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
Quilt for charity from Mary
I surprised myself and finished a quilt for the charity a few days ago. I have even photoed it! Picture attached. I used a lovely piece of liberty cotton (it feels like silk!) and the remainder was pieces that I had in the house. As a dressmaker I find it hard to get my head around the concept of cutting up perfectly good cloth into little pieces and then sewing it back together.
THings Irene has enjoyed on the website
Just to say I have nearly completed another of Val's scrap quilts - the red and white one. I am planning another one using all my scraps. They are easy to make and I can use up the vast amount of small fabric pieces I have. I have also made Helen Deighan's pot - a little one to practice! Also an earlier workshop on box making that Jenny demonstrated and I have made lots of these for gifts.
Help with layering a quilt
I was interested in Valerie's Layer Quilt and Bind method I have dug out a finished top layer which I put on the back burner as I find it hard to layer it on the floor, I am confident that it will get finished now. I have done a sample of Jennie Origami Hexagon so pleased that I have fabric to make a cushion, maybe one day I will manage a quilt.