Stitching today

 

The meeting of the Great Western Embroiderers was well attended today and as the date this month falls in the Easter holidays from school, we had a few youngsters join us with their Mums. Lots of artwork in the sketchbooks going on and in the case of this 6 year old.... stitching too. Such concentration and no pricked fingers!

 

 

A wonderful mix of stitching skills amongst the members in preparation for the Exhibition next Spring. It was bitterly cold outside, but the hall was very comfortably warm and  so was the atmosphere.

Fashion, Embroidery and Stitch Show, NEC Birmingham

 

I am so pleased we decided to visit the show at the NEC in Birmingham last Sunday, the roads were fairly clear of traffic. We decided to keep to the main roads and saw no less than nine  gritters on the M40 between Oxford and the M42. The photos show why there were so many and not much other traffic. Snow was drifting across the road with the strong winds and it was freezing cold too.

 

We were determined to get to the NEC and were very grateful to the gritter lorry drivers for their diligence in keeping the roads passable for us.

 

I was really looking forward to meeting Dionne Swift at her stand and I had managed to book a space on her mini screen printing workshop at the show. Which was brilliant.  I have so enjoyed taking part in an online sketchbook workshop with Dionne. So much so that I have had no hesitation in recommending the course to lots of my friends. Go and see the online workshops here. I have now enrolled with the Textile workshop which is due to start in June. I cannot wait!

 

 

The Studio 21 artists had a stand and I was very intrigued by their work .... very minimal in colour and size and the exhibition was called Chinese Whispers.

 

When we arrived at the NEC, there were very few visitors, which was lovely as we managed to make our purchases early, the downside of this was carrying the goodies and all the extra clothing around with us - it was warm in the hall - and bitterly cold outside! I should have really left all the outside clothing at the cloakroom, I will next time I go. After a much needed mug of tea... we then looked at many of the Exhibitions

 

 

 

The smocking exhibition by the WI was very well presented, and one which I really enjoyed. it was so good to see the old smocks as well as teaching materials and newer smocks. Seems to be such a sensible way of clothing growing youngsters. Why did we stop dressing them in smocks? ( all photos will enlarge if you click on them)

It took ages to find the Elizabethan Stitches display another must see on my list. So was pleased when I did. The display was in response to Jacqui Carey's latest research and resulting book - Elizabethan Stitches 
Well worth looking at. 

 

We left the show in the middle of the  afternoon, having had a wonderful time and we were not sure how the roads would be. It had been snowing all the time we were at the show, so thought it would be best to try and get home in daylight. We were relieved to discover it had warmed up to just above freezing .. just 1 degree C.... however the journey home was much pleasanter, some snow but the wind was still strong and very gusty.

Lots of Stitching

 

It was the meeting day for the Great Western Embroiderers yesterday. Always an occasion to enjoy.

Work from the exhibition was returned and some surprise last minute sales were also announced for some of the members. So a joyous occasion indeed.

 

  To help the celebrations along, on of our very talented members offered to coach us in the techniques of stump work. We were making a leaf and a blackberry, great fun was had by everyone, and we had a bumper attendance helped by visitors inspired by the Malmesbury exhibition.

 

One of Maureen's finished pieces of work.... what talent. Thanks for sharing your expertise with us. A great deal of discussion also took place amongst the members about our next Exhibition ( spring 2014)... lots of new great ideas.... what this space nearer the time.. I will share the details with you.

 

Talking about Exhibitions..... if you are travelling to South Africa this summer.. I really recommend you go and see my friend Penny's Exhibition. Her works is  truly fantastic, and you may remember seeing her gold work when she exhibited with us at Lydiard House in 2010. Details are below this photo of her wonderful gold work.

 

( click on photos to enlarge---- amazing!)

“THREADS OF GOLD”

A solo exhibition by Artist-Embroiderer

PENNY CORNELL

 

To be held at the IRMA STERN MUSEUM

Cecil Road, Rosebank, Cape Town

22^nd June – 3^rd August 2013

 

Studio mess

 

I am in the throes of just finishing a most interesting online course with Dionne Swift, and I found it has inspired me a great deal.. just look at the mess in my studio! I am so enthralled with creating that I have not had time to put all my messy arty stuff away. Just seem to be dragging more and more media out of the cupboards to use. Fantastic! Just what I needed.

 

It was Mothers Day in the UK today, and I have been so lucky to see all the children and grandchildren.

The grandchildren have been perusing my latest work in the studio and have not been able to resist the urge to go in and be creative and draw and paint. We have had a wonderful time..... but the mess in the studio. Has to be seen to be believed. :o)

 

 All the incredible artwork has gone home with them, I am left with my own stuff to dry, and I nearly lost my sketchbook to the youngest granddaughter, she was so enamoured with it, that she wanted to take it home - ( its the one propped up on end, in the photo, to dry the pages)  however, she assured me she would be happy to make her own at home.

Cotswold - a stitching experience, more photos

 

Please click on the photos and then they will enlarge in a new window, if you click again they will enlarge again.

 

What strikes the visitor to this Exhibition the most is the variety of techniques and inspirations which individual members have used.

 

The Exhibition really does assault the pre-conceived notions of Embroidery. Visitors to this Malmesbury gallery have been very generous and  complementary in embracing our very broad definition of the word, even though we have challenged their previous knowledge and learning concerned with the word "Embroidery".

 

All the visitors I have spoken to, got it..... and enjoyed the work in the context of the Cotswold's. We are now starting to prepare for our next 2 exhibitions, Spring 2014 at Lydiard, and November 2014 at the Corinium Museum in Cirencester. We are retaining the theme.... Cotswold's - a stitching experience.... but will be showing new work and our latest discoveries of this wonderful environment called ... The Cotswold's. I will let you know all the details nearer the time.

More photos of the Exhibition ...... as promised

 

I was stewarding our Exhibition at the Gallery in Malmesbury Town Hall again today. I remembered to put the memory card into my camera this time! So here are some more photos as I promised. If you click on the photos they will enlarge for you.

 

We were very busy today and had lots of visitors, and I really enjoyed talking to everyone. Also many thanks to the gentleman who gave me lots of helpful tips about photography, absolutely fascinating. If you want to catch the exhibition, you will need to be quick, as the last day is this Friday.

It was lovely to see Ruth today, she has hung this exhibition for us, and has created a wonderful display of work. We are very grateful to her for her hard work.

I managed to get a photo today of the mosaic. We hope that this particular exhibit will grow over the next year, and be exhibited again in November 2013 in the Corinium Museum gallery in Cirencester.

 

More photos tomorrow, as I need to get back to my sketchbook. I have had a wonderful time doing Dionne Swifts online course.

 

 

As you can see I have been having lots of fun. The course is very well structured and such good fun to do. If you fancy joining in, then please tell Dionne you saw the link on my blog. Thank you

 

Two days of hectic fun

Yesterday one of the grandson's had an Ice Hockey match against Oxford. The whole family turned up at the ice rink to cheer the team, and were thrilled when grandson's team won

 8 -2.

One of the granddaughters had a day off school today, and so came and joined me in the studio. I have been having a wonderful time following an online sketchbook course with Dionne Swift. the studio was full of arty stuff that I had been using, and so we both worked together using whatever was on the table. I was working to 6 inch square paper and GD with A3. We had a wonderful time. After lunch we had more fun to look forward to, and  my daughter came to join us and we travelled to the venue of the Marlborough Branch of the Embroiderers Guild for a meeting. Quite unusual for 3 generations to attend a meeting together.

The speakers today were Kay and Michael Dennis who specialise in Stumpwork.

 

 A fascinating talk giving us details of their involvement and enthusiasm for Stumpwork and 3D embroidery.

I'm not sure I would have the patience for this work, but granddaughter was well impressed with the work, especially when she realised much of the early Jacobean work was created by girls of her age ...12 nearly 13.

Stewarding at the exhibition

 

It was lovely to be at Malmesbury Town Hall today for the stewarding of the Cotswold's - a stitching experience Exhibition,  by my Great Western Embroiderers group. We had lots of visitors, some very knowledgeable and it was really great to chat to everyone. This is a photo of the quilt I made, so much easier to photograph it on a gallery wall.

 

The mosaic, for which we all made a piece or two, created lots of excitement and discussion and was beautifully displayed near one of the exit doors.

 

I feel sure you all recognise this particular piece of work, as it has featured heavily on this blog.

 

I took a photo of the central space to show how lovely and airy the gallery is, then realised I had not put the memory card back in my camera...... so could take no more photos. However all is not lost as I shall be stewarding again next Wednesday, so I promise I will put my memory card in the camera. The hot chocolate they serve at the gallery is delicious too, and very welcome today as it was bitterly cold outside.

A gentle reminder

 

I thought  a gentle reminder about the exhibition in Malmesbury might be timely today, and  also that I am stewarding this Wednesday between 11am and 1pm. Would love to see you there and do not forget to say hello.

Interesting exhibition and other stuff.

 

Went to the Corinium Museum in Cirencester to have a look at this new exhibition by Bath Textile Artists (click here for more info) especially as I know 3 of the artists very well. So it was a delight to be able to visit this exhibition before it closed. Janet Clarke showed her wonderful felt sculptural shapes as well as more traditional scarves. It was a delight to see her work again. Margaret Heath had skillfully played with layers and hand stitching and used some of the huge stones reminiscent of Avebury as her design inspiration.  Liz Hewitt is stitching and creating textures which are quite unique in interpretation. It was very inspiring to see such diversity in one exhibition.

 

It was a bitterly cold day and we were grateful to get home in the warmth to a cup of tea, and these lovely daffodils to cheer us up.

 

I have been spending quite a bit of time in the studio, but lots of brain work going on in the design department... but not a lot to show for it really. I have been working on the Cotswold theme, and playing with shades of grey ( and no I have not read the book!)

 

Just to stray away from the tonal values of black and white.. I also looked at complementary colours... but am still waiting for the "ah ha" moment.

 

Meanwhile I have totally upset Herr Schnauzer, seen here reclining on his favourite dark rose coloured settee. This settee has now been well vacuumed and donated to a local company who help needy families to furnish their homes. We had to buy some new seating.. and Herr Schnauzer is no longer allowed to lounge on the furniture. Is he upset???..... you bet!!

I seem to be disappearing!

I seem to be disappearing if my clothes are an accurate measure. A lot of my skirts and trousers are too big. This is not a deliberate action on my part, as I do not believe in losing weight  or dieting  at all.
So where is it all going? A mystery.

Getting on the scales has not  been an activity for me since the early 1990's, when the GP (doctor) and I were both frightened by my sparse frame due to ME ( clear explanation here). The physical pain and tiredness was extreme, and so to help recovery the doctor suggested I need to concentrate on increasing my weight.

I have some very good spells of health now due to an increased  body  weight. So needless to say I also love my food.

To cut a long story short--- it was time to make cake!!!!
 I really cannot afford to have a relapse, so there were 3 eggs in the fridge..... weighed them and equal parts of Castor sugar and flour........ strawberry jam in the middle... lemon icing on top. A  Victoria sandwich for tea. When we ate a slice it was still warm. Nothing like home made cake.
At least I know whats in it. Unlike some of the processed foods at the moment. Oh and just to update you, the Crock pot is cooking a brisket joint for dinner this evening. Smells delicious!

Embroiderers Guild Folios - renovation

 

Marlborough branch of the Embroiderers guild have been helping to renovate the Guild's folios. A small group of members have been meeting regularly to renovate 2 folios. The first was called lettering and which we re-named Text. We finished the renovation on that folio last year. The second folios was called colour movement through stitch. We have renamed it Colour Studies. The photo above is one of my contributions.

 

The colour wheel was created in Photo shop Elements as a strip, printed onto tissue paper and with the help of bondaweb attached to a piece of Pelmet vilene. Machine threads were then chosen to complement the colours of the tissue paper and stitched using a simple automatic embroidery stitch. 

 

For another sample I tie dyed a selection of fabrics in black.

I then cut the fabrics into one and a half inch squares, and ironed them onto some felt with bondaweb. Next was to choose some appropriate machine threads and at least 2 variegated thread too, and machine in different directions - again using automatic machine stitches.

Both pieces of work can be used to make book covers or wraps as well as for ipods/phones. or computer tablet covers. 

Great fun and creative. An item children can make with a little supervision.

The renovation is nearly complete and members have created some wonderful samples. If you are a member of the Embroiderers Guild, you may be interested in getting one of the folios to study with a group at your branch.

Great Western Embroiderers

 

Had a wonderful meeting with members of the Great Western Embroiderers today. We all took our finished work to the meeting ready for our Exhibition at Malmesbury at the Town Hall. I have mentioned it in a previous post ... but no harm in showing you the poster again. I was quite pleased to have finished the Cotswold sheep cross stitch, all framed and ready to exhibit.

 



We have also all completed one or more 8 inch square to be shown together as a mosaic. Seeing the squares all together as a mosaic was wonderful. All the different techniques and ideas on the theme, bought tears to my eyes to think how hard everyone has worked. Hope you can make it to the exhibition and see these 24 pieces of work that create a mosaic, and of course the other 60 pieces of work created by members. If you do go please leave a comment in the visitors book. I shall be there stewarding on Thursday 27th February and on Thursday 6th March from 11am - 1pm. would love to see you there, so please come and say hello. There are also other attractions in Malmesbury see here

 

 

This is my 8 inch square.... all hand stitched in natural colours on calico ( does not photograph very well without additional lighting).

Stitching until the fingers are sore!

Glorious sunshine today and the grass was visible in the garden too. The sun is quite low in the sky, even at lunchtime when this photo was taken, so wonderful long shadows. great photo opportunity.

This is the stitching that is giving me the sore fingers, I had forgotten how long it takes to stitch using cross stitch , but I am nearly finished. I still have to frame it, but think I might just get it completed in time for the exhibition.

I have also been a little bit distracted by the purchase of a crock pot. We like stews quite a lot, and I am so fed up with having culinary disasters. I have become quite adept recently at burning meals. I tend to cook goulash on the top of the hob....... and then get distracted by something far more interesting than cooking ( and yes .. that Cotswold sheep has something to answer for as well!).. .... so you've guessed - burnt offerings for dinner.. yet.. AGAIN.

I do find cooking so boring and cannot be bothered to stand over the cooker..... so hopefully this crock pot will be the answer. I have ordered a couple of cook books from Amazon to help me try and avert disaster. Can food be burnt in a slow cooker?

Ist meal last night was a total success, and a steamed pudding is in the crock pot for tonight's dinner. Great stuff.

Right, better go,  that Cotswold sheep will not stitch itself.

Decisions -some good and some undecided!

( sorry about the poor colour quality of the photo)

I am very pleased with the new walking foot for my sewing machine, it made very light work of quilting in the ditch on the William Morris quilt, as well as easily stitching the binding into place. A good buy.

 I hemmed the binding to the back by hand. Took me quite a long time, but I really like the finish it gives to the quilt. A good decision. 

 The hanging sleeve is made, but it needs to be attached to the back of the quilt... more hand stitching. The hands are aching too much today from all the hard work.... another good decision.

 

My cross stitch Cotswold sheep is also well under way, but I am having problems deciding how to present it for the exhibition. Maybe a frame... but with glass or maybe not. Or maybe mounted onto foam board..... decisions..... decisions. What would be best?

All the snow has now disappeared, and we have grey days of rain and wind. Not very pleasant at all. I have been staying at home stitching and have ordered the groceries online to be delivered tomorrow. Another good decision.