April 2014- Dayschool : Edge to Edge led by Shelley Rhodes.

Great anticipation about the dayschool today with many members wondering what we were about to try out. As Gina introduced Shelley Rhodes we felt all would become much clearer as the day progressed.

Shelley went to Art College straight after ‘A’ levels and completed a degree in Graphic Design and then worked as a graphic designer for the BBC and Granada Television for 8 years before retraining to become an Art teacher in Secondary Schools. She has also completed her City and Guilds in Creative Embroidery and now teaches workshops on a freelance basis, alongside making her own work for exhibitions. She has been a member of The Textile Study Group since June 2007.

In her introduction Shelley explained that we would be making a piece that introduces edges as a major aspect. We would be considering the shapes of the edges, the spaces between them and how pieces could be joined together. She showed us several examples of her work and the techniques that were used.

The first task was to create five backgrounds by joining, gluing or bonding papers and fabrics together. We set to work tearing a variety of papers, screwing them up and smoothing them out before gluing them together. On another piece we scraped paint over the paper. We bonded fabrics, lace, trims and ribbons to calico and painted over them. We also painted sheer fabrics like organdie.

Leaving our backgrounds to dry, Shelley explained how edges could be made using a variety of techniques from tearing, burning with a soldering iron, piercing with hole or card making punches, collaged by adding different fabrics, lace or papers, stitched using dissolvable fabric, beaded, buttoned, folded or hemmed. In fact it seemed that there were no rules- any technique goes.

---

Next we had to begin our markmaking. Using two L shaped pieces of card we began to focus in on our photographs, pictures or sketches that we had brought with us.

To guide us Shelley suggested several techniques not just drawing or painting but using both hand and machine stitching, collage, appliqué, printmaking or cutting and piercing. We were asked to consider the effect on two pieces by using contrasting words:

Calm Wild

 Light Heavy 

Generous Stingy

Bold Timid

Thick Thin

so that one piece gave a softer, calmer feel than the other.

On the third background we were asked to use a combination of both groups of words, the fourth was marked in any way we wanted to try and the fifth was left plain.

Everyone got to work, some on machines others hand stitching, piercing, cutting out shapes as well as painting and drawing.

Once all the preparation was completed we finally began to focus in on our markings choosing areas of interesting textures. Next we decided on the width and length of the pieces we were going to join.

And finally Shelley explained how they could be joined using a variety of techniques from pins, staples, tape, eyelets, lacing, beads, and buttons. Again the list was endless.

At the end of the day it was amazing how each member had produced a completely different piece from the other. I am certain the techniques we had discovered, with the help and support of Shelley, will be used in many more pieces in the future. As Sandie said, “Make sure they are completed for the exhibition at Barton Grange.”

Thanks to Shelley for an inspiring dayschool, which certainly gave many of us food for thought.

Once again the back room was crowded with stitchers and some fabulous work was being completed.

Thanks also to Sylvia and Barbara who held the fort in the shop as usual, as well as encouraging us to take fabrics which had been donated to make more project bags for the exhibition in September.

In addition to the usual meeting several members set up a small exhibition at Penwortham Library as part of the ‘Penwortham Live Weekend’ on Saturday 29th March. Thanks to Vivien, Dee and the librarian Mandy for organising the event which helped to put the Preston branch on the map. Thanks also to the members who turned up and demonstrated a variety of techniques to the visitors on the day. It is hoped several ‘pop-up exhibitions’ in local libraries may be something to further promote the Guild in the future.

Requirements list for May workshop- Sashiko- which will be led by Sylvia Maudsley in the morning
Sylvia will have packs of materials for sale.

• Embroidery ring
  
  

• Embroidery needle with large eye or Sashiko needle
  
  
• Sashiko thread or soft cotton, traditionally white
  
  
• Material, traditionally dark blue. A fat quarter will be more than enough.
  
  
• Lining material (if needed)
  
  
• Wadding – thin (if needed)
  
  
• Marking pencil or other form of transferring pattern to material.
  
  
• Templates or thin white card
  
  
• Paper scissors
  
  
• Tracing paper
  
  
• Ruler with 1” markings
  
  
• Sellotape (used for taping material to hard flat surface to avoid slipping when transferring pattern.
  
  
• Usual sewing things
  
  
• Pritt stick