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
Secret Pillow dilemma
Your secret pillow video is brilliant and I love it! Please could you show/explain how the front of the quilt looks regarding the seams that are applied to the reverse side to attach the pillow casing? Do the seams show and overlap the existing quilting? Should we try and avoid doubling over the seams? I have made a pale fabric quilt which shows all the stitching very clearly and could look 'overstitched' on the top side if I attach the pillow case (that I now want to apply thanks to your lovely video!) Many thanks!
Biscornu cushion
Inspired by the pincushion video from Carolyn Forster here is one that Joy made: I just had to share the biscornu pillow I made following the video that was made for the pincushion. I just enlarged it and again made it match the quilt and other pillow I made. This is the result and I am really please with the way it turned out. I just love your video's, they are so helpful for decorating my house and for making quilts. Sincerely Grateful, Joy C Click here to enjoy the video:
when do you add the wadding?
Question: Hi I'm a new quilter making 12" squares. At which point do I add batting? Is it with the individual square or when it's all joined together ? Answer: There are two ways of doing a quilt - by squares - Quilt as you Go (see Carolyn Forster) or making the whole quilt top - which is my preferred method - see Layer Quilt and Bind in the Block of the Month series First Sampler Quilt