Fabric Sketchbooks - Dionne Swift

I have just attended a fabulous two-day workshop run by Dionne Swift at the Janome Centre in Stockport.  Only a 20 minute drive from home.

The workshop is based on the existing Developing Sketchbooks Online but is based in a fabulous studio working on cloth and stitch exploration.  Each stitcher had a sewing machine and embellisher.

Dionne taught us all so much and at the end of the workshop we each had a fabric book full of stitch and needle punch exercises and techniques.  Dionne showed us how to look at ways of gathering inspiration and playing with imagery and cloth, she is an excellent tutor and gently pushed all of us beyond our existing boundaries!

There are lots more photographs on Dionne's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/DionneSwiftTextileArtist/ or why not look on her website:
http://dionneswift.co.uk

Thoroughly recommended!

Silk paper workshop - 13 April

A group of members met to learn about silk paper, how to make it and how to embellish it. We spread all our equipment over the work tables which made it easy to share - both equipment and ideas.

Once the silk tops had been laid down a number of boxes were set out containing items which could be incorporated in the silk paper: dried leaves and flowers, feathers, threads, net ... anything, really.  

We spent some time experimenting with different ideas and techniques and then took our work over to the drying area.

It was a warm sunny day so the paper dried quite quickly but in the meantime Belinda demonstrated how gummy silk fibres could be ironed onto a wooden printing block, resulting in silk just crying out for further embellishment.

The work was excellent and everyone had some silk paper to take home - we look forward to seeing it at our next meeting!

March meeting

March meeting

Members brought along the embroideries they are creating to celebrate the work of Capability Brown, which will be exhibited at Macclesfield Silk Museum in September.  Here is some of the beautiful work:

by Chris Harris

by Christine Bardsley

by Sue Taylor

by Ann Cornes

by Bea Burchill

Members also inspected and discussed the Hand Stitch folio pieces, moving on to learn new stitches for incorporation in their own work.  We enjoyed a very friendly and supportive atmosphere, helped by having several talented visitors who we very much hope to see again.

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