London Embroidery School

Central London Embroidery School

craft

Goldwork Cherry Class Launched

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Your attention please, this one is going to be a crowd pleaser!

We are launching our latest online class today which is a introduction to the very sort after technique of goldwork!  In this video we will talk you through the materials, equipment and making of this really cute cherry design in goldwork techniques.

I always think that starting a new technique can feel a bit daunting, especially something as classic and luxurious looking as goldwork. Therefore we have put together this starter class so that you can give some of the basics a try and see if it is for you. Should you fall in love with it (and we think you might well do) we have other more in depth technical classes in planning to take this experience further together when you are ready. For now, we’re just going to focus on getting you started , introducing you to the tools and materials and above all having some fun whilst creating a great looking piece .

As this class uses some quite specialist materials, including bright check and pearle purl which we will be chipping, couching and cutworking so you will need to have purchased either a mini kit or deluxe kit from the London Embroidery School website to take part.

You know the drill, head to the online classes section to purchase the class and your choice of kit while stocks last!

May’s Student Of the Month

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Confession! We have been slacking, we got so caught up in the online classes we forgot about student of the month!

We are here to rectify that as we are delighted to annouce that May’s Student of the Month is….. @valbotham !

 

She has been very busy, getting involved in a whole host of the online classes we have recently shared to stunning results.

Blooming Peony By Val Botham

Her instagram is filled withlots of things she has made so you can see this is a lady of many talents demonstrated in her versitility, switching between skills easily.

Organdie Rose by Val Botham

Pretty impressive, I’m sure you will agree!

Valentino Rose by Val Botham

If you would like to be the June’s #studentofthemonth, use the hashtag #londonembroideryschool or tag us when sharing your photos from your London Embroidery School class or the things you have gone onto make following one of our class.

All Images courtesy of @valbotham

Lace Applique Online Class

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Let us introduce you to the beautiful art of Lace Applique in this hour long class from the London Embroidery School. Stitching along side us,you learn how to select, prepare and apply your lace for a stunning finish every time. With particular emphasis on the stitch techniques and tension of your lace, you can be confident in using your new applique skills.

Kits are also available to go along side this class if you wish to work on the same paisley lace pattern as us, however the approach can be applied to any lace you desire.  Lace Applique allows you to create relatively swift embroidered coverage, perfect for bridal, sprucing up older garments, or to use as a repair method for damaged fabrics that need some love.

Once purchased, the link to the class will be delivered to your email, taking you directly to the full class. You can watch the video as many times as you like, at your own convenience, in the comfort of your home.

Head over to the online classes section to purchase this class and kit to get started.

March’s Student of the Month

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There have been a lot of changes and updates at the London Embroidery School this month, and we would like to use student of the month to highlight one of of far flung students who has taken hold of our #valrosechallenge and made it her own. @mybricole has been stitching her valentino roses from the video as her downtime from making masks for her local hospital.

We count 9 roses to date (but wouldn’t be surpised to find out there were more!) testing out lots of different fabrics with the same design to investigate the differences between them.

As well as being a dab hand at making roses, she makes quilts and other keepsakes which she shares on her instagram  and on her craft journal website so check thouse out if you’d like to see more from her makes.

If you would like to be the April’s #studentofthemonth, use the hashtag #londonembroideryschool or tag us when sharing your photos from your London Embroidery School class or the things you have gone onto make following one of our class.

All Images courtesy of @mybricole

March’s Student of the Month

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This month, our student of the month is @simplythethreads who shared with us her progress from the Silk Shading Day Class- Beginners she took a couple of weeks ago. Email us for your discount code so we can see again soon at another class we hope!

Ali’s  instagram (simplythethreads) seems to a pretty new so we are excited to see where her stitching journey takes her. Give her a follow if you would like to come along for the ride too as she explores these new skills.

Alternatively if you would like to be April’s #studentofthemonth, use the hashtag #londonembroideryschool when sharing your photos from your London Embroidery School class or the things you have gone onto make following the class.

We can’t wait to see what this beauty becomes…

All Images courtesy of @simplythethreads

Pro Tips: Stitching with Both Hands

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One of the things about embroidery, particulally hand embroidery, that you can not get away from is that it takes time. It takes a lot of practise to become proficient in each technique and time to keep your skills at a good level. In addition to that there is the time it takes to complete each piece depending on your proficiency. Whilst this makes it quite a relaxing, luxurious pursuit for a lot of people, the million dollar question is always ”how do I get faster?”

 

The simple answer to this is that you have to use both hands for stitching. Everyone has their prefered hand to work with, but to get faster at embroidering you need to save on the time that it takes for your hand to travel around the hoop from the front to the back to the front again to pull through and reposition the needle for each stitch. I’m sure you are probably thinking that this is only for ambidextrous people because you non-dominant hand just does not do the same as your dominant hand when you have tried to write or catch with it. With practise, you can train your non-dominant hand to share the load with your dominant hand.

What you are looking to achieve is being able to pass the needle back and forth, through the fabric, between your hands a bit like in the above. Each hand stays on its side of the hoop and controls the needle and thread only when it is on that side. Which way around you choose to position your hands is up to you, both of the embroiderers shown here are right hand dominant, but the embroiderer shown above prefers right hand on top, left underneath; whilst the embroiderer in the clip below has the left hand underneath and the right above (seen only in shadow).

So next time you are stitching, give the two handed method a try. Admittedly, when you first start it feels very awkward and you will probably feel like your stitches placed with the non-dominant hand are a little clumsey, but the more you use it the easier it will feel.

 

Happy quick stitching…