Embroidery Stash Contest Results! & Embroidery Class News

Drum roll, please. I just finished drawing for this month’s embroidery stash give-away, and the winner is…

… Andrea, who wrote about Chikan/chicken/chikankari/chikan work – an Indian embroidery technique similar to shadow work. Congratulations, Andrea! Please drop me a line with your mailing address. If you don’t live in the States, please make sure the address is written out exactly as the envelope should be addressed!

I thought that was a fun stash contest! Reading the comments and checking out the links was entertaining and informative! I’m planning to compile a list of techniques and definitions in the near future, so stay tuned for that. I’ll include links and resources, if possible.

I’ve been working on my embroidered sign, announcing my kids’ classes for this summer. I’m planning on posting some files for any readers interested in kids’ classes. I’ll include lesson plans, materials, and resources. It’ll be another week or so before I finish those up, though. I’ve started ordering supplies, but haven’t had time to work samples or finalize the lessons.

For those of you who don’t know, each summer I offer kids’ classes in our rural community to different age groups. I don’t charge for instruction, though I do charge a small fee to help cover the cost of supplies. The prices of supplies have escalated over the years, so I’ve been seeking some business sponsors and help, as well as budgeting carefully throughout the year so that I could afford the layout! One of the reasons I started this website a couple summers ago (coming up on my two-year anniversary here!) was to help cover the costs of those classes, with advertising (sorry, I know some people don’t like it!) and with affiliate sales (hence, the bookstore). I also wanted to extend instruction, with tutorials, tips, and so forth. I didn’t know how pleasurable the whole blogging experience would be – I’ve enjoyed keeping the site going, and I hope you’ve enjoyed it, too!

This year, we’ll be embroidering on blanks for some of the projects. I’m very excited about that! I’ve learned a lot since I first tackled teaching embroidery to children. One important lesson is that the projects need to be completely “finishable.” Children like to see the results of their work in something that is complete! That sense of finished accomplishment is really important.

In addition to children’s classes, I’m going to offer one adult beginners’ class, and get our guild meeting again — so, if I’ve got any guild ladies checking in now and then, I hope you’re looking forward to it as much as I am!!! We need to finish our silk sampler we started last summer and move ahead with some plans.

I’m excited to get back into the swing of group stitching!

Ahhhh. The “lazy” days of summer… they can’t get here soon enough!

Does anyone have any suggestions for a two-year anniversary stash contest in June? What would YOU like to see in a stash contest??! More embellishments? Threads? More ribbon? Fabric scraps? Methinks it should be something extraordinary for June.

And finally, coming up – a reader’s embroidery project! A stunning example of goldwork (thanks, Margaret), my completed sign, some interesting linkage, and whatever else I can drum up for your information and entertainment!

(…and I might even tell you about my ducks…)