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
Traffic Pattern quilt
Pat was the lucky winner of the Boys quilt pattern a few months back, donated by Kids & Co.. I have now finished the "traffic" quilt that I won in one of your competitions and have sent you a picture from my iphone - hope it arrives ok. It really came out well and looked stunning. Thank you. It was well received by mother father and child!! I felt very proud of it - thanks to all of your teaching over the years. and she plans to make two more for the other grandchildren! Happy Sewing
(we have Bugsy and Alphabet Jungle from this range available in the shop)
Rotary cutters
I was wondering if you could tell me which rotary cutters Jennie used in the fabric balls video? My cutter needs replacing and I fancy one of the safety ones which become safe when raising the cutter from the fabric. Answer: I think Jennie was using the Trucut range of rotary cutter which has a groove in it and is best used with its own ruler; however Olfa do both sizes 28mm and 45mm cuttter with a self-closing system, and these are readily available from quilt shops (but if in doubt you can contact Isa@creativequilting.co.uk) Want to see the Fabric Balls video? click here:
How do I know if the fabric is cotton?
Do a burn test – I know that sounds dramatic but we aren’t suggesting you set your stash alight!! In essence, cotton fibres ignite as the flame from your match draws near Synthetic fibres curl away from the heat and tend to ‘melt’. Take a few fibres; put into flameproof container with sides maybe, and apply a small flame from a long handled match maybe, and watch what happens.