The last couple of days I’ve been busy at a workshop with our Guild…we had planned, many months ago, to have a tutor teach us the ‘right’ ways to do sashiko and we were all looking forward to it, BUT…..you know those little curve balls that life throws sometimes???…..Yeah, well, our tutors were dealt a bucket full, and they had to cancel our workshop very late in the game. So, some fast tracking led us to a tutor from Rockhampton who does some beautiful hand embroidery…..long story short, our tutor, Glenda Semple came to teach us some of the traditional stitches of early American woman, called Deerfield Embroidery. Deerfield embroidery was developed in the 19th century and predominantly used varying values of blue, and white threads, basically because it was easy to find indigo dye and not much else. Blue threads varied in depths of colour by the number of ‘dips’ the threads got in the dye. So simple but so effective!
That’s Glenda standing helping one of our members with her stitching….such a lovely lady, and such talent. Here is some of Glenda’s other work…….gor-geeeee-ous don’t you think????
Here is our planned project, a modern version of a Deerfield embroidered needle roll that Glenda brought along to show us….
and here is the progress I made over the two days she was here…..
A little bit of modern influence with the addition of a mustard yellow accent thread…….not the best photos, I know….very dark and creased but I was so excited to share it with you, I couldn’t stop to iron it!!!! …and a little bit left, I know! Don’t know how many times I was told to stop checking my Facebook page…..I may have finished it if I’d listened to the ladies!!!! hee hee I learnt some excellent tricks and new stitches I’d use again, and some I wouldn’t touch with a crowbar but what is it they say?….if you learn one thing at a workshop, it is money well spent. I think I must have came home with quite a few new learnt things and every cent was spent extremely wisely (in my opinion!!!) ….I’m excited to finish it and have the needle roll made and ready to take to Adelaide with me…..*eek*…next week??!!! So, have you tried something new this week??? I’d love to hear about it! Sugary hugs :O) xox
Can’t wait to meet Fee, Vicki and especially Dawn at last, and catch up with the gawjus Joy, Marilyn and Teresa again and meet some other wonderful ladies that I’ve talked to so many times, it feels like I know them so, so well! So a short break…..but I will be back on Tuesday with the release of Block 2 and 3 of the “Seasons Of” Block of the Month….I know, a little past the 10th but Dawn was so preoccupied with organising the retreat that she ‘forgot’ Block 2 and so I promised I’d release it for her and well, I just wont be near a computer on the 10th to release block 3 ….more likely stitching up a storm!!!! But don’t worry, I WILL be back with more stories to tell! Sugary hugs :O) xox 
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