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
Marking designs onto a dark fabric.
Do you have a favoured method of transferring quilting patterns? I have a dark sashing and I am finding it difficult to transfer on to it. Answer: Yes dark colours are always a challenge; I do mention some options in the video Quilting Your Quilt
https://www.justhands-on.tv/videos/workshops/article-1086/quilting-your-sampler-quilt-with-valerie-nesbitt
and it depends a little on how complex the pattern is; if its a real stencil pattern then I would use Quilt-and-Tear but if its a simple pattern try the Hera marker (or scoring with the back of your scissors)
Artist Creates Beautiful Portraits Using Tulle Fabrics
There are some talented people around - just take a look at what he creates with fabric and an iron: https://www.123inspiration.com/artist-creates-beautiful-portraits-using-tulle-fabrics/
Fusible Wadding
I have purchased fusible wadding for a wall hanging made yesterday, but it came off a roll and there were no instructions. Do I just layer up with my project back and front and iron on? Answer: I seem to recall that a good press will adhere the wadding BUT a gentle iron will add to the fusion; so see what works!