Hi Julia,

Note on page 1 of Lesson 4 that the four-sided stitch should be started at the top edge. If you start at the bottom, the corners will be difficult to turn and require a tacking stitch to get in position to start the next side at every corner.

At the top, the four-sided stitch is 15 threads above the title Whale Tales.  As you work,…[Read more]

Hi Maxine,

I belive that the videos an discussion forum will be available for 2 months after the last lesson is posted. However, I am planning on hosting the videos privatley on my YouTube channel afterwards, so I will post links to that in the forum after the last class is posted (and once I’ve figured out how to give folks access!)

Best…[Read more]

Hi Jacquelyn,

Marilyn is correct, the snap off works best using pliers – you need to hold them as close as possible and parrallel to the break point, and only have a little of the blade exposed out of the runner so that it snaps rather than bending. I use an old peanut butter tub with a small slit cut in the lid as a a shaps bin to dispose of…[Read more]

Hi Jane,

I posted out your additional materials on the 12th January, but unfortunatly they were caught up an a cyber security incident at the ROyal Mail that caused them not to be able to send out any international mail until now.

I’ve just checked this morning and it looks like the package is finally on it’s way – I will email you the tracking…[Read more]

Hello again!  Sarah, I contacted you 2 weeks ago because I did not receive all of the materials in the full kit I ordered. You responded that you would get these in the mail to me.  I was wondering if you have had time to do this and if so, when I might expect them.  Thank you so much!

The blade probably does snap off (most do, but Xacto in particular does not). I snap it off, carefully, using a needle nose pliers. Some of the knives come with an attachment you can use to snap the blade, but I’ve never used one of those. Then put the used blade into something safe, like the container that butter spread comes in. Something…[Read more]

The 4 sided stitch diagram starts in the lower left but there is not a diagram to indicate where on the fabric that is. Could you instead do a diagram starting in the lower right by the date since that is an easy place to identify.

Perfect! I wasn’t sure if the lines were an indicator of the thickest point. Thank you.

I gave it a try, and after some experimenting I did get very good results. With my machine I found I had to add .1mm to get the pieces sized correctly. It was still faster than me doing it by hand. Thanks for being the first!

I also am getting along fairly merrily. My only question thus far is about the Battlement Couching. The visual shows a few examples of securing with a diagonal stitch. I am guessing that there is no particular pattern we need to follow as we secure all the horizontal threads – just get them secured! But perhaps the lecture notes will help with that.

I just finished my inner box (YAY).   After sewing a couple of sides with the curved needle, I found that by using a straight needle to start and end the thread was easier to get to the very edge of the card and then, to end, travel just a little from the edge where I could finish off the thread.

Hi Julia,

Well, I actually just removed that line from the graph in the corrected lesson. I think it could be put in or left out, but I think I prefer it taken out to clean up the design and make is a bit simpler. Thanks for catching that!

Hi Julia,

Your waves are absolutely gorgeous! You left a lovely highlight around eye which really sets it off. Thanks for suggesting the smaller brush. Catherine

<span style=”-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);”>In the graph for the compass there is an extended line in the middle section for the lower left but not the other quadrants.  The completed stitched photo shows lines in all quadrants. This appears on all the graphs in lesson 3. </span>

Here is my progress picture. I used a fine detail paint brush because I found the one provided to be too big for the small areas. I think students might feel better if they were provided a smaller brush. 

Hi Marie, the M is the trickiest one to work out!

Here’s a blown up version of the stitch plan for the letter – the numbers refer to the order to work them in and the line indicates where the thickest point is.

For where to take out threads, here is the original font M which I used. You can’t follow it exactly (its really hard to get the dot…[Read more]