Young Embroiderers 10th April 2012

Young designers at work

We had a brilliant time at the Young Embroiderers meeting on Tuesday  as Jordan Hargreaves and Michele Friswell who are  embroidery students from MMU came to our meeting to show us contemporary hand stitching techniques.. We started off by creating an unique surface to stitch into using 'Di- Stix' fabric crayons. These can be used either by drawing a design onto paper and transferring it to the fabric by ironing or cna be used directly onto the fabric.

The finished results- some lovely cushions

 We then used a variety of hand- stitching techniques to decorate the work which we later made into cushions .

We got some lovely results

As you can see the the results were stunning!

Exhibition 24th March

Our exhibition this very was very successful with visitors coming from far and wide.

The winner of our competition was Jean Webb with 'Box of Delights'

Jean Webb 'Box of Delights'

Box of Delight Detail

Box of Delights detail

Second place was Carol Stow with 'A Pint, a Pie and a Pal'

Carol Stow 'A pint, a Pie and a Pal'

Carol Stow 9 Detail)

 And last but not least , third place was Leila Sutcliffe with 'Annomites'

Leila Sutcliffe " Anomites' (detail)

Well done to all our winners and a big  thank you to everyone who took part.

Marion Anniss March 2012

Marion Anniss came to speak to us this month. She delighted us with detail about her awe and wonder series which was inspired by Norwich Cathedral.

Marion Anniss Awe and Wonder series

History is usually the starting point for Marion's research -" the architecture, artefacts, wall and floor decorations of old buildings - get me sketching or photographing, and I take these images into designs. I review my observational drawings, sketches and experiments looking for patterns and shapes which I manipulate digitally. I am searching for images that will work as backgrounds for my textile pieces."History is usually the starting point for Marion's research -" the architecture, artefacts, wall and floor decorations of old buildings - get me sketching or photographing, and I take these images into designs. I review my observational drawings, sketches and experiments looking for patterns and shapes which I manipulate digitally. I am searching for images that will work as backgrounds for my textile pieces."

Marion Anniss at Chelford Embroiderers' Guild March 2012

Pauline Turner - Crochet

Pauline Turner at Chelford Embroiderers' Guild

We don't usually have talks on crochet at our embroiderers' guild so we were really glad that Pauline came talk to us about how crochet has become a part of her life.

 We were amazed at the wonderful effects which can be achieved with the crochet hook.

 Perhaps this is not all that surprising as Crochet has its root in tambour work.

Young Embroiderers' Felting Day

This month we were really fortunate to have Di Stone lead us in a felting workshop. After making a flat piece of felt to understand the technique we then went on on make Handbags, ipod covers, balls and hearts ( as it was valentines day).
Everyone had a really great time and made some wonderful things.

Jacqueline Hyman January 2012

Jacqueline Hyman provided us with a really interesting talk on the research and restoration she has been carrying out on a collection of medieval children's clothes. The clothes had been excavated from burial sites in Egypt in the 1930's and had been stored in a cardboard box in an archive ever since. when she examined them she realised that they were a very important collection as there is nothing quite like them in other collections. She has been researching into them using her own meticulous methods and modern technology such as the electron microscope which magnifies fibres hundreds of times.

Close up of cap showing text. Image from http://www.heritagescienceservices.com/case-studies/

It was a very interesting and informative talk.

Christmas Decoration Competition

Second Prize

Second Prize

First Prize

The christmas decoration competition proved to be very popular with a a wide variety of entries. Sue Loft won the rose bowl with her gorgeous little bootees. Well done Sue!