For a while I have given some thought to doing an online course with Tanja Berlin, as I really love her work, and the way she gives her critique and feedback looks like it would be extremely useful. Not quite like having a teacher sitting there beside you, but almost!
So, for my first participation in IHSW hosted by Random Ramblings, I thought this was the perfect project to get stuck into! What is IHSW I hear you say. I heard about it last week when reading Renee from Monkey and Mutt’s blog (thankyou Renee!). Once a month, Random Ramblings ‘host’ a weekend where stitchers around the world ‘hermit’ away and stitch, knowing that they are joined by others around the world. How brilliant is that?! The ultimate stitching group! Now, I wasn’t a particularly good hermit this weekend, and didn’t spend as much time hermit stitching as I would have liked, but that’s fine, I got some stitching in!
When I signed up to this online course, I opted for the option without the design already transferred. This was because I thought it would be a good opportunity to practice the prick and pounce transfer method. But after seeing the design, I thought I would just trace it through with the light box! I haven’t had a great deal of success with the prick and pounce method and detailed designs, and chickened out. It would be a good design to practice on, since I know it can be done successfully.
I haven’t seen needle painting designs drawn up like this before, and this method makes it a very formulated approach to the technique. On the design, you may have noticed on my traced picture, there are dashed lines horizontally across the fox. This breaks the fox into ‘rows’ that you stitch, so not only do you get the layering correct (furthest away stitched first), you also have a good guide for where to place your long and short stitches. I’m not sure if her more advanced designs also use this technique, but I like it, it just takes a bit of getting used to.
After looking at the forum on the website you get access to when you sign up, and having a sticky beak at how others approached the first lesson, it seems the way to make the best use of Tanja’s expertise is to do the lesson in parts, and submit photos of each of these parts for feedback before moving on to the next section. Makes sense when that is what would happen if you were in a class!
The darkest grey was stitched in first, followed by the medium grey, with the light grey last.
Now to wait for the feedback before moving on or re-doing this first section.
I hope you all had an enjoyable weekend of stitching, hopefully with more hermit time than me! Have you ever used this technique for needle painting?
Wow this is going to be lovely when its done.
Thanks Deborah – early days but I hope so!
Looking at your past work, I don’t think you will have any problems accomplishing this project. Your stitching is beautiful. I wish I could have done the beginner course. If she offers it again, I will do the pansy.
Kathleen Mary
https://kathysnest32.wordpress.com/
Thanks Kathleen. It’s my first animal so a little different but I’m excited about it! She recently offered the pansy again (which I also signed up for!, can’t help some people!!). I’m not sure of the dates, but you might be able to do it soon.
Oh, that’s looking good! I will follow your experiences with this online class closely as I am often asked to offer them. However, they are a lot of work and I am not sure I am able to offer people good guidance. I really like to see what people are doing when they are doing it :). It is often very hard to find the mistake if you only have a picture. So, do keep us in the loop on your fox!
Thanks Jessica ? it is certainly a different way of learning, and I can only imagine the amount of work that goes into something like this, over and above the general kit preparation which must also be time consuming! I’m excited about it, as it does open up new learning opportunities. I will keep you posted!
That is lovely work, thanks for sharing. Good luck with the course.
Thanks Guida. I will keep you posted on my progress!
Good luck with this course. It will look lovely when it’s done.
Thanks Dima ? I’m enjoying it so far.
Sadly, I had NO time, so I’m happy to see that you got at least that much time. Your project is wonderful, and I can’t see any reason you’d have to redo something so lovely.
Oh, sometimes life is just like that! I do hope you get more time over she next few days. Thank you for your encouraging words.
So glad that you are joining us hermitters – what an interesting project you are undertaking.
Thank you! I think it is such a wonderful idea ? need to be more of a hermit next time.
have you submitted what you have stitched?
Yes, and it was quite positive thank you for remembering! My stitches on the left weren’t quite long enough, but not so short that I needed to re-do them. I’m about to submit my second row so watch this space!
I will be waiting to see you next post. Keep up the good work.
I’m looking forward to seeing this as your progress through the various lessons! It’s going to be lovely when it’s finished.
Thanks so much for linking up to last week’s Stitchery Link Party. Aloha hugs!
Thanks so much for hosting the link up – I appreciate the effort you put in. It’s such a great idea!