Variegated Thread Dyeing & New Workshops!

Variegated Thread Dyeing & New Workshops!

Not easily deterred, I just placed an order for a few different threads that I will experiment with for dyeing. For those of you who heard about my previous thread dyeing fiasco, you will be shaking your head in disbelief. I know, I know, I don’t have a wet studio, I barely have a “studio”, and given my last disastrous attempt, you’re wondering what’s possessed me. But I figure the upside to learning how to dye my own variegated threads, so they go with the linens I’ve just dyed, is as good a reason as any to give this whole dyeing thing another shot.

My first stab at dyeing my own threads in #5 wt & #8 Wt Perl Cotton

Oh! And before I forget, want to learn how to make a Dorset Button? Well, of course you do! Who wouldn’t? My Dorset Button Workshop, the one that is for those who’ve never made a Dorset Button before is coming up, so don’t forget to sign up now! Click HERE. In that workshop, besides having an absolute blast and hanging out for three hours we will cover what to do when your thread runs out in the middle of wrapping the ring and what to do when your thread runs out in the middle of making those spokes, and while we’re discussing spokes, how to line them up so that they don’t look like a spider’s web gone rogue. And once everyone has wrapped at least one ring, lined up those spokes and finished making the woven center, we will tread off the beaten path and learn how to add other stitches. This workshop covers everything you need to know in order to make some truly fabulous Dorset Buttons, like this one.

Carnival Dorset Button

And for those of you who already know how to make a Dorset Button, how about taking it to the next level? My Dorset Buttons Gone Wild II Workshop is one week later, so it’s perfect for those who want to take both! In that workshop you’ll learn how to make little works of art using Dorset Buttons as your jumping off point.

And for all of you really, really adventuresome types, sign up for my Dorset Buttons Gone Wild Scissor Case Workshop which is both the Dorset Buttons Gone Wild AND the Dorset Buttons Gone Wild II workshops combined, with tons of other tips, techniques and information culminating in a finished product – a scissor case covered in Dorset Buttons! This design is exclusive to the workshop and not available anywhere else. Whether you are just beginning to learn how to hand stitch or are an old pro, this workshop has something for everyone.

And if you haven’t signed up for my newsletter (just to the right of this blog post and below the Google Translate Button) do so now, so you don’t miss out on anything, including giveaways, fun little tips and information regarding new workshops, projects and designs.

❤️

Animal Videos, Stitching & Dorset Buttons

Animal Videos, Stitching & Dorset Buttons

Animal Videos, Stitching, Dorset Buttons and a Couple Other Things Thrown in for Good Measure was the original title of this post, but that was way too long, so I had to shorten it.

A friend of mine (and of my mother’s) sent me this video, which of course I had to share. Thank you Linda! ❤️

I added a few Dorset Buttons to my Scissor Case, which I am now declaring finished. Seriously. I need to be stopped. However in my defense I had to wrap a whole bunch of rings in preparation for my advanced Dorset Button workshop that I’m teaching tomorrow and since I was already wrapping them, why not make a few more for the background of the scissor case? I mean, that’s just basic time management at work, right?

How fabulous are these? And I don’t mean that in a boasting kind of way, but more in an exuberant-whoopee-these-are-SO-much-fun kind of way…

One side of both the Scissor Case and Glasses Case
And the other side…

These are going to be 5-day workshops once my website is finished and up and running. Did I mention we’ve been working away on that?!

AND this weekend I begin my Improvisational Workshop, which I’m just way too excited about and will need to sit in quiet, meditative, stillness for a few minutes, just to calm down.

Have you ever looked at a piece of cloth, stitched a few stitches into it and thought – well now what? That’s what this Improvisational Stitching Workshop is all about! It will answer the “Now what?” question that can loom so large. We are going to be discussing design, composition, adding different elements, colors, shape, line and pulling the whole thing together into a cohesive piece. I cannot wait. I’m so excited. Did I already say that?!
A much larger improvisational stitching piece (44″ x 36″) that I have held off working on, but am SO excited to begin!
Animal Videos, Stitching & Dorset Buttons

Videos From My Mother and Other News!

First things first. My mother sent me two videos this week and both are too wonderful to not pass along.

The text within this video roughly translates to: “What an animal concert: The Cologne pianist Thelonious Herrmann came up with this unusual idea. He took his piano to the Koln Zoo to play among goats, monkeys and giraffes. Many zoos are closed due to the COVID19 pandemic. He hopes to collect donations for the Cologne Zoo. Usually the young musician travels all over Europe with his piano. He has already toured 18 countries with his project “Stadtgeklimper”. Incidentally, the music for the zoo animals was composed by himself. The sea lions seem to like it in particular!”

And then there’s this. Adorable…

And finally, I have some spaces left in the Dorset Button II workshop, this coming Wednesday, March 31st from 2-5pm EDT.

Dorset Buttons Gone Wild Part II:  Wednesday, March 31st 2-5pm EDT. $60 This includes a recording of the entire 3-hour class that you can refer to whenever and as often as you like.

This workshop is for those who’ve already taken the Dorset Buttons Gone Wild Workshop and/or have a good working knowledge of how to make a basic Dorset Button.  We will NOT be going over the basics, but instead will be going rogue, incorporating all kinds of other materials as well as changing the way we make the spokes so that you can make “tree-like” Dorset Buttons, as well as more abstract looking buttons.  

For those of you who are interested in either workshop you must send payment via Paypal, Venmo or Zelle using my email address: ariane@arianezurcher.com.

My Scissor’s Case Design, but using Dorset Buttons.

I am also teaching an improvisational workshop! This is the YouTube Video I did about it, which includes a little about my design background.

Animal Videos, Stitching & Dorset Buttons

Two New Workshops Added!

The Dorset Buttons Workshop was a huge success! As a result I am doing another and have added a Dorset Button II workshop for those who’ve completed the first and/or feel they have a working knowledge of how to make a traditional Dorset Button.

Dorset Buttons Gone Wild Workshop: Wednesday, March 24th 2-5pm EDT.  $60. This includes a recording of the entire 3-hour class that you can refer to whenever and as often as you like.

This 3-hour workshop includes making a basic Dorset Button, various ways to start a new thread if your thread runs out at any point along the way, including while wrapping the ring. Adding different threads to make the spokes, as well as how to make the whipped woven center.  We will then be adding french knots/colonial knots/drizzle stitches and Bullion Knots/Cast-On Bullion Knots around the outer edge. This workshop is hands on, and will take you through each step of making a Dorset Button for both left handed and right handed stitchers.  

The second workshop is:

Dorset Buttons Gone Wild Part II:  Wednesday, March 31st 2-5pm EDT. $60 This includes a recording of the entire 3-hour class that you can refer to whenever and as often as you like.

This workshop is for those who’ve already taken the Dorset Buttons Gone Wild Workshop and/or have a good working knowledge of how to make a basic Dorset Button.  We will NOT be going over the basics, but instead will be going rogue, incorporating all kinds of other materials as well as changing the way we make the spokes so that you can make “tree-like” Dorset Buttons, as well as more abstract looking buttons.  

For those of you who are interested in either workshop you must send payment via Paypal, Venmo or Zelle using my email address: ariane@arianezurcher.com and be sure to specify which class you’re signing up for.  Be sure to tell me which you are signing up for or if you’re signing up for both, so I can reserve your spot.  For those of you who live outside the United States, I accept personal checks, but you will need to tell me so that I can give you the necessary information. 

Traditional Dorset Button leaving the ridge on the outer edge.

Once everyone had mastered that, we moved on to adding stitches such as french knots, a drizzle stitch and bullion knots and cast-on bullion knots around the outer edge.

A traditional Dorset Button with Cast-On Bullions around the outer edge.
Using beads and buttons.
A Dorset Button like this one will be covered in the Dorset Button II workshop.
More Dorset Buttons Gone Rogue!

If you’re interested in either or both workshops, please leave me a comment or reach out to me via email to ensure you have a spot reserved.

For both classes you will need some rings, of any size, but to begin use the ones that are around 1/2″ or so as they will be quicker to wrap than if you start with something that’s over 1″ in diameter. For the Advanced class any size ring will work. Have threads of various weights and types on hand. I suggest both a #18 and #24 Chenille Needle, a tapestry needle in those sizes will work too, as well as a #3 and #1 Milliners needle for making wrap stitches.

Sign up now!

❤️

New: Dorset Buttons Gone Wild Workshop!

New: Dorset Buttons Gone Wild Workshop!

Some exciting news!

I’m doing a Dorset Buttons Gone Wild 3-hour Workshop via Zoom. (It will be recorded and uploaded to YouTube, but will only be available to view if you have purchased the workshop. You can reference the entire workshop later or whenever you like once the workshop is over.)

When: A 3-hour workshop: Saturday, March 20th from 2-5pm EDT

Cost: $40.00 – I accept payment by check, through Zelle, Venmo or Paypal using my name: Ariane Zurcher and email address: ariane@arianezurcher.com. Tell me in the comments how you are paying so that I can make a note of it.

The workshop is limited to 30 people, first come, first serve. I have 19 spots left, so reserve your spot now!

What you’ll need and what you can expect:

Have at least a few rings to make the Dorset Buttons: https://amzn.to/2PyqNH3 whatever size you like and a couple different threads. I recommend 3 wt and 5 wt threads to begin and then a few specialty threads such as 4mm silk ribbon, Aurora, Oriental Linen, Soft Cotton, or whatever else you might like to try. For the first couple you might want to use some thread you have lying around that you don’t care about to practice.

#18 Chenille needle and/or #24 Chenille depending on the thread weight you want to use. A tapestry needle will work as well, and you will also need a Milliners Needle so that you can experiment with making some wrapped stitches on the Dorset Button. We are thinking out of the box, so think about what else you might want to add!

I will demonstrate a number of different variations on the traditional Dorset button, incorporating lots of different materials and threads that I think you’ll find exciting and different! You will have completed at least one or two Dorset Buttons by the end of the workshop. ❤️

*Optional: For those of you who are really adventurous, I suggest purchasing, if you haven’t already, my glasses case and/or scissor’s case. If you choose to go this route, prep the linen, with the lighter color linen wave and whipstitch on the wool circles as the instructions describe, so that you are ready to apply your Dorset Buttons to the wool shapes. I embellished the background as you can see below. If you are signed up for the workshop and would like to embellish as I have, let me know in the comments and I will send you instructions.

Glasses Case and Scissor Case with background prepped, using the same background embellishments I used for Making Waves: A Drawstring Bag

Don’t forget to leave me a comment that you want to reserve your space and then proceed to payment.

Later today I am doing a livestream on what to do with those odd looking Silk Cocoons. A lovely follower of mine sent me one a few months ago and I put it aside, not sure what to do with it. Then someone in my Facebook group: Ariane Zurcher Stitching Circle asked what does one do with such an interesting and weird looking thing. I replied that I had no idea, but I had one sitting next to me, still in its little bag. Another helpful soul then suggested (dared me) that I do a livestream demonstrating. So I am, because I can’t let a dare suggestion like that go unheeded. If you’re curious, tune in today at 1pm EST.