Festival of Quilts 2013 Pat's report

Festival of Quilts 2013



On Thursday, 8^th August a car-full of us attended the NEC Quilt Show in Birmingham.  An early start ensured we were there by 10am to join the really long queue of women waiting to get in and investigate the show.  I had booked for a workshop with Pat Archibald at 10.30, and it was brilliant!  We had an hour to use Markal sticks, silhouettes and cut-outs to create a lovely pattern of leaves which could then be stitched and finished off.  Pat also demonstrated other ways to use Markal sticks, and demonstrated glue and transfer foil techniques which give lots of scope for a lovely background. 

 There were many beautiful quilts on display and we all had favourites.  Competition winners seemed a little hard to find at times, but overall the layout was good, and there seemed to be better provision of refreshments and rest places (seems to be essential for my advancing years).  The trade stands had their usual goodies to tempt and inspire us and we all appreciated the chance to add some essential items to the stash. 

 I particularly loved the ‘scenic’ wall hangings and the subtle shading and colouring of some of the more geometric patterns.  I’ve also resolved to have a go at more applique, and try to do something artistic.  Back in the real world, I can’t believe how quickly the day went;  we left the hall at about 4pm, and there was still a lot to savour.  Perhaps next time, a longer visit?

 

 



 

 

 

AGM and Programme

 

 

2013/14

 

 

I know!  It hardly seems possible, but the nights are starting to draw in, and the Autumn will be upon us before we know it.

 

We will be holding our AGM on September 19th, when subscriptions for the new year will be collected. The meeting will be followed by a 'Show and tell' session; a chance to show off all the projects you've completed, or the new fabrics, threads or gizmos you've picked up over the summer. If you did get to a show this year, we'd love to have a report of it on the blog, along with pictures!

 

Details of our programme are on the right of the blog. There's plenty of variety, hopefully something for everyone. Our informal sessions will begin again on October 10th, probably in Threlkeld.

 

 

See you on the 19th!

 

 



Lindisfarne Gospels

                                                     Durham 2013

 

 

We decided to visit the Lindisfarne Gospels Exhibition in Durham as our summer 'Day Out'.

 

We'd chosen one of the hottest days of the year, and it was lovely on Palace Green. A select few, we lunched in the Cathedral, sought out the Cathedral's own  embroidery, basked in the sun on Palace Green, and when we had to queue, took advantage of the iced water( and umbrellas) kindly supplied!

 

A wonderful exhibition , not only of 'The book' itself, but telling the story of St Cuthbert, and the remarkable journey of the Gospel book.

 

One of the fascinating art installations alongside the exhibition brought a smile to the face of everyone who went into the schoolroom. Different shapes and sizes of copper vessels were suspended from beams in the roof, and controlled drips of water aimed into them. The random notes created varied during the day, as the level of water in the vessels changed. It made for a very peaceful experience, as you walked round the room.

 

 

 

 

Lyn's photographs........

 

 

 

Beautiful Durham Cathedral....

 

Palace Green, alongside  and the Library where the exhibition is held

 

The Cathedral again......

 

 

 Enjoying the sunshine, and coffee....

 

 

We hope our visit will inspire lots of embroidery, and as we are all interested in different aspects of stitching, who knows what we'll produce? In any case, we had a lovely day. Some of us will go again.

 

The Exhibition runs until the end of September, and is well worth a visit, if you can get there!

 

 





June Meeting

Sit and Stitch

 

June is when we usually have our Summer Outing, but, as things are a bit different this year, a small group of us met to work on our own projects.

Janet's beadwork

Gloria's getting ahead with Christmas decorations!

 

Lyn's quilt.........

 

... with 'feathers!... ....

 

Pat's embroidery.....

 

 

Sally's very complex counted thread sampler....

 

 

Zena's quilting 

 

 

Lesley's quilt 

 

 

Pat Archibald Textile artist

At the Fashion, Embroidery and Stitch show in March this year, I was thrilled to see work by Pat Archibald on display, and talk to the artist herself. 

I have wanted to post the pictures I took, and here  are two of them. (I did ask permission to take them)  They are haunting images of her journeys in India.

 

 

"Time to Think"

 

"This piece shows one of the desert men that I met in Rajasthan. He appears very content to just sit and contemplate".

 

 

 

 

 

"Tree of life and tears"

 

The tree of life appears in many guises in Indian art and textiles. Here I have used the paisley feather to form the tree and heavily embellished it with stitches and sequins. The feathers continue throughout the design, appearing to fall from the tree as tears."

 

They were among the most evocative images I have seen expressed as quilts.

 

Pat Archibald's website

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Silk Ribbon Embroidery May Meeting

 

Silk Ribbon Embroidery

 

with Elizabeth Gill

 

 

 

 

Our May meeting was a workshop with Elizabeth Gill, who first showed us examples of her lovely work  using silk ribbon. These are small and delicate pieces, beautifully mounted and framed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth's examples

 

 

We were led through the steps of using the silk ribbon as thread, to make our pictures of snowdrops. Work in progress, below!

 

 

 

 

By the end of the session, most of us had a completed picture. (I had to leave early, so the pictures stop here!)

 

A lovely, relaxing workshop. Thank you , Elizabeth!

 

 

 



Three go Felting in Selkirk!

Moy McKay ........Painting with Felt

 

 

 

 

Pat, Marilyn and I had seen her work,  we'd bought her book, and when the opportunity came along to do a workshop with Moy McKay at her studio in Selkirk, we couldn't wait!

 

Actually, we had to wait,  because we booked in the Autumn.......

 

Last Sunday morning, we set off from Cumbria, not really knowing what to expect, and wondering nervously if we'd be in the company of real experts. After a journey on much quieter roads than we expected, we arrived, and joined a varied group of eight, some absolute beginners, and some with lots of confidence and experience, and some in-between.

 

We set to work, having been shown Moy's particular way of 'painting' with felt. Her painting talent and enthusiasm is what leaps from her pictures and  we were surrounded by beautiful work, and a rainbow wall of wool, ready to be worked into  our creations.

 

 

The morning whizzed by as we 'painted' our landscapes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 After lunch Moy had set up a still life for us. Again the time sped by, we were encouraged, and inspired throughout the day, and finally, we all had two pieces of work waiting to be felted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ready to roll!

 

The master-stroke was in the felting! We each began the process on our own pieces, but they were all on the table at the same time, so it became a communal process, and then the rolling bit was done all together in two large rolls.

 

The moment of truth came when the rolls were undone, and we could see our work! Everyone had two lovely pieces, and it is fair to say that from the pictures at the end,

it wasn't really possible to identify the novices, or the expert. Everyone was delighted with their creations.

 

Moy's Van, resplendent with one of her pictures!
We had a lovely day, learned a lot, and would thoroughly recommend the journey up to Selkirk to take part in the next series of workshops.

To see our finished pictures, and more of Moy's work, visit her Facebook page, and look at her website....here