New Little Helpers....

  Hand Painted Needle Minders

For those who like to keep track of their needles or pins on their embroidery without having to stab them through the ground fabric, I have a cute selection of needle minders in the ETSY shop today!

They are each handmade and painted by me. 

I wouldn't say these are doodles, as I put a lot of time into them, but I had so much fun! I didn't follow any pattern~just cut out what I felt like and painted what came off my fingers at the time.

In case you are not familiar with a needle minder, it has a magnet on the back and comes with a second. You place the minder on the front of the fabric, and the second magnet behind it on the back of the fabric and this holds the minder in place. The magnets are very strong and hold any pins or needles you put on the front of it in place.

Each one is unique, painted in several layers of transparent watercolours so the beautiful wood grain of the sycamore shines through

They are roughly around an inch and half in diameter...some a little larger, some a little smaller

All are signed and dated on the backs

If you are in need of one, they are available today in my ETSY store, link is to the right in the sidebar.

Happy Stitching!

Special Original 17th c Blackwork Nativity Spool Tray Available

 Humbly Born in a Stable Rude

It's been a very challenging year for me this year, as I am sure it has for many of ya'll as well. Sometimes the stress and just absolute heartbreak just gets to be too much for me so I try and trick myself into not thinking about it by really concentrating on other things. I had been wanting to make something special to offer for Christmas for quite a while, but just wasnt feeling it, if you know what I mean.  Earlier this year a really awesome 17th c redwork panel of Moses in the Rushes was sold at auction, and one day when I was numbly going thru my saved pictures to keep my mind occupied. I landed on that picture. At that moment, I knew what I wanted to make and spent the rest of the day drawing out a 17th c Nativity scene.

I took inspiration from  three 17th c embroideries~ there arent that many with Nativity subject matter. I know of one tent stitch piece at the V&A that is so bright and colourful, it doesnt even look like a Nativity scene until you start really investigating it. A woman is sitting by a stream above a grotto surrounded by shaded green hollocks....and then you notice there is a baby aside her...then you see the sheep and shepherds in the background and realize the man on the other side of her is Joseph, there is a stable with a donkey and cow...there is an angel...its all very subtle.  I didnt want my nativity to be subtle!

The angle is above looking down on Mary who is kneeling aside baby Jesus in his manger. Joseph is standing aside the stable with two shepherds kneeling with their sheep to the other side of Mary.  I tried to fit a donkey into the stable but he just didnt fit without making it look over detailed. Joseph's dove flies overhead and of coarse no 17th c scene would be complete without a huge mulberry tree ;)

  

I love painting blackwork and after sharing this with a friend, got immediate feedback to make it into a black or redwork project to stitch.....so ...perhaps a special for next year 

For now though, this is my one special offering for Christmas 2020. I made it from a beautiful piece of hard maple, and fit it with 21 pegs. Yes~ 21 pegs! My largest spool tray to date. As you can see above both the small and large spools fit on it nicely. It measures 8 & 1/4" x 7 & 3/8". 

Signed and dated on the bottom of coarse

This special tray is available at a cost of 650.00 including shipping~ a direct reflection of how expensive wood has become, and how many hours I have into it. If you love it and would like to purchase it you can email me at rlkinnison@yahoo.com

2019 Limited Edition Ornament Kits

All Preorders Shipped Today

This year's kit is FanTabulOus and if you have already ordered one, THANKYOU SO MUCH! All preorders are on the way today & I have just finished sending out all the tracking number emails. If you have ordered a kit and don't see an email, check your spam box, its probably there!

on eBay this week!

One of a Kind 17th c Blackwork Slide Top Spool Sewing Box

 So yesterday I shared with you the original embroidery pattern I adapted for my box~  I really love it, it just spoke to me. The minute I saw it, I had a vision of it painted to look like blackwork embroidery. Now days, if one says blackwork, people think of cross stitch and patterns made by back stitches on even weave cloth....17th c blackwork is nothing like that. Above is photo of a coif~ the majority of the shading is done with Fil Turk...or speckling stitch, and all in one color. (the above just happens to be done in red, so I guess, technically its redwork)

 All of the things I make are hand made~ and by hand made, I mean....I actually make it, with my hands. and then, I paint it, with my hands! Its not some cheezy deal on there!  I planed the wood to thickness, cut it, and actually made the box~ yes, I did! Do I follow plans? No. I just thought it up, and make it as I go....it looks the same construction as the last box I made, but is slightly different size because, well, like I said, I make it as I go, so everything fits perfect!  I hand draw the design, after I have designed it, onto the piece, then I paint it, and then varnish over several days. After All that varnish dries, then I finish the inside with a hand made Italian marbled paper....why Italian? Cause its hand made of coarse, and its pretty, and I love it!

 There are 6 coats of black on this piece, to get the deep dark hues and depth that I wanted.

To finish, all is overpainted in real silver ink! I love love love silver~ the black and silver embroidered jackets are some of my all time favorite,  and its high time I put some silver on something. Dont know why I waited so long, because its really beautiful~ its very subtle~ you really dont notice it until you move the box just the right way, and then the light just shines off the silver...and it wont tarnish because its under layers of varnish!

 Inside is a pretty coordinating blue grey peacock pattern marbled paper

Absolutely it is one of a kind~ if you would like to see large pictures where you can really zoom in, it is on offer this week on eBay~ you can see it here , or click on the link to the right in the sidebar to my eBay specials~ (I also have a spool palette on this week if you dont need a whole box!)

17th c Inspirations

Thomas Trevilian & the Folger Shakespeare Digital Library

 Instead of a Museum Monday post today of something from my collection, I thought I would share  a wonderful online resource that is a great study source and  the inspiration for my latest slide top spool box. Thomas Trevilian was born around 1548, his book the Trevelyon Miscellany was published in 1608,. and another work in 1616, so he was at least alive until then. The Tevelyon Miscellany is an absolutely beautiful manuscript ~ to quote the World Cat,  " The third part of the manuscript contains edifying and cautionary verses, with illustrations, on the Twelve Degrees of the World, the Five Alls, the Ten Commandments, the Nine Worthies, the Nine Muses, the Seven Deadly Sins, the Seven Virtues, the Seven Liberal Sciences, and the Twelve Apostles; as well as figures important to Protestant history, the six Gunpowder Plot traitors; Pagan, Jewish and Christian heroes; additional parables, proverbs, and lists of virtues and vices accompanied by scriptural and secular verses"

My favorite part of his work is the embroidery patterns. Within you will find hand drawn patterns for caps and borders, as well as all over repeating patterns for cushions and clothing. They are in infinite source of inspiration, and one can literally spend hours upon hours studying them. So where can you see this amazing work? You need not get out of your chair, thanks to the generosity of the Folger Shakespeare Library~  they not only have Thomas' works, but a myriad of other early and rare books you would probably never have the opportunity to see otherwise, all  happily contained in a large searchable database you can find here . (this link will open the Thomas Trevilian search results for you)

The above page is a pattern that spoke to me, and that inspired the slide top spool box that I finished up today and hope to have on eBay tomorrow.  I am really excited to share it~ so many of my favorite things, all wrapped up in one beautiful box! Until then tho, do have fun~ grab a cup of tea and go check out the Library link obove

Good Bye Flemish Fantasy!

Only 9 Kits Remain

 If you have been pondering a purchase of my Lt Edition 2016 Flemish Fantasy Ornament Kit, or have one on your Christmas Wish list, this is faire warning they are nearly sold out~ I have just 9 left in gold tinsel, the silver is completely gone.  

If you are interested, you can learn more about what is included, and order one on my shop blog, 

www.diamondkfolkart.blogspot.com

Just click on the "Flemish Fantasy Ornament Kit" tab at the top of the blog page~

Dressing a Slate Frame

Dressing a Slate Frame

 I have had several questions since I started selling my slate frames on how to go about mounting the fabric onto the frame...so here are some step by step photos of  how I do mine~
  First off, you will notice that my hand made frames are a little different than some other mass produced frames available~  mine do not have any nylon webbing attached. Not only is this the period correct configuration, I think, once you try it, you will find it much simpler to mount your fabric by lacing all four sides than just two. So, to begin~ as seen above, you will need your slate frame, pegs(just four), scissors, prepared fabric, lacing cord and needle with big enough eye to fit your lacing cord thru.

To prepare the fabric for mounting, turn over the edges and stitch at least once~ this will keep the edge from raveling on you, and will also add some strength to it and keep the lacing from ripping out thru a bare edge. For large pieces of fabric, especially if you are using my large 36" frame, I highly suggest turning the edge over a cording. 

 To begin, first lay your fabric on a flat surface, then place the frame over it. Adjust the size of the frame to allow a few inches on all sides of the fabric. Set all four pegs now

 I use Londonderry linen thread size 18/3 to lace my frames~ I like the size, and it doesnt stretch that much over time. Here is am using black so you can see it easier than if I was using my normal natural color. Each side is laced separately, and to start each side, I put a slip knot of sorts into the beginning end of the thread. I loupe it around, then just make a little half hitch knott.

 This leaves the end in a loupe that will be placed over the corner peg.

 I like to position my frame with the edge I will be lacing extending out over the edge of my surface, as seen above. This lets me continually lace the frame without having to pick it up at all.

  To start, the loupe is placed over the peg, with the tail end brought around the outside of the frame, and then up thru the corner of the fabric. Pay attention to this simple little step!!! Bringing the lace around the frame in this way, will help to pull it all together and keep it square.

 The first side, I bring the fabric right up even with the edge of the frame. Note how the needle is brought up  over the machine stitched line.

 Continue until you reach the other side of the frame, bringing your lace around the corner of the frame, just like when we started~ and I wrap twice around the peg with a slip knot to end.

 The second side to lace is the opposite side of the frame~ just like the first, but pulling as tightly as you can with each stitch.

 Third side of the frame is laced.

 Lacing the last side of the frame~ with each stitch, holding the lacing cord down with my thumb to keep tension as I go~  I like to end my laces with a slip knott, so that they can be easily undone if I have to tighten them later

 The best thing about using a slate frame is that one can achieve a drum tightness that just is not possible on any other frame

Isn't this little frame cute? Cute cute cute! I have been wanting to make some mini frames from some of the ends I have kept from my larger ones~ this is my 'Super Mini' size....tho there was actually more work involved to make the smaller frames than the bigger ones!   If you are interested in a Super Mini, I will be listing these as specials in my ETSY shop as I get them finished, (they will not be a regular offering). All sizes and wood types will be different....just whatever I make at the time!

Eclats des Perles

Getting Ready......

 Couldnt help to put this picture on~ arent they beautiful? I left the photo large so you can click on it~ these tiniest weensiest little antique miracles of glass will be among the special beads to grace my flat top casket.....the entire outside of which will be nothing but beads, glorious beads! There will be unicorns...there will be fountains.....there will be sea horses and fish...mermaids and grottoes....lions, angels....flowers...birds....and snails snails snails....my entire frieze is snails!  Keep an eye on the blog for little sneeky peeks as I work along.
  And speaking of working along..... I have finished all the silk work on my Flemish ornament, and am on to the goldwork~ so soon will have the model finished for my next kit to offer~
                                May your needles work sharp & swift~ Happy Stitching!

New Thread Palette Set on eBay this week!

               Custom Made &  Hand Painted Maple Thread Palettes & Thread Winders

 I have bee pretty busy making & painting specifically for filling custom orders, but I have been trying to squeeze in some neat things in between~ I just got this palette set finished and listed on eBay this week~ for those of you who collect my palette sets, I think this one may be the last to go on eBay before Christmas. It is truly a one of a kind set, the ships wheel thread winder was so difficult to cut out that I am 99.9999999% sure that I will never ever make another one! If you love ships as I do, or whales~ you can check it out on eBay here. The ship is of coarse, the USS Constitution, the very first commissioned Naval ship.

  Thought I would also share some of what I have been painting palette wise~ for those of you thinking of designing your own special one of a kind thread palette...or better yet, if your group or guild is having a special get together or function, think about having me design a special thread winder~ they make wonderful and useful take home souvenirs!  You name it, I can paint it....I think :)  I never thought I would paint the Golden Gate Bridge on anything and I think it came out pretty cool~

  This set was made to match a slate frame I painted earlier this year, the palette my version of a 19th c Audubon engraving

 This set was fun, made to commemorate a trip to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta with a hot air balloon shape palette and thread winders to match the favorite special shape balloons of the recipient...I still cant believe I painted Yoda!

Have a special building in mind?, I can paint those too~ or how about your house? That would be fun!  If interested about having a palette set or special thread winder made, just drop me a line at rlkinnison@yahoo.com 

Custom Painted Slate Frames~

Sewing Tools Just Must Be Pretty!

  So I admit I kind of chuckled at the flower encrusted hammer my Mother gave me for Christmas one year....who would need their hammer to have flowers on it? I kept thinking.....fast forward to years later, while I am standing at an embroidery frame for 8+ hours a day....and found myself thinking.....this should be pretty too!  I have found there is great joy in having ones sewing tools decorated, and for me, an even greater joy in being able to provide something pretty to bring joy to others! There's a lot of 'Joy' going around....as there should be in life!!  I have been waiting for this frame to get to its new owner so I could share it~ its one of my favorites!

  I have painted it with my signature roses, forget me nots and pansies....oh the pansies~ they just leap right off the frame~ I love how they came out and may need to paint me something with pansies on it now!

 I have made a new Header Page on my Diamond K Folk Art blog for simpler ordering of slate frames that includes paypal buttons and a shopping cart for adding extras~ so you can  buy a plain slate frame, or fancy with paint and monogram, all without having to wait for me to email you back!  Wait time currently is about 3 weeks for a painted frame, as I have a bit of a line formed from when I was up home, but I am doing my best to catch up!

Bears & Sea Shells

Summer Sea Shells on eBay this week!

  I hope everyone had a Happy & safe Independence Day holiday! I finally finished the above palette set and they are on eBay this week! I say finally because its taken a bit! I designed the clam shell palette for a custom mermaid set I did a bit ago and had shells on the brain~ I have wanted to paint some for a while....they were such a popular motif to paint at the beginning of the 19th c~ I wanted to see what all the hub bub was about. well. Oh My Golly! I love painting seashells!  They are quite involved actually and take extra time to paint, but are so much fun~ so colorful and happy!  I picked some favorite sea creatures to go with~ a star fish, seahorse, and clam for thread winders. So if you are one of the many who have been requesting seashells, you can find them here on eBay this week.   I think perhaps I should paint a bear on the next palette set.....

  We have had a few visitors this summer....I usually get so excited I forget to get my camera...a few weeks ago we had a little 2 yr cub...the blondest bear I have ever seen in my life~ he was the color of a bananna ~ I am not kidding!  This fellow stopped by day before last...well, early in the morning, and was so comfy in our tree he decided to take a nap so had plenty of time to go get the camera...perhaps I need to put him on a skep palette...or maybe a dancing bear!

Made to order Slate Frames

In several sizes & hard to find extra large 36" square

  I have had much interest in my slate frames and after going wood shopping I have some details~ much easier to post here than send out so many emails~ so here are the particulars~
 firstly, for those of you who are not familiar with where I live, well...I live in southern Colorado....and for shopping for just about anything, I may as well live on the moon. My nearest store that sells wood stock if you can believe is a 98 mile trek north up I25 to Pueblo....and thats one way!  I went wood shopping on the way home from taking daughter to the airport in Denver this week and was able to pick up  a nice selection of Poplar and some Red Oak for slate frames. Couldn't find any maple~ booooooooo!
 I am planing on making slate frames 'inbetween' other projects...dolls, my flat top casket, padded mirror cases, and some kit work I am working on....so you can watch the Diamond K Folk Art blog for what I have ready made, or you can order a slate frame and Ill work on it priority like I always do with orders~ cause hey, I don't like waiting for things, and don't like my customers to wait either!  If you are interested in having a slate frame made~ I am offering in 3 sizes~ small, medium and large. The medium frame is dimensions of mine I just made with 24" stock and will fit a Thistle Threads Door'd Mirror frame.  The small is from 16" stock, and large 36"~ which yes, will fit the Thistle Threads Fancy Mirror Frame.
 Working area within each frame are approximate, depending on how you lace your frame, and are as follows~
Small~ 16" horizontal & vertical bars(4), with working area apx 11 x 12"
Medium~ 24" horizontal & vertical bars(4), with working area apx 19 " x 20"
Large~ 36" horizontal & vertical bars(4), with working area apx 31" x 32"

 Since the Red Oak is quite a bit more expensive than the Poplar, there is a price difference~ I hope you will find the below chart easy to follow~ but if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. The prices are for plain, unstained, clear varnish finish, and do not include shipping. I would of coarse be more than happy to discuss a custom painted frame if that is your pleasure~ cost is dependent on the design and intricacy of the work.

Slate Frame Small~
Poplar~ $140.00

Slate Frame Medium~
Poplar~$175.00
Red Oak~ Unavailable

Slate Frame Large~
Poplar~$225.00
Red Oak~ Unavailable
     
******PAINT is ADDITIONAL***********
   I am happy to work out a custom one of a kind design for you~ just ask!
 Allover Rose (like mine)~ 160.00 per MEDIUM frame
 Old English Monogram (like mine)~ 50.00 per frame
 Script Monogram~ 25.00 per frame

Mark Your Calendar!

2017 Bath Textile Summer School

   I have been getting lots of questions about what Ill be teaching, when Ill be teaching ect~ so here are the particulars~ Ill be teaching a 4 day workshop at the 2017 BTSC Aug 14-18 2017.  Four glorious days, 7 hours a day, of non stop 17th c beadwork! YES!!!!  I will be teaching in one of the study rooms at the Holburne Museum~ class will be Mon & Tues, with Wed off to attend lectures or see the sights of Bath England...and do any catching up needed for class~ then back at it Thursday & Friday. Lynn tells me there should also be a textile faire at the American Museum that weekend so much fun to be had!  I am not going to disclose my workshop project yet, but you can be sure it will be absolutely FANTABULOUS, a mixture of beaded stumpwork along with twilling and three dimensional fruits, flowers, figures and perhaps animals like I worked on my beaded basket.  You cant sign up for the 2017 session just yet but you can email Lynne that you are interested and she can put you on a list~ you can find her info on the Bath Textile Summer School website here . Registration for my class should open the 20th of August 2016, if you are interested I know it will fill quickly, its limited to just 14 students~ We will have the Holburne's marvelous beaded basket there in front of us for inspiration too~ I cant wait & hope to see you there!

19th c Schoolgirl Art Reproduction Thread Palette on eBay this week!

Joys of Summer Palette Set

 How fitting that the week Squeek's eggs are hatching,  I have this set available on eBay?!  I love it~ painted with a mamma blue bird feeding her three lil babies in the nest. If you are familiar with schoolgirl painted furniture or art, you may recognize this design from an early 1800-30 painted box.  The three thread winders are an egg, bluebird, and a lil chick's head~ they are always so hungry!  If you would like to see more pictures of it, or are interested in purchasing, you can see it here on eBay this week!