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.