Regional Day 2013

Kirkby Lonsdale April 2013

 

 

 

This is a mammoth undertaking, demanding months of planning, and nerves of steel! The hosts of this year's regional meeting must be congratulating themselves on a highly successful conference. From a visitor's point of view, everything was ideal.... Venue with good facilities, excellent catering, (fab lunch!), and  talented speaker Jacquie Carey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just some of the glorious work on display from Kirkby Lonsdale and Appleby.

 

 

Jacquie Carey spoke after lunch on the subject of Elizabethan stitches. Her lecture was a real insight into the techniques used by stitchers centuries ago, and her research challenged many of the ideas we have about the way they worked . The close-up photography of the samples was fascinating, and Jacquie's tireless curiosity about tiny details really sparks the imagination about the real people who  produced these lavish embroideries.

 

 

 

 

(Photographs of actual pieces Elizabethan embroidery  shown by Jacquie to support her talk at the Fashion Embroidery and Stitch Show last month.)

 

 

Throughout the Regional day, smockers, embroiderers and lace-makers demonstrated their skills, and there was a good selection of traders to satisfy the shopper in most of us!  A good day! Congratulations!

 

 





April meeting

Debbie Woolley's workshop

 

 

 

 

 Keswick member Debbie Woolley kept the details of this workshop a secret, so we didn't quite know what to expect.....

We had great fun constructing our small basic forms from calico, and a simple pattern, ready to be 'embellished',  'decorated',  but NOT dressed! The idea is that they should reflect something of the maker. How scary!

 

 

One of Debbie's examples....

 

 

Works in progress....... sounds easy, but.....

 

 

Some personalities beginning to emerge......

 

 

 

 

 

Then, a show of some of Debbie's own creations.....

 

 

A fun meeting, and  hopefully, lots of  characters to make their appearance at the next meeting!

 

 

 

 

 

And Gloria's completed work from Shirley McKeand's workshop

 



Hand-sewing course at Brantwood

I have been asked to draw your attention to this up-coming course at Brantwood, Coniston. Some of the formatting has gone a bit odd in the uploading, but the information is all there.


Creative Embroidery: drawing with hand-stitch
with Priscilla Jones

6-7 June 2013

10.30am - 4.30pm

£160 per person

Over the course of the weekend you will explore the possibilities of using hand-stitch techniques to

create stunning stitched fabrics and papers. You will use colour and texture to develop surfaces, considering composition as you go. Your piece could be pictorial or abstract and Priscilla will enable you to work through your own themes as she encourages personal development of ideas. This is an experimental workshop and will look at how hand stitch can achieve vibrant and exciting results that explore the scale of stitch in addition to the stitch techniques.  

Day 1: You will create a background out of fabric and/or paper, developing a collaged composition that will produce a framework to stitch into. You will then start by laying a ground of stitches that will be developed and worked over in more detail. Day 2: You will explore the nature of your background, creating more detailed marks and open up the beautiful drawn quality that can be achieved using hand

sewing threads.
This workshop is suitable for Beginners to Intermediate level. A list of materials and equipment will be provided. All materials will be provided and refreshments available throughout the day. Please bring an image to work from (eg. postcard, photograph, sketch or photocopy as inspiration); any fabrics& haberdashery you might wish to use. Please also bring a packed lunch. (Jumping Jenny restaurant is also

available on site for light lunches).

B&B Accommodation in the Lodge at Brantwood

B&B accommodation is available for those participating in Brantwood's courses. Staying at Brantwood is
one of the delights of studying here, spending time in good company and immersing yourself in the
whole experience. Brantwood Lodge has been newly refurbished and will sleep up to 9 people, with 2
twin rooms, 2 double rooms and a single room. The Lodge enjoys wonderful views across Coniston
Water. There is a communal kitchen/diner/living room with a wood burning stove. You can bathe in
Ruskin's bath! The B&B rate is £50 per person per room/£35 per person shared occupancy/£35 per
night single room. Breakfast is provided in the kitchen for guests to help themselves to cereal, toast,
fruit, yogurt. Accommodation can also be booked for partners in double/twin rooms at the same B&B
rate. A 50% deposit is required which acts as a cancellation fee if the booking is cancelled within two
weeks of your stay.

Directions to Brantwood

By Car - Exit the M6 at Junction 36. Join the A590 in the direction of Kendal. Exit at the Brettargh Holt

junction. At the roundabout take the 1st exit signposted for Barrow-in-Furness. Continue to follow the

signs for Barrow-in-Furness. At the Meathop roundabout take the second junction exit towards Barrow-

in-Furness. At the next roundabout (junction with A592) take the first exit continuing on the

A590. Turn right onto the A5902 signposted for Workington, Whitehaven. Turn right onto the A5084

signposted for Coniston. Turn right onto the A593 in Torver. Follow the signs for Brantwood from the

village of Coniston.

Cancellation Policy

Full, non-refundable payment is taken for day courses when the booking is made and a £45 deposit

taken for all other courses. The balance will be due 4 weeks before the course start date. A 50%

deposit will be taken for accommodation bookings with the balance due 4 weeks before. The deposit

also acts as a cancellation fee is you cancel a booking within 4 weeks of your arrival date.

www.brantwood.org.uk Tel: 015394 41396

Some more Fashion ,Embroidery and Stitch

Some more pictures from this year's Fashion Embroidery and Stitch Show........ 

 Mabon Arts....... these African-inspired pieces are lovely; Click to see them in more detail.........

 

Lace........

 

 

Traditional work from the Lace Guild........

 

...And machine-made lace from Calais.

 

 

I did a Workshop with Kim Thittichai, which involved , naturally, a hot iron, bondaweb, foils, and block printing. Also Decovil, a material new to me, but with huge potential for bags, boxes and books.

 

WI collection of smocking........

 

 

 

Detail of just one smock...... all that work!

 

 

Fashion, Embroidery and Stitch 2013

Nec March 2013

 

I was full of trepidation as I set out this year, for the Fashion, Embroidery and Stitch Show at The NEC. The weather was forecast to  be very wintry, with disruptive snow, and there was a voice in my head telling me to stay at home in the warm!
 

My heart won, and very early on the Thursday I set off, by train. Though the Midlands were badly hit, including some parts of Birmingham, I have to say that my two-day trip was not disrupted at all, apart from minor delays on the last leg of the journey home from Carlisle. on the Friday.

 

I was so glad I did go; there were, as always, fascinating displays, like the lace-makers of Calais. Very intricate  lace, still being produced on old and technically complex machines, and these days used in innovative ways.

 

 

The Postcards...... en masse, look impressive as they make their way around the country....

 

 

 

Can you spot ours? (Third in from the right)

 

 

 

 

Costumes from productions of the novels of Jane Austin.

 

 

 I always admire the work of West Country Embroiderers, and their display this year was all in ruby red. It took me a while to latch on to the group's  40-years old birthday theme!

 

 

 

'Glimpses of Summer' 

(Madeira competition) 

 

 

There was much very impressive work from  the Quilters' Guild, including this , inspired by mountains, as described below.........(click on the picture to see better)

 

This is Part One. More  next time.....