MY GOLDWORK PROJECT - everything ready to begin

My goldwork parcel from http://www.maceandnairn.com/shop/category.php arrived last week.  I confess I was slightly disappointed with the size of the piece of leather but overall I was very pleased with the my starter pack.  It gave me all the things I need without telling me what to sew. All I need now is a design. 

I had thought that either a seahorse or dragonfly design would be nice, which is why I was sad about the size of the leather - it narrowed my options. 

Having said that I do think that this starter pack is very good value.

In Maidstone a couple of weeks ago I found some Australian craft magazines, one of which was about goldwork embroidery EMBROIDERY AND CROSS STITCH PRESENT STUMPWORK AND GOLDWORK.  I really enjoy looking at other countries crafting magazines and tend to buy most of the ones I find.  This magazine has a very extensive and user friendly website (which I have bookmarked for future reference)  http://www.craftlovers.com/

So on to my design ........  the seahorse not being practical I was left with a dragonfly.  I had a rough idea of what I wanted so I looked through a couple of the design source books from SEARCH PRESS, I think I have the whole range of the design source books.  SEARCH PRESS is one of the best places I have found to get books for crafts - definitely worth a look.http://www.searchpress.com.

 

This is the dragonfly I have chosen.  The design is in ART NOUVEAU DESIGNS by Judy Balchin.  

I think that as a starter piece it should work really well.  (I was very tempted by a snail design that was on the next page).


I will let you all know how things progress.

The other parcel I received last week was bargain bags and the sample pack from http://www.strawberryfayre.co.uk/     I was very impressed with these, I have no idea as yet what I am going to make but the bargain packs had a lovely mix of fabrics.  Some of the pieces are large enough to line the paper mache bags I am making for my ETSY shop, http://www.etsy.com/people/dreamtimemakes?ref=si_pr

I didn't get any fabric I didn't like and as for the sample pack of 200 plain and 200 patterned it will be very difficult to choose as they are all beautiful.

MY GOLDWORK MAY NOT BE GOLD - getting started

Time to carry on with some more new year resolutions.  One of the things I am determined to try this year is gold work embroidery.  And as it is now the end of march and I have only scratched the surface of one of my three resolutions (the craft robo) I feel that instead of finding new crafts to try I had better crack on with my list.

Firstly I needed to find the fabrics and threads to work my design,  being me I do not want to purchase a complete kit detailing everything for me.  I want it to be mine. A few different searches  found this firm http://www.maceandnairn.com/shop/category.php
Nice basic starterkits in three colourways (gold, silver and copper) and all the threads etc needed.  Downside was they also have the materials and tools for other emboidery styles and tequniques and I run the risk of getting distracted from my purpose.

While looking for other suppliers I came across http://www.strawberryfayre.co.uk/  not what I want for my goldwork but their prices look reasonable, for £4.50 they do their whole range (400 fabrics) as approx one inch squares and it was a very user friendly website. This store is really for patchwork and applique fabrics.


Then I found a site with a large range of sample/project packs - lots of silk, nets, lurex and lame.  Such beautiful colours and theme packs very difficult to choose - mostly because I want everything.   http://www.stef-francis.co.uk/  Definately a place to return to.