailoring

Over the next couple weeks, I am taking a Couture Tailoring short course at Central St. Martins in London.  For the course we are making 1/2 a womens' size 10/12 (UK size) couture jacket.  Though I have only completed 3 days of this course, I can go ahead and say that this is probably going to be a future addiction.  I absolutely LOVE everything about this course.  The tutor is absolutely wonderful and extremely knowledgeable, and I love the hand stitching.  Real hand tailoring is truly sculpture.  It is amazing to see how the stitches mold the fabric into a 3-dimensional shape.  I am also getting lots of ideas for experiments when I get home for incorporating some of the tailoring techniques into the interlinings of my dressmaking.   Below are some photos from the first couple days:

Laying out pattern and marking seam allowance.

 Sleeve pattern after marking seamlines and balance lines with tacking stitches. 

Padstitching and adding edge tape.