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
Christmas Bears for the tree
Anna just loves to sew and couldn't wait to start on her tree decorations - good job Anna. This comes as either a pattern or as a kit (Christmas Cuddlies Bears by Brenda Walker) and you can purchase your own!
Do I have to quilt my quilt?
No you don't - older quilts were often fastened with tying and using buttons is another option ( but don't use buttons if the quilt is for a very young child). Here is a comment from one of our viewers: Thank you for the tying and buttoning for a quilt. I have just tied my Christmas Lap quilt, and found your instructions very helpful.
MK GEMS exhibition
An Exhibition of Embroidered Work by members of MK GEMS was held
on 30th November 2013 at the Summerlin Centre. The exhibition raised £1224.21 for Macmillan Cancer Support. In addition the group made an appliqued quilt earlier this year (it's in Issue 28
of Flair magazine) which was auctioned in October at 'Strictly',
Milton Keynes for a further
£400.
MK Gems was founded 6 years ago by Mary Sayers.