Machine Embroidery

Last week I took delivery of Gina's recent dvd. Now, machine embroidery is something I've tried before but I've never felt quite at ease with. Mainly that's because I find it difficult to actually see what I'm stitching through the darning foot but I really want to crack that because I have been inspired by so many textile artists who used the technique with paper instead of fabric and have made the medium their own. It started years ago when I read an article about Louise Baldwin and how she often combines paper with stitch and it all came rushing back to me last week when I found the work of Helen Hallows.

Through a small comment in a magazine about an exhibition in the Sock Gallery here called 'Patterned Presence' I then went to Helen's website and instantly related to the colourful landscapes and images she creates by using found and painted papers with machine stitch. Helen uses old book pages and end papers etc and being a self confessed paper hoarder I must have a lifetime's worth of materials to play with if I can only master the control of the machine rather than let it control me!

An e mail to Helen gave me the OK to show some of her images but this is only a fraction of what there is to see. Have a good look on the link above and then follow the link to a great blog that Helen writes. Another one to definitely add to that 'Favourites' list.

In the meantime I am practising with the techniques before I trust myself stitching onto paper. Gina's dvd is a very professional offering. The step by step process really opened my eyes and I have learned some key things from it immediately.... despite falling at the first hurdle of having a clean machine. Oh dear. I always wondered what that little brush was for. Now I know and I've rectified the situation. It's all systems go now.... I just have to overcome the fear of cutting up my precious papers.....