Happy New Year to all our blog readers from everyone at Preston Embroiderers' Guild. Our first meeting of the year took place on Saturday January 5th and we were welcomed back by our Chair, Dee. Notices were given about our forth coming exhibition at Barton Grange from 22nd-24th February before our day school with Sue Bennett began.
Sue has taught us before and it is always a pleasure for us when she comes. She came in December to tell us what needed to be done to prepare our hessian for the day school. The preparation entailed choosing the size of our picture, machining round the edge and cutting out the weft threads to leave the warp ready to be woven. Everyone had brought their own photo or design to work from and we were ready to start.
A lovely table of tree pictures and designs was set out by Sue to give us all an idea of what we could produce. Everyone's appetite was whetted and Sue began to teach us. She explained each picture or item of work, one of which Sue had made with Agnes Wilson, who had been a member of Preston Guild and had founded Lytham St. Anne's Guild, to which Sue belonged. Another piece was worked with
machine embroidery and another showed a cottage among the trees on a lampshade ring. There were some bangles using white wool, which used several techniques, including the tree idea. These had been used to decorate a Christmas tree and silver thread had been inserted for a festive look.
A lovely table of tree pictures and designs was set out by Sue to give us all an idea of what we could produce. Everyone's appetite was whetted and Sue began to teach us. She explained each picture or item of work, one of which Sue had made with Agnes Wilson, who had been a member of Preston Guild and had founded Lytham St. Anne's Guild, to which Sue belonged. Another piece was worked with
machine embroidery and another showed a cottage among the trees on a lampshade ring. There were some bangles using white wool, which used several techniques, including the tree idea. These had been used to decorate a Christmas tree and silver thread had been inserted for a festive look.
The first task of the day was to sew 3 pieces of warp together using a hemming stitch. Sheets were given out to explain the order of work.
Sue told us we should leave room for a foreground and the rest for the forest. Then we set to work and Sue came round to us individually to advise and encourage.
Sue told us we should leave room for a foreground and the rest for the forest. Then we set to work and Sue came round to us individually to advise and encourage.
| Our next job was to weave the forest floor following the colours in our photo or picture. Some lovely colour combinations began to appear on our frames of work. Paths were included in some and Sue showed us how to link the different coloured threads together in the middle. | |
We gathered for our next instruction after this and were told how to weave the trees, which would be made of two, three or four bundles of warp in front of the woven foreground. We started to put in trees and worked on each one at a time because the trees stood out in front and the background had to be worked behind them and room had to be left between the trees for branches to be formed.
We also learned how to weave branches and twigs formed from one and two bundles of warp. Sue emphasised that the woven trees must be pushed down constantly to ensure that no warp could be seen. The branches were difficult because they must be seen to belong to their own tree. The first branches stayed in front and the others behind them. Some branches and twigs would be joined together. If each tree was worked in a different tone of brown or green, it would be easier to see where their branches belonged.
We also learned how to weave branches and twigs formed from one and two bundles of warp. Sue emphasised that the woven trees must be pushed down constantly to ensure that no warp could be seen. The branches were difficult because they must be seen to belong to their own tree. The first branches stayed in front and the others behind them. Some branches and twigs would be joined together. If each tree was worked in a different tone of brown or green, it would be easier to see where their branches belonged.
 | Leaves were covered next and we were shown how to make bobbly wool by running a thin thread through a piece of wool about 3 inches or so and pulling up the thin thread to make a small mass of wool, which could be sewn onto the trees to look like leaves or blossom (bobbly wool itself can also give this effect.) If using 2 colours the darker thread went underneath. These 'leaves or blossoms' would be sewn onto the trees leaving gaps between them. |
As time was running out, Sue showed us how to make picots by putting in a pin, working an upside down v shape and weaving across the thread and pin to make a leaf shape. The picots must be made straight onto the piece of work and not made separately. Sue showed us woven bar stitch, which is like a buttonhole bar and turkey stitch, where several loops are made and stitched down and the tops of the loops are cut to form a fluffy effect. Sue had time to show us a bit about backgrounds before we left.
All the work was set out to be photographed and we all felt that we had had a very good day. Thank you Sue.
Those who were not partaking in the workshop, had been working on their own individual pieces; we saw embroidered roses and other flowers, a necklace, gold work and a little picture about votes for women, as well as other lovely pieces.
Our library was on display, the shop showing all sorts of bargains and not forgetting our Treasurer, busy as usual, sorting out the money.
Our library was on display, the shop showing all sorts of bargains and not forgetting our Treasurer, busy as usual, sorting out the money.
Our thanks this month go to Irene for writing the blog for us.
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