135 Village Post Rd, Danvers, MA 01923 - suereed10@aol.com - 978.774.1497
Two-Day Workshops: Page 1
Four Square Diamonds
Patterns, stitches, and various threads create this challenging design of four squares containing diamonds. The center crescent diamond is worked in hand-dyed and solid. Two background stitches in the squares are used to subtly suggest two shapes: diamond and octagon. The softness of couched metallic braid and satin stitches that border the diamonds continues on to frame the herringbone pattern. This herringbone extends into the arms and is mirror-imaged for the square border. A quiet outer border of satin and shaded long-arm Greek cross completes the design.
Color choices are available.
Design Size: 8.75” x 8.75” on canvas cut to 13” x 13”
Ground: #18 canvas
Kit contents: Line-drawn canvas, instruction booklet, needles, all threads (Watercolours; Pepper Pot Silk; Splendor Silk; Silk Lame 18; Petite Silk Lame; Kreinik braids #4 and #12)
Proficiency Level: Advanced Intermediate
Through a Garden Window
The vibrancy of colors blossom in this design. The Japanese braid on the model is stitched in warm colors of Pepper Pot Silk to create texture as the braid is mirror-imaged and rotated. To offset this texture, the background is stitched in various plies of silk: 3 ply diagonal satin stitches by the flowers create a diamond shape. The void spaces in the center and at the points are stitched in 2 ply straight stitches creating another diamond. The inner design area is squared off with 1 ply straight stitches. Couched Petite Silk Lame pulls in the main color and emphasizes the diamonds. The colorful inner border of eyelet rays, edged by long-armed Greek cross, echoes the vibrant center motifs. An outer border of Japanese braid frames the window.
Color choices are available.
Design Size: 8.5” x 8.5” on canvas cut to 13” x 13”
Ground: #18 canvas
Kit contents: Line-drawn canvas, instruction booklet, needles, all threads (Pepper Pot Silk; Splendor Silk; Silk Lame 18; Petite Silk Lame)
Proficiency Level: Intermediate
Peaceful Hearts
Soothing patterns of laid silks, the challenge of two-needle and beaded Japanese braids are part of this intricate design. Watch how couching Petite Very Velvet with two different thread colors changes the color of the velvet. Surround the center area with brick-beaded hearts, Sprat’s heads and a layered pattern. Quiet the design with borders in a monochromatic color.
Color choices are available
Design Size: 8” x 8” on canvas cut to 12” x 12”
Ground: #18 canvas
Kit contents: Line-drawn canvas, Silks (Waterlilies, Splendor, Pepper Pot Silk), Impressions (2 values); Petite Silk Lame (2 colors), Petite Very Velvet, #4 very fine Kreinik, Delica beads.
Proficiency Level: Intermediate Advanced
The Mystery of Life
Rhythmic patterns are stitched to form three separate interlaced designs elements reminiscent of Celtic/British Isles knots. The center is comprised of four knots that abut, with carefully placed colors to make the four knots appear as one large knot. The border pattern, a basic knot adaptation, is expanded to flow entirely around the design. Corners have an interlaced motif weaving into the basic pattern. Quiet areas of solid color patterns bring texture to the background and allow for a visual resting place.
Color choices are available.
Design size: 8.5” x 8.75” on canvas cut to 13” x 13”
Creating various interwoven knots and a four-strand sennit border makes this a rewarding challenge. To further the visual effects of the three knots, stitches were selected that enhance their interwoven appearance. Some of the stitches used: Japanese braid, T-stitch, crisscross Hungarian, double alternating Nobuko. The multi-colored sennit border, while requiring thought in the execution, soon develops a stitching rhythm that makes it pleasing to stitch.
Color choices are available.
Design size: 7” x 9.25” on canvas cut to 12” x 14”
Ground: #18
Proficiency level: Advanced Intermediate
Mardi Gras
A multilayered composite woven wheel pattern with its playful colors creates a colorful center. Radiating outward are four bands of a zigzag pattern. This pattern extends to the border to set up four rectangular areas. The stitches used on the rectangles allow for light play and movement, color and texture. Surrounding this colorful design is a quiet border of slanted Gobelin and long-armed cross.
Color choices are available.
Design size: 9” x 8.75” on canvas cut to 13” x 13”
Ground: #18 canvas
Threads: Silks (Pepper Pot and Splendor), #12 Kreinik braid, beads
Proficiency level: Advanced Intermediate
Garden Path
Follow zigzag paths to create a garden of patterns and colors. The center of the design features crescent flowers, Rhodes stitches, and crescent bursts of color created by color matching hand-dyed silk. The two-color padded waffle variation, when surrounded by satin stitches adds a strong border pattern, but when grouped together change in appearance. The stained glass effect found in the mosaic stitches ties the colors together. Waffle stitches connecting the borders add a strong grounding to this garden; laid silk patterns give a visual resting place.
Color choices are available.
Design Size: 7.5” x 7.5” on canvas cut to 12” x 12”
Ground: #18
Proficiency level: Intermediate
Eclectic Interlude
Needing a break from more structured geometrics (and a request to design a piece for a Sudbury House jewelry box) led me to Eclectic Interlude. The goal of this workshop is to allow you the freedom to play with threads and colors within the 15 patterns on this piece. Learn how to work with Watercolours to color match in a pattern, learn various ways to attach beads, learn various composite patterns, learn how to stitch four-point and five-point stars. The beautiful and subtle Japanese braid stitch frames this colorful design.
Plaited ray stitches give this banded design a distinctive appearance with large units dominating the center and smaller units interlacing to create a unique border pattern. Linear bands of patterns form a square around the center design while diagonal bands of different patterns are placed in the corners to overlap the square. In addition to small and large plaited rays, some of the other stitches used are sprat’s head, interrupted scotch, couched braid, bound cross, inverted rice variation, eyelet, tied satin, and whipped backstitch.
Color choices are available.
Design Size: 7.5" x 7.5" on canvas cut to 12" x 12"
Ground: #18
Proficiency level: Intermediate
Two-Day Workshops: Page 2
Spirit
A geometric pattern of columns, blocks, and central background draws the eye to the secondary diamond shape of this design. Thread blending and/or color matching hand-dyed silk occur on the diamond abutments and in the borders. This strong visual pattern is offset by subdued patterns placed in the corners using fewer strands and a lighter value. Learning to color match hand-dyed silks may be a challenge - but one that has rewards in visual effects of this design.
Color choices are available.
Design size: 8.5” x 8.5” on canvas cut to 13” x 13”
Ground: #18
Proficiency level: Advanced Intermediate
Jewels of the Tsars
Rubies, sapphires, and emeralds! Jewels take on a deep richness when hologram metallic ribbons are used to create variations of themarquise-cut gemstones. The smoothness of carefully laid Splendor silk adds a sleek contrast to the smyrnas. A fern variation, bordered by whipped backstitch and filled with two simulated jewel patterns, creates an elegant border that draws the eye to the corner jeweled motifs. With the addition of a crescent variation, the “marquise cuts” convert to round gemstones. Nobuko variation frames the design.
Color choices are available.
Design size: 7.25” x 8.15” on canvas size to 12” x 12”
Ground: #18
Proficiency level: Intermediate
Diamonds Galore
The couched diamond shapes of this design contain various textured stitches such as Rhodes hearts, beaded waffles, double crosses, and Jessicas (circular and diamond). The higher texture of these stitches contrasts against the flatter satin and fern stitches that are worked in carefully laid silk. Hints of a hand-dyed thread enhance the design. The stitcher will have the option of using either a hand-dyed cotton or a silk in the border pattern.
Color choices are available.
Design Size: 8.75" x 6.50" on canvas cut to 13" x 11"
Ground: #18
Proficiency level: Advanced Intermediate
Graphic Expressions
Strong geometric shapes - squares, rectangles, octagons - coupled with strong patterns are the focal point of this graphic design. Quiet areas of patterns offset the bold. Colors interact with each other. The stitcher has the option of working this design on either #18 canvas or on #13/14 canvas. Most of the threads kitted are compatible with both counts of canvas and where change is necessary, appropriate threads will be kitted.
Color choices are available.
Design size/ground: #18 canvas - 6.5” x 6.75” on canvas cut to 11” x 11” #13/14 canvas - 9” x 9.25” on canvas cut to 13” x 13”
Proficiency level: Advanced Intermediate
Copper Line
Copper Line, an inspiration of textures and values, is stitched against a backdrop of marbled canvas. The center portion of the design is comprised of three geometric areas, each containing its own distinctive patterns and stitches. The border of connected squares surrounding the center is set away from the main area to allow for the marbled canvas to lend a subtle element to the over-all design.
Color choices are available.
Design Size: 8” x 8” on canvas cut to 12” x 12”
Ground: #18 marbled canvas
Proficiency level: Advanced Intermediate
Avalon
This design, filled with textures and with shading, is created by the threads and stitches selected. The center focal point, which is framed by a herringbone pattern, uses the secondary and accent colors. The large border with its hexagonal shapes pulls the design together with shading, texture, and subtle patterns.
Color choices are available.
Design Size: 8.25” x 8.25” on canvas cut to 13” x 13”
Ground: #18
Proficiency level: Advanced Intermediate
Composition
Composition is just that – a geometric design filled with composite patterns. Each area surrounding the center double fan doubled variation contains a variety of stitches worked in as many as six steps to obtain the completed pattern.
Color palettes available are taupe, blue, or green.
Design Size: 7.25” x 7.25” on canvas cut to 12” x 12”
Ground: #18
Proficiency level: Advanced Intermediate
The Spectrum Series
The Spectrum Series are all two-day workshop pieces.
Puzzling the Spectrum
Here is a stitching challenge! This design, using the colors of a 12-point spectrum, may be worked in three different ways, each creating its own problem: a Sudoku puzzle (how do I fit 12 colors into 9 squares?), a sampler of stitches (what color goes in each square?), or design your own stitches (what patterns can I create?). Many patterns will be given and blank squares provided to make this design your own. Whichever you decide, this puzzle will be fun to solve!
Color choices are available for border color.
Design size: 6” x 6” on canvas cut to 12” x 12”
Ground: #23/24 Congress
Proficiency level: Advanced Intermediate
Crossing the Spectrum
Crossing the Spectrum is designed to give you a sense of the color spectrum, but in a creatively stitched way. Don’t like the warm red/red orange? Prefer the cool blue/blue violet? If so, enough thread is kitted to personalize your own spectrum to fit your mood and/or color preferences by varying your placement of colors.
Color choices are available for the border.
Design Size: 7.75” x7.75” on canvas cut to 12” x 12”
Ground: #23/24 Congress Cloth
Proficiency level: Advanced Intermediate
Sampling the Spectrum
This design uses the spectrum and thread blending to create a sampler based upon a French braided quilt. Various families of stitches are used in the two outer columns: primary colors use cross stitches, secondary colors use straight stitches, and tertiary colors use diagonal stitches. The middle column contains threads blended into twelve additional hues and worked in combinations of straight, cross, and diagonal. The beautiful Japanese braid stitch separates and frames the columns. The border is worked in padded satin and burden stitch.
Color choices are available for the border.
Design Size: 8.5” x 8.5” on canvas cut to 12” x 12”
Ground: 23/24 congress cloth
Proficiency level: Advanced Intermediate
One-Day Workshops
Twisted Stitches
This small design is packed with stitches and with sparkle, with texture and with smoothly laid stitches. Wonder where the “twisted” comes in? It is seen in the Walnettos and in the….oh wait - take the class to find out!
Color choices are available.
Design Size: 4.25” x 4.25” on canvas cut to 8” x 8”
Ground Fabric: #18
Proficiency Level; Intermediate
Celtic Knot #4
Learn to stitch a fascinating Celtic knot in this one-day class. Play with the placement of colors to emphasize the various sections of the knot. The focal point center knot is squared off with corner knots. The design is enhanced by the addition of a border pattern knot that is counted to turn corners without compensation.
Canvas choices are available:
Ground: 18 mono in black or white
Design Size: 4.5” x 4.5” on canvas cut to 10” x 10”
Various beading techniques are incorporated with stitching in this class. In addition to learning the various ways to attach single beads, you will also learn how to: work a bead directly into a stitch (Japanese braid); bead over padding to create a bumblebee; create free-standing beaded bumblebee wings; create a bead fringe to make flower stamens; stitch bead clusters; work brick beading.
Though small in size, Journey packs a punch of stitching with textures and stitch variations. Starting with a textured diamond-shaped center created with double fans surrounded by satin stitches, couched metallic, and diagonal mosaic, the Journey continues outward to a squared off design using four different stiches. The outer border follows through with the theme of variety and texture with a half dozen different stitches.
Color choices are available.
Design Size: 4.75” x 4.75” on canvas cut to 10” x 10”
Ground: #18
Proficiency level: Intermediate
Half-Day Workshops
Harmony - Sea
Various crescent stitches create the undulating motion of the waves in the sea. The corner pattern, worked in color-matched hand-dyed silk, uses both satin stitches and tent stitches to produce softer curves. Learn how to work and stitch with a hand-dyed thread so that the four corners are color-matchedand mirror-imaged. Learn how to turn a clean corner when couching down a metallic braid. This small design is packed with many learning experiences.
Color choices are available.
Design Size: 4” x 4”
Ground: #18
Proficiency level: Intermediate
Harmony - Sky
Walnettos, eyelets, and double crosses are some of the stitches used to create the appearance of stars in the sky. Learn how to work and stitch with a hand-dyed thread so that the four corners are color-matched and mirror-imaged. Learn how to turn a clean corner when couching down a metallic braid. This small design is packed with a lot of learning.
Color choices are available.
Design size: 4” x 4”
Ground: #18
Proficiency level: Intermediate
Harmony - Earth
Delicate woven flowers that form the center of this design have petals held in place with metallic braid. The flowers are set apart from each other with stylized leaves. Three rows of couched metallic braids shade outward to frame the flowers and to set up the corners for scotch variation stitched in hand-dyed silk. The border carries out the theme with stitched petals and leaf variations.
Color choices are available.
Design Size: 4” x 4” on canvas cut to 8” x 8”
Ground: #18
Proficiency Level; Intermediate
Illini Knot
This geometric design is the center section of the one-day class, Journey. A textured diamond-shaped center is created with double fans surrounded by satin stitches, couched metallic, and diagonal mosaic. The design, squared off with interrupted scotch stitches that alternate slant in each quadrant, is bordered by dense pattern of braid over Vineyard silk.
Design size: 3.5” x 3.5”
Ground: #18
Proficiency level: Intermediate
Portland Revisited
A small geometric design filled with stitches awaits you in “Portland Revisited”.This former mini class has been updated with newer threads now available, with some changes in stitches, and with an additional challenge: how to control a hand-dyed thread to obtain a color match. Some of the stitches used are various types and sizes of eyelets, double cross, couching, inverted mosaic, interrupted scotch, and satin.
Color choices are available.
Design Size: 3.75” x 3.75” on canvas cut to 10” x 10”
Ground: #18
Proficiency level: Intermediate
Independence
This is a small design loaded with stitches. The center contains Rhodes stitches worked in hologram ribbon. Unconventionally worked crescent stitches frame the Rhodes to form jewels. A minimal diamond border frames the jewels and allows the metallic thread in the canvas to sparkle. Smaller Rhodes and crescent stitches sit in the corners. The outer area of crescent stitches waving gently around the design contains crystals sitting snuggly in the waves. Finishing the design are leaf/fan shapes alternating with attached beads and a border of couched braid.
