next on-line workshop

The next on-line workshop for Embellish Stitch Enrich starts on 16th April - email me if you are interested in booking.

Embellish Stitch Enrich next online workshop

Tthe next Embellish Stitch Enrich workshop starts on 12th January

Embellish Stitch Enrich Challenge

Embellish Stitch Enrich Challenge

CONNECTIONS

Announcing the inaugural worldwide embellisher textile challenge.

The Challenge is to create an original art work using the embellishment machine plus optional hand and/or machine embroidery.

The theme of the challenge is CONNECTIONS

Full details and an entry form will be on our website www.thethreadstudio.com in the next few days.

Embellish Stitch Enrich next online workshop

Embellish Stitch and Enrich

with Dale Rollerson

On-line class commencing Tuesday 12th August 2008

Duration: 6 lessons

Cost: $66.00 ($60.00)

Class Description

The embellishment machine is a wonderful addition to one’s array of other textile equipment; the sewing machine, heat gun, soldering iron and so on. The name implies embellishment and needlefelting but used in conjunction with your sewing machine and hand stitching, there are so many other things you can do with it. You will soon find yourself wondering what you did before you had one.

Obviously you will need a needlefelting/embellishing machine or attachment, a sewing machine and hand sewing needles to take this class plus an awful lot of other stuff you already have in your stash of goodies.

It is my intention for this workshop to be instructional, experimental and fun. We will explore on and

beyond your machine and each lesson will include a challenge.

Lesson 1:

First Things First – lots of sampling with fibres, yarns and fabrics to see what works for you. A time to play.

Lesson 2:

Scrumptious Surfaces – we will look at backgrounds created on the embellisher and build on the surfaces with hand and machine stitch.

Lesson 3:

The Woven Surface – cutting and weaving and putting it all together again

Lesson 4:

Creating Cloth from stitch and surface and a little knitting.

Lesson 5:

Bonding and Burning – how can you do a class with me without fusing and distressing?

Lesson 6:

The Finale – some quick drawings, some design and execute maybe an amulet, a magic carpet, a vessel or wherever your imagination takes you.

Interested? What next?

Email us (mail@thethreadstudio.com) to sign up and pay. We take Visa, Mastercard, PayPal or direct deposit.

Then I will email you the requirements you will need and invite you to join a special Yahoo group set up specifically for this class. The lessons will be available on a weekly basis beginning Tuesday 12th August 2008 for 6 weeks. You will be able to share your questions and experiments with others on the Yahoo group and post pictures of your work. I will be there to answer questions and you can always email me of course.

Lessons for this workshop will be available in .pdf format. I will email you each week with a link to the lesson which you will be able to download to your computer.

The six lessons and Yahoo group will be open to students enrolled for 4 weeks following the final lesson to allow you extra time to further work and interact.

Embellish Stitch and Enrich

Embellish Stitch and Enrich

with Dale Rollerson

On-line class commencing Wednesday 4^th June 2008

Duration: 6 lessons

Cost: $66.00 ($60.00)

Class Description

The embellishment machine is a wonderful addition to one’s array of other textile equipment; the sewing machine, heat gun, soldering iron and so on. The name implies embellishment and needlefelting but used in conjunction with your sewing machine and hand stitching, there are so many other things you can do with it. You will soon find yourself wondering what you did before you had one.

Obviously you will need a needlefelting/embellishing machine or attachment, a sewing machine and hand sewing needles to take this class plus an awful lot of other stuff you already have in your stash of goodies.

It is my intention for this workshop to be instructional, experimental and fun. We will explore on and

beyond your machine and each lesson will include a challenge.

Lesson 1:

First Things First – lots of sampling with fibres, yarns and fabrics to see what works for you. A time to play.

Lesson 2:

Scrumptious Surfaces – we will look at backgrounds created on the embellisher and build on the surfaces with hand and machine stitch.

Lesson 3:

The Woven Surface – cutting and weaving and putting it all together again

Lesson 4:

Creating Cloth from stitch and surface and a little knitting.

Lesson 5:

Bonding and Burning – how can you do a class with me without fusing and distressing?

Lesson 6:

The Finale – some quick drawings, some design and execute maybe an amulet, a magic carpet, a vessel or wherever your imagination takes you.

Interested? What next?

Email us (mail@thethreadstudio.com) to sign up and pay. We take Visa, Mastercard, PayPal or direct deposit.

Then I will email you the requirements you will need and invite you to join a special Yahoo group set up specifically for this class. The lessons will be available on a weekly basis beginning Wednesday 4^th June 2008 for 6 weeks. You will be able to share your questions and experiments with others on the Yahoo group and post pictures of your work. I will be there to answer questions and you can always email me of course.

Lessons for this workshop will be available in .pdf format. I will email you each week with a link to the lesson which you will be able to download to your computer. You must have Adobe Reader 5.0 or higher to be able to open the lessons. Adobe Reader is a free software that you can download here. (http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html) It is more than likely you already have it on your computer.

The six lessons and Yahoo group will be open to students enrolled for 4 weeks following the final lesson to allow you extra time to further work and interact.

On-line Embellisher Workshop

Embellish, Stitch and Enrich




I will be running a 6 lesson on-line embellisher workshop starting June 6th. Email me if you are interested and I will send you the info as soon as it is ready. Still working on it right now.

Thanks to everyone who has left messages or emailed me about running an on-line course on the embellisher

Embellisher Workshop 2

Embellish, Stitch and Enrich

For those who have done some work with the embellisher, this is a chance to link up with stitch and see what wonderful things can be created. You will create lots of samples and some magical little pieces of work.

Venue: The Thread Studio

6 Smith Street

Highgate

9227 1561

Free parking available

Details: Thurs 15^th May 2008

9.30am to 3.30pm

Cost: $90

For more information, or to make a booking:

Ph (08) 9227 1561 Fax (08) 9227 0254

Email mail@thethreadstudio.com

Embellisher Workshop 1

Let’s Get Started on the Embellisher

Have you bought an embellisher but barely taken it out of the box, or have you had a little play and then wondered what to do next? If so, then this workshop is for you. A day to explore the capabilities of your machine, playing with all manner of fibres and fabrics. You will create samples and have fun doing so.

Venue:The Thread Studio

6 Smith Street

Highgate

9227 1561

Free parking available

Details: Wed 14^th May 2008

9.30am to 3.30pm

Cost: $90

For more information, or to make a booking:

Ph (08) 9227 1561 Fax (08) 9227 0254

Email mail@thethreadstudio.com

Embellishers and airplanes

If you take your embellisher on a plane with you as hand luggage (and they are light and easy to carry) - make sure you take your needles and screwdrivers out and place them in your luggage. Speaking from experience -there is nothing to get one a little flustered than having to quickly remove the needles and find some way of wrapping them carefully and sending them through the hold as checked-in luggage. The last thing one might think of....

little house book page

hand dyed scrim worked onto a background of panne velvet with painted Gossamer fuse, foils and words stamped on top and little houses worked on top of that. Finally some hand stitching, sequins and other ephemera.

Embellisher Bundles

You can buy Embellisher Bundles - beautiful fine Australian Merino wool - loved by the embellisher. Five random colours each approx 35cm x 35cm for $20. They are available from The Thread Studio in the Fab Bits section of the catalogue.
Great base for working onto - and layering- and working on both sides

Merrylock Embellishing Machine

Kate from Kate's Sewing Centre in Melbourne (03 9467 1244) has sent me a brochure about the Merrylock embellishing machine. I worked on Jacinta's model when I was at Geelong. It has 5 needles, individually changed and did the job well. It look remarkably to me like the Pierrot which seems to have vanished from the scene - well the website has gone at the moment. This model is exclusive to Kate and she is selling it for $399OZ which is extremely good.

Thick surfaces

Does the Viking embellisher enable you to machine felt a piece that is HIGHER or thicker than a piece you could do on the Babylock Embellisher? The reason I ask is that a friend w/a Babylock says she can't felt a thick piece by machine because of thickness limitations, but I heard the Viking machine has a height adjustment. Any light you can shed on this would be appreciated!

I had this question left from Patsy.

The Huskystar can be raised and lowered. The clear guard has a screw on it which you simply unscrew and raise or lower the guard, giving you more or less room depending on how thick your surface is.
The Babylock has a black dial on the top which you can also turn - right or left - and I have found that I can use quite thick surafces on which to embellish. In fact I find the Babylock easier to use in this way as is it just a matter of winding. With the Huskystar you have to actually unscrew (aren't we all basically lazy?)
I am not sure how thick one would want to go - I have managed as thick as I want without any problems.

Experiment of course.

different machines

Lots of people email me about the different machines which are now becoming available. At the show in Perth this week I have been working on the Husqvarna (Viking) embellisher - it is easy to use - lighter motor than the Babylock and with 5 needles you need to work a little longer. But I am impressed with it - I have broken a needle on the sample book cover because I drove fast over 2 layers of felt and the cover fabric but easily replaced. It has a needle up which is different from all of the other machines and many people will like this. One thing that means is that when you doing circles and turn rapidly without thinking, you won't break needles as I have on the other machines.

The bottom line is though, that all of the machines I have tried, work well. You will find what suits you and what is available. Which ever you choose - you will have the bestest of fun, believe me.

ps I am not employed by any of the machine companies so my opinions are not biased. I work for myself!

Erica - that was a very interesting question you asked about movement. At home my Babylock is on a wooden table (I use three old school desks for my sewing tables) and when I am whizzing fast the machine does in fact move around. At the show the Huskystar was on a table covered with a cloth and it stayed firmly in one place. I think the secret possibly is to have it on cloth. The one thing about the embellishers is that they are very light and therefore highly suitable for taking to workshops and on holiday! One lady who came to my workshop in Hobart brought her Janome Xpression on the plane easily.

keeping your samples together

Now that I have a huge collection of samples, I need to keep them somewhere, so I have made a start with a cover for a sample book. This is Indian Splendour wool and yarns.

Watch my book as it grows.