Organisms & Hand Stitching

Organisms & Hand Stitching

When last we met, I had just pulled my Bernina 790 out of hibernation only to find it did not fit my Koala sewing cabinet and so I had to order a new insert. Check, check and check. Who says I’m not getting sh*t done?

New Bernina safely back in hiding so that I could teach my Improvisational Stitching Workshop.

I know all of you want to know how Pat Pauly’s Take 2 virtual workshop went and I won’t leave you hanging. It was all that I’d hoped for and more. Just fabulous. Of course now I’m trying to talk her into doing another one: Line, Shape & Setting. I think I may have persuaded her, and the minute she adds it to her jam packed schedule I’ll tell all of you so that those of you who might like to sign up for it, can.

In the meantime I’m back to my improvisational stitching, Youtube tutorials, working on my next design, slowly chipping away at my Stitching Book, juggling my other various commitments and oh, yeah, life!

I have photos of what I worked on in Pat’s workshop, but it’s still a work in progress, so I think I’ll wait until I have something I love before I show you. Which means that I’ll have to pull that sewing machine out again or use my smaller, travel Bernina, which isn’t as much fun, but will do the job.

Yesterday as I was doing a livestream for my Patrons over on Patreon, I was talking and stitching away, as I do, and then I had this idea to add a piece of hand dyed t-shirt to the linen piece I’ve been playing around with and ended up loving it! I just love when that happens and it doesn’t happen all the time, so when it does, it’s just thrilling!!

Organisms

It reminds me of organisms that have been put under a microscope. I love that!

Vaccinations & Silk Cocoons

Vaccinations & Silk Cocoons

First things first. There are just TWO spots left for my Dorset Buttons Gone Wild Workshop on Saturday, March 20th. So if you want to reserve a space, you’ll need to let me know right away!

For those of you who watched my livestream the other day, you’ll know what happened when I cut into that silk cocoon. It was one of those moments when words failed me. 😳

However it was fun to stitch with and if I had more of them I would certainly add them to other things I’m working on.

Half a Silk Cocoon with beads and French Knots.

In other news I received my FIRST vaccine dose and am So relieved. I had them give me a shot in my right arm and then immediately iced it. Other than very slight, almost imperceptible soreness, I felt some mild dizziness and loss of appetite, but truthfully if I hadn’t been hyper aware of how I was feeling, I wouldn’t have noticed. I will be fully vaccinated by mid April! I cannot wait and am beyond excited.

It will be in the 60’s today here in New York City, so I may have to break my routine and go for a little walk later! I am wishing all of you a beautiful Thursday! ❤️

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.