New Or Nue Necklaces

Another Or Nue Goldwork tattoo-inspired pendant.

A charity-shop scavenged find, as before, with a segment of embroidery mounted into place.

Unlike the first one (left), the silver thread was a much better quality and so has much more of a shine to it.

£70 each

Goldwork DOTD skull tattoo

So, it's been a while....but I have been very busy: I've upped and moved to Brighton!
(More on this later. I am happy beyond belief and it's going to transform my whole life, not just my work...)

After many days' distraction running around estate agents and spending my savings on deposits, I have managed to get a little bit of stitching done, mainly in the near-completion of my Mexican day-of-the-dead goldwork tattoo:

As it's just a sample, I saved time by only doing half of the face (and I know there's still a few cms left to work) - but you get the gist. As for the waves around the side, I enjoyed playing around with the different tones of blue shading, but I think they would sit better on a nautical or a fish tattoo (this original design wasn't mine, it was simply a copied image to practice my or nue with, and it came intact with waves). After some research I think I should really have done a rose or something - any ideas??

As of the last few days, I'm in the process of setting up my own studio space (!) and it's going to be fabulous having my own dedicated work area to sit and sew in. Add to that a brand new delivery of goldwork threads in the post and a brand new work in progress, I can't wait to see what happens next. Viva la Brighton!

Goldwork Tattoo Necklace

I'm getting a lil carried away with my goldwork couching, I admit. But it's so much fun!
I'm currently in discussions with a jewellery designer-maker, with the possibility of a collaborative piece (watch this space - we've got some ideas of how we're going to work together) but in the meantime I thought I'd make a start on something jewellery-related of my own. Which showed willing when I turned up to the interview, and I get something nice and shiny to wear into the bargain.

Total overall dimensions: 3cm x 4cm (including the gold mount)

Simple, really: work an oval of couching, chop it up (!) and mount it into a charity-shop-scavenged find with Superglue. And then it's backed etc. behind. The silver couching thread really shimmers in the light when its worn (I will get a picture of it worn by me, but let's not scare everyone too soon.)

I'm thinking of making these available for sale via Etsy or something - any comments?

Oh, and I was very lucky enough to meet the Duchess of Cambridge last week when she graced RSN with a surprise visit: why didn't I wear this that day? Upon being asked whether I had any work to show her, I wish I could have whipped this out and said 'so, do you have any tattoos yourself?'

(Only joking. Well, possibly. Do they still send people to the Tower for impertinence?)

http://needlework.craftgossip.com/or-nue-tattoo/2012/03/26/

Stitched Sailor Girl progression

My sailor-girl tattoo, worked in the goldwork technique of 'or nue', is making progress.
(Or rather, I'm making progress. It doesn't stitch itself you know.)

'What did you do today Charlotte?' 'Oh, just studying boobs and translating their perkiness into stitch.'
Embroidery can be more entertaining than many people assume..

4in across

Goldwork Bird Tattoos

What I've been up to as of late....
We've just done the second half of the Goldwork module at Royal School of Needlework, and I've really taken to this technique called 'or nue', where you couch down a metallic thread and add details / extra areas of colour with stitches over the top.
Except I really don't like the colour gold, so I've been doing mine with various colours of metallic thread, and my subject matter of choice is.....ta daaahh..... vintage tattoos, an area I'm currently really into.

And because the first one didn;t really satisfy my sick sense of humour:

Let me know what you think ! I'm pretty new into all this blogging thing (I mean, I'm quite happy sitting with my typewriter let alone all this internet thingy, but here I am....)