Sweet Molly's Heart Ring Cushion

Sweet Molly's Heart is was Mountmellick workshop with Nicola Jarvis at Embroidery Now in Winchester in summer 2018. I didn't know anything about Mountmellick work before the workshop apart the fact that it is a whitework technique. As always Nicola had lots of background information for the technique and was a great teacher.

We were taught the traditional stitches in the class but  were given scope to make the design our own, including embellishments with beads and crystals. Nicola mentioned that she had seen a finished version of the design with a lattice, although that is not a typical Mountmellick technique. I liked the idea of filling in  the heart, so I gave it a go.

Finishing off the cushion gave me an opportunity to practise beaded fringes. It took several attempts to get the spacing right but in the end I was pleased with the result.

Whitework Button - Buttercup

Last weekend I was lucky enough to attend a workshop with Jenny Adin-Christie  at Embroidery Now in Winchester. We were given a choice of 5 button designs. I chose to do one of the simpler designs to give myself the best chance of finishing it. The strategy worked because here is the completed button. The design is small (1 1/4" across) and for the majority of the stitching I found it helpful to use a magnifier. It was my first workshop with Jenny and the fact that I was the only first timer in the room demonstrates what a great teacher she is. Jenny's kits are beautifully put together and include very detailed instructions - well worth the money. It was also my first time at Embroidery Now. I have been thinking of attending one of their courses for some time but it took until this year for the stars to align enough that I was free at the right time and spotted the class before it booked up. Their venue in Winchester is lovely and Jane Bennett who organises the courses made me feel very welcome. I'm definitely hoping to mage a return visit - I just need those stars to align again!