Easter holidays

Well we're almost a week in into our holidays. Uni has been very stressful, I feel like I've not got much done! The digital prints are in so hopefully I'll get them back soon to embroider onto. Right now I'm relying on crochet and embroidery skills to make my project stand out and add more of "me" into it.

Just focusing now on that element and also collecting everything together. We still have 5 ish weeks left till hand in. But there still a lot to be done. Especially with my website and business cards! 

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Uni

Uni work is getting a little irksome, knowing I HAVE to produce a collection and that it will be viewed at at the degree show is quite stressful!
I am trying to design nice little patterns for children's wear - focussing on knit and crochet as the fabric medium, however it isn't going to plan - my designs are small and ditsy whereas the knits structure makes the design become incomprehendable.
My uni space...

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Stitched lyrics

I never really thought about it before, but someone asked me why my hobbies were and I replied with the usual, crochet, knitting, walking... And then I rememberd I like to take meaningful lyrics and stitch them freestyle/cross stitch onto Aida. I guess it's a hobby, I find it fun and do it in my spare time.

So here are a few I have done recently:

Lyrics from the dixie chicks songs "cowboy take me away" "top of the world" and "am I the only one".

Lyrics from Taylor Swift songs "fifteen" "change" and "mine".

Lyrics to "Caledonia" by Dougie McLean.

Lyrics from "Fire in the sun" by Adam Holmes.

Progress pictures:

Finished sample!

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Final semester

Well I'm back at uni for the final semester! It's getting quite scary now. My inspiration is from plates, lace and florals. With research and links with children's wear and knitwear companies - maybe companies I will want to work with? :s 

Here is my studio space, and yes those are fairy lights!!!

I have been drawing flowers with pen, painting and also cutting paper. And drawing them in repeats in a square.

And finally a few inspirational fashion images :)

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Embroidery Workshop at Abbotsford

Last Saturday I went to a day work shop on embroidery, there we learnt Flame Stitch and Blackwork. It was great fun - although I was the youngest there! Most ladies there had done embroidery or quilting before, or had sewing as a general hobby.
We were given a power point talk about Abbotsford and the ladies who lived there. Abbotsford House is the former house of Sir Walter Scott the famous Scottish poet and novelist. The house is in between Galashiels and Melrose in the Scottish Borders.
He and his wife built the house around an old farm house, and there are many quirks to it - such as the "hangmans door" that was built into a tower outside the guests bedroom window!

The house was full of books - in the study and the living area - all around the walls!

Hand painted Asian Wallpaper



Me in the Asian room.


We were then given a tour of the house by Sandra the educational officer and also by Alison Delaney the embroidery artist - we got both a historical view point and a creative/designer view. We were then told to take pictures of details we found interesting and could some how be put into embroidery.

Here is some pictures of Alison's work:

Blackwork - like cross stitch, but always black on white.

Flame stitch purse with some black work samples.

I had a great day and took pictures of the nice scenery on the walk home:

Cows

The river Tweed.



Rugby club




My attempt on even weave and pearl embroidery thread. I was told the stitches should have covered two holes not one.




Abbotsford also have a facebook page and a website.

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Sir Walter Scott

My project is loosely based around Sir Walter Scott - a famous Scottish poet and novelist from the Scottish Borders. His house is between Melrose and Galashiels and is beautiful! It has lovely embroideries, books and decorative plates around the rooms.

My main inspiration is beautiful plates and the patterns in them. I also want to use some quotes from his poetry.

Crochet cashmere plate, printed onto paper and then screen printed with a flower.

Photocopy of crochet plate with screen printed drawing on top.

Abbotsford House

Embroidery at the House.

Tomorrow I will be going to an embroidery class at the House! I am excited we will learn blackwork, silkwork and other historical techniques! We also get lunch =]
I will write a post afterwards - with pictures! Hopefully I will learn alot and can put it into my uni project - we are about to start the fabric development class.

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Week 4 - Uni

Cashmere crochet sample - inspired by this beautiful edge.

Gold crochet edge inspired by the plate edge.

I am now week 4 at uni! Its getting a bit hectic! Here are some samples of work I am doing. Basically my project is inspired by plates and crockery - the colours, form and also designs on the plates. I am combining this with my love for knitted fabric and crochet. I have printed on a few knitted and crochet samples and then worked into them. its taken such a long time! For the next 4 weeks we are starting our fabric development - so the print room and knit studio will be were I will be destined!

Also good news! I am starting up the printing on knit swatches with a lecturer at uni! I did it for a bit in 3rd year, its good fun

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Crochet sample inspired by a lost lid.