About Susan
Susan has been teaching embroidery for many years and loves to share her enthusiasm for a wide range of techniques.
She completed her City and Guilds Part II in Embroidery with the inspirational Anthea Godfrey at the London College of Fashion (as it then was). Over the past twenty years, she has taught a wide range of classes including City and Guilds and leisure classes, with the WI, and most recently independently in the Wivenhoe and the Colchester area of Essex.
Susan took early retirement in 2013, giving her more time for embroidery and textile related activities. She enjoys being an active participant in the local branch of the Embroiderers’ Guild, visiting more exhibitions, attending workshops and reading more about her favourite textile art topics both in print and on-line.
She has also become a student again, signing up for the City and Guilds in Patchwork and Quilting with Creative Stitch Suffolk. According to Susan, “It’s been great to take on new challenges and learn new skills.”
Susan blogs regularly on her website, Threadlines, where she gathers together various elements of her long-standing fascination with embroidery and textile arts more generally. Her hope is that Threadlines will widen her circle of embroidery and textile art friends, and encourage non-embroiderers to try it – just once (that’s all it takes!
Signature Technique
Embroidery
Susan’s Top Tips
- The simpler the stitch, often, the more you can do with it.
- One of the (many) aspects of textiles that I love is that you don’t need to be doing just one project. Try new things…several at a time!
- Doing something completely new with a group of friends makes it extra special.
- If you want to know the ‘right’ way to embroider then turn to a technique manual.
Books and Patterns
Posts
Do you use Indian Floss?
Question: Could you please let me know, where I can buy Indian Floss. It is used on the redwork Cockolly pattern. Our Answer: we thought it an embroidery product and directed the lady to the Embroiderers Guild: ww.embroiderersguild.com but if anyone out there has a better idea, do get back to us:
Interested in Hand Embroidery?
Don't these look wonderful? Learn goldwork from Hand & Lock and make shoes like this. Hand & Lock launch their festival of embroidery in July and they’ve got a fantastic offer for Mastered students. You can get any of their courses for a special concessionary price and if you leave a comment on this blog post you’ll be in with the chance of winning the course of your choice.
More from Karen Nicol
Karen has had a piece of her exquisite textile work accepted for the Royal Academy Summer exhibition 2014! Her name if Crystal and here she is: Well done Karen; and if you would like to see more of the Singerie we maade a delightful video of them when we visited Karen at her home. Karen also has an exhibition coming up on the other side of the Atlantic in New York - It will be at the Rebecca Hossack gallery 262 Mott Street, New York,
Between Houston and Prince Street
NY 10012, USA
+1 (212) 925 3500 running from 15th October to 5th November 2014 and has the working title of 'On the Edge of the Woods' Here is a sample piece to tempt you: