Filed under: Beaded Super Duo Tape Measure Cover Kit by Carole Ohl, Brandywine Chapter, Embroidery Guild of America, Mid-Atlantic Region, Zokins
The 3rd session of the 3rd quarter for my EGA Brandywine Guild meetings led by Kathy A and Karen S was well attended yesterday by about a dozen members many of us hanging out even after lunch.
Adding the cloth pages were easier than I expected especially when I focused on reading the directions! Amazing how well that helps. I prefer visual instructions but they work better when explained in text.
At least Joanne M and I prefer canvaswork more because getting precise lines in this free form stitching is nearly impossible. Others found the freedom enjoyable. What do you prefer?
Joanne M made a bucket drawstring kind of purse – really nice and the lines looked straight! Nancy G sized her cover to fit over her booklet of needles. Patrick B found a few fabrics with sayings for his. Others were still piecing theirs together. Everyone’s turning out different and it was fun to look at them all.
Kathy A talked about the related Sashiko embroidery and brought several books and tons of stencils. So, I transferred a couple of patterns with a borrowed a Sewline mechanical pencil with 5 different colors that can be used. Karen S has had her pencil quite awhile and I would need to buy each color pencil separately. But, after a discussion with Linda from Main Line Stitchers about the few quilt stores left in our area where Sewline products are likely to be found, she is giving me one of her extra Sewline air erasable fabric pens. I look forward to playing with that!
Here is my completed booklet ready to sew over my stencils. You can just about see this pattern but I can see it under my lamp. At least with the stencil, the stitching should be more precise.
This pattern is easier to see. I’m thinking that I’ll add little motifs inside each scallop.
The running stitch with long Sashiko needles allows for faster stitching than the stabbing method of stitching but there is still room for improvement where threads come together at intersections. But, this is a doodle booklet. Also, I can’t say I love all those little fraying threads but it’s a doodle booklet. And, having the pages in a booklet makes stitching a little more logistically challenging. The pages could come out and get reattached but it’s a doodle booklet. Bottom line, it’s all good enough.
As usual, I come away with more to do! When we split up the gift baskets Sue won at the EGA MAR Regional Seminar in Gettysburg, I had expressed interest in this beaded Carole Ohl Tape Measure Cover kit but so had Kathy A. Well, this month she gave it to me because she found she already had one in her stash. So, now it’s in my stash! So pretty. I love how the beads fit precisely packed together. Hopefully, mine will look this good (when I get to it).
Kathy A and Karen S are leading members in making Zokins. They didn’t think we’d want a traditional Japanese Zokin (layered pieces of fabric to use for cleaning). So, we made covers for a stitch booklet. Both sides get stitched together to make a lined cover. Then fabric pages attached.
I was going to stitch a diagonal grid going in both directions to stitch the small swatches in place. However, the 2 lines I started with were not straight so I ripped them out and attached each one uniquely.
I placed a layer of Craftex to each side held in place with fusible interfacing to make the cover stiff but with a gap in the center to attach the pages. It is not too thick and still will be flexible and not heavy. If I used magazine board, it could get bent. Foam board would be too thick and hard.
I am ready for Wednesday September 17 and the EGA Brandywine Guild session to add the pages and maybe add some stitches!
Filed under: Brandywine Chapter, Embroidery Guild of America, General comments, Needles, Tools, Zokins
Lots to share about my EGA Brandywine Guild meeting earlier this week!
Kathy A and Karen S had prepared pieces of blue cloth and scraps of various fabrics for us to select. The right side of photo are the pieces I took. There were 12 of us. There could have 12 more and still had fabric left over! They also purchased a Clover adjustable ring thimble with plate for everyone. A new tool. It feels comfortable. Looking forward to trying it.
You stitch boro like you stitch Sashiko. So, I can use my Sashiko needles! I have a 2 pack. They have large eye for easy threading. The shorter (almost 1″) needles are for smaller, decorative designs while the longer needles (a little over 1.5″) are for straight stitches and basting. So, I will use the long one.
And, we got to share in the two opportunity baskets that Sue S, our Chapter’s MAR Rep won at the EGA-MAR Regional Seminar in Gettysburg! One of the baskets was from the EGA Molly Pitcher Stitchers Chapter in Carlisle, PA who are celebrating their 40th anniversary as a chapter. Congratulations and thank you for your generous contribution – it was a huge basket! Between the two baskets everyone got multiple gems. Not pictured are three red kitchen towels that I took.
I wanted and needed the project bag for the blue fabrics since I had intended to work with my fabrics and still will. Karen R from Molly Pitcher Stitchers stitched a lovely design and finished in coordinating colors. The Mollies have stitched two of my designs, Overdyed Spools and A Spring Sampler. I visited them after Overdyed Spools was posted as a Petite Project. So, I really appreciate having something of theirs. The counting pins are cute and came from them too! These will be perfect to carry in my travel tool bag.
Here’s the arrangement of my fabrics ready to stitch into place. I used all the straight pins I own!
We have until September to stitch the small pieces onto the larger ones when we finish them into a cloth booklet (back to back with pages).
Kathy A and Karen S are leading the next 3 events (July 16, August 12-looking at the EGA Study Box on Surface Embroidery, and September 17-finishing what we start in July) for my EGA Brandywine Guild.
I really do not have remnants of fabric from clothes or rags which would be traditional materials for boro, a Japanese mending method of patching. I do have some lovely swatches of fabrics and a piece of blue fabric for the base. I won’t need all these but I like options! I’m upgrading from cotton thread to Planet Earth 6-ply Silk for stitching the swatches to the fabric, thus creating a zokin. I believe that is an accurate description of what I am getting into!
I believe running stitches will be used to attach small pieces of fabric to the base cloth. The cloth will cover a small lined notebook (5.5″ wide x 8″ high) I had sitting around.
It’s going to be a fantastic opportunity to use my self-threading needles. They are sharp.
Looking forward to what is now later today!!!
Melitastitches4fun's Blog 
Filed under: General comments, Needles, Technique Issues, Zokins
Last night, Judy, Merril and I joined forces to cover Sashiko stitching at our Needlework and Fiber Guild of Media (we meet on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7 pm). From my research on the topic of Sashiko, it is a traditional Japanese stitching technique used for decorative and functional purposes, while Boro refers to the patched textiles resulting from repeated mending, embodying a history of resourcefulness and sustainability. So, a Zokin must be a type of Boro since it is a traditional Japanese cleaning cloth made from old clothes, towels or fabrics.
I showed my Zokin and discussed it previously (Zokins | Melitastitches4fun’s Blog). After Show & Tell, we dove into Sashiko. Merril had fabric swatches and threads. I brought threads too. The chapter purchased Sashiko needles for everyone. This is one large needle! Puts my 2 needles to shame.
We each got 3 fabric swatches. Two decorative ones and a blue denim to make a needle book for the Sashiko needle. But, I have a box I store my needles in. So, I made a bookmark.
Merril came with rulers and fabric marking pens. We didn’t have a lot of time and I just did 3 parallel lines in the basic running stitch. It’s a reversible stitch. Without marking the stitch lengths, this was as even as I could get. I wasn’t going to get particular about it. Having loose edges with threads fraying makes this an art form that I don’t need to pursue although I do have a small notebook that I was thinking of covering with fabric.