Embroiderers' Guild - the UK's leading crafts association
sharing opportunities for discovery and creativity
Apt 41 Hampton Court Palace, Surrey KT8 9AU
T: 020 8943 1229 - F: 020 8977 9882 - E: administrator@embroiderersguild.com
Embroiderers' Guild - the UK's leading crafts association
sharing opportunities for discovery and creativity
Apt 41 Hampton Court Palace, Surrey KT8 9AU
T: 020 8943 1229 - F: 020 8977 9882 - E: administrator@embroiderersguild.com
Chat from the Chair
This is my first Newsletter chat, and coming as it does at the darkest time of the year, I thought it would be good to have something amusing and light-hearted to help put us in the mood for our festive Christmas meeting. So, here are thirteen reasons for buying fabric and threads!
1. It insulates the cupboard where it is kept.
2. It helps to keep the economy going.
3. It is less expensive and more fun than psychiatric care.
4. Because it's on sale.
5. A disease may kill most of the mulberry trees - so no more silk for the next ten years.
6. I'm taking part in a fabric-collecting contest.
7. I don't have to cook it, feed it, change it, wipe its nose or walk it.
8. I need extra weight in the boot of the car for traction on snowy, icy roads. You never know when the weather will change even in a heat wave.
9. It's good for protecting unoccupied surfaces, such as, the dining room table.
10. Relief from the stress of dealing with the Fabrics Control Officer (husband).
11. It's not immoral, illegal or fattening.
12. I need it!
13. Because I'm worth it!
Merry Christmas and a Happy Sewing Year!
Dee.
TAP INTO TALENT!
Following the great success of the talk and mini-workshop on silk shading with Jane Drummond we would like to hold similar activities in the future. The general feeling was that skills were both shared and learnt, and members were able to make a small sample and chat to friends at the same time, making it a very enjoyable and sociable activity. We know that we have a wealth of talent in our branch and that you have lots of ideas, so share your skills and ideas with us! The committee is very happy to give you any support you may need to deliver your activity.
Please give your suggestions to Carolyn Merry or any member of the committee.
Making a creative keepsake box Workshop
The workshop with Embroiderers Guild scholar Linda Marie Young was fascinating, especially listening to her talk about her Textile course at De Montford University and the inspirations behind her beautiful keepsake boxes. She uses a template for the box she is going to make and then adds machine embroidery depicting images of flowers often used in herbal remedies. We all had a chance to make our own box from an A4 template which we then decorated using machine embroidery and embellishments cut with a heat tool. The tricky bit was making sure it all went together once the stitching was complete, but a number of us actually had a finished piece at the end of a very enjoyable day. Bronwyn Fleming
Christine Benson - Elizabethan Element Workshop.
Having had an interesting and thought-provoking talk on Saturday we were all looking forward to the workshop on Sunday with Christine Benson. It proved to be one of the highlights of this year. After a slightly late start caused by a collective of Chiropodists setting up their annual conference in the wrong room we were lucky enough to move into a better room for stitching as the light was brighter. We started the workshop by layering up silk tops and other fibres onto a base fabric. This was then covered with a silk hanky and then chiffon to enable us to stitch into it. Stitch and other embellishments such as silk carrier rods were then added, this could be done either by Machine or by hand. We were aware at the start that we wouldn't finish our piece on the day but Christine was very generous with her ideas and time, and everyone came away with ideas on how to progress them further. Christine encourages a thoughtful approach to work and emphasises that simple whether stitches used or layout does not mean easy and quick. Hopefully everyone will have brought a finished piece to show the December meeting.
Di McCatty
Exhibition Reviews
The Deepings Textile Group, Pippin's Patchwork and Glazed Expression, held an exhibition in St. Firmin's Church at Thurlby in October where there was a variety of work on display. There were some beautiful patchwork pieces, small and large, much of it for sale. The glass pieces were as interesting as the clever title of the group and featured trees and flowers in a variety of objects.
There was a good quantity of embroidery on view. One piece which I found intriguing was a small strip sampler, with stitches worked like random notes just as they would have been on the original strip sampler. It was worked on calico and the names of the stitches had been written by hand with a pen. This had been attached to a beautifully embroidered cover so that the sampler could be rolled up. An interesting piece, I thought. The rest of the embroideries were exquisite. I talked to the two stewards, who were very welcoming and one of whom knew our Branch, having given us a talk years ago. We talked about the Bonnet Project and they are looking forward to seeing Norma plus bonnets at their AGM next September. If you are ever in that neck of the woods and the Church happens to be open, it is well worth a visit to see the altar frontal which is a depiction of an ancient piece of stonework which used to be on the roof of the church and which is now high up inside at the back of the Church.
The following weekend I visited St. Luke's Church at North Kyme to see an exhibition by the Stitch in Kyme Quilting and Craft Group's quilts and what a variety! Large and small, traditional and modern ? including several in the Amish idiom with written information about the Amish. There was a stunning whole-cloth quilt worked by a lady who came from Durham so she had used the traditional patterns from that area to produce a real heirloom. Conversely there was quilt made from old jeans where the joins were hidden by lines of thick 'fluff' made (I think) by fraying the cut edges of the fabric. There was hardly a space in the Church which was not covered by a quilt a huge output!
Barbara Adams
Lustre 2009
Our recent workshop with Linda Marie Young gave her a chance to inform us about a number of development opportunities with which she is involved. One of these was an exhibition at Nottingham University?s Lakeside centre on the weekend of 7/8th November 2009. Linda described it as a high quality craft selling exhibition. I was able to go and found it really inspiring and a good source of possible Christmas presents??. well I got one! I am writing about it now to urge you to look out for it next autumn.
If you are interested take a look at the website which currently shows work displayed this year, www.lakesidearts.org.uk. The range of crafts included glassmaking; ceramics; wood working: leather goods: jewellery: felt and other textile related items. It was truly inspirational with a number of regional graduates and craftspeople from further afield. The venue is pleasant and easily accessible and not far from the Queen's Drive Park & Ride if you want to combine a visit with a city centre trip.
Carolyn Merry
Peggy Tacey Japanese Embroidery Exhibition
An amazing acheivement in ten years mastering the art of Japanese embroidery by Peggy Tacey .....40 pieces were on display at the 2 day Exhibition in Fulbeck nr Grantham 3rd and 4th 0ctober, from Traditional work to more creative pieces - flowers, animals and birds. Unique in skill and style and wonderful stitching! Peggy is planning a trip in Spring next year to Japan to stitch with a Master Teacher Mr Shuji Tamura and his daughter Kazumi ......... to renew and gain more skills in the art of this specialised work. Norma Bean