Goldwork by Ruth Chamberlin

[Valerie]

Hi,

I am very new to Goldwork, but would like to try the sampler in Ruth Chamberlain's Goldwork book.  Unfortunately, she does not provide a supply list in the book.  Has anyone tried this sampler?  I would love (Need) help in attempting to determine what threads to use.

Thanks

Valerie

[Lynette Hale]

Hi Valerie, this book has been written I think with the assumption that the reader has some knowledge of the tecnique. I have had a look at the sampler & most of it looks to be done in gold passing thread or Jap gold plus a small bit of gold kid. You would also need some white cotton string & yellow coloured felt for the padding. Hope this helps?

[Mary Martin]

Hi Valerie!

I just got the book out and had a look - it was one of the first goldwork books I bought. After looking it through, basically she uses quite a bit of imitation Japanese gold, silks and kid leather. No, there's no supply list, but each stitch instruction she says what threads she used, and most of them correspond to pieces in the sampler. So, you would have to do a lot of back and forth in the instructions to figure out what to buy. And there's no tracing template, so you'd have to draw it out yourself. It's all there, mostly. And it's definitely gorgeous. But from what I see, it is not a beginner piece simply because of how the book is laid out and what is not there. So, my advice to you since you're new at this would be to pick out parts of it and start trying it out. In the beginning I also bought up a bunch of smaller pieces of as many different goldwork threads as I could find, to play with and use as reference. There are several companies that sell in smaller quantities, like Hedgehog Handworks in the US, or Golden Hinde in the UK. Golden Hinde has an excellent intro to Goldwork DVD as well, and some intro kits. Do some reading on websites like Mary Corbets - she has excellent articles on all aspects of embroidery including goldwork. If you need any more help, just ask!

[Valerie]

Hi Mary,

Thank so much for the words of wisdom.  I wish there was more information available for the sampler.  I still want to make it, but maybe not as my first project :-)  I'm going to start searching for a kit a really like.

Thanks again!

[Valerie]

Lynette Hale said:

Hi Valerie, this book has been written I think with the assumption that the reader has some knowledge of the tecnique. I have had a look at the sampler & most of it looks to be done in gold passing thread or Jap gold plus a small bit of gold kid. You would also need some white cotton string & yellow coloured felt for the padding. Hope this helps?

Hi Lynette!

Yes, that helps quite a bit.  It certainly confirms what I was thinking about it mostly being done with passing thread.  I was surprised by that and thought I was missing something since I'm newbie.  You confirmation takes the worry away!

[Mary Martin]

The only other thing I can think of is trying to find Ruth, and seeing if she has taught this as a class and has more specific instructions for her. I'll poke around a bit and see if anyone knows how to get in touch with her.

There are actually a lot more kits and information when I started on this journey 2 years ago! And there are classes you can take online, and with the Embroiderer's Guild and the American Needlework Guild. And kits are just everywhere now. I really like the people at Golden Hinde, you might try one of theirs to get started. I kind of dove right in, and picked a pattern Mary Corbet offered. I did the transfer, and just started with goldwork. I look at that piece now and cringe, but it got me started, and that is what is important. If you need anything else, let me know!

[Valerie]

Mary,

You have been so helpful.  I just visited the Embroiderer's Guild and they have two on-line gold work classes that sound really good. I'm not a member so I need to go figure out it works.  I would love to sign up for them both.

Thanks again!

Valerie

[Mary Martin]

I am about to start on the Spring Splendor course with my branch of EGA - Cyberstitchers; that one is a group class (you can take it solo, but if you take it as a group, you split the fees so it's more affordable). They have a 9 month course you can take as an individual that will introduce you to all of the techniques. The teachers usually have an option to buy a kit as well, so you don't have to quest for threads. With EGA, you can join just as an individual, or join a guild in your area. I belong to the Cyberstitchers group simply because they offer the most variety of the group courses, and I never seem to be able to get out to go to the local EGA meetings here. No matter how you join, you will have access to the classes, and get a cool magazine every other month too!

Mary

[Valerie]

Mary, Is that class closed?  It is listed under Closed Registration, but it also says 10 open spaces.  If possible, I would like to join and sign up for it

If it is too late, do you know when the 3Q classes start?

Thanks!

[Mary Martin]

Hmm. We got a bit of a late start on the 2nd quarter classes - mine is starting July 1, though it might be a tad early. My guess is that they'll take payments soon, then get back on track. I will send the education chair an email and ask her, hopefully I'll get back to you later today.  One of the good things about Cyberstitchers is you get one free class a year! All you pay for is the text/book for the class, which is around $30 usually. We vote on them, usually you get a choice of the 10 most popular. We just did that a few months ago, so what is up in the store are the classes for this year. I'll get back in touch later today!

Mary

[Mary Martin]

Oh, I forgot! My blackwork teacher (I'm doing distance learning with her) also has goldwork kits, and I believe she will be doing some long distance goldwork instruction soon. She also teaches at The Royal School of Needlework in the UK, and, she's a lot of fun! :) Her website is:

http://www.jengoodwinembroidery.com/products-page/goldwork/

You can follow the link on the front of her site to her FB page - we have a lively group there as well. I'll get back to you when I hear from Ellen on the EG class.

[Mary Martin]

Hi again Valerie!

Here's a few things for you. First on the EGA US/Cyberstitchers Spring Splendor class. The Education Chair said that the third quarter classes will be starting in September tentatively (2nd is starting July 1). The class is only half full, so if you join Cyberstitchers you can get on the list with no problem. I've found that with most of these classes, they are scheduled months to a year out, it's just the way it is. Hope to see you in CS!

On the Ruth Chamberlain front, I was going back through old issues of Embroidery magazine (UK Embroidery Guild) and in the Sept/October 2009 issue, Ruth had an advertisement for a 4 day residential class. Not sure if the phone number she listed still works, but here it is: 01572 737331. Maybe you can get in touch with her and see if she will sell you the transfer and/or instructions for the sampler. I love the Bee one in that book, someday I'd love to do it! So do let me know if you have luck finding her.

Let me know if you need anything else!

Mary

[Valerie]

Hi Mary,

You have been so helpful!  Thank you so much!

Just clarification....if I sign up for CS, can I still register for the July class or do I have to wait until September?