Preston Embroiderers' Guild Blog

November Blog - Month 8 - Staying Together Apart!

8/11/2020

Last January I noticed a few of our members all sewing the same thing, they were little felt rabbits with long legs and cute clothes. A few years earlier a craze had begun to sew something called 'Luna Lapin and Friends'. An online community has grown together with classes and sew-a-longs and I have since discovered some of our members haven't been able to stop.

Beware, if you start to make one, you find yourself wanting to make another, and another, you can't stop!

This month, I spoke with four of our members who each have their own story on their path to making these loveable rabbits.

Pam W made the lovely Luna Lapin above sitting on the bicycle and this is what she has to say........

On a visit to a Kirby Lonsdale I noticed a lovely shop selling sewing items. How could I resist, I had to go in for a nosy. The owner Sarah was very excited to tell me about her new project and book being published 'Luna Lapin an adorable rabbit.' Of course I ordered it straight away.

On the books arrival I started straight away making rabbits, clothes, chairs, bags etc. I was well and truly obsessed with Luna! Then a second book was published! Luna Lapin's friends, another delight. So far I have made two monkey's out of this book, and have used a lot of the items in the book on Luna as well.

My latest Luna's are in white, not dressed yet.....

Luna and friends have 'multiplied' many times around the world. Sarah has given so much pleasure to us all. Her lovely shop in Kendal, is full of lovely goodies, well worth a visit when we are able. The Kirby Lonsdale and Skipton shops are now closed.

Pamela W.

Our next member Kath H, has definitely been very busy with Luna Lapin.......

Here are some more of Kath's little felted friends.....

Dee E. has had some adventures of her own as she explains below:

I was first prompted to make Luna after seeing the beautiful rabbits being made by Kath H and Pamela W. The fabrics they used and their attention to detail was so inspiring!

I made Luna first of all for my granddaughter’s fourth birthday. My enthusiasm for the project grew and my husband Sam kindly made the wardrobe pictured in the book, the coat hangers came from the shop in Kirby Lonsdale. I made the armchair from the book’s pattern. Luna had several outfits and Harlowe loved changing her clothes.

Over time Luna’s felt arms became rather worn so I had to make a new pair.

A year later, a puppy called Nellie joined the family. Nellie grew to love Luna too. This resulted in Luna needing a ‘skin’ graft on one cheek.

One day, several weeks later when Harlowe was at school, Nellie played with Luna too roughly and Luna mark two was born!

This is the version of Luna that I made when my great neice was born. An accessory for her room, it matched her blanket. A happy coincidence!

This is Luna Mark 2 made for my granddaughter!

This time I found some heavier grey fabric and cut Luna out with a seam allowance so that I could sew by machine. She needed to be a more resilient rabbit than her predecessor!

She doesn't have the look of the felt version, but she's a snappy dresser and is still in one piece!

Dee E.

Here's a final image of our new found friend Luna Lapin from Zena C

Name: Bunny

Barbara S, has been crocheting a lovely scarf

Kath R has been busy making machine embroidered flowers sewn on dissolvable fabric.

Kath H has also been busy doing some knitting:

For Christmas we thought it would be nice to put something on our site for a Christmas Project. You can find the instructions under the Notices Section, on how to make a Christmas Serviette Ring, kindly provided by Ann R. (You can also download the pdf below).

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File Size:	697 kb
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Download File

Ann has also given an update on the Savick Library Bunting which can be found under our 'other news' tab. The bunting is now completed and you can see images and an interesting write up of the events leading up to the final completion of this group project. Well done to everyone who took part!

Carolynne P.

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October 2020 - Still hanging in there and sewing - Month 7

8/10/2020

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A Trip Down Memory Lane with Margaret K and Beryl C

Preston Branch has been in existence for some 65 years now. This month I contacted Margaret K to ask if she could write a little about times gone by and to see if Beryl C could add some memories too.

As a relatively new member within the last decade, if I were to draw on something that meant a lot to me. It would be in 2015, when our branch members were involved in making postcards (one for each year since 1955). These postcards can be seen on our 'Gallery' page, and it was such a memorable time as a group, everyone making postcards using different techniques. I wondered what would be remembered over the years, as a wonderful time of togetherness as a group, from a couple of our long standing members of Preston Branch and here is what they had to say:

Beryl C

Beryl remembers that the first Embroiderers’ Guild meetings she attended were held at a ‘Friends Meeting House’ which was ‘small and rather dark’. She had attended the EG exhibition held in the Harris Museum and been overwhelmed by the embroideries on display. As she had just retired she felt able to go along to meetings and join the Guild. The only needlework she had done was in her teacher training course at College. Dressmaking and tailoring soon gave way to new techniques in embroidery, as she did a City and Guilds course.

She became Secretary when Mary H took on the Chair and then became Chair herself.

Beryl is so pleased when she goes to the meetings and sees that so many new, younger members have joined.

She wants to make it clear that she never remembers the time that members went to meetings wearing hats!

Margaret K

Like Beryl, my first connection with Embroiderers’ Guild was at the exhibition at the Harris Museum in 1982/3??? I was overwhelmed by the wonderful work that I saw there and dared to dream that at some time in the future I might be able to produce something approaching that standard. It wasn’t to be until another twenty years had gone by, and I retired from teaching, that I was able to join.

I have always been most proud of the work that we, as a Branch, did as a ‘joint effort’. It started with a photograph that Jackie C brought into the branch. The picture of fruits and flowers had been cut up into 24 x 4inch squares. We were each given a square and told to use our favourite technique to ‘embroider’ (See photo above).

Having enjoyed this (I’m not sure Jackie enjoyed stitching it together, as the ‘4 inch’ square ‘wasn’t always 4"’ when returned). We decided to have another go and make a similar piece for Vine House, the cancer charity in Preston. Their newsletter was called ‘The Grapevine’ and we found a photograph of exactly that and took up our scissors, needles and thread once again. Again the finished pieces were of many varied and individual techniques. The ‘Grapevine’ now hangs in the sitting room in Vine House and provides a focus for people with cancer. (See Below).

I had been singing ‘Bridge over troubled water’ with my ‘Magic Voices’ choir and realised that this was the perfect song for the work I was doing with Samaritans. Finding the perfect photograph for this project wasn’t as easy. The bridge had to be sturdy, but not too sturdy and the ‘troubled water’ had to be just the right kind of ‘troubled’. Once again, the 24 pieces were dished out, stitched, collected and handed over to be hung in the Samaritans branch in Preston. I can assure you that it is seen and remarked on often, as something to remind us that we provide support for those in despair and distress.

Like Margaret I think anything that inspires people to sew is a wonderful thing, and even more special when it becomes a group effort, that in turn helps others.

With this in mind, I spoke to Joan B this week, who wanted to share with the group, what she has been doing during the last 7 months. This is what she had to say:

Quite early on in lockdown, Joan read an article in a magazine called 'Yours.' In the article, there was an elderly lady who had passed away and as her family were emptying her house, they came across some knitted teddy bears and had no idea who or what they were for. A family member who was a policewoman, mentioned that if no-one wanted them she would make use of them. She gave some to her local cancer unit and the rest went to the police station to help traumatised children. The police had found that small children would clam up when traumatised and within a short time of holding a knitted teddy bear, they begin to feel relaxed and would open up to them. The Inspector at the station was so impressed and he got in touch with The WI to ask if they could make more of these knitted teddy bears, and after reading the article Joan applied for the pattern and has been knitting teddy bears for them. Here is photo of one, kindly sent in by her daughter.

At 95, I think Joan is doing well, keeping herself busy during these strange times we live at the moment. Joan went on to say she has also been knitting dog shaped cushions for her family.

Our Chair, Kath H says of the last month:

I've not done a lot of sewing this month but a friend and neighbour of ours who retired from the army a few years ago asked me if I could make a pouch for his medals as they were just in the original plastic bag - it also has a pocket for the miniatures.

Not embroidery but an honour to do it and he was very pleased with it.

Zena C has this to tell us:

I had a visit from one of my favourite relatives, he had bought two pairs of curtains in the sale, because he liked them, some time ago, and at that time didn't have a window where they would fit. He moved house a couple of years ago and now decorating the spare bedroom, found a window where one pair of curtains would go. The second pair is where I came in, can I make 2 cushions, a bed runner and a tissue box cover.

He turned up with the pair of curtains, and 2 cushion inserts, and said “ I could only get 60 cm can you reduce them to 50 cm “ - yes of course. Little did I know at the time they were feather inserts.

Consequently as I unpicked, the feathers decided to fly, even being careful trying to get them gently into a bin liner I still looked like the abominable snowman and as for my sewing room - imagine.

However job is now done, sewing room vacuumed more than once and there are still feathers! My relative is delighted and sending photos Via WhatsApp - fame at last.

I am finally able to show my completed Calico Garden. We are getting our hall and landing re-decorated before Christmas, and I hope to hang it in pride of place there.

This was such a lovely work shop to do and who would have thought you could make round pebbles out of 'toy stuffing and ladies tights!'

Carolynne P

Ann R has put together all the embroidered cubes that branch members have made for our Regional Chairs Challenge. They can be viewed under the 'Other news' tab. Just click the tab above called 'Other News'.

They look great and it just shows what we can still put together as a group.

The bunting pieces for Savick library have now been completed and this is the next task Ann has set herself - to get it sewn together for the next blog.

CP

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September 2020 - ‘Embroiderers’ still stitch on!’- Month 6

7/9/2020

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It has been a very quiet month and perhaps everyone is getting a little weary of the situation with local rules and guidelines. Still several members continue to keep us informed of their achievements which is brilliant and I for one find some inspiration from what they have made and stitched. It will continue to be a few difficult months ahead not knowing when meetings will commence and things can get back to the ‘new’ normal. Some members will be reflecting on a decision about membership of the guild and what that will mean for our branch.
In the meantime on a positive note let’s take a look at what members have been up to:

Edwina has been busy pushing the boundaries of her creativity and has made a driftwood hanging from pieces of driftwood she found on Longton Marsh.
She added, “I collected it in March after the high Spring tide when the sea comes right up the embankment around Longton. It was during the strict lockdown and 30 minutes was long enough for me to cycle to The Dolphin (a local pub) and back.”

Kath R has been trying out printmaking:-

She said, “I drew the designs then carved some out of lino and some by wood engraving. Then I printed them with oil based relief ink onto card and fabric using my new printing press. I am hoping to make a hanging with the fabric and I will call it my coronavirus piece for 2020. The prints on card will be used for greeting cards.”

Kath H received the third ‘Luna Lapin’ book from her granddaughter for her birthday.
“It actually came with 'strings' attached as my granddaughter wanted this one making. There are a few embroidery stitches and wool felting for the spots as well. I could have made two dresses in the time it took. Ha ha.”

Carolynne has been busy once again and has shared her cushion project with us.
When Issue 96 of Stitch magazine came out in Aug/Sept 2015, I bought some linen fabric, lace trim and threads at the festival of Quilts as I really wanted to make 2 cushions for our caravan. The original design was in Blue and Green, but I needed Yellow and Green. I bought the recommended Aurifil Linen, Lace and cotton threads that the project required. After clearing away all of my half finished projects during lockdown, I decided in August I would get started on these, as I couldn’t believe I bought the fabric so long ago.

First of all I used a water soluble marker to mark the pattern out and started to fill all the circles with detached chain stitch, followed by couching the stems of the flowers. Each time you used 2 different colours of floss to create the graduated shading as you look along the row.
Linen, cotton and wool Aurifil threads where used of different colours, for seed stitching in between the flowers.
I then added the lace trim with a short running stitch.
Then onto the various rows of stitches down the sides, and across the top and bottom.
I added some piping to my cushion which was not in the original instruction and a zip with a flap on the back.

Here are some photographs of the completed cushion (approximately 32cm x 46cm) and I really enjoyed making it and now can’t wait to start the second one.

The pattern makes use of the following stitches:
Detached Chain, Seed Stitch, Running Stitch, French Knots, Detached Chain and Running Stitch together, Lace Running Stitch and Chain Stitch and Couching for the stems. It has been a joy to get back to doing some hand stitching.

I have been busy collecting together the cubes for the North West Regional Chair’s Challenge on ‘Positivity’, yes we are on the final leg and I know seven of the eight cubes have now been completed. I have also been collecting all the pieces for the Savick Library bunting.
To date six pieces of the bunting are still with members but I am sure they will be in the post very soon. Savick Library remains closed at the moment but I have been in touch with Jennifer (the librarian) and discussed how she would like the finished bunting to be presented, so we are going for two ‘strings’ of bunting.

I have also been stitching pieces for the upcoming exhibition at Barton Grange in February 2021. Hopefully it will be going ahead and preparation is essential for this.
I have been trying out new techniques for my pieces, ‘Inspired by…….’ Not to give my ideas away I have used canvas to make strips linked to a place and crewel work as a basis for pieces inspired by an artist. I am on my second piece of crewel work with two more planned before completing the set. Then I hope to work on a piece linked to my Lockdown Journey. We (my husband and I) have walked over 700miles from our house since the beginning of the lockdown and have admired the seasons really close up. This piece is still in the planning stage, not on paper but in my brain!!

Finally, I have been making face coverings for family and friends following ‘the Big Community Sew’ patterns.

Well that is all the news. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this months blog. I hope you feel a little more inspired and not so alone. Yes I miss the natter and laughter too. Keep safe, keep well, keep calm and keep sewing.
A.R.

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November Blog - Month 8 - Staying Together Apart!

Our next member Kath H, has definitely been very busy with Luna Lapin.......

Dee E. has had some adventures of her own as she explains below:

Here's a final image of our new found friend Luna Lapin from Zena C

Barbara S, has been crocheting a lovely scarf

Kath R has been busy making machine embroidered flowers sewn on dissolvable fabric.

Kath H has also been busy doing some knitting:

October 2020 - Still hanging in there and sewing - Month 7

A Trip Down Memory Lane with Margaret K and Beryl C

September 2020 - ‘Embroiderers’ still stitch on!’- Month 6

Archives

Posts prior to Feb 2013

Categories

November Blog - Month 8 - Staying Together Apart!

Our next member Kath H, has definitely been very busy with Luna Lapin....... ​

Dee E. has had some adventures of her own as she explains below:

Here's a final image of our new found friend Luna Lapin from Zena C

Barbara S, has been crocheting a lovely scarf

Kath R has been busy making machine embroidered flowers sewn on dissolvable fabric.

Kath H has also been busy doing some knitting:

October 2020 - Still hanging in there and sewing - Month 7

A Trip Down Memory Lane with Margaret K and Beryl C

September 2020 - ‘Embroiderers’ still stitch on!’- Month 6

Archives

Posts prior to Feb 2013

Categories

Our next member Kath H, has definitely been very busy with Luna Lapin.......