Embroiderers' Guild of SA class: Ort Pot

I recently attended a most enjoyable one-day class at the Guild to make on Ort pot. Orts are the left-overs, for embroiderers mostly bits of thread or small scraps of fabric. The word derives from Middle English 'orte' meaning food scraps, which was, in its turn derived from either Dutch or German. 

Gay Sanderson, a long-term member of our Guild, has come up with an ingenious design for a small, personal, portable ort bin to carry with you and collect those annoying threads such as I leave all over the house - and anywhere else I go.  Gay has enlisted her husband Peter to cut the rings of polythene pipe that are an essential part of the kit for this project. I had purchased a kit for one of these some time ago, but hadn't got around to making one. When Gay offered a class, I figured enrolling was a way to tick off one more project on my list.

My kit came with this attractive fabric all cut to size. Since I purchased it, Gay has modified the size a little, so I needed to do a tiny bit of cutting.                                                                                  There were eight of us in the class, and we had a really enjoyable time, adapting, cutting, stitching and watching the pot emerge. Gay is a relaxed and flexible teacher.

By early in the afternoon I had my completed pot.

The big attraction is the way it folds up to fit in
a work box, bag or basket. It takes up less space than scissors.
















As I finished with time to spare, I embroidered an initial on the base between the folds.

I have actually been using mine at home while working on my Jenny Adin-Christie roundel from my recent embroidery retreat.

Of course, at the end of the class I was so enthusiastic about my little ort pot that I bought another 4 sets of rings and circles so I could make some more with friends, or as gifts, so ticking this project off my list does not reduce my list at all. They are, however, objects I can make while travelling, talking or watching TV. I don't actually need any more projects for travelling, talking or watching TV.  They were such good fun to do that I'd like to share them with others - perhaps my SitnStitch group will be interested.

Brazilian Dimensional Embroidery

This is a piece I began in a class last year. I came across it while organising my storage cupboard recently. It took me a while to remember any details of the class until I realised it was the class I did the day before I went to the UK last year. I had done a few leaves and stems in class then turned my head to packing and departing. No wonder I couldn't remember much!

The class was for the Embroiderers' Guild Certificate Course and taken by Eleni Dickson. She provided a kit and excellent notes - so I soon refreshed my memory and got stitching. I have been hoping to use Brazilian embroidery to work some Australian native plants. I had, however, never learned to use the Edmar threads.

Eleni's hints and instructions were very helpful and I was able to manage the synthetic thread - something I haven't done before.



The piece, though small, used a good, manageable range of stitches, including needle lace, bullion knots, leaf stitch, stacked stem stitch and colonial knots.

I liked the couched and beaded spray.

I have a number of these small Brazilian designs printed on to trigger cloth. I enjoyed doing this one so much I'm tempted to make up the eight or so that I have and put them together on a bag. This one was not on trigger cloth, so may not fit into such a scheme.

Discovering this unfinished piece led to a very enjoyable day finishing it off. It also gave me confidence  to revive my plan to work some Australian designs using Brazilian techniques.