Jen Goodwin Embroidery

Distance Learning is Coming

jge-admin — Mon, 21 May 2012 08:51:51 +0000

It’s odd how some ideas come to you, I knew I wanted to offer something extra within the business but I was unsure what. I have always offered kits for sale & I have always taught classes but there was that great big void in the middle. I suddenly knew I should think about distance learning. I’ve already blogged about the wonderful stitching my trial group have been doing so I won’t go into it again. I have now added in a few more stitchers in to the trial group & soon I hope to be ready for the system to go live.

Silk Shaded Tulip

So here is a quick overview of how it’s going to work. I will start off using my existing designs, there are lots for students to choose from. This will be guided learning from afar, students will receive instructions in stages, I will monitor progress & give feedback on work. We will have a forum which will be treated as our virtual classroom, where the students can access me & chat with each other. I hope to set up a stitch library with diagrams & once I’ve worked out how to do it videos.

Pulled & Blackwork Combo

I have many more ideas to workout for distance learning like series of courses within techniques but that’s for another day. I have one more project that my trail group are going to trial for me which will be a pulled work & blackwork combo (similar to the one above) then this will be up & running for new students. If you are interested in joining the distance learners mailing list you can email me at hello-teacher@jengoodwinembroidery.com

It’s all about blackwork!

jge-admin — Sun, 13 May 2012 18:56:03 +0000

This week I’m going to give an update on the distance learning project I have been trialling with some willing volunteers. As you may remember I have been tutoring my students from afar & so far I’ve been so pleased with my students. They have been working on one of my existing patterns (now available as a download!)

Mary's Blackwork

Mary finished her piece first & she has done a fabulous job, like all the stitchers she has worked the project in sections. As she came to the end of an area, I have visually checked it via emailed photos before she has been able to move into the next area. This is essentially how a day class works, constant feedback on the stitches worked.

Deirdre's Work

Deirdre is just about to embark upon session 3, so this is her work in progress. Deirdre tells me she is looking forward to starting the next section & doesn’t want it to come to an end. I don’t think she realises I’m going to drag her into the next project too but more on that in a moment.

I’ve saved the most unusual for last. Dee is an experienced stitcher & wanted to try something different. This is aimed towards her medieval Christmas 2012.

Dee's work

I’ve found the distance learning project really interesting from the side of a tutor & I have learnt too which was the main point really. For me to see if the idea would work & if people were interested. I’m going to work another project with these 3 volunteers & I’m looking for a handful of new volunteers to add in to our group. If you are interested email me at jen@jengoodwinembroidery.com with distance learning in the subject line. Once I’ve gathered 6 new able stitchers we shall move on.

However if your not successful getting in on the project & want to try one of my designs take a look at the digital downloads section as a new stash of patterns will be uploaded this week.

Digital Downloads

jge-admin — Tue, 08 May 2012 18:48:45 +0000

Just a short note about the digital downloads that I have finally launched. This is an area I plan on expanding a great deal but so far I have just got a few designs in there. There is a basic embroidery, a basic blackwork, a basic goldwork and best of all the Jubilee Sampler has finally gone on sale! It has also gone on display in the local sewing shop for the Jubilee display, so many of the Wimborne shops are already celebrating before the June kick off.

Jubilee Sample on display

So with only 10 days left before I escape the day job I have started making plans for my time. The first of the jobs that needs tackling is the stack of instructions to add into the digital downloads section so watch this space for all the new patterns like the iris below.

Reverse Blackwork Iris

Instructions

jge-admin — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 14:32:24 +0000

Still plenty going on in the background of Jen Goodwin Embroidery, at the moment I’m desperately trying to catch up with my outstanding stack of kit instructions. It is quite a mine field writing for kits, people think that once a sample is stitched you can start selling your design right away. I do find I’m quite hard on myself whilst writing instructions, making sure the diagrams are well illustrated & making sure that the written instructions make sense. It is also important not to sound patronising but not be too technical!

Jubilee Sampler

With this in mind I am today finally sitting down to organising the Jubilee Sampler instructions. With luck these will be available by the end of the week & I can contact everyone waiting on the mailing list. If you would like to know when they are available please email me at jen@jengoodwinembroidery.com

I have many more sets of instruction that need writing at the moment so that is the first job I need to address once I am free of my day job (only 3 week to go!). Including instructions for the latest sample I have finished this silk shaded tulip.

Silk Shaded Tulip

Changes Afoot

jge-admin — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 18:08:48 +0000

So this week I did it finally, I handed in my resignation from my day job!

It’s funny really how life throws obstacles at you when you just don’t need them. This time last year I had such grand plans for myself. I planned to walk away from my sensible part time job and embrace self employment full time; not just fit my stitching, teaching & kit business around the rest. And whilst the whole world was waiting to see what the Duchess of Cambridge would be wearing down the aisle I knew I had had a hand in stitching the dress! I felt on top of the world. Alas it all went a bit pear shaped & I needed to take my part time job full time temporally, now a year later I am finally becoming master of my own diary again.

Silk shading design

So now I face an interesting future, life without a regular wage for one thing will be difficult but I know that my friends & family have faith in me & I am extremely over confidant where my stitching is concerned! So there will be a big investment increasing the kit business side of things in the coming months, with all of my new designs going on sale. One of which I have started working on this week (design above)

Silk shading work in progress

There will be lots more to come in the coming months, there are many changes afoot!

Introduction to Embroidery Class

jge-admin — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 18:14:23 +0000

Introduction to embroidery

Do you fancy learning this fabulous feather design?

We have a couple of spaces left for this class on the 25th April at the Langton Arms, Dorset.

My NEC Adventure

jge-admin — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 17:47:11 +0000

So I have now returned from the Fashion Embroidery & Stitch Show at the NEC. I had a small pile of stuff for display which I had to cart 3 hours up the motorway.

Frames ready to go

The frames before & after

My work on display

I was doing a spot of hand embroidery demonstrating on the Madeira UK stand using some of their lovely threads. I got all of my work up on display on the Wednesday ready for the doors opening on Thursday morning.

Look at all the people

I got to stay with the very lovely & talented embroiderer Helen McCook, we graduated the RSN together and go way back & she has made me feel terribly guilty for forgetting to add her to this original post. I’m hoping this is grovely enough! I also had a great time catching up with people who I hadn’t seen for ages like the fabulous Tracy Franklin one half of Stitchbusiness I also finally meet Julia Triston, the other half. Both Tracy & Julia are talented textile artists based in the north of the UK. Katie Pirson another RSN bod was at the NEC too, we get about everywhere, it was interesting to here how different her apprenticeship experience was to mine. Michala Gyetvai, was also on the Madeira stand with her incredible machine embroidery.

Michala Gyetvai Wall Hanging

Michala’s work is so stunning visually & if your interested you can find more here on her facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Michala-Gyetvai-Kaylacoo/133372320850

There was a display of different types of lace, even a little bit about that dress. I did intend to get a picture of myself with the display but ran out of time.

That dress!

I had a great time restocking my stores with a lot of stuff (which I meant to photograph but forgot & now everything has found a home in my workroom!). I also managed to get some work done.

Trefoil Sample

This piece still needs a little work but it will become a kit once done. I shall also work a pink & a gold version, just waiting for the space dyed thread to arrive for the silk shading. Now I just need to chase down a few new leads that have cropped up & I shall be a happy bunny!

New Projects

jge-admin — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 21:26:32 +0000

I’ve had such a busy few days which may have induced a couple of days of manic hysteria. I always forget I get like that when faced with important deadlines.I’ve been getting so much work framed up ready for next week at the NEC but I now have 10 frames good to go, far more than I actually need. I am now also back to my usual laid back self.

: Autumnal Curls

I have also been planning my next day class which is being held on Tuesday, Blackwork with Colour. I will get this into its frame tomorrow.

: Blackwork with Colour

This design is also the basis of my next project. I have been thinking for a while about starting up a distance learning project. Something that bridges the gap between selling a kit & leaving the purchaser to get on with and having a class room of students getting feedback as they stitch. So I throw this out to my facebook page asking for volunteers, little did I expect the overwhelming response. So as of today I have students who span the globe, all eager to learn a new technique & helping me to perfect this new product so I can launch it on the rest of you.

: Details of blackwork with colour

I hope my volunteers are as excited about this project as I am!

The Langton Arms

jge-admin — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 18:29:39 +0000

I thought I would spend this post sharing the designs that will be being covered at the Langton Arms classes from April.

Introduction to embroidery

To start with there will be four classes starting with Introduction to Embroidery on Wednesday 25th of April. This design will introduce you to 8 different basic stitches.

Basic Goldwork

Basic Goldwork is being taught on Wednesday 30th May, this class will introduce you to working with some of the many forms of gold threads. This very historical technique is very rewarding to learn.

Basic Blackwork with Colour

On Thursday 28th June Basic Blackwork will be taught. This again is another historic technique, used in the Tudor Period along shirt cuffs to give the illusion of lace work, something which was prohibitively expensive at the time.

Silk shaded flower design

The last class that has been planned is a Silk Shading class on Thursday 19th July. As you can see, as yet this has not yet been stitched but pictures will be available as soon as it has been.

We are hoping to run more classes at The Langton Arms, I just need to decide what other techniques to teach, when the plans are in place I will share the details.

Bridal Work

jge-admin — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 20:38:57 +0000

Bridal Work