Count down

I am madly getting ready for my big trip.
What trip you may ask. Well in a few short weeks time I am heading off first to Thailand then on to Denmark and I am starting to get so, so excited.
So what is this trip all about? Am I going to be lazing about a pool at some fancy resort? No, better, I have been invited to teach at Pak-Ka-PaoHouse in Bangkok and Hobbyist Studio in Chiang mai. Four full days of classes all booked out and I am not sure who is more excited me or the 60+ students!

It has been so long in the planning and I was meant to go earlier in the year, but realised there was that 'minor' detail of my Danish passport having expired and my Australian citizenship not finalised. But it is finally happening.

The one day workshops are an introduction to Jacobean style embroidery - en essence surface embroidery stitches but used in that style of design. We were originally going to do this piece of crewel work, but came to the conclusion that wool in Thailand is possibly not the best idea. Not just because of the climate but it is impossible to get yarns to stitch with.

So I redesigned the crewel piece in to a different design using stranded cotton. The stitches are pretty much the same but the scale of everything had to be changed.
The idea of this piece is to learn some quite simple surface embroidery stitches  - 7 stitches and a few variations in 6 hours. Instead of doing a row sampler we are doing a pretty floral design - so much more enjoyable.
I have not made my sample piece into anything - yet, and I believe the students in the workshops will be making their pieces into box tops which will be really sweet.
The class notes are printed, the fabric is printed, the boxes of threads have arrived. All I need to do is pack it.

I would have loved to stay in Thailand for a few day to have a look around, but it won't be on this trip. Hopefully I will get the opportunity to go back and do some exploring.
After the last workshop I am back on the plane and on to Copenhagen. You see, I figured that since I was 1/3 of the way there and it has been 12 years since I was 'home' last, it was about time I made a visit.
The visit is double exciting because not only will I be spending time with family and friends (and meet my niece and nephew for the first time other than on Skype - yeah!) - I will also be teaching as well as visiting my old college to chat to the current students - awesome.

This beautiful little house from the early 18th century in the centre of Copenhagen, right next to the canal houses the Embroidery school.  We are doing crewel work there as well - these two favourites as a one and a two day class.

When I said yes to teach, I didn't think of the 'minor' detail of translating the class notes. Ups! It is rather absurd when the thought of teaching in your native tongue terrifies you and you need the help of Google translate to write your class notes in your original language - but so it goes. I know it will be fine once I am there. So you see, busy and exciting times coming up very, very soon.

Crimson Clover - Crewelwork design for Beating Around the Bush 2014

What makes the next few weeks even more hectic is that I arrive back just in time for Beating Around the Bush in Adelaide which means I need to have everything close to ready before I go - phew I am puffed just thinking about it. No, really it is almost all under control. One of the classes there too is crewel work but a new piece 'Crimson Clover'. This one which I now made it into another zipped pouch - can you ever have enough of those?

Hope you are having a good week,
Anna x