Author: emptyThimble

Embroidery and other fiber arts

Congreso de EGA

Soy miembro del EGA (Embroiderers’ Guild of America – Gremio de Bordadores de América) y asistí al congreso nacional del 2022 en la ciudad de Nueva York.

Congreso nacional del EGA del 2022
La primera vez en tres años que Mercedes ve mi muestrario de calado

El congreso fue la ocasión para verme con mi querida prima Sandra que vive en la Florida y es también miembro del EGA y con mi profesora de Calado de Cartago, Mercedes López.

Durante los últimos tres años, Mercedes me ha estado enseñando Calado de Cartago (para más información) via WhatsApp. Esta fue la primera vez en tres años que nos hemos podido ver.

Mercedes me dió un libro con entrevistas a bordadores de Cartago por Lina Rodríguez

Durante el congreso tomamos una clase con la bordadora australiana Jane Nicholas, sus azahares de ciruela japoneses. Fue un motivo de tres azahares de ciruela hechos en la técnica de bordado en oro.

Aquí estoy bordando un azahar de ciruela japonés de Jane Nicholas
El burro por delante, Jane Nicholas y Mercedes

Lo pasamos muy sabroso haciendo visita con viejas amigas, conociendo nuevas y aprendiendo cosas nuevas.

Sí acabé el proyecto en la casa.

EGA Seminar

I’m a member of the EGA (Embroiderers’ Guild of America) and I attended 2022’s National Seminar in New York City.

EGA’s 2022 National Seminar.
Mercedes seeing the samplers for the first time in three years.

At the seminar I met up my dear cousin Sandra that lives in Florida and is an EGA Member-at-Large and my Calado de Cartago teacher, Mercedes Lopez.

Mercedes has been teaching me Calado de Cartago (Cartago openwork or drawn thread work-see here for more info) via WhatsApp for the past three years. This was the first time in those three years that we’ve been able to see each other.

Mercedes gave me a book profiling different embroiderers from Cartago by Lina Rodríguez

During the Seminar we took a class with Jane Nicholas, her Japanese Cherry Blossoms. They were a motive of three cherry blossoms in goldwork.

Here I am working on the Japanese Cherry Blossoms by Jane Nicholas
Myself, Jane Nicholas, and Mercedes

It was a great time, catching up with friends who live far away, learning new things and meeting new stitchy friends.

I did finish the project at home.

La escuela de verano internacional en línea de la Real Academia Británica del Bordado, 2022.

La escuela de verano de la Real Academia Británica del Bordado fue durante dos semanas en julio del 2022. Ofrecieron dos opciones: presencial en el palacio de Hampton court o en línea.

Como no pude viajar al Reino Unido, escogí la opción en línea.

Me inscribí en dos clases:

  • Caracol de lana por Jung Byung
  • Hojas de oro por Kelley Aldridge

Ambas clases fueron magníficas, aprendí mucho.

Caracol de lana. Diseño por Jung Byung

El proyecto de crewelwork (bordado con hilos de lana sobre sarga de lino) incluye puntadas rectas, satinadas, arroz, enrejado, etc.

Caparazón en puntada de boloña.

La caparazón del caracol fue hecha con puntada de boloña en espiral, muy chévere.

Enrejado.

Para el enrejado utilicé una regla. Traté de hacerlo al ojo con la aguja y me quedó torcido.

Hojas de oro. Diseño por Kelley Aldridge

El bordado en oro siempre es muy divertido. Aprendí a trabajar la hojilla y los diferentes tipos de alambres (japonés, rococo) y a intercalar canutillos. Además del relleno suave y duro como también el de fieltro que es más popular.

Este año era el centésimo quincuagésimo (150) aniversario de la Real Academia y el paquete de la escuela de verano venía con un diseño conmemorativo que bordamos juntas para celebrar el día mundial del bordado (julio 30.)

Sesión en línea durante el día mundial del bordado.

Fue una experiencia maravillosa, lo único es que me hubiera gustado hacerla en persona en el palacio de Hampton Court (la sede de la real academia.) Algún día.

RSN International Online Summer School 2022

The Royal School of Needlework’s summer school was over two weeks in July, 2022. They had two options: in-person at Hampton Court Palace or online.

Since I could not travel to the UK this summer, I opted for the online option.

I signed up for two classes:

  • Introduction to crewelwork : snail by Jung Byung
  • Leaves of Gold by Kelley Aldridge

They were both great, I learned a lot.

Crewelwork Snail. Design by Jung Byung

The project included straight and satin stitches, seeding, trellis, etc.

Crewelwork snail in couched stitch.

The snail’s shell was couched is a spiral, very cool.

Trellis

For the trellises, I used a ruler to keep them even, I tried eyeing them with my needle and they came up crooked.

Leaves of Gold. Design by Kelley Aldridge

Goldwork is always fun. I learned to work with broad plate along with different types of gold threads (Japanese, rococo) and s-ing of purls. Plus soft and hard padding, along with the more common felt padding.

This year was the RSN’s 150th anniversary and the summer school package came with a commemorative kit that we stitched together online to celebrate World Embroidery Day (July 30th.)

Online session during World Embroidery Day.

It was a great experience, I just wished I could have done it in person at Hampton Court (where the RSN is located.) Maybe someday.

My favorite podcasts

I love podcasts.

It’s like making my own radio station but with shows that only I like.

Some news in German (Deutsche Welle), French (RFI), and Spanish (Caracol) and lots of crafting and historic crafting podcasts.

Below are some of my favorite crafting and historic crafting podcasts

FiberTalk

By Gary Parr and special guests. Twice weekly (usually) on Wednesdays and interviews with embroidery artists on Sunday. There are live stitching sessions on YouTube every now and then.

The Embroidery Podcast (@theembroiderypodcast)

By Masako Newton and Marg Dier. Versions in English and Japanese. These RSN (Royal School of Needlework) graduates talk about different embroidery topics.

Sew What?

By Isabella Rosner, textile historian. Explores all types of needlecraft (embroidery, knitting, weaving, etc.)

It is well researched with lots of references.

Salón de Moda

By Laura Beltrán-Rubio, Sandra Mathey García-Rada, etc. These dress historians from the Parsons School of Design talk about fashion from a social science perspective centered in Latin America. In Spanish.

Haptic & Hue

By Jo Andrews. Very interesting epidoses about artisans creating textiles. From Maison Sajou to the British farmers turning previously wasted wool into boutique products, very good.

Fiber Nation

By Interweave. Episodes about fiber types such as the origins of Spandex, the people trying to save the Manx sheep, etc.

El podcast de Duduá

By Duduá. Duduá is a crafting store in Barcelona, Spain. The epidoses interview different artists that Duduá works with. In Spanish.

Dressed: The History of Fashion

By April Calahan and Cassidy Zachary. Fashion historians talk about interesting eras in fashion history by interviewing other fashion historians. Very informative.

Crast Industry Alliance

By Abby Glassenberg. Interviews with crafting business owners.

Colombian Embroidery

Happy birthday, Colombia! July 20th, 1810.

To celebrate, we are going to talk about Colombian embroidery.

In Colombia, weaving/knitting is king (cotton, wool, Gynerium sagittatum, Furcraea, banana fiber, etc.) but embroidery is also appreciated.

Cartago Openwork

Let’s start with the most locally famous, Cartago (Valle del Cauca) openwork.

Penelope, the monument to the embroiderer, Cartago, Valle del Cauca, Colombia.

It is a type of drawnthread whitework. It is done on linen or cotton, but always evenweave. The threads of the ground fabric are drawn (cut) out and then new threads (cotton) are needlewoven in to create beautiful geometric designs on the bias.

Cartago openwork in progress.

The embroidery is used to decorate sheets, tablecloths, curtains, and the famous openwork guayaberas (Panama shirts.)

Openwork Guayabera

Fonquetá Crewelwork

In the highlands of the Cundinamarca state, sheep are raised, and with their wool, fabric is woven and embroidered.

Crewelwork from the Fonquetá artisanal workshop (@tallerartesanalfonqueta)

Nariño Appliqué

In the city of Pasto, Nariño, they weave woolen blankets which they then embroider with appliqué using cotton fabric and threads.

Nariño appliqué from cooperativa Ecotema

Infant of Prague Dress

When I was in Prague, Czech Republic, last year (2019), I was able to admire Ms. María Mercedes de Duque’s beautiful work. She made the Infant a dress embroidered with the Colombian national symbols.

The Infant of Prague’s dress.
The flag, the shield, and a map in gold with an emerald.
Pre-columbian gold artifacts, orchids and butterflies.
Can’t forget the coffee.
The artist, Ms. María Mercedes de Duque.

Bordado Colombiano

¡Feliz cumpleaños, Colombia! 20 de julio de 1810.

Para celebrar, vamos a hablar de algunos de los bordados colombianos.

En Colombia manda el tejido (algodón, lana, caña flecha, fique, calceta de plátano, etc.) pero el bordado también es apreciado.

Calado de Cartago

Comenzamos con el bordado más famoso, el calado de Cartago (Valle del Cauca.)

Penélope, monumento a la bordadora, Cartago, Valle del Cauca, Colombia.

Es una clase de bordado en blanco. Se hace sobre lino o algodón, pero tejido en ligamento tafetán. Se sacan los hilos y luego se vuelven a coser formando diseños geométricos muy lindos al sesgo o biés.

Calados de Cartago en progreso.

Los bordados se usan para decorar sábanas, manteles, cortinas, y las famosas guayaberas caladas

Guayabera calada

Bordado en lana de Fonquetá

En el altiplano cundiboyasense, se produce lana de oveja, y esto llevó al bordado de lana sobre lana.

En Fonquetá, Cundinamarca, se bordan las mantas de lana con hilos de lana.

Bordado en lana del taller artesanal de Fonquetá (@tallerartesanalfonqueta)

Gobelinos de Pasto, Nariño.

En la ciudad de Pasto, Nariño, se hace un bordado sobre paños de lana usando aplicados de tela de algodón, con detalles en hilos de algodón.

Gobelinos de Pasto de la cooperativa Ecotema

Vestido bordado del niño de Praga

Y cuando estuve en Praga, República Checa, pude admirar la labor de doña María Mercedes de Duque, que le hizo un vestido al divino niño de Praga con los símbolos patrios.

Vestido del niño de Praga.
La bandera, el escudo y un mapa en oro con una esmeralda.
Artefactos pre-colombinos en oro, orquídeas y mariposas.
Y el café que no puede faltar.
La artista, doña María Mercedes de Duque.

The RSN USA Summer School

Two years (2018) ago I attend the RSN (Royal School of Needlework) Summer School in Lexington, Kentucky, in the United States.

Enjoyed it a lot and learned to do blackwork and whitework and stumpwork. I also bought a couple kits to learn goldwork and broderie anglaise (more whitework.)

Whitework pulled thread stumpwork brooch. Design by Sarah Rickards.
Blackwork initial (I added the beads.) Design by Annalee Levin
Goldwork cherries. Design by Annalee Levin
Broderie anglaise thimble. Design by Zinaida Kazban

I was supposed to go again this year (2020.) They were planning to have the USA summer school every two years, but COVID-19 put a damper on that.

So I decided to take one of their online self-paced classes this summer. I signed up for the Introduction to Jacobean Crewelwork class.

Online self-paced embroidery class

The class was great! I learned the basics of crewel. It’s very interesting working with wool threads. They tend to break more easily than cotton after a few stitches.

My own effort, the crewel pomegranate.

One of the ways to keep the wool threads from breaking, is to keep the stitch on the surface as much as possible. This is done with stitches like the raised stem stitch. You first create a supporting grid of horizontal stitches. The stem stitches will then go vertically under the supporting horizontal stitches, NOT through the fabric.

Raised stem stitch.

Other stitches that help cover large areas with minimal trips through the ground cloth are the trellis stitch (inside the pomegranate) and the woven wheel in the center of the petals to the lower right side.

It was a great class, I enjoyed it very much. Thanks to Deborah Wilding for teaching it!

Icelandic Narwhal Cushion

Since my beloved is a big fan of Iceland and narwhals, I decided to combine the two and make a cushion cover for his favorite cushion with an embroidered pattern featuring Icelandic embroidery and narwhals.

Icelandic narwhal embroidered cushion cover

The pattern comes from the book Traditional Icelandic Embroidery by Elsa E. Gudjónsson. However, I did not use wool, rather, I shopped my stash and used 25-count linen and stranded cotton thread.

Traditional Icelandic Embroidery by Elsa E. Gudjónsson

The pattern had peacocks, which were replaced with narwhals (besides, how Icelandic are peacocks?)

Icelandic peacocks?

I used the long arm cross stitch or gamli krosssaumurinn. I followed the tutorial in the Piecework Magazine article by Justin Allan-Spencer (February 2020.)

Long-armed cross stitch instructions by Justin Allan-Spencer in Piecework Magazine article.

Once the embroidery was finished, I used an old shirt and a left over piece from a bed cover to make the rest of the cushion cover. I even made piping! I originally wanted to put an invisible zipper but realized that it was too small for the cushion, so I ripped it out and put in buttons instead.

Homemade pipping or rather “artisanal” piping.
Well, at least now I know how to put in an invisible zipper.
The buttons for closing the cushion cover.

I learned a lot, specially the sewing skills required to make the cushion cover.

Cushion cover in use.

And like they say in Iceland, bless bless!

Around the world and the calendar with needles

Or embroidery and other fiber arts events.

Festivales, talleres y cualquier evento con bordado y otras manualidades.

January/enero

February/febrero

  • Creativa, Zaragoza, Spain.
    • This is a general craft fair.
    • Feria de manualidades

March/marzo

  • Nashville Needlework Market, Nashville, TN, USA.
    • It’s for wholesale buyers and designers, but it’s good to follow on social media to keep track of new designers and designs.
    • Feria para diseñadores y mayoristas, pero es bueno seguirla en redes para enterarse de los últimos diseños y diseñadores.

April/abril

May/mayo

  • Madrid Craft Week, Madrid, Spain.
    • General crafting fair.
    • Feria de manualidades y artesanías.

June/junio

  • DIY Canarias, Canary Islands, Spain.
    • It is a crafting festival and it includes workshops on calado canario (Canarian openwork.)
    • Festival de manualidades y artesanías, incluye talleres de calado canario.
  • Festival de lana de Canarias, Canary Islands, Spain.
    • Wool festival with craft fair.
    • Festival de manualidades y artesanías.
  • EGA (Embroiderers’ Guild of America) South Central Region Seminar, location varies.
  • Festival de la ruana, el pañolón, la almojábana y el amasijo, Paipa, Colombia.
    • Poncho, shawl, and baked goods festival. Includes sheep shearing and spinning competitions.
    • Incluye competencia de esquilado de oveja e hilado.

July/julio

  • Royal School of Needlework Summer School. Online, every two years.
    • The Royal School of Needlework (from the UK) holds summer school every two years online with schedules for the western and eastern hemispheres.
    • La real academia británica del bordado ofrece su escuela de verano (en julio) cada dos años. Es en lí
  • Tejilarte, Sutatausa, Cundinamarca, Colombia.
    • Local wool festival; spinning, weaving, knitting, etc.
    • Festival de lana de oveja regional.

August/agosto

  • La ruta del bordado. Cartago, Colombia.
    • Market for embroidered goods, classes, and there’s an embroidery marathon competition (no running involved.)
    • Mercado de bordados, clases, y la maratón del bordado (no hay que correr.)
  • La fête du Fil, Labastide Rouairoux, France
    • Textile art workshops, exhibits, etc.
    • Exposiciones, talleres, etc. de arte textil.

September/septiembre

October/octubre

November/noviembre

December/diciembre

All Year round/todo el año

Below are schools and other organizations that offer embroidery classes

Lista de escuelas y otras organizaciones que ofrecen clases de bordado.

Please let me know if you know of any other needlework events to add to the list.

Si sabe de algún evento, por favor compártalo conmigo para añadirlo a la lista.