2024 – Fiber Talk

Posted on May 8, 2024 by Gary Parr — Leave a comment

Fiber Talk Midweek Chat, 5-8-24

We’ve reached the week’s midpoint so we gathered to chat about needlework. Topics this week include the show we did May 5 about the RSN work for the Coronation, Beth’s work on Mary Ann Bickerton’s Tudor Rose pocket and the Woolen Needle wool appliqué class, Ariane Zurcher’s Dorset button eyeglass case, Kim’s May 1 Stitch Hour tour of the new Sassy Jacks shop, Beth’s participation in the Jeanette Douglas Sassy Jacks online class, pros and cons of live and online classes, Gary’s Elizabethan Treasures and Avlea Sea of Light plans, and building a pair of slate frame trestles. Sunday’s guest: Isabella Rosner.–Beth and Gary

Listen to the podcast:

This show is also available on FlossTube. Click here to view it.

The Queen’s robe of state, designed and stitched by the folks at the Royal School of Needlework.

You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Audible, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Podbay, Podbean, and many other podcast sources. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses.

Here are some links:

We hope you enjoy the show. We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show.

To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.

Posted on May 5, 2024 by Gary Parr — 2 Comments

RSN: Needlework for the Coronation

The anointing screen, created by the Royal School of Needlework for the Coronation of King Charles III. Yui Mok, PA Images, Alamo Stock Photo

A team of embroiderers works on the Queen’s robe, designed and created by the RSN. Photo: Royal School of Needlework

This week we visit with Gemma Murray, Anne Butcher, and Dr. Susan Kay-Williams of the Royal School of Needlework. These ladies were responsible for managing all of the needlework that was done for the Coronation of King Charles III a year ago. In our conversation, we learn about the various aspects of the work that was done at the RSN from restoration to creation of new pieces. This week’s show was recorded as a video so we could show photos of the embroidery as we talked about the pieces. That video is available below and on the Fiber Talk YouTube page. Also on this page is a slide show of the images we discussed, in the order in which they were presented. We hope you enjoy this look at the work that was involved in preparing embroidered pieces for the historic Coronation. If you want to buy the book, “An Unbroken Thread,” by Dr. Susan Kay-Williams, that includes the chapter on the RSN’s Coronation work, you can find sources at accartbooks.com.–Beth and Gary

Listen to the podcast:

This show is also available on FlossTube. Click here to view it.

You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Stitcher, Amazon Music, Spotify, Audible, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Podbay, Podbean, and many other podcast sources. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses.

The video of this week’s show:

This is a slideshow of the images we discussed:

Royal School of Needlework conserving King's Robe of State

Image 1 of 18

Royal School of Needlework conserving King's Robe of State

Here are some links:

We hope you enjoy this week’s show about embroidery for the Coronation of King Charles III. We’re always looking for guests, so let us know if there is someone you’d like us to have on the show.

Posted on April 23, 2024 by Gary Parr — Leave a comment

Fiber Talk Midweek Chat, 4-24-24

It’s a Wednesday so we’re chatting about needlework. Topics this week include our upcoming May 5 show about the work done by the Royal School of Needlework to provide embroidered pieces for the Coronation, needle case kits from Tanja Berlin of Berlin Embroidery, Mary Corbet, museums, Wintertur, goldwork, blackwork, and making linen and specialty threads. You also might enjoy a book Cindy is reading: “Nuts & Bolts” by Roma Arawal. Note that there will be no new show Sunday, April 28. We’ll be back on schedule with a new Stitch Hour Wednesday, May 1.–Cindy and Gary

Listen to the podcast:

This show is also available on FlossTube. Click here to view it.

Anointing screen, created by the RSN for the Coronation.

Here are some links:

We hope you enjoy the show. We’re always looking for guests, so let me know if there is someone you’d like me to have on the show.

To add yourself to our mailing list and be notified whenever we post a new podcast, provide your name and email address below. You won’t get spam and we won’t share your address.

Posted on April 20, 2024 by Gary Parr — Leave a comment

Fiber Talk with Sian Fish

The Dead Unicorn Society design by Sian Fish.

Blackwork is our topic this week and our guest is Sian Fish of The Urban Stitches. The show is sponsored by the Embroiderers’ Guild of America and Sassy Jacks Stitchery. Sian Fish is a self-taught stitcher and designer who loves to work in the macabre/gothic world of needlework design. But not all of her topics are focused on the “dark side.” She has a unique talent for putting a different twist on “regular” topics. No matter what the subject is, it’s almost alway worked on black or gray ground with black threads. She also does amazing work creating portraits with blackwork and regularly conducts popular SALs. Her work is quite unique in not only the world of blackwork, but in needlework design in general. After you enjoy our conversation, visit her website to learn more and consider participating in her SALs. They’re approachable for stitchers of all levels and will give you a chance to try blackwork.–Gary

Listen to the podcast:

This show is also available on FlossTube. Click here to view it.

Visit the EGA website at egausa.org and consider joining.

This week’s sponsor is Sassy Jacks Stitchery at sassyjacksstitchery.com.

Here are some links:

We hope you enjoy this week’s conversation with Sian Fish. We’re always looking for guests, so let us know if there is someone you’d like us to have on the show.

Posted on April 13, 2024 by Gary Parr — Leave a comment

Fiber Talk with Lita O’Hara

Lita O’Hara, the Nashville Needlepointer and Patron Saint of Chaos, is our guest this week. Lita is a self-taught painted-canvas designer and project finisher. In our conversation we learn about her design process, what it was like to paint those first canvases, and how her finishing business evolved. To keep sanity in her life and to be able to deliver quality product, she keeps her customer list to a limited number. That allows her to get to know what they like and prevents late nights trying to meet holiday deadlines. Throughout the conversation, we offer several tips that will help stitchers produce projects that will result in easier and better finishing. Lita also holds finishing classes regularly and her Instagram and YouTube accounts are good sources for finishing tips and techniques. Mixed in are several entertaining videos. If you’ve never made cord, she has an excellent YouTube video that will show you how.–Beth and Gary

Listen to the podcast:

This show is also available on FlossTube. Click here to view it.

Lita taught them how to finish their ornaments.

Here are some links:

We hope you enjoy this week’s conversation with Lita O’Hara. We’re always looking for guests, so let us know if there is someone you’d like us to have on the show.