Our December Meeting

Well it was actually at the end of November but to all intents and purposes it was our Christmas get together!  There were four activity options for those that fancied making Christmas cards, a Christmas competition and festive refreshments.  We were grateful to the members who so generously shared their threads, fabrics, ribbons and beads (as well as their ideas and skills).  Our particular thanks go to Marina, Diane, Nicky, Angela and Liz.   

One option was making felt trees embellished with ribbons and beads. 

The second option involved stitching onto patterned fabric and then cutting out a festive shape to attach to a card.

The third option was a counted stitch technique, using Rhodes stitch to create diamonds that formed trees. 

The fourth option was 'prick and stitch' directly onto cards.  

The Christmas competition theme this year was for a decoration and we had many lovely entries.  Voting is by 'button in the bag' and members can vote for more than one entry.  As always it is hard to judge such different styles of items.  Well done to everyone who entered and we enjoyed looking at all the entries and taking inspiration from them. 

Our eventual winning entry was Christine's lovely embroidered wreath.  It was colourful and beautifully finished.  We admired her skill and variety of stitch techniques. 

 Second place went to Marina for her fun and very neatly stitched folk art wool garland. 

Third place went to Angela for her delicately stitched softly coloured festive pieces. 

Not everyone chose to make cards, and there was much busy activity in the room with members working on their own projects.  This month I enjoyed seeing Chris' festive Robin take shape.  The image and instructions were from Emillie Ferris' book 'Paint with Thread: A Step-by Step Guide to Embroidery: Through the Seasons'   The silk shading technique was worked using a single strand of floss and long and short stitch.  The painterly effect was really effective and she was enjoying the slow process of bringing the bird to life.

Robin stitched  by Chris from a pattern by Emillie Ferris

In the afternoon we enjoyed festive refreshments including mince pies, Swedish spiced cake and fruit cake with Wensleydale cheese.  It was a lovely way to get us all in the Christmas spirit.  

York Embroiderers and Stitchers next meeting will be on 3rd January in Haxby Memorial Hall.  Visitors and new members are welcome to come along.  We will be there between 10.30 and 3.30 so feel free to drop in.  The programme for 2026 can be found by clicking the tab at the top of this page so do have a look if you are interested to see who our speakers will be.  

Our November Meeting

Our November meeting was well attended and the hall was soon full of busy stitchers.  One stitch club group continued making three dimensional pieces.  Nicky had provided plenty of instructions to make a range of 'balls' using pentagons and other shapes.  Shapes were cut out of hexiform or pelmet vilene and fabric was basted on.  The shapes were then stitched together to create the 3D patchwork shapes using small whipped stitches along the edge. Members who had previously tried English Paper Piecing (EPP)patchwork had a good idea of the process.   Anne had been very industrious by continuing from the previous month and had completed a bauble in forest green fabrics, adding embroidery and a beaded hanging loop.

Anne's completed decoration

                       

Nicky's instructions and samples for dodecahedrons.  

Balls can also be created using other geometric shapes, including triangles.  Andrea was making good progress stitching a soft ball with lovely Liberty lawn scraps. She was creating a net (20 triangles joined flat) before assembling the polyhedron.  

Andrea's polyhedron under construction

Liz's stitch club group were embellishing fabric with stitches and beads.  This was a very relaxing activity once a piece of base fabric had been chosen.  

Sara's embellished fabric in progress

At any meeting there is a large group who work on their own pieces.  Usually this is embroidery or other forms of stitching.  Some people enjoy following instructions in kits, others work on their own designs.  However Celia's weaving caught my eye this month.  She was using/re-purposing a bead loom and had warped it for a narrow band.  She was weaving with embroidery floss and creating a series of coloured woven pieces (rainbow colours) to fit in the small compartments of an old printers tray.  I'm sure it will look lovely when completed.  

Celia working on a woven blue band

Afternoon speaker - Jacqueline Schultz 'Creative Chapters'

In the afternoon the very talented Jacqueline Schultz set up a display of her work and gave an illustrated talk.  She had been inspired at a young age by her grandmother who was skilled at embroidery.  Having trained as a primary school teacher (B.Ed with Art as her major) Jacqueline became an 'ex-pat' wife working in several International Primary schools.  She clearly enjoyed her time living in different countries, meeting many people and absorbing a wide range of cultures and experiences.  As well as working and raising her children, Jacqueline channelled her creativity into various hobbies which have gradually led her towards shifting her focus towards running a business as an interior designer, teddy bear maker/designer and more recently workshop facilitator.  

Jacqueline recommended the courses she took in Nottingham at the National Design Academy when she relocated back to Yorkshire.  These helped her establish herself as an Interior Designer and Soft Furnishings Professional.  Her background in teaching has helped her create embroidery and soft toy kits for people to work on independently.  She enjoys running workshops and 1-1 classes helping people develop their skills in soft furnishings, lampshade making and teddy bear making.  Jacqueline passed around examples of her work (teddy's and creative patchwork) which were much admired.  The teddy bears were beautifully made and very characterful.  She is expanding the range to include rabbits and hares and also making lovely silk waistcoats for the animals.  The crewel work kits were carefully curated and thoughtfully graded for difficulty (which spoke to her skill and experience as a teacher).  

Jacqueline's charming and characterful teddy bears

Lampshades and creative patchwork embroidered Christmas Stockings

Jacqueline's crewel work

We enjoyed seeing all Jacqueline's fabulous work and wish her well for the future.  She runs workshops in Ebberston, North Yorkshire and other local venues.  Further details are available on jacquelinesbears.uk.  Follow the links to information about Heritage Embroidery (Jacobean Crewelwork embroidery and Silk Ribbon embroidery) and Jacqueline's Interiors (soft furnishings - curtains, blinds, cushions and lampshades).

Our next meeting 

This will take place on 29th November and will focus on Christmas Activities.  All are welcome to join us in Haxby Memorial Hall near York at 10.30.  If you are a novice and need advice or guidance there are plenty of people who would be happy to help.  If you are an expert in any technique or style please come along to inspire us!  

Our October Meeting

Our October meeting took place in Haxby and was well attended.  In the morning a new set of stitch clubs started.  Nicky had a group thinking three dimensionally!  Members got busy making 3D polygons using Hexiform and pelmet Vilene.  Her worked examples included embroidery but first came construction and we look forward to seeing the finished results in due course.

Nicky's stitched samples

                                                    Polygons under construction

In another part of the hall members worked with Liz on embellishing printed fabric with embroidery.  This had a 'slow stitch' vibe and participants used material provided by Liz or brought from home to try out french knots, bullion knots, lazy daisy stitch, stem stitch, back stitch, outline stitch and couching.  This was a relaxing activity and was much enjoyed by participants who tended to do more thinking and chatting than stitching in this first session. 

Liz's embellished samples and materials

Not all members participate in stitch clubs and there was a lot of interesting stitching going on in the hall.  This month I sat down with Christine, a relatively new member of our group who was laying the foundations for a textile piece of work.  She has been a maker for many years, interested in the textures and colours of the natural world.  In the piece she was working on she was layering and tacking down strips of fabrics (muslin, cotton, silks) some of which she had hand dyed and painted with diluted acrylic paints.  She enjoyed experimentation and working intuitively.  As is often the case the photo doesn't capture the subtleties of the colours in the fabrics and it will be lovely to see how the piece develops. 

Christine's foundational fabric

For the 'Travelling Book' Chris had produced a fine piece of stumpwork.  This is an historical technique (dating back to the 17th Century) created with high relief surface embroidery, wrapped wires and beads, needle lace and slips.  

Chris's stumpwork for the Travelling Book

AGM 

In October we have our Annual General Meeting so that everyone involved in the group has the opportunity to reflect on what we have been up to, to see that the finances are in order and to ensure there are enough people actively involved to keep the group going.  Nicky (Chair) and Liz (Treasurer) gave their reports and we had a constructive discussion about the distribution of Exhibition Profits  (to St Leonard's Hospice and Fine Cell Work).  Overall it has been a productive and fun year and members were grateful to those who were involved in the organisation and running of YES.  We are looking forward to a great range of speakers, workshops and activities in the year ahead.  

Selection of work done in stitch clubs over the past year

Our next meeting will be on 1st November.  It will be held in Haxby Memorial Hall 10:30 till 3.30.  Visitors and new members are encouraged to drop in and see what we're up to.  We have many talented and friendly folk who love to share their love of embroidery and stitching.  Novices and experts are equally welcome.  

Click on the YES Programme tab (above) to see what is planned for 2026. 

Our September Meeting

Our September meeting was well attended and there was a lovely buzz in the room as people chatted to friends and got on with their projects.  In the last session of this set of morning stitch clubs Angela's group continued with their canvas work samplers.  The new stitches they learned were Scottish stitch, cashmere stitch and upright cross stitch.  

Jean's cashmere stitch section in progress

Meanwhile Sally's group continued experimenting with coffee packaging.  Sally demonstrated how to make flowers and other (mostly circular) motifs from cleaned coffee pods and members marvelled at her ingenuity before getting going with their scissors and pliers.

                Sally's samples using metal coffee pods

Jill making progress with her fabric collage using a coffee pod flower

Stitch clubs are optional and there was a wide range of interesting work being done in the hall.  This month I chatted to Jeanette about what she jokingly referred to as her 'sackcloth and ashes'.  She was stitching onto a hessian background that she had stabilised with lightweight wool/wadding.  Working with variegated wools, knitted ribbons and cotton threads she was using a wide range of stitches including couching, bullion knots, pinwheels and various woven techniques as well as applique.  The overall effect was exuberant and she said she was more of an experimenter than a planner and would simply cut out bits that she didn't feel worked.  She had brought it to YES as it was a companionable piece that she could easily pick up and put down as the mood took her.  The photograph doesn't really do justice to the lovely colours and tactile quality of her piece.  

Jeanette's work in progress

September is a competition month and the submitted entries had to be of an original design.  The standard was very high and it was difficult to choose a winner from among so many interesting pieces and varied techniques.  Jane, Liz and Helen had produced wonderful work and were all close on the heels of the overall winner ....

     

Some of the competition entries 

However the winning entry was a beautifully stitched passionflower by Celia who was delighted to receive the Ida Barber trophy and a gift voucher for the Viking Loom.  The three dimensional embroidery was meticulously worked and the overall design was very harmonious.  A worthy winner!  

 

Celia's original design and competition-winning entry

Jo Yeates, Putting the Text into Textiles

Jo Yeates was our afternoon speaker who brought along a selection of her imaginative work to accompany a slide show.    Jo is clearly inspired by the natural world, loves words and lists and explores different ways of putting the 'text' into 'textile art.'  Jo joined South Bank Studios in York in 2020 and is a member of York Textile Artists.  She was very clear in explaining her process and the techniques she uses to create a range of thoughtful pieces.  These techniques  include  hand stitching, machine stitching, applique, mono-printing, laser-printing, stamping and stencilling.  She explained that she often uses reclaimed and repurposed fabrics for environmental and aesthetic reasons.  

Jo Yeates  framed textiles inspired by 'The Shipping Forecast'

In addition to selling original pieces Jo also looks for ways to expand her range.   She has printed cards and had fabric printed so that she can make up cushions.  She recommended Printfab who offer an online digital fabric printing service suitable for domestic as well as commercial users.   

Jo Yeates cards and cushion

Jo described how her work has progressed as she gained confidence and experience.  She keeps a notebook to jot down ideas, phrases that interest her and poetry.  She plans her quilted pieces by drawing them out and trying out different fonts and fabrics.  Jo particularly enjoys using fabric that contains asemic writing (a form of abstracted text that conveys ideas visually).  One of her most popular works is 'The hats we wear' that celebrates the huge range of women's labour (often unacknowledged and unpaid).  Other pieces speak about mothers/motherhood and sisters/sisterhood.  A recent piece was inspired by Sharon Owen's poem 'Dangerous Coats' and we appreciated the quiet subversiveness of the poem and her response to it (literally producing a coat with many pockets).  

Close up of Jo Yeats quilt 'Pockets are a feminist issue'

Back of Jo Yeates response to   Sharon Owen's poem  'Dangerous Coats' 

As someone who had moved into making and selling her textiles following her career as a lawyer Jo was modest about her work .  She described herself as largely self taught and experimental.  However it was clear that she had a clear view of what she wanted to achieve and had made a successful transition into being a textile professional.  Jo was a lively and engaging speaker and we particularly enjoyed the poignancy and humour of her work.  

Further information about Jo Yeates can be found on

Instagram: @madeat52

Facebook: Madeat52

Our next meeting

This will be our AGM on Saturday 4th October at 10.30 in Haxby Memorial Hall.  We will be looking back at a very successful year and planning for the year ahead.  After the 'business' element is concluded we have been promised scones with our cups of tea!  

Our July Meeting

We met in Haxby on 5th July and were pleased to welcome several visitors who had attended our recent exhibition and been tempted to join us.  

A new set of stitch clubs kicked off.   Sally got a large group started with Stitching with Packaging and Paper.  Sally had provided project packs and the group were very intrigued by the processes and materials involved.  They made marks on paper with coffee stain (to be the pages of a book) and cut collages out of foiled coffee packaging.  These were ironed onto khadi paper and were then ready to be embellished.  The process was great fun and by the end of the morning members had their insert pages drying and were able to start stitching onto their book covers. 

Sally's stitch club materials and samples

Packaging being collaged and stitched

On the other side of the hall Angela had provided wool and mono canvas squares for a group who were learning and/or improving their canvas work. Over three weeks they will widen their  stitch repertoire and in the first week they learned diagonal stitch, shaded diagonal tent stitch and Rhode stitch.  The first step was to decide on a colour scheme and prepare the design.  As with any counted work, concentration and attention to detail was required so members were kept very focused and the morning sped by.

Workshop materials for Canvas work

Close up of Angela's sampler

The first week of stitch clubs involves a lot of preparation and we look forward to seeing work progressing next time.  Stitch clubs are not compulsory!  Members can work on their own projects and be companionable or simply work quietly.  Anne was 'playing' with different stitches in shades of blue on a printed fabric panel.  She intended to make two book covers out of the completed work - practical and beautiful gifts for the intended recipients.  

Anne's tonal stitched sampler

 Jessica Aldred - Traditional Embroidery in a Modern World

Our afternoon speaker was the very talented Jessica Aldred who was a Royal School of Needlework apprentice 2001-2004 and has since applied her professional embroidery skills to a wide range of projects. She gave us a brief history of the RSN from its origins in 1872 and the different routes into professional embroidery it offered.  During her illustrated talk she explained how modern professional embroidery features in Haute Couture, Wedding clothing, Film and Television and Military and Ceremonial settings.  Indeed she herself and her fellow RSN trained embroiderers working in the RSN Embroidery Studio have created many stunning pieces and we enjoyed hearing her talk about a selection of these, including her contribution to hand embroidering bespoke lace on the wedding dress of HRH The Duchess of Cambridge.  She had also worked in Costume at the Royal Opera House and taught embroidery alongside undertaking commissioned work.  

Jessica has a wide range of personal interests and uses her considerable skills and enthusiasm to inspire others.  She has worked in prisons with FIne Cell Work, teaching prisoners embroidery to help them earn a little money, develop skills and appreciate the mental health benefits of hand work.  She also works for a charity providing creative education to learning disabled and autistic adults as well as running her business, House of Heyday.  In 2011 Jessica co-authored a book  'Adventures in Needlework' with Emily Peacock who designs contemporary needlepoint.  

Jessica brought along a selection of her work, some she had made during her RSN apprenticeship and some to illustrate her more recent work, including a ribbon work kit designed for the V&A  Museum as part of their exhibition 'Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up'.  Clearly she is wonderfully skillful and we admired her exquisite stitching.  

Jessica's fabulous hoop embroideries

Jessica's exquisite goldwork

Jessica's fine whitework

Award winning embroidered banner for Fine Cell Work

Designer, Embroiderer and Artist Jessica works as House of Heyday and further information is on her website which is houseofheyday.co.uk

Our next meeting 

If you are interested in embroidery or any form of sewing and stitching, or if you would like to hear one of our 'afternoon speakers' (check the Programme for details) do please come along.  We will meet on Saturday 9th August in Haxby Memorial Hall, York and visitors and new members are welcome.