Ellen Chester Workshops

2011 Workshops
with Ellen Chester
from With My Needle

13 - 16 May 2011
 

 

 

We are very pleased to welcome Ellen Chester from With My Needle Designs, USA, to teach three of her workshops here at Fobbles.

13 May 2011: A Needleworker's Sampler Huswife
 
This is a one day workshop.
 

A Needleworker's Sampler Huswif
 
Project Description: This lovely project can be finished as a framed sampler or as a huswif with a matching needlebook. A "huswif" or "hussif" is the name for a case which stores needlework supplies. Before the days of pockets on clothing, women often carried a huswif in one of the large tie-on pockets worn under their skirts. The use of a huswif was certainly not exclusive to women. Sailors, soldiers, and other men who needed sewing items sometimes carried huswifs.
The verse, My needlework wrought with so much care, adorned with colours so rich and fair, came from an old sampler.
 
Stitches used: algerian eye, alternating double backstitch, backstitch, barrier, Belgian cross, closed herringbone, cross stitch, cross stitch over one linen thread, cushion (traditional and reverse slant), double running, double-sided Italian cross, four-sided, gobelin, horizontal elongated tied cross, long-armed cross, Montenegrin, nun's stitch, queen, diagonal queen, rice, satin, smyrna cross, straight, tent, three-sided, upright cross, and zigzag.
 
Kit Contents: In addition to photos and detailed directions for stitching and assembling the project, the kit includes 36-count hand-dyed linen, silk threads, hand-dyed ribbon, Skirtex; silk dupioni, beads for the closures, tatting thread, and a needle.
During class time, embroidery will be done on the needlebook which has the majority of the stitches. Students not wanting to work on the needlebook in class should bring a doodle cloth and threads.
 

14 May 2011: Friends In Stitches Needlecase
 
This is a half-day workshop.
 
Project Description: This sewing case celebrates the bonds created among stitching friends. The front of the case features two girls holding a piece of embroidery representing the bond between them. Also on the front of the case are cardinals and violets. You can personalize the case front with your own initials.
 
On the back of the sewing case is a small sampler with the lovely old verse, My needle does my heart engage. There are also dividing bands with various sampler stitches and more cardinals and violets. There is room to further personalize your case. The name of your guild will be charted along with the year of the class.
 
The inside of the case has an embroidered pinkeep on one side and a pocket for storing your needlework treasures on the other side.
 
In addition to the sewing case, there is a needlebook resembling a sampler with dividing bands worked in different sampler stitches.
 
Stitches used: alternating double backstitch, backstitch, closed herringbone, cross stitch, cross stitch over one linen thread, four sided, mosaic, nun's stitch, Rhodes heart, rice stitch variation, satin, smyrna cross, tent, vertical closed herringbone, and zigzag.
 
Kit Contents: In addition to photos and detailed directions for stitching and assembling the project, the kit includes 32-count linen, silk threads, silk dupioni for the lining, hand-dyed ribbon, beads for the closures, Skirtex interfacing, and a needle.
 

15 & 16 May 2011
 
This workshop will be held over one and a half days
 
Fruit of the Vine Sampler Huswif
 
Arise, and come away, for behold, the winter is past; The flowers appear on earth, the time of singing has come;
The vines in bloom give forth their fragrance; Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
 
This verse, from the Song of Solomon, signifies the beginning of a new season. The promise of the spring flowers is the bounty and celebration of the harvest.
 
Our Fruit of the Vine project can be made as a sampler and framed, or it can be made into a huswif. On the inside of the huswif is a mattress-style pincushion and pockets for storing your needlework tools. An embellished dupioni silk band wraps around the folded huswif to keep it closed. The embroidery is the same for both the sampler and the huswif. The project also includes a coordinating needleroll and scissors weight.
 
A "huswif" or "hussif" is a folded or rolled case for keeping needlework supplies. Women often carried a huswif in one of the large tie-on pockets worn under their skirts.
 
Stitches Used: algerian eye, alternating double backstitch, backstitch, barrier, Belgian cross, closed herringbone, cross stitch, cross stitch over one linen thread, four-sided, herringbone, horizontally elongated cross, long-armed cross, montenegrin, mosaic, nun's stitch, plaited cross, queen, ray stitch, Rhodes, Rhodes heart, Rhodes octagon, satin, small plait, smyrna cross, star, tent, vertically elongated cross, and zigzag stitch. We will also be working a closed herringbone box on the sampler/huswif and the scissors weight.
 
Kit Contents: The kit includes 36-count linen, silk threads, cotton perle, hand-dyed silk ribbon, skirtex, dupioni silk, beads for the needleroll closure and decoration, mother of pearl heart-shaped thread rings, a grape charm, pearlized pins, and complete and detailed stitching and assembly directions.
 
Class Information: During class we will use the needleroll as a teaching piece since it contains nearly all the specialty stitches used on the sampler. Students not wanting to work on the needleroll in class should bring a doodle cloth and threads.

Further details/pricing will be added when available. In the meantime please get in touch with us if you are interested as places are limited and are filling up quickly.
 
Should you require bed and breakfast information we will be happy to send this to you on
booking.
 

 
If you have any queries or need more information please do not hesitate to contact us on 019467 24764 or
email: sales@fobbles.co.uk