Japanese Embroidery in Chicago

Ever wanted to learn the exquisite art of
Japanese Silk Embroidery?

JEC certified teacher, Karen Plater, will be giving two 4-day workshops in 2012 in Chicago.

May 7-10th, Monday-Thursday, 9:30am - 4pm

September 11 -14th, Tuesday - Friday, 9:30am - 4pm

The fee is $70 per day plus supplies.

New students and all phase students welcome.

If you're curious about whether you'd like to start this journey, arrangements to come to a "morning talk" and observe may also be made for one of the days in May.

Stitching Update

On Monday night at Homewood Embroiderer's Guild, Jane and I will be demonstrating methods for getting your design onto your fabric to stitch. We have a whole slew of ideas to share and this is one I've been working on.  I have this royal blue (not quite as purple as it looks here) fulled wool fabric that I decided I wanted to stitch my own crewel design on.

I've had the design drawn and colored in for a couple of years and the wool for at least a year. My sticking point was how to get the complex design onto the thick, dark, kind of fuzzy fabric.

This is what I came up with. I traced the design onto thin woven iron-on interfacing. Ironed it to the back of the wool. Now I'm stitching through it to transfer the design lines to the front of the fabric.

Here's the front showing the lines I've stitched in so far. It goes pretty quickly. I'm stitching from the back using a stem stitch that shows up as a back stitch on the front, using white or ivory machine sewing thread (whichever I happen to grab, no rhyme or reason to the color).  I think it will work out well and also provide a bit of stability to the wool for the thick crewel stitching I have planned.

On First Thursday's I've been working on my small Japanese Embroidery design.  This week I ripped out all of the bamboo leaves on the lower right and restitched them. I'm much happier. While I like the leaves in the left-hand bamboo, I realized I didn't stitch them in the right direction and was copying the error in the second set of leaves. I think the first set looks okay so I left them, but the ones I removed looked bad.  It was my fault, my instructor's directions were detailed and very clear, I just wasn't paying attention. This distraction is why I've been working on the small piece and not my larger fan. I just don't trust myself right now to settle down and focus. 

I am improving. The first day I worked on the piece I stitched two bamboo leaves in the three hours of the workshop. The second time four. This time I ripped and stitched all five and also gave a mini lesson in design transfer methods to a friend.

Last is my first attempt at a knit Dalek egg cosy (Dr. Who).  I found the pattern on Ravelry (Lyles Knit). It's a tad small. I've begun a second one in crochet (also Ravelry, Ellie Skene).

Eggsterminate!

Phase II

For Phase II I'm doing Golden Fan. I've changed some of the colors--from black to dark green and from orangy red to winey red. I've also added some possible metallics.

It's not all planned yet.

So, I mounted the diamond patterned silk fabric in the frame (almost as much of a process as finishing) and got it good and taut. Then I began to check the design lines. The stretching often distorts straight lines on manmade objects and it did with my fan. So I used line-of-held-thread to mark straight design lines. We also found that if I followed the measurement for the outermost fan blades and used them for the center blades, the measurement was much too short. So we recalculated the lengths and set the top edge of the fan so it has a nice shape and curve.

This is about when my cold set in and I didn't accomplish much after that. I used the time to complete all of the guidelines for the fan. I observed lessons for others in the class--another student began this piece a while ago and provides me footsteps to follow. I practised stitching between the barely visible guide lines (up to, not through or over). I made a sample of twisted thread (which I know is not twisted quite tightly enough, but will provide a guide when I begin on my own. I padded the edge of a maple leaf. 

Pretty minor accomplishments, but accomplishments nonetheless.

Last look at Phase I

This is the back of my Bouquet once all was fixed, pasted, steamed and done.

I cut a piece of foamcore to size and covered it with thin white cotton batting (with scrim). I taped the batting in place and then sewed mitered corners, trimming any overlap. I centered my piece on the front of the prepared foamcore and put a few pins into the edges to hold it in place.

I forgot to take a photo while lacing the first side.  You lace closely, beginning in the middle and moving out to each side.  I laced the selvage edges first then the edges that had fabric extensions stitched on to fit the embroidery frame. I left some of the fabric on the piece, here, to help fill the gap between the edges. 

The last two sides are being laced above. Note the hemostats and spool. I reeled off a huge long thread (maybe 5 yards) the clamped it, leaving it on the spool uncut. The cut end went into my needle. Then I began lacing in the center-the hemostats holding the thread in place.  Then if I run out, I can just unspool more and pull it through to the edge. No knots.  When I get to the edge, I park the thread and then go back to the center, and reel off a little more than what I think I used for the first half.

All laced up tight for framing.

When I cut out my foamcore, I cut it from the center of a larger piece. (you can see my cutting skills need work.)  Now when I go to mat and frame the piece, I have leeway in the size mat or frame I choose.  I cal always cut the outer square smaller. Once framed the piece is flat and supported in the frame. I use this type of double-square framing for all of my needlework. It's great for canvas--really supports it--and if you neglect to add enough extra at the edge for the frame, this solves that problem.

Finishing Japanese Embroidery

I didn't get photos of all of the steps involved in this process, but I did take some as my teacher and a classmate worked on finishing.  First you inspect your piece really closely. This view lit from underneath shows long tails and a couple places where I carried threads on the back where it shows.

This has to be fixed before proceeding.  Also, there's a big gap between the top edge of the paper and the iris leaves. Oh, and one clover stem just vanished into nowhere, incomplete (it matched the design line, but should have been extended beyond).  This was all fixed the morning of day 1.

In the afternoon the entire piece was brushed gently and pounded (not at all gently) with a cotton filled white velvet pillow.  This smooths the threads and gets the dust from many years out. This piece was on the frame eight years!

I didn't get any pictures of the pasting. You mix a wheat paste with water and heat it until thickened and using your finger brush the very thinnest, barely moist layer of it over the back of the embroidery (even the thin stems) making sure you don't get any on the silk fabric. (I tried my best).  Then you brush the back side of the pasted embroidery piece with a barely damp towel, both top to bottom and right to left. 

Next comes steaming. You wet the towel and drape it over a hot iron.  You steam it from the underside, first with the back side facing up and then you turn the frame over and steam it with the front side facing up. You hold the iron upside down just below the frame--never touching the fabric. Occasionally you need to reposition the towel so the wettest area is on the hot plate of iron--without letting the hot wet towel fabric touch your skin, clothes or the needlework fabric. That iron gets heavy!

If you look closely you can see the steam coming through the fabric. The steam is what really makes the silk just glow. It plumps up, smooths out and everyone goes Wow! It also seems to smooth/ease the gold work areas--my piece didn't have any but this piece did.

After this you press the piece very lightly on both sides with a warm iron with Japanese pressing paper (seems somewhat like very light-weight freezer paper), shiny side down.

Then you do all of it again--except for the inspection/fixing and velvet pillow steps. You repaste, rewipe it with the damp towel, resteam both sides, and repress both sides.  Then you let it dry at least overnight.

After that you can remove it from the frame and mount it. Phew!

It seems like a lot but I rather like the ritual of it--rather than pulling it off the frame and jumping into the next piece, there's this segue--you treasure the piece you just did, make it as perfect as you can, really look at the accomplishment, take some time to just enjoy it. I laced my bouquet to a mounting board before framing up Phase II. I felt ready.

Not much to show this week

I'm working diligently on a number of projects I can't show yet...mostly the summer challenge for Homewood Guild. Our project this year was to use a playing card as inspiration for a needlework piece. I drew the 10 of clubs and wasn't very inspired. Now I have an idea and hope I can get it done. I also have other things I'm doing to get ready for Homewood's September meeting and some gifts for the holidays underway.
Last weekend I did work in the mornings on my Japanese embroidery piece. It's getting there...but I see something I will be ripping next time I take it out.

I stitched the last of the "pinks," the partial pink toward the bottom, and that one petal just sticks out like a sore thumb. I kind of saw it at the end of the day and wondered, but it took seeing it in the photograph to know. I also completed a lot more stems and the padding for the blue and white cording.  Boy, that petal really bugs me!

I find that with almost any project I'm working on (paper, paint or cloth) a photograph, in particular a black and white photograph, will really show me how a design is working.  It's a great reality check. 

I have a little cluster of clover leaves and stems toward the middle to complete, the blue and white cording, the "trim" on and around the brown "paper" holding the flowers and the final cording that goes over the top of the paper. I'm most worried about keeping a nice curve on that last bit of superimposed cording.

Finished object, WIP and gift

I think I may have been overwhelmed by all of the books on Friday because I just kind of shut down for a bit on Saturday. A four-hour long nap helped.  And a total change of pace.

I purchased the kit to make this felt cake-slice box from Sun Felt a couple of years ago at the International Quilt Festival in Chicago and it had been sitting, waiting all this time.

I had completed the white cake slice right away. So I dug it out and stitched it on Saturday.  They come ready to stitch with all materials, including a nice box to hold the completed cake slice.

The instructions used a lot of glue but I just can't mange glue neatly so I stitched everything. I think they're fun and silly. I have materials and want to make some felt chocolates.

Since the weather was predicted to be bad, I figured I'd be staying in so I set up to stitch on the Japanese embroidery piece.  I actually accomplished a lot (for me and JE).  I padded and stitched the entire striped cord loop at the top of the brown paper on Saturday morning.  On Sunday I stitched the more central of the two "pinks" (which are orange and white) along with the two leaves just to the right of it.  Bit by bit it's getting done. I also made up my white velvet pillow, used to dust and clean the piece as part of the finishing process (or anytime you feel your piece needs a bit of a dusting).

Last, but far from least, hubby found this lovely little crocheted hat pin cushion at an antique shop as a gift for me.  It's small enough I may add a pin back and wear it.  I have a couple of them and I made one (much larger) for a pin cushion so I guess that's a collection.

UFOs and FOs!

Over the three-day holiday weekend I worked each morning on my Japanese embroidery. I'm at the point where I want to get this one done and move on!  I completed the hemp-leaf pattern in gold on the brown paper holding the flowers. I had done it once early on and didn't like it at all. I'm much happier with it now. I also completed the leaves for the pinks, the white mum and a bit of iris leaf.

I completed rectangle two for the Legal Loopers and began #3. This one is my version of Tunisian crochet. I say my version becasuse I've read the directions over the years but never tried it and now I'm trying it from memory, with no directions handy.  I like the way it looks, I'm just not sure whether I'm doing it "right."  It's taking longer than #2 but I like it a lot better.  These colors are a little bright for me.

Square #2, below is one row double crochet and one row single alternated.

And I completed the lacy cotton hat.  It turned out bigger than I expected--I checked gauge but in stockinette stitch and not the lace pattern and I think that may have been my mistake there. 

It was fun to do and a great pattern.  (Lotus Hat free pattern by Third Base Line)

I also worked a lot on the diamond entrelac tote. It still looks like the same blob of wool as my last photo so I didn't photograph it this time. But I'm working on the bottom decreases now and also on the i-cord handles.

Japanese Embroidery!

Thanks to the Vintage Workshop for this image.

This was a holiday weekend in the U.S., Decoration Day when I was a child, now Memorial Day. The former honored the military, I think the latter is more general, to honor and remember all who have gone before. The hubby and I both grew up visiting the cemetery on Decoration Day. All the veterans' graves would have a little American flag. We've visit all of the family graves.

Well, this year I had an unexpectedly long holiday--I went to leave for work on Friday only to find the car's battery was very dead. Since the other car was also scheduled for work on Friday and since the dead car is under warranty, it went off to the dealership for repair. And I got an extra day at home alone. I did some chores and then got out my frame stand and my Japanese embroidery.

I'd never stitched Japanese embroidery at home before--we don't have a lot of free space and the frame and stand take up all of the kitchen. But the kitchen has a lovely double window I can place to my left (as is proper) and I had room for my chair, stand and frame, a tv table for my threads and such. It was pure bliss.I tried to make a picture with arrows showing progress, but they vanished when I saved the image in a form Blogger would accept. I stitched Friday afternoon and then I left the stand out (moving it around from room to room to get it out of the way) and stitched again in the early mornings on Sunday and Monday. I completed the red and white striped cord at the bottom, the two leaves next to the red mum, and four of the little round green clover leaves at the top (only three are done here--I took this photo on Sunday morning, before Monday's stitching). Little by little.

It was different stitching alone--I've always been in a class or with a group. I liked it. I could really focus.

I still rip as much as I leave, but I'm more often seeing what's wrong before I make the mistake.

And even though she wasn't there, I could "hear" my teacher as I worked.

All of my stitching this week was with flat silk and it was nice to concentrate on just one thing, managing the silk and also trying to work more on the detail--the separation in the leaves, keeping the spaces between stitches even, turning the curve on the leaves nicely. I still snag the silk but I'm fighting it much less and am happier with my stitching. Now I'm looking to the next long weekend when I can try this again (I don't know how hubby would feel about waiting for breakfast every weekend...)

Japanese Embroidery

Our teacher took this photo of our class, ready to stitch. I think this was the last day of class last week. We met in the lovely apartment belonging to the mom of one of our class--mom was on vacation.Here's where I was last July, the last chance I'd had to work on this.I had the piece rotated differently on my stand this time so it's hard to compare. This was taken on Thursday morning, before stitching. I did the second Valerian, finished the pink, stitched some leaves and stems.And this was taken Thursday at the end of class. I took out the partially done gold overlay on the brown paper holding the flowers (it drove me nuts, it was so "off") and I also removed the first three petals of the orange carnation. I then completely stitched the orange carnation. Getting that done opens up whole new areas where I can now stitch. (Japanese embroidery is stitched foreground first, then background.) I have a lot I can do now and, sometimes, the confidence that I can. I just need to settle down and do it.

All of these photos were taken of the same piece in natural lighting. It's amazing to me how the lighting varies. The bottom one is truest to color, I think.

I'm thinking about Phase II.

not really stitching

Work is nuts at the moment and taking all of my energy. What's left over is used up getting ready for classes--I teach the crewel chatelaine at the top of this page Tuesday, July 6 and I just submitted a flier and models (thanks to Jamee) for this fall's outreach classes at the YMCA. On the road trip last weekend, I began a second crochet tote. This one also uses leftover yarns. The bottom's done and I'm starting up the sides. It's for a friend.

Even my morning walks are getting to be more erratic. Most mornings I spread almond butter on toast and toss it in the car as I walk really fast and then jump in the car and head off to work (I wait 'till I get to work and am at my desk to eat). I'm trying to get in by 8 a.m. these days. If I need to be here much earlier, I tend to skip the walk, sad to say (although I often make up for it later in the day, having to walk across campus for something or other). I am soooo not a morning person!
A couple of weekends ago I managed couple of hours with this piece. I did the top pine needle spray. The plum blossoms have me a bit skittish. Several years ago I had major problems with them. (throw the piece away, there is no hope for this problems). I did make it to First Thursday--our monthly Japanese Embroidery stitch-in at the Hyde Park Art Center (come by and visit, we'd love to see you). It saved my sanity this week. I've been working on the clover leaves, which by now are somewhat bomb proof (which is good because we had a really enthusiastic children's yoga class in the room adjacent to ours this week). I've decided to remove the blue flower. I just don't like the way it's stitched and will be happier redoing it. My research assistant said I always look so calm and happy after these classes.

Working late

I've been working 10-12 hour days, at work last week and at work and not this week. Last week I ran a conference at work. A second is in the works for a couple of weeks from now. A third looming.

This week I'm spending the middles of my days studying Japanese Embroidery (yes, right here in Chicago!) and the rest of the time I'm working. I'm getting quite tired but it's worth it. (there's room in a Japanese Embroidery "taster" class this coming weekend. Let me know if you're interested.)

Last Monday (the 10th) I learned to make Aunt Philly's toothbrush mats. My completed hot mats are shown above. You use strips of fabric and a buttonhole stitch with a large plastic needle. I can remember Aunt Addie making these in the 70s--and I can remember me being scornful of the "crafty" project. Aunt Addie made exquisite tatting and I couldn't see why she'd waste her time on these mats. Now I know. It's relaxing, fun and, ultimately, useful. I'm coming to appreciate brainless projects as I'm doing more demanding embroideries.As a treat for all of this hard work, I used a Jo-Ann's gift certificate and bought myself a couple of books. This is one. More on them tomorrow.

Stitchin'

I finished it! It's far from perfect but I'm happy and I learned a lot.This weekend I dug into my Japanese Embroidery case and snapped a shot of progress on my piece.I was rather crestfallen when I saw it. It doesn't look like I've done anything but I have, really. Mostly I'm looking at this focusing on tiny details, not the overall. I saw a photo of this design in progress online recently and realized I need to get some more colorful flower petals done--it'll look like more then.

I also worked hard on the camellia this weekend. I have only five or nue leaves left to stitch and the last flower and stem. It now seems finishable!

I dug in a ufo bag and spent Sunday flitting from project to project, taking a few stitches, evaluating whether I'd finish them or not and, if so, what would I do with them and, if not, what would I do with them. We're having a "garage sale" at one of my guilds in June and I'm collecting.

Ridiculous to Sublime

I got the kits for these wooly lock Christmas trees from Esther's Place. I sat outside on Halloween passing out candy and needlefelting the trees. My hubby thinks they look rather like a gnome on a bad hair day. They're, hmmmm, interesting. They were fun to do and a bit more difficult than they looked at first. Silly and fun.
I spent the morning today stitching on my Japanese Embroidery piece. (if you're in the Chicago area and studying JE, come join us. First Thursdays at the Hyde Park Art Center (9am-noon))

I'm never sure of the proper orientation for this piece (which is a paper wrapped bouquet of flowers). I started this summer at this point. So, the work done was over four half-days of study this summer and two First Thursday sessions. It is really wonderful to do and a great calming pause in the week. Life is good.

Japanese Embroidery in Chicago

Reminder -

There will be two special opportunities to learn Japanese Silk Embroidery In Chicago: "Flex Studio" August 17th - 20th, Monday through Thursday at $70/day (plus supplies) and "Mini-Workshop" - August 22nd - 23rd, Saturday and Sunday for $140 including supplies.

Karen Plater, a certified JEC instructor, will be teaching a four-day studio class in Hyde Park, August 17-20, Monday through Thursday. Flexible attendance is possible especially for continuing students. Karen is a certified instructor in Japanese Embroidery. Continuing students at any phase are welcome. New students interested in beginning phase 1 (see image above) should contact Karen as soon as possible. More detailed information about Karen and Japanese Embroidery is here.

Karen will also be teaching a two day introductory mini-course at the Hyde Park Art Center on Sat-Sun, August 22nd and 23rd. For more information and to register go here or call 773-324-5520. Please contact Ruth Bloom for more information about the studio class at lsbrwb at yahoo dot com.

Coincidentally, the Art Institute of Chicago is hosting a special exhibit "Beyond Gold Clouds: Japanese Screens from the Art Institute of Chicago and the Saint Louis Art Museum. There will be a lecture demonstration on Thursday, August 20th at 6PM on Gilding Japanese Screens which we all plan on attending. (Thursdays are free and the Art Institute is open until 9PM.)

On Friday, August 21st at noon there will be an Exhibition Overview by Janice Katz, Associate Curator. (Regular admission fees apply. Information here.)

Japanese Embroidery in Chicago

Coming up next month in Chicago (and, lucky for me, right in Hyde Park where I work), will be a four day workshop in Traditional Japanese Embroidery. It will be taught by Karen L. Plater and the classes will be at the Hyde Park Art Center. The class will be August 17 through 20. Pre-registration is required. Here's the flier with information.

Several years ago (at least five), I went to the Japanese Embroidery Center in Atlanta to begin phase one. I felt the experience was less than successful as far as my piece went but I learned so much that I've applied to all of my work since, I'm very happy I went. (never take an intensive class when on a new blood pressure medicine). I haven't touched my piece since the class.

I'm trying to schedule things so that I can attend the Chicago classes and pick up with my phase one piece where I left off. It's not the piece shown above, but Bouquet from the Heart of Japan, shown here. Part of my problem is I have no place where I can work on this at home. If there are enough Chicago area enthusiasts who come, we may be able to organize more frequent meetings.