November - Rose Bowl Competition

This year's Rose Bowl competition was based on members' UFOs (unfinished objects) - any pieces of unfinished stitching.  All were placed in a lucky dip and the drawer had the task of creating something new - by fair means or foul!

Here are some of the UFOs donated by members:-

 

They are barely recognisable once they have been reworked:-

And the members voted Bea Burchill's work as the well-deserved winner 

of the Rose Bowl for 2015.  Congratulations, Bea!!  

(pictured with Ann Cornes, Chair)

Derbyshire panels

Three of us set off from Glossop on a beautiful autumn morning, heading for Chesterfield and the unveiling of panels depicting various aspects of Derbyshire that had been stitched by different branches of the Embroiderers' Guild in the county.  We were welcomed by Pam Keeling, the chairman of the East Midlands Regional Committee who had organised the morning along with departments within Derbyshire County Council.  We enjoyed a drink and a piece of celebration cake, listened to a poem that had been especially written for the day, and Pam had stitched a copy of it for the poet to hang on his wall.

Looking at the wonderful illustrations on the panels we could only wish that we had been involved in the project, but the day has given us ideas and contacts that we hope to follow up and do our own panel based on Glossop.

The Staffordshire Hoard - inspiration for embroidery

This is the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold ever discovered and merits its own gallery in Birmingham Museum.  The collection of over four thousand objects was found in 2009 by a metal-detector user in rural Staffordshire, on a hill overlooking Watling Street, the old Roman road.

Sheila Conchie and Judi Brown visited the Museum a few weeks ago and felt very privileged to be able to see so many beautiful objects.  It is believed the hoard was hidden around 650 AD, by whom is not known.  Both Sheila and Judi felt that it offered limitless possibilities for textile artists, especially those wishing to design and produce gold or metal work.


Here is a computer-enhanced image of one of the pieces, believed to be a gold mount in the shape of a horse or seahorse's head.  The yellow lines suggest where parts of the item are missing:

This is a partly reconstructed piece, possibly fastened to the front of a shield or used to decorate a saddle, showing two birds of prey clutching a fish between them:

Not sure about this silver gilt object, but it is believed it may be a cheek piece from a helmet. Just look at the twisting animals:

This piece has been reconstructed by a modern master craftsman - doesn't it just shout 'goldwork' at you?

An amazing exhibition and well worth the journey to admire such intricately worked pieces which are over 1300 years old, showing extraordinary imagery and expertise.  And when you think that there was no machinery, no electricity.....  Master craftsmen indeed.

A new start for Glossop branch

After a huge amount of preparation, last week the branch held its first full meeting with the Interim Committee, who were formally voted in by the AGM.  We were very pleased to see eighteen members and three visitors, all of whom were enthusiastic and very much looking forward to the work we plan to do during the year.

At the meeting there were wonderful displays of members' textile work including the Travelling Books (eagerly awaiting their next journey), rust mark-making and numerous other items, including the sale of a wonderful selection of dyed fabric prepared by Christine Bardsley.

And a large box was provided for members to deposit their unwanted Unfinished Objects (UFOs). On the basis of 'put one in, take one out' the members took away someone else's unfinished work with the intention of reworking it - by fair means or foul - and returning it to the November meeting where all members will vote on the completed pieces to find the winner of the Rose Bowl.

This is a piece of rusted fabric artistically worked by Liz Smith,

and some more inspirational pieces.

Here are Monica's beautifully worked Christmas wreaths, which attracted a lot of admiring comments,

- and a wonderful selection of hand-worked cushions, watched over by two of the owls produced at last year's workshop.

Stitch, Fold and Rust

I spent a fantastic day yesterday in Alice Fox's textile studio in Keighley. We looked at some of the techniques Alice uses in her work using found metal objects.We then had the opportunity to explore hand stitch and fabric manipulation techniques as a precursor to rust dyeing.We made a series of small textile pieces incorporating a range of textural elements and entrapment which we then rust dyed to develop colour and marks in the days following the workshop.

Below is some of Alice's recent work, incorporating rusty bottle tops,hair grips, ring pulls and much more. My modest samples are currently drying out after languishing in a bath of strong builder's tea.It's pure alchemy and I feel like the sorcerer's apprentice!

Meanwhile, if you would like to learn more about Alice and her work, google www.alicefox.co.uk  

Ancestral Gifts

ANCESTRAL GIFTS, QUILT MUSEUM YORK

I have just come back from visiting this exhibition and thought that some of you might like to see some the quilts which were on display. For the last two years, Kaffe Fassett has worked with the quilt museum exploring their historic collection and finding inspiration in the fabrics, designs and stitching. The outcome is 15 new quilts made by him from his own fabrics. The quilts in the exhibition are arranged in their pairs, showing the historic quilts alongside his contemporary designs. The latter are a loose interpretation rather than an historical copy in which he has tried to get the spirit of the original.

Do you think he has succeeded?  I would love to read your comments!

The Knitting & Stitching Show, Harrogate 2015

26-29 November 2015

This is an absorbing show with so much to offer - have you visited it before?  Its packed with interesting demos, traders and textile artists and there is always plenty of inspiration and ideas.

Ticket prices for 2015 are not yet available but in 2014 advance ticket prices were:
£13 for an adult (£16 on the door)
£12 concessions - 60+, full-time students, disabled (£15 on the door)

At the show you will find:

• over 300 exhibitors
• workshops
• supplies for every type of needlework

For more information why not take a look at the website for The Knitting & Stitching Show 2015
(just click on the name of the show to take you to the website).
If you are interested in attending please speak to a committee member.

The first meeting of the regenerated branch

will be held on 30 September 2015

As this will be the first meeting of the new embroidery year we shall hold a summary AGM and there will be no entrance fee.  There will be other activities during the meeting which we hope you will find interesting and become involved in.

All the available Travelling Books will be on display - there have been suggestions that they may now be ready for another journey.  Why not take one home to start its new voyage?

There will also be lots of other interesting textile-related items: textile books, design development books and other articles to encourage discussion and to stimulate your interest, providing inspiration for new projects.

And, if you have one, please bring along at least one UFO (unfinished object) - a project which you started, but then lost interest and will never finish.  Any old bit of stitching, any technique.  There will be a lucky dip of the UFOs so please make sure your object is simply wrapped.

Each member will take away someone else's unfinished objects with the purpose of transforming and combining them into a new item, by fair means or foul - stitching, cutting, weaving, burning - and to return the new item at the meeting on 25 November.  The member who produces the transformed item to receive the most members' votes will win the Rose Bowl and have their name inscribed on the base.

Magna Carta (an embroidery)

A new artwork created by Cornelia Parker, on display at The Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester until 1 November 2015.

The work celebrates the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta, and a large part was stitched by members of the Embroiderers Guild and by prisoners supervised by Fine Cell Work.

An excellent opportunity, and most definitely worth a visit.

Welcome to Glossop & District Embroiderers Guild

The Glossop & District Branch of the Embroiderers Guild is starting the 2015-2016 season with a new look.  The monthly meetings will be held in Glossop Cricket and Bowling Club, North Road, Glossop commencing at 1pm on the last Wednesday of the month.

We are a group of energetic and enthusiastic stitchers and textile artists who enjoy sharing their work, ideas and discovery of textile techniques and who welcome new creative inspiration.  We welcome members and visitors of all ages and abilities.

Capability Brown - first garden plan

If you aren't familiar with the Internet and have read Liz Smith's post, below, I thought I would post the actual plan of the garden which she has described.

Capability Brown 2016

Thought this might be of interest to you all. I love the composition of the design. Wouldn't it just make a great starting point for a textile piece! Maybe something to look out for Dunham Massey? Perhaps  they still have the original plans displayed in the house.

 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/4697835/Capability-Browns-first-garden-plan-to-be-brought-to-life-after-250-years.html


Click on the link above to see the plan

Capability Brown’s first garden plan Kirkharle, Northumberland

 The sketch, believed to be Brown's first garden plan, covers around 100 acres of rolling Northumberland countryside close to where he was born in 1716.
It will take around 18 months to plant out the design at Kirkharle, subject to funding and permission to alter the Grade II listed parkland.
Brown was born and grew up in Kirkharle, 20 miles north west of Newcastle Upon Tyne, and it was there that the farmer's son first learned his craft as a "gardener's boy".
Christened Lancelot, he was won his nickname because he would tell prospective clients their land had "a lot of capabilities".
He became England's finest landscape architect and gardener, and was responsible for creating over 170 parks and gardens at some of the country's finest estates, including Chatsworth House, Derbyshire, and Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire.
The sketch of his ideas for Kirkharle lay hidden in a desk drawer until John Anderson, the current owner of Kirkharle Courtyard, where Brown lived, discovered it in 1980.
It shows plans for blocks containing hundreds of beech, oak, Scots pine, shrubs and fruit trees. The centrepiece of the sketch is a serpentine lake, and Mr Anderson, whose family bought the land in 1833, hopes to create a network of footpaths allowing visitors through the land.
He said: "We found the plan in my grandfather's papers. It either came with the property or was bought separately at the time.
"Recent research suggests this was Brown's first plan, which he completed before he left Kirkharle aged 23.
"What better way to celebrate Northumberland's most famous son by recreating that vision?
""It really is a unique opportunity to create a stunning public visitor attraction."
Kirkharle Courtyard has been turned into a centre for arts and crafts boutiques and receives 50,000 visitors a year.
Natural England has backed the project, which Mr Anderson hopes will be completed within 18 months.
Trees played a great part in Brown's vision, which was in contrast to the formal, fussy gardens and grounds that went before, and the Kirkharle masterplan will include three major stands of woodland covering nine acres.
Neil Dixon, Woodland Officer with the Forestry Commission, which has supplied a £4,000 grant for the project, said: "It's certainly one of the most unusual planting schemes we have backed - in fact one designed by the nation's most celebrated landscape architect.
"The result will be a stunning new parkland with the key elements Brown conceived 270 years ago."

Daily Telegraph 2009

National Day of Stitch

Despite some dreadful weather, today has been very successful and a number of people have been very interested in Glossop EG and the work we do.  Chris Harris represented the Guild at Lymefield Garden Centre in Broadbottom where she was approached by a number of former and current members as well as several ladies who are considering joining us.

Here, Chris is showing one of the Travelling Books to Jan Ambler who was one of the founding members of the branch in 2004.

Ann Cornes and Christine Bardsley were also representing us at Portland Basin Museum in Ashton-under-Lyne.  There was plenty of interest from all age groups.

Ann and Christine took along some beautiful work to display, from simple line stitches to kantha work and complex drawn thread work which helped to prompt questions from the visitors. 

A very worthwhile and stimulating day, and a huge thank you to all those who willingly gave their time.

Travelling Books

Here are more examples of the excellent textile art in the Travelling Books - these were worked by Sheila Conchie.

Travelling Books - more beautiful work

Here are some more inspirational images of work in the Travelling Books.  These pieces were worked by Liz Smith. 

Lets look forward to the next journey!

Travelling Books

I was a member of the Travelling Books group with a theme of 'Green' - so many interpretations!  At the moment I only have images of my own work, which are shown below.  If anyone would like to send me some more digital images then they will be published.

The Travelling Books have been so successful that they will probably be taking another journey!

- the Green Man

- a geological map of Glossop district

Introducing Stitched Up to Contact magazine

Some members of the new group met up at Lymefield Garden Centre in Broadbottom to discuss a future article in Contact magazine.  We wanted to publicise that we are still an active part of the Embroiderers' Guild and where better to go on a sunny July day?

It was a delight to look through the Travelling Books produced by the members, and to select images for inclusion in the article.

Glossop & District Embroiderers Guild -
Stitched Up

Stitched Up is the new name for Glossop EG - although we have a new name we shall continue to meet at Glossop Cricket and Bowling Club, but on the last Wednesday of the month, at 1pm.  We are planning an exciting and stimulating programme for the coming year, to cater for all tastes and for members and visitors of all abilities.

We are a group of enthusiastic stitchers and textile artists who enjoy sharing their ideas, work and discovery of textile techniques.  There will be plenty of opportunities for sharing and learning.