With the sun shining for most of last month it has made the current epidemic situation a little easier to handle, although many of our members are still shielding and in isolation. If you have a garden I hope you have been able to enjoy it and if we held a competition for the best kept gardens I am sure there would be lots of contestants entering.
There has also been a lot of activity this month and I hope you enjoy reading about what our members have been up to. Some have been experimenting, others trying out things they have always wanted to do and some just carrying on with different projects so here goes:
Sue M stitched a collage piece as part of her sketch book challenge and she also entered her NW regional cube piece into Grayson Perry’s Art challenge this week. Unfortunately she didn’t get the call, which is a disappointment for her but luckily we are able to admire her piece and have it on one of our cubes, which are coming to a completion and hopefully will be seen pretty soon
There has also been a lot of activity this month and I hope you enjoy reading about what our members have been up to. Some have been experimenting, others trying out things they have always wanted to do and some just carrying on with different projects so here goes:
Sue M stitched a collage piece as part of her sketch book challenge and she also entered her NW regional cube piece into Grayson Perry’s Art challenge this week. Unfortunately she didn’t get the call, which is a disappointment for her but luckily we are able to admire her piece and have it on one of our cubes, which are coming to a completion and hopefully will be seen pretty soon
Irene has been making cushions for her redecorated lounge from some lovely bee material she had bought just before the lockdown. She said the cushions certainly finish off the room.
Not only stitching cushions she has also started on two pieces for our next exhibition. These are still unfinished pieces but show ‘Inspiration from Different Eras’.
One is a fish to demonstrate the Art Deco era taken from an Art Deco book illustrating a Tiffany brooch of a swordfish. She has adapted it somewhat! The other one is about the era of her rabbits over 45 years and she added, “it will take a year to complete I expect”.
Not only stitching cushions she has also started on two pieces for our next exhibition. These are still unfinished pieces but show ‘Inspiration from Different Eras’.
One is a fish to demonstrate the Art Deco era taken from an Art Deco book illustrating a Tiffany brooch of a swordfish. She has adapted it somewhat! The other one is about the era of her rabbits over 45 years and she added, “it will take a year to complete I expect”.
Sandie has certainly been busy:
“I have had a book by Jane Edmonds on boxes for years, I made the reliquary box as I have always wanted to do one. The other one shows Mackintosh roses with ladies on each side in the style of Margaret McDonald Mackintosh.”
She is also going to try the cabinet version of the boxes and a book cover from the same book.
“I have had a book by Jane Edmonds on boxes for years, I made the reliquary box as I have always wanted to do one. The other one shows Mackintosh roses with ladies on each side in the style of Margaret McDonald Mackintosh.”
She is also going to try the cabinet version of the boxes and a book cover from the same book.
For the ‘One Step On’ exhibition based on Earth Matters Sandie has designed a piece called ‘Air Pollution’. It has a painted background with pelmet vylene cooler towers, machine embroidery on water soluble fabric and strips of fabric distressed for the smoke.
Tracey has finally finished her last cross stitch piece.
“And yes, it’s the last cross stitch ever” and is now starting her full moon project next, plus a couple of other free hand things.
Tracey has finally finished her last cross stitch piece.
“And yes, it’s the last cross stitch ever” and is now starting her full moon project next, plus a couple of other free hand things.
Here is one she sent with her own comments (see above):
“Clever, skilled and artistic machine embroiderers, please don’t laugh too loudly, this is my very first ever attempt at free machining. I’ve always thought it was (a) not real embroidery (no pricked fingers and lost needles) and (b) cheating. Of course I know I was wrong, it’s just a different style of work, and one I’d never attempted. But this afternoon I thought I’d just have a play, so sketched a rough outline of a sewing machine and went for it. I will embellish this, I think, with some hand embroidery and turn it into a little sewing bag/case. Someone has suggested I add my machine’s serial number and I like that idea too”.
“Clever, skilled and artistic machine embroiderers, please don’t laugh too loudly, this is my very first ever attempt at free machining. I’ve always thought it was (a) not real embroidery (no pricked fingers and lost needles) and (b) cheating. Of course I know I was wrong, it’s just a different style of work, and one I’d never attempted. But this afternoon I thought I’d just have a play, so sketched a rough outline of a sewing machine and went for it. I will embellish this, I think, with some hand embroidery and turn it into a little sewing bag/case. Someone has suggested I add my machine’s serial number and I like that idea too”.
Zena has managed to complete her Calico Garden from the Dayschool in February 2020 with Angie Burt.
She is going on to finish her box from the March Dayschool with Marguerita McBride next.
Edwina made bunting for VE Day. She said, “We weren't part of a street party but I wanted to put something up in recognition of the significance of this event”.
She has also finished a lap quilt which she started in 2014 and completed this year in May 2020.
She has also been dressmaking, a sleeveless top and doing a free style embroidery of a cat inspired by a greetings card.
She is going on to finish her box from the March Dayschool with Marguerita McBride next.
Edwina made bunting for VE Day. She said, “We weren't part of a street party but I wanted to put something up in recognition of the significance of this event”.
She has also finished a lap quilt which she started in 2014 and completed this year in May 2020.
She has also been dressmaking, a sleeveless top and doing a free style embroidery of a cat inspired by a greetings card.
Kath R. has been experimenting with Sun Prints on pieces of cotton and silk. She laid the fabric outside in the sun on a plastic sheet.
Next she painted the fabric with silk paints or Dynafo dye and then used leaves from the garden or stencils she had in her stash and laid them onto the fabric. Because it was so hot she had to work quickly before it dried.
“Paint one piece, place on stencil or leaves and leave in the sun for a few hours then remove the stencils and iron to set the dye – Easy!”
Next she painted the fabric with silk paints or Dynafo dye and then used leaves from the garden or stencils she had in her stash and laid them onto the fabric. Because it was so hot she had to work quickly before it dried.
“Paint one piece, place on stencil or leaves and leave in the sun for a few hours then remove the stencils and iron to set the dye – Easy!”
Brenda has knitted a cardigan for her granddaughter and is in the process of finishing her Savick Library bunting showing a robot drawn by her grandson. She has also decided to continue to make her felted beads ready for necklaces.
Such a variety of work and ideas for this month. Hopefully next month we will have even more, including the NW Chair’s Challenge cubes, the Embroiderers’ Guild ‘Reasons to be Thankful’ pieces and pictures of members stitching birds on Saturday 20th June when it is National Celebration of Stitch day, even if they aren’t finished. Please continue to send in your photographs and descriptions which help to keep us connected, even in a small way, to everyone.
In the meantime keep safe, keep well, keep calm and keep stitching.
A.R.
In the meantime keep safe, keep well, keep calm and keep stitching.
A.R.
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