Planning a new project!

I knew the project box would not stay empty for long! I have started to collect the materials I will need for the next embroidery project I will attempt. Class starts again in a couple of weeks and will take me up to Christmas, I am not sure if I will sign up for the New Year or not, I am really enjoying the weekly class but doing so much embroidery leaves no time for quilting :(

A couple of weeks ago I attended a beginners one day goldwork class at the RSN, our tutor Becky Hogg had designed this fantastic goldwork squirrel for us

You can buy a kit direct from Becky HERE if you want to make it too!
We only had one day of tuition but covered so much. padding and couching threads...

learning how to plunge and finish the ends...

and some chip work and cut work techniques...

I still have some work to do to finish my squirrel, but the kit also included a great booklet of instructions, so the only problem is finding the time :)

I want to finish this project and the silk shading project that I started in the August class with Kate, I blogged about it HERE.

Once these practice pieces are finished I want to combine the two techniques and work a small embroidery combining silk shading and goldwork. A few months ago I went to see the 'Cult of Beauty' exhibition at the V & A, I love the whole arts and crafts period and was especially drawn to this wallpaper design by Walter Crane.

you can read about it on the V & A website HERE

I have sketched a simplified version of the design and just need to finalise the materials and stitches I will use, Sophie will help with this when class starts. I would like to pad and appliqué some silk velvet for the swans, silk shade the leaves and add some bling! But first I need to finish these two projects and find time to work on my long neglected quilting!