Keeping a Studio journal is a process for catching ideas and developing them into designs that can be realised in fiber. Unlike an Art journal which aims to be an aesthetic object in its own right a Studio journal is a designers workhorse. Many people confuse the two!

In all fields notebooks are starting points for more developed ideas. Painters keep a sketchbook to take visual notes of what they see but their finished paintings and their sketches are very different. Writers keep notebooks but their published book is not the same as what is first put down on paper.  Both writers and painters go through a process using their sketches and notes as a starting point. Fiber artists do the same thing noting ideas and developing designs.  This is what this course is about.

This course covers the process of using a Studio journal to create designs suitable for textiles such as contemporary embroidery, or quilting but not making those pieces up.

The aim is to develop the habit of using a  Studio journal as part of your creative practice.

You do not have to know how to draw.

This workshop covers the process of how to keep a studio journal, how to develop and idea further, and how to turn it into a design suitable for a project in fiber.

Each week a series of design exercises are introduced. Students work though these in order to develop designs that can be applied to fiber. They aim to develop design skills and the habit of using a studio journal.

Please note that this course is not about creating an art journal that is a finished object in its own right. The emphasis is very much on using a studio journal as part of a design process to produce something in fiber. The course contains design exercises and techniques and discusses how these might be applied to textiles. It is a course where students spend their time designing for textiles and working in their Studio Journal rather than working a step by step project. That said I am definitely not going to discourage anyone from jumping in and making something! 

Supplies for Studio Journal Course

• Sketchbook to use as a studio journal
• A digital camera and knowing how to use it at a basic level
• Pencils 2B, 4B, 6B
• A mix of pens for writing and sketching
• Soft art eraser
• Small bottle of PVA glue
• Brush for glue
• Glue stick
• 1 jar of Gesso
• Artists brushes  
• Lots of old magazines to chop up
• Coloured and interesting scraps of paper
• Tracing paper (to trace off designs)
• Ruler
• Scissors for paper
• Scissors for fabric
• Knife with retractable blade.
• Masking tape
• Double sided sticky tape
• A quarter of a yard of Misty Fuse
• Small pieces of scrap fabrics, scrap thread, scrap wool
• Watercolour paints (a basic set will be fine)
• Water colour brushes
• Sponge
• Drawing supplies you may have on hand such as coloured pencils, oil crayons etc

 What sort of Journal should I buy? 

I recommend a notebook with sturdy cartridge paper or drawing paper in other words an artists sketchbook as the paper in these books are designed to take a number of different wet and dry art materials. If the paper is strong enough you have no problems with what is done in between the pages. You can glue things in, attach fabric swatches, threads, and the like and the paper is strong enough to take it. 

When you purchase a sketchbook think about the size. Do you want something that you can pop into a handbag? Or do you want to treat yourself to lovely bound journal? If you feel a visual journal is daunting or pretentious buy a small one. You don't want to buy something that is so large and imposing you’re fearful of using it! If on the other hand you want to treat yourself use this as an excuse!

Both bound and spiral journals have advantages and disadvantages. It's up to you and the way you think you might work to decide on what might work best for your taste.

Spiral bound journals allow you to have the book open flat while you work and allow for expansion but the pages can rub.

Bound journals do not rub and damage pages in the same way and I have found can take more hard wear and tear but they do not expand as much. A good bound journal should open right up and lie flat too. If it does not you are looking at a trendy fashion notebook which is possibly not the best choice. 

How are classes Run?

If you want to know how online classes run a description is on the Classes page. Dont hesitate to contact me about the class if you have more questions. 

Special Important stuff please read before you buy. 

I only accept Pay Pal.

Please make sure your paypal email address is correct as that is the one I will use. 

If you want me to use another email address please tell me!

Please make sure my email is not blocked by your spam filter (sharon dot boggon at gmail dot com) 

Read how online classes run a description is on the Classes page.  

Please note once the classes have started and you have downloaded the lessons there is no refund on a digtal product. 

When I receive your order I will respond within 48 hours. If you do not hear from me something has gone haywire, check your spam box and make sure you haven’t tossed me out, and my email is not there please contact me so we can sort it before the class starts.

Price

$60.00 US for 6 lessons 

Sorry class is now full

Start Date 

February 9th 2012

To secure a place in the class

Once the class is purchased you have a place. It it that simple.

Encrusted Crazy Quilting offers students the opportunity to learn how to piece, develop and heavily hand embellish a crazy quilt block with hand embroidery, beading and exploring different embellishing techniques while solving design, composition and colour issues.

This class is suitable for beginners to intermediate crazy quilters.

Course Outline

In this 6 week course and I cover fabric selection and block assembly in process discuss colour and applying basic composition tricks to a crazy quilt block. Building on basic hand stitching techniques, developing combination stitches is covered. Motif selection, size, balance and placement is discussed. Different possible hand embroidery techniques and treatments such as silk ribbon embroidery and using textured stitches are introduced.

How the eye on a journey by using composition and design elements and building up visual texture. Working with lace, ribbons and braids and building up texture working with buttons and beads. 

If you want to know how online classes run a description is on the Classes page. Don't hesitate to contact me about the class if you have more questions. 

Class Requirements 

• Lessons are in PDF format and you will need Adobe reader to view them. The PDF reader is free from Adobe
• You need to be able to join and access the yahoo class group 
• You need to be able to down load files of up to 10 megs from the class area

Crazy quilting needs 

• Transdoodle ( it is like a stitchers carbon paper you will find a demonstration of its use and full description of what it is here )  
• Rotary cutter, ruler and cutting mat.
• A sewing machine used to piece the block all other stitching is hand work.
• Prewashed calico (Muslin in the USA) 15 inches by 15 inches
• A mix of fabric scraps a mix of 10 to 15 pieces approx 6 x 8 inches in size from after 5 wear such as glitzy fabrics, synthetics, satin, or rayon velvet, taffeta silks, brocades, metallic fabrics etc Avoid heavy weight fabrics such as thick velvet, upholstery weight tapestries, heavy corduroy, and heavily waxed cottons.
• Scraps of ribbon, fine trims, scraps of cotton lace, that will sit with your fabrics well, no need for anything longer than 8 inches.
• Assorted seed beads, bugle beads and a selection of assorted small novelty beads that are co-ordinated to go with your fabrics. Nymo or Silamide beading thread. Beading needles if you require them.
• Dig into you button box and find buttons that look interesting.
• A selection of hand embroidery threads, in fine and medium weights, such as fine silk, pearl cottons, novelty and textured yarns in colours that will sit with your fabrics.
• A selection of Silk ribbon in 2mm, 4mm, 7 mm and 13mm widths in colours that do not clash with the fabrics you have chosen.
• A packet of crewel needles in mixed sizes
• Milliners needles in mixed sizes also in mixed sizes
• Beading needles
• Mixed packet of tapestry needles
• Mixed packet of chenille needles (for silk ribbon).
• Notebook, ruler, and quilters marking pencil that is easily removed from your block.
• Regular sewing equipment 
• Embroidery hoop 

Price 

$60.00 US for 6 lessons 

Start Date 

October 12th, 2011

Special Important stuff please read before you buy. 

I only accept Pay Pal.

Please make sure your paypal email address is correct. 

Please make sure my email is not blocked by your spam filter (sharon dot boggon at gmail dot com) 

Read how online classes run a description is on the Classes page.  

Please note once the classes have started and you have downloaded the lessons there is no refund on a digtal product.

When I receive your order I will respond within 48 hours. If you do not hear from me something has gone haywire, check your spam box and make sure you haven’t tossed me out, and my email is not there please contact me so we can sort it before the class starts.

If you are interested in taking this online class I can add you to the the waiting list for the next time it is run (probably early next year). Just contact me via the contact tab.

  * * * * * * * * *  

Sumptuous surfaces explores the wonders of highly textured free form contemporary hand embroidery while also developing design skills.

Over a six week period students are guided through the design process as well as techniques used in free form textured hand embroidery.

Students are encouraged to create their own design and make two or three small hand embroidered panels. I suggest students work on fabric postcards as this size is ideal to work as a small design exercise. However if people want to work larger it is their choice.

If you are hesitant about designing your own projects, students are offered the choice of a number patterns to either directly follow, use as a jumping off point, or see how a design is developed. Those more experienced stitchers are actively encouraged to jump in and design their own piece. This means the course is suitable for beginners to advanced stitchers as you can work at your own skill level.

Working in Monotone and Colour

The course is divided into 2 blocks of 3 weeks each.

The first section of the course deals with designing highly textured pieces in monotone.

The second section of the course builds on that knowledge and students design and work a piece using colour.

Throughout the six week course key concepts in design are covered such as, composition, shape, geometrical and organic shape, space, handling positive and negative space, scale, density, weight, line, movement, direction and texture.

Throughout the course I have focused intensely on texture as design element. Understanding texture is key in the textile arts. An area of interest can be created because it is heavily textured, complex and intricate. Texture is also the element that separates textiles from arts such as drawing or painting. In both drawing and painting texture is represented whereas in textiles we have the option of representing texture or actually working the physicality of texture. In other words the surface can be manipulated in a physical way not just represented. This aspect of textiles sets it apart as a medium.

All my courses are written to be used long after the course is finished. I understand that sometimes life gets in the way and some students are not able to stitch along in the 6 week period. For anyone who finds themselves in this position the teaching material provided will enable you to work through the ideas in a self paced manner.

Course Outline

Weeks 1-3
The first week is an introduction to the design process. The same basic process is used to design everything. This process is often described in three steps, Concept, Form and Content. Key principals of design are covered in order to develop a design for a monotone piece of embroidery. I cover where to look for design ideas and how to develop them using composition, shape, geometrical and organic shape, space, handling positive and negative space, scale, density, weight, line, movement, direction and texture.

In weeks two and three we deal with techniques that can bring your project to fruition. In these two weeks we look at the nuts and bolts of stitching, thread choice, working with textured stitching, found objects and beads.

Weeks 4, 5 and 6
Colour is a huge topic so I have devoted a week to it. In week 4 once again we return to the design process and work up a design in colour. Once again we are exploring ideas on paper or in a visual journal only this time we are dealing with colour principals and design combined. New designs are explored and worked up with an eye to creating them over the final two weeks.

In these last two weeks you give form to your concept. In this time block you learn to handle colour as well as combining the skills learnt in the first section of the course. 

Some students may wish to simply treat everything made in this course as design exercises. That is fine. Other students may wish to tackle other subjects. This is also fine as I actively encourage all students to learn and develop in their own manner and it makes for an interesting class!

Requirements List:

At least 2 pieces of 26 or 28 count even weave linen in cream, off white or antique white each measuring 9 x 9 inches

Threads:

In weeks 1-3 you will need a selection of threads in one colour range in order to work in monotone.

I have found working in cream, white, bone and natural muted tones in this time block to be an advantage to most students. This is just a suggestion, it is not necessary. If students want to work in another colour they are free to do so. Whatever the colour, you will need  perle threads in sizes 5, 8, and 12. I also suggest a good selection of hand embroidery threads, in fine and medium weights, such as silk threads, rayon ribbon floss,  crewel wool yarns,  and Coton a Broder.

Please note I have said "selection of threads". There is no need to go to great expense buying every thread listed but you need a variety of threads that have different textures, thickness and sheen. It's the contrast that is important and I am trying to get new stitchers away from using just stranded cotton.  You will definitely need a range of colours in DMC perle threads in sizes 5, 8, and 12   

For the second section of the course you will need a selection of coloured hand embroidery threads, in fine and medium weights, such as perle cottons, silk threads, rayon ribbon floss, overdyed and hand dyed threads (Caron Watercolors, and Caron Waterlillies are ideal), crewel wool yarns, and Coton a Broder. Thicker threads for couching to the surface of the fabric are also used. Once again you do not need every thread on this list just a small range will be suitable.

A selection of beads such as seed beads, bugle beads, round and ring spacer beads between 5mm and 20 mm. Interesting feature beads that are between 10 – 25 mm in size and have a large hole in the middle are useful. Have some heishi or hishi beads to hand. Small round, dome shaped bead caps are useful. 

In highly textured embroidery beads of of all sorts are fun to use. There is a wide range to choose from. Materials of wood, bone, shell, clay, soapstone, beads made of seed pods, coconut shell, and stone lend themselves to being incorporated in these projects. Items like sliced shells larger donut beads, bead disks and donuts are wonderful to include in this type of project.

Needles:

Chenille Needles (size 22 – 26)

Tapestry Needles (size 20 - 26)

Embroidery/Crewel Needle (size 7-10)

Milliners/Straw Needle (size 3-9)

Beading needles

Other:

Usual hand sewing equipment such as embroiderers hoop, scissors etc. 

Notebook, visual journal or folder in which to keep design exercises, ruler, and quilters marking pencil that is easily removed from your work, dress makers carbon, tracing paper.

If you want to know how online classes run a description is on the Classes page. Dont hesitate to contact me about the class if you have more questions. 

Price 

$60.00 US for 6 lessons 

Start Date 

27^th of July

If you are interested in this class in the future please contact me as I limit the number of student in a class and keep a waiting list. You may want to join my announcement only newsletter  Sharon B's Stitching News is used to let people know about challenges, community events, classes and really, really good stuff! 

Once you receive notification that the class is available to secure a place in the class simply buy it and just before the start date you will receive an invitation to class group and instructions on where you can down load the first lesson.

A notice to students

For anyone who has taken one of my classes please feel free to leave a comment so that people who are thinking of taking a class can read what you thought of them.

This course covers the process of using a Studio journal to create designs suitable for textiles such as contemporary embroidery, or quilting but not making those pieces up. To use a Studio journal as part of your creative practice you do not have to know how to draw but there are some tricks to establishing a process that leads to a design that can be applied to textiles. This workshop covers the process of how to keep a studio journal, how to develop and idea further, and how to turn it into a design suitable for a project in fiber. Painters keep a sketchbook to take visual notes of what they see but their finished paintings and their sketches are very different. Writers keep notebooks but their published book is not the same as what is first put down. Notebooks are starting points for more developed ideas. Both writers and painters go through a process using their sketches and notes as a starting point. Fiber artists do the same thing when they develop a design. Studio journals can be used as the starting point for textile practitioners. This is what this course is about.

Each week a series of design exercises are introduced. Students work though these in order to develop designs that can be applied to fiber. They aim to develop design skills and the habit of using a studio journal.

Please note that this course is about keeping a studio journal as a work horse not about creating an art journal that is a finished object in its own right. The emphasis is very much on using a studio journal as part of a design process to produce something in fiber. The course contains design exercises and techniques and discusses how these might be applied to textiles. It is a course where students spend their time designing for textiles and working in their Studio Journal rather than working a step by step project. That said I am definitely not going to discourage anyone from jumping in and making something! 

Supplies for Studio Journal Course

• Sketchbook to use as a studio journal
• A digital camera and knowing how to use it at a basic level
• Pencils 2B, 4B, 6B
• A mix of pens for writing and sketching
• Soft art eraser
• Small bottle of PVA glue
• Brush for glue
• Glue stick
• 1 jar of Gesso
• Artists brushes  
• Lots of old magazines to chop up
• Coloured and interesting scraps of paper
• Tracing paper (to trace off designs)
• Ruler
• Scissors for paper
• Scissors for fabric
• Knife with retractable blade.
• Masking tape
• Double sided sticky tape
• A quarter of a yard of light weight iron-on non woven interfacing
• A quarter of a yard of Misty Fuse
• Small pieces of scrap fabrics, scrap thread, scrap wool
• Watercolour paints (a basic set will be fine)
• Water colour brushes
• Sponge
• Drawing supplies you may have on hand such as coloured pencils, oil crayons etc

I recommend a notebook with sturdy cartridge paper or drawing paper in other words an artists sketchbook as the paper in these books are designed to take a number of different wet and dry art materials. If the paper is strong enough you have no problems with what is done in between the pages. You can glue things in, attach fabric swatches, threads, and the like and the paper is strong enough to take it. 

When you purchase a sketchbook think about the size. Do you want something that you can pop into a handbag? Or do you want to treat yourself to lovely bound journal? If you feel a visual journal is daunting or pretentious buy a small one. You don't want to buy something that is so large and imposing you’re fearful of using it!

Spiral bound journals allow you to have the book open flat while you work and allow for some expansion but the pages can rub. Bound journals do not rub and damage pages in the same way and I have found can take more hard wear and tear but they do not expand as much. A good bound journal should open right up and lie flat too. If it does not you are looking at a trendy fashion notebook which is possibly not the best choice. Both bound and spiral journals have advantages and disadvantages. It's up to you and the way you think you might work to decide on what might work best for your taste.

How are classes Run?

If you want to know how online classes run a description is on the Classes page. Dont hesitate to contact me about the class if you have more questions. 

Price

$60.00 US for 6 lessons 

Start Date 

TBA

If you are interested in this class in the future please contact me as I limit the number of student in a class and I keep a waitng list.

You may want to join my announcement only newsletter  Sharon B's Stitching News is used to let people know about challenges, community events, classes and really, really good stuff! 

Once you receive notification that the class is available to secure a place in the class simply buy it and just before the start date you will receive an invitation to class group and instructions on where you can down load the first lesson.

Please note once the classes have started and you have downloaded the lessons there is no refund on a digtal product.

A notice to students
For anyone who has taken one of my classes please feel free to leave a comment so that people who are thinking of taking a class can read what you thought of them.

Course Outline

Week 1  introduces the course and I cover things such as fabric selection and block assembly. Dealing with colour and applying basic composition tricks to a crazy quilt block are covered.

Week 2 students start to embellish the block. Hand embroidered seam treatments and embroidery that consolidates composition is covered. Building on basic hand stitching techniques, developing combination stitches is covered.

Week 3 students are working with motifs. Motif selection, size, balance and placement is discussed. Different possible hand embroidery techniques and treatments such as silk ribbon embroidery and using textured stitches are covered.

Week 4 we take the eye on a journey by building up visual texture. Working with lace, ribbons and braids and further embellishing the crazy quilt block.

Week 5 we work on further encrusting a block by building up texture working with buttons and beads. The implications of highly textured areas for the composition and design elements of a block are discussed.

Week 6 covers more possible embellishment techniques and combinations of techniques. Many of these are methods to pull the block together. General tips, tricks, advice on balancing the many elements of design active on a crazy quilt block are offered.

If you want to know how online classes run a description is on the Classes page. Dont hesitate to contact me about the class if you have more questions. 

Class Requirements

• Transdoodle ( it is like a stitchers carbon paper)  
• Rotary cutter, ruler and cutting mat.
• A sewing machine used to piece the block all other stitching is hand work.
• Prewashed calico (Muslin in the USA) 15 inches by 15 inches
• A mix of fabric scraps a mix of 10 to 15 pieces approx 6 x 8 inches in size from after 5 wear such as glitzy fabrics, synthetics, satin, or rayon velvet, taffeta silks, brocades, metallic fabrics etc Avoid heavy weight fabrics such as thick velvet, upholstery weight tapestries, heavy corduroy, and heavily waxed cottons.
• Scraps of ribbon, fine trims, scraps of cotton lace, that will sit with your fabrics well, no need for anything longer than 8 inches.
• Assorted seed beads, bugle beads and a selection of assorted small novelty beads that are co-ordinated to go with your fabrics. Nymo or Silamide beading thread. Beading needles if you require them.
• Dig into you button box and find buttons that look interesting.
• A selection of hand embroidery threads, in fine and medium weights, such as fine silk, pearl cottons, novelty and textured yarns in colours that will sit with your fabrics.
• A selection of Silk ribbon in 2mm, 4mm, 7 mm and 13mm widths in colours that do not clash with the fabrics you have chosen.
• A packet of crewel needles in mixed sizes
• Milliners needles in mixed sizes also in mixed sizes
• Beading needles
• Mixed packet of tapestry needles
• Mixed packet of chenille needles (for silk ribbon).
• Notebook, ruler, and quilters marking pencil that is easily removed from your block.
• Regular sewing equipment 
• Embroidery hoop 

 I highly recommend that readers visit Maureen's Vintage Acquisitions for crazy quilt supplies.

This is a recommnedation given freely for Maureen's good service and consistent support of the online community. It is not a paid advert or promotion but a genuine recommendation

Price 

$60.00 US for 6 lessons 

Start Date 

To be announced

If you are interested in this class in the future please contact me as I limit the number of student in a class and keep a waitng list. You may want to join my announcement only newsletter  Sharon B's Stitching News is used to let people know about challenges, community events, classes and really, really good stuff! 

Once you receive notification that the class is available to secure a place in the class simply buy it and just before the start date you will receive an invitation to class group and instructions on where you can down load the first lesson.

Please note once the classes have started and you have downloaded the lessons there is no refund on a digtal product.

A notice to students
For anyone who has taken one of my classes please feel free to leave a comment so that people who are thinking of taking a class can read what you thought of them.

Parts of the course will be incorporated into a series of design modules which are under development and the stitches will be incorporated into The Stitch Files  a series of worksheets which are designed to build into a hand embroiderer's resource file. 

*******************

Original class description below

Develop a Personal Library of Stitches aims to assist students to take a personal journey into the world of design in order to discover their own language with thread and needle. It aims at those who are interested hand embroidery and is for those who would like to push their hand stitching and design skills a little further.

In this class I provide instructions on developing the basic stitches and exploring them while also presenting some of the more unusual stitches. For those thinking about taking this class the course is structured in such a way that each week I take a principal of design and apply it to stitches. Students work samplers which are any size and shape of their choice.

Week 1 introduces the course covering such things as deciding on what format for your sampler might take, suggestions on how you might think about and choose a colour scheme, and I talk about equipment needed and how it is used. I cover how to start and finish your embroidery and finally I look at a few stitches that can act as borders.

Week 2 I look at Point as an element of design. Most people understand what we mean when we talk about a point of emphasis in a work but many people do not understand that the concept of point is applied in numerous ways in design. In design language a point the simplest unit or fragment of design. When you apply this to stitching, the concept of a point can be a single stitch or part of a stitch. We examine isolated stitches and look at how to break stitches into fragments and change various parts of a stitch in order to develop new stitches.

Week 3 we examine stitches that lend themselves to a linear treatment. What is a linear element? How can lines be represented in stitches? There are obvious stitches such as stem stitch and outline stitch but what other stitches can be used as a linear element? How interesting can you make a line? When we vary our threads what sort of line does it produce? What sort of line is created with couching?

Week 4 we examine scale and density as design elements. Stitches can be worked far apart or closely together even overlapped. What happens when we think about these design considerations and apply it to various stitches? What happens when we introduce lacing these stitches, threading or whipping them with another yarn. What do they look like and what can you make from this exploration?

Week 5 we will be looking at direction, movement and shape. Your stitches can be worked back-to-back or flipped. When you do this you are changing the direction and angle of stitches. How does this influence the look of a shape? What happens when we think about these design considerations and apply it? Can these same design considerations be applied to beading?

Week 6 we look at texture and building textured surfaces. What happens when we combine stitches with beads or found objects? In this last week we pull all these elements together and further explore textured crusty surfaces a little more exploring more stitches such as Cast on stitch, Double cast on stitch, Drizzle stitch, double drizzle stitch and Woven stitches.

A notice to students
For anyone who has taken one of my classes please feel free to leave a comment so that people who are thinking of taking a class can read what you thought of them.

There are two major components of online classes, the lessons themselves, and the discussion list which is a Yahoo email group. When you buy the class you will be invited to join the group.  

The lessons are the guts of the class. The lessons are an Adobe PDF document which are held in the files area of the Yahoo group. Students download the file, print it out and work through the lesson.   

There is a one lesson per week. I have designed all my lessons so that people can work at them as much or as little as they choose. Some people have more time to put into them others do not. I understand this, for this reason I have designed the lessons to be self paced.

Students download each lesson weekly and progress through the class. They can choose to just do a few hours stitching or more. It’s up to the student.

The yahoo email group is where all class communication takes place. While not real time chat, you can post messages which will be delivered as email to all class members.

The advantage to using a yahoo group is that all the class discussion can be delivered to your email box. Not only that but students have a choice about how they want their class discussion to be delivered. Students can receive all class chat by email single message at a time, or they can set their membership to to Daily Digest and receive it all in one message each day. Or if students dont want all this chatter in their email they can elect to set their group membership to web only viewing. This means they can visit the yahoo class group website to read the messages. 

I check the class discussion daily and answer questions, join in on the chat and we generally have a good time.

Students can upload images of their work online in the photo area of the yahoo class group, so I can give them feedback. Participation in the email discussion is totally voluntary but I think this is the fun part of the process as it is where students get feed back from me, bounce ideas off each other and share the pleasure in learning a new skill.

Classes are paid for by Paypal and are priced in US dollars. 

A notice to students
For anyone who has taken one of my classes please feel free to leave a comment so that people who are thinking of taking a class can read what you thought of them.