Sewing for Pleasure, Fashion & Embroidery

This ICHF event, held last weekend at the NEC in Birmingham, was attended by Ann, Christine and Judi who all had a stimulating, interesting and expensive (!) day.  The show was very busy and we went on Sunday which sadly meant that some of the stallholders had sold out of their products.

One of the stands was filled with work by Grasby Embroiderers, a textile group from South Humberside, who very kindly allowed us to photograph their beautifully produced and imaginative art.

 

There was also a large knitted installation: Yarnia - based on The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the first of the Chronicles of Narnia.  Here are the Pevensie children:

And here is the White Witch, and Mr Tumnus, all wearing their knitted outfits.

Meeting - February 2016

Ashanti Inspirations

Our first talk of 2016 was very well attended, including a number of visitors.  Magie Relph came to talk to us about Ashanti Inspirations, bringing with her lots of inspirational and colourful pieces of work.

She told us about her numerous visits to different parts of Africa, learning about and studying the wealth of textiles available.  Some of the pieces were so large that Ann and Liz were called upon to assist in displaying them to the members.

The photographs don't really do justice to this work - take a look at Magie's website: The African Fabric Shop  (just click on this link)

Magie explained about the role of the - always male - African weaver and how hard they worked every day.  She showed us one of the simple looms and explained its operation.  As the cloth is always woven in narrow strips, the planning of a complicated pattern takes a huge amount of expertise - and time.

Magie was very generous with her knowledge and answered a range of questions at the end of her talk.  Then it was time to browse the beautiful threads, textiles and beads she had brought along on her sales table.

Also on display were pieces of embroidery from the Guild's Folio of African stitch.  All in all, it was an excellent meeting which provided lots of ideas for members to use in their work for September's Rosebowl competition.

Meeting - January 2016

January 2016 meeting

At this meeting we were very pleased to welcome Nicola Graham, the founder of Reuben's Retreat in Glossop, a charity which was created following the tragic death of Nicola's son, Reuben, at the age of 23 months.  His parents decided to set up the charity to support families and children with life threatening and life limiting illnesses.

The Retreat will also have facilities for families who have lost their children, and will provide bereavement support and counselling.

This branch of the Guild wishes to show affinity by creating a textile work, possibly a wall hanging, for display in the Retreat.  Bundles of patchwork squares were available for any members who wish to create an individual piece of work, and many of the bundles were taken.

After her talk Nicola was requested to officially present the Rosebowl to Bea Burchill, the winner of the branch competition to create a new piece of stitching from UFOs (UnFinished Objects) donated by other members.  Bea's entry was unanimously voted the winner by branch members.  On the photograph are Bea, Nicola and Ann, who is displaying Bea's winning entry.

There was also a display of hand stitching from the folios which are currently on loan to us. Unfortunately it was a very dull day which made it difficult to study the stitching, so the folios will be displayed again at our February meeting to provide members with ideas for their own work.

Lynda Monk - Mixed Media Textile Artist

Last week Ann Cornes and myself visited Chelford branch to attend a workshop run by Lynda Monk (www.purplemissus.com).  The workshop showed us how to make a vessel and a quiltlet using Lynda's techniques.  The lovely, messy techniques involved using Kunin felt, Lutradur, pelmet vilene and lots and lots of Gesso and Xpandaprint.  And we had plenty of practice in using a heat gun and soldering iron.

Under Lynda's excellent tuition we each created a vessel and a quiltlet but as the items hadn't dried we had to wrap them in plastic to take them home so that we could complete them.  Here are our pieces as they look at the moment, about 31cm tall:

Now they are dry we can add colour - and in a little while (!) I shall post  a couple more photos to show them to you in all their glory!

Judi

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.