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Beautiful works, as always, Mabel. I am absolutely sure that not everybody can do this. One has to be an artist or at least to have a talent of one. Being neither I always look at people able to create such beauty as at miracle makers. Happy crafting, Mabel! Always looking forward to your updates.

Yes, it was at Hampton Court and the tutor did say I should consider doing the Certificate and Diploma, but it's really overkill for me - not to mention not having the time, or the several thousands of pounds it would cost !

Well, because I got distracted by some cats (thread-on-fabric ones, I mean) I didn't finish the leaf, but I did do something! - I chose the wavy thread for my inner leaf line and attached it
I'll be writing a FoF about the various threads I could have chosen but didn't, but here is the one I went for, milliary wire:

Mabel Figworthy wrote: the tutor did say I should consider doing the Certificate and Diploma

Now, why doesn't that surprise me...! You are such a natural, and would (frankly) be something of a feather for their cap. You know that they do a future tutor's programme, too...

I'd be a very crooked feather - when I look at the work they produce and how even and regular it all is, I would weep if I seriously aspired to that level myself (Mary Corbet has the same effect on me). Yes, I know about the future tutors programme, which would give me gainful employment when our business is sold I suppose (when DH retires I'll be in my early 50s and still need to earn some income!) but the outlay is quite high, and I really don't know whether I would be suited to it.

Certainly the Certificate and Diploma would mean spending a LOT of time on techniques I'm not all that interested in - I think I'd rather pick one technique, like goldwork, and take individual classes in that to build up my skills. It may not give me a bit of paper but would still look good on the CV

Finished the leaf !
I'll FoF about it some time later, but here it is, with the cutwork (the gold over the padding) finished and some spangles added. There are definitely a few issues with the cutwork, but for a first attempt I'm quite pleased with it

Wow, this is a special leaf indeed! I can't see anything wrong with it.

Beautiful finish Mabel

Really nice -- impressive for a first attempt. What will you do with it?

It looks brilliant Mabel

Serinde wrote:What will you do with it?

Now really, you know that is The Question That Must Not Be Asked

Actually DH said as I'd been doing a fair few goldwork projects over the past year, perhaps we could display them in a sort of cluster, a little goldwork display corner in the house . There's the watering can and the bee (the dragonfly is on a box so that won't work) and the Jacobean one with silk, and this leaf and the boot I'm still finishing, and he thought they'd make a nice group.

Sounds like DH has made a really good suggestion. Make sure you take a photo of the "Gold Display" when you arrange it. Very pretty!

Carole

Having finished the leaf I was in such a "golden mood" that it inspired me to pick up the boot I started at the RSN day class last April. This is where I'd got to:



The first thing to do was plunge all the ends of the Jap threads: pulling them through to the back of the fabric and securing them. It is my absolute least favourite part of goldwork but it needs to be done, so I decided to be a good girl and do that before going on to something more interesting. I did curl one of the Jap threads around the front of the boot top before plunging it because I found the edge a bit ragged; it has changed the shape a bit from the original design, but oh well.



All the ends secured, I then added a double line of Rococco thread (the wavy stuff) and plunged the ends of that as well.



Next step pearl purl (which doesn't need plunging, yay!) and chipwork (small "beads" of gold wire) in the toe of the boot (no plunging either, yay again!)

Absolutely stunning work on the boot Mabel, a really beautiful piece already & it's not finished. It really is fabulous.. The leaf is pretty but the boot is something else. Can't wait to see it finished.

That fair takes my breath away Mabel It is totally amazing and so gorgeous. What will you come up with next?

Sally, I didn't come up with this one I'm afraid - all my goldwork so far has been of other people's designs (although I admit I have some ideas of my own...). This one was a RSN day class in April which I could only do about half of because I'd had noro virus just before and was feeling like a dish rag.

I'm really enjoying the boot though! Izzi, yes this is a more attractive design than the leaf, isn't it - the leaf was designed by the tutor purely to be able to teach me certain techniques I'd asked for, so it's a bit more utilitarian.

I think that's wonderful!!
So you changed the shape a bit....isn't that what makes all of the designs 'your own' ?
It certainly doesn't look out of place!

How beautiful! And good for you to do the annoying bits first.

You are so clever Mabel, I'm looking forward to the next update of your stunning golden boot

Lots of lovely stitching time yesterday, and the boot is finished . I'll post one picture which shows the detail better, and one taken in bright sunlight which shows the sparkle better.