Joanne Sharpe's Online Class

Doodle Arts and Letters

with Joanne Sharpe

First Few Lessons

Book cover

Upside down! 

How did that happen?

More photos to come.

Join me with this Challenge

Challenge book pages for Needle Thread Cloth. Above is July and below is June's challenges.

http://needlethreadcloth.wordpress.com

Long Time Away

Dear Friends,
I have been all consumed by many things these days. One is above. This is my new puppy, O'Guy ( Oggi). The name was my husband's idea. He keeps us very busy these days.
Next, I got an iphone! Wow a computer in my hand and I am following many artists on Facebook. That keeps me busy.
Taking my turn to visit my mom at the retirement home and helping to care for her needs is all consuming and a worry.
In the spring I did a huge commission of fibre art that took care of all my art time. Hugely rewarding.
Summer sees us busy looking after the family cottage. I did venture to Muskoka for an art retreat in July. We did Indigo dying in a lovely setting.
I am  busy sewing for studio tour these days, finishing up projects that I can sell.
I am  really retired now I have given up my school teaching job, I will miss it. On the other hand, I will do some teaching at the Art centre. I will continue to teach embroidery classes at my home that I started in May until I got Shingles!
So that is it in a nut shell!
More to come.

Last Photos of my little Oatis

 At home in January, waiting for his steak bone.

 Photo with his big brother, Mattie

 At Cedar Key FL, still feeling healthy

Last photo I took of Oatis, not feeling well. Getting his cuddles.

Rest in Peace, my little boy. We miss you so much. You were too young to go.

Check my Facebook for the whole story.

donna.funnell.7@facebook.com

Snowmen at Sandra's Open Studio

 Last Saturday, my friend and I drove to Cambridge to Sandra's Open Studio to have some mixed media fun! Inspired by a Cloth paper Scissors article on Snowmen, we made our own characters. Several had fasinators! (royal family hats). Here are the results!

My friend Marie created the snow lady with the purple fasinator.

The whole crew!

Marie is working so hard!

My gold accented snowman under construction!

I added a hat with a BIRD on it.

First time I used my new i phone 5 camera! ( my early Christmas present!)

Sandra's Open Studio

Cloth Paper Scissors Doodle Challenge

"Stitch a Doodle"

My entry to the Art Supply Doodle Challenge with Cloth Paper Scissors

I was inspired by the Machine Lace I was making for my class at my Guelph Embroidery Group.

I used my fabric colour green and some scraps of fabric that I stitched down. I used both hand and machine stitching. I then made my sewing machine on organza between dissolvable stabilizer. I added additional embroidery to cover other colours since it was a one colour challenge. You can see it on the Cloth Paper Scissors website under Galleries -  Readers' Challenges. CPS

Machine Embroidery

Sample 1
Cut yarns under chiffon, and fancy machine stitches

 Learning Machine Embroidery at CEGG Class

Canadian Embroiderers' Guild Guelph

Teacher: Judy Eckhardt

The last 12 weeks I have been exploring the wonderful world of machine embroidery. Every other week we tried new techniques using our machines. The best advice I have for any one trying machine embroidery is to know how your machine works. It is also helpful to feel comfortable with free motion embroidery.

Sample two:  cut yarns and organza under tulle, free motion embroidery

For this sample I used some hand embroidered spirals using a back stitch and chain stitch. This piece will make a smashing book cover.

Sample Three:   cut fabrics under tulle, free motion zigzag

I cut away a piece for an ATC and I tried making a tree using just zigzag.

Samples for Lesson 4: Machine Lace,  stitching on wash- a -way badgemaster layered with organza

This technique is addictive.

Samples using just badgemaster only on the leaf and with a square of silk layered on

More leaf samples using organza and badgemaster. Variegated threads are very effective.

Another sample using the wash-a-way badgemaster and two layers of tulle

Last sample making machine embroidered trees in a hoop with badgemaster and tulle

A work in progress!

The ATC made for an exchange using machine embroidery techniques I learned.

Leah was the recipient of my card.

Finally, ta da!

I was inspired by a piece of fibre art in an old Stitch magazine. ( from the U.K.)

The background is chopped silk, cotton and organza pieces machine embroidered using  badgemaster.

The flowers are fused using silk fabrics. It was then machine stitched with hand embroidered accents.

I am eager to make several of these flower inspired pieces.

I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the possibilities of machine embroidery and lace.