Our September Meeting

This month there was a lot of activity in the hall.  Two new stitch clubs started with Liz leading an introduction to wet felting and Jacqueline getting a group started with traditional Jacobean crewelwork.  

Liz had provided all the equipment and materials for the wet felting process including felt 'tops' in a range of vibrant colours, bubble wrap, plastic sheeting and dowels as well as water/soap sprayers for wetting the wool.  The first session was all about playing with colours and learning how the wet felting process worked.  In brief the process involved laying thin criss-cross layers of wool 'roving' onto the rough side of bubble wrap to create a white base and then laying coloured wool on top to create a coloured surface.  Other embellishments could be added including glittery thead 'angelina', tiny wool balls 'nepps', silk strands, thread offcuts and twisty wool 'locks'.  

Liz layering coloured wool tops onto white wool layers at the start of the wet felting process

The next step was to thoroughly wet the fibres and then add another layer of bubble wrap before rolling the layers around a dowel.  Then there was a lot of vigorous rolling, unwrapping, rotating and re-rolling to encourage the fibres to bond together and then shrink.  When Liz was happy we'd done enough we could rinse our pieces in water (and at home water with white vinegar) and allow them to dry.  It was lots of fun and we are looking forward to next time when we can attempt more considered 'landscapes'.  

Crewelwork is a type of surface embroidery using fine two-ply or one-ply wool. It is associated with England in the 17th and 18th Century  and the traditional design styles are often referred to as Jacobean.  They typically comprise subtly shaded stylised floral and animal designs. Jaqueline produces very lovely crewel work and for her novice group she had produced a simple kit comprising a piece of cotton twill, a pattern and wools (3 shades in each of three colours). 

Jaqueline's Crewelwork sample 

The first part of the process involved learning how to transfer the design using a traditional method of tracing, pricking and pouncing. 

Preparing the design for stitching

After this participants were able to put the fabric into hoops ready for stitching.  It will be interesting to see how they progress over the next two sessions.  

As always there was a lot of stitching and embroidering going on in the hall by members who were working on their own pieces.  There is such a wide range of talent but Jenny's sewing caught my eye this month.  She was working on linen with linen threads and feature buttons and was producing a very 'scandi' piece!  

Jenny's piece from a Nordiska (Studio Flax) pattern - a circle sampler stitched with linen embroidery threads.

Competition time!

The autumn competition was for something original and there were many wonderful pieces on display.  Celia's very striking 3-d mixed media piece worked on a gnarled wood base was chosen as the winner of the Ida Barber trophy.  

Celia's 3-d piece

Other competition entries

The Travelling Book

This month Nicky had worked on the travelling book.  She had produced some detailed information and lovely samples of traditional and modern blackwork embroidery.  

My "F Plan" Diet: fabric, fibre and felting - Karen Lane

In the afternoon Karen who is a talented feltmaker and textile artist gave an illustrated talk.  She had brought along a large selection from her earliest experiments with David Hockney inspired applique hangings through to her more recent sculptural felted work.  We were interested to see the range of thoughtful pieces made in response to competitive challenges set by the various groups Karen had attended.  With no formal background in stitching/embroidery she had developed a highly original style using unusual fabrics and experimental techniques.  She was clearly a creative and playful maker who was also learning from established felt artists so as to improve her technical abilities and move her practice forward.  She was also making incredible 3-d pieces using lutradur and tyvek fabrics which allowed her to sculpt and burn away sections to create unusual textures and surface effects.  Mind blowing!    More information about her work is available on www.lincsinstitches.com

Work created by Karen Lane 

Our next meeting will be on Saturday 5th October.  Visitors and new members are always welcome.  

 

Our August Meeting

A friendly group of stitches gathered for the August meeting.  No stitch clubs were running so it gave everyone a chance to progress their own work, to chat to friends and to see what other people were doing.  There are so many types of stitching and embroidering and the group certainly encompasses many of them!  

A highlight of the morning was being able to see Chris' fabulous dolls.  She has made these over a twenty year period and been very generous in sharing her skills and encouraging others to make their own "Dolly Birds".  As Chris is downsizing she offered the dolls up for adoption and they are now heading off to be appreciated in new homes.  The photograph doesn't really do justice to the humour and construction skill Chris has put into the characterful dolls.  The new owners are certainly delighted  to have them.  

A table full of Chris' fabulous and fun "Dolly Birds" 

In June Helen had run two full day workshops so that members could try some 'Scandi' style stitching.  She brought along denim background fabrics, felt, threads and embellishments as well as paper templates.  Helen had also brought her colourful and beautifully stitched samples and we felt very inspired to have a go at making Dala Horses.  In August some members brought in their lovely completed horses.  

Helen's felt 'Scandi' style decorations

Members' completed Dala Horses brought to the August meeting

Janet had taken the Travelling book home in July and had created some interesting pages about Shiburi and Gelli printing.  

Janet's samples from the travelling book 

Devoré Taster Workshop with Claire Ketteman

Devoré is a technique that was thought to have developed in France as a cheap alternative to lace.   A commercial process was developed in the 19th and 20th Centuries and was particularly popular in the 1920s.  It uses a chemical burn process to remove some fibres (typically from silk:viscose velvet, satin or georgette) to create a lovely effect.  After giving us a demonstration of the whole process Claire let us loose with fabric and chemical paste to make our own samples.  This turned out to be more fun and rather less terrifying than might be imagined.

Claire's devoré hanging, design based on floor tiles

One of Claire's lovely devoré scarves

Devoré hanging by Claire Ketteman

Work in progress using chemical paste to create designs on velvet, silk and georgette

After the chemical paste was applied (either freehand with the dispensers or with a brush) we had to be patient and let the paste dry/adhere to the fabric.  We then had to iron through paper to 'burn' the fibres out and put the fabric straight into a water bath so that the fibres could be safely removed.  

Devoré samples drying

Clare was very knowledgeable and encouraging and we left with a new found appreciation of an unusual technique and a lot of white fabric samples ready for dyeing, embellishing or just adding to the fabric stash! 

Our next meeting will be on 7th September.  New members and visitors are always welcome.  

Our July Meeting

Stitchers and embroiderers got together at the start of July in our usual venue, Haxby Memorial Hall, York.  Whilst many members progressed their own work, others tried something new.  The 'messy' side of the hall was taken up by Gelli Printing led by Sue.  This was the second session so participants had a general idea of what they were doing but like many printing processes the outcomes can be unpredictable.  Some people enjoyed using blocks and stamps whilst others used leaves and natural forms to create colourful fabric pieces. 

Gelli plate rollering in progress

Fabric pieces printed using a gelli plate

Meanwhile another group continued (or started) a piece of modern black work (many using colours other than the traditional black).  Nicky had produced some very clear instructions which built the block patterns up sequentially but which allowed for some experimentation and original design.  This technique is worked on evenweave fabric (aida) with stranded embroidery floss.  The addition of fine metallic threads adds a lovely sparkle.

Dilys was working on aida with blue embroidery floss.  She had made a charming needlebook up out of a piece of Wessex embroidery learned at a previous 'stitch club'

Dilys's sample piece

The travelling sketchbook returned with additional pages contributed by Gina that focused on patchwork and quilting.  

Colourful patchwork by Gina

Dawn Ireland, Textile Artist

The afternoon speaker was Dawn Ireland who gave an illustrated talk about her life as a textile artist.  Dawn was interested in drawing and making from an early age and studied art and design at her local college before taking a BTEC in Surface Pattern and Design.  This led on to a degree in Fashion and Textile Design, specialising in embroidery at UCE Birmingham.  Over time her practice has evolved to include mixed media and freestyle machine embroidery.  Alongside her studio/commercial work Dawn runs workshops and community projects.  It was lovely to see her early work and sketchbook process and also to see how her style evolved over time.  Dawn brought along a selection of her cards, framed pieces, kits and fabric packs to sell and many of us were tempted! 

Dawn Ireland's work and sketchbooks

Dawn showed a range of her commissioned pieces (some of which are also photographed on her website www.dawnireland.com).  Although her dominant style is of mixed media collage, she has produced custom made solid embroidery pictures of peoples houses, gardens and pets, as well as collages of important things for 'leaving' gifts.  The photographs don't really do justice to her charming and colourful detailed work which often incorporates tiny (postage stamp sized) elements, flowers, birds and animals.

Cards by Dawn Ireland

Commissioned work by Dawn Ireland incorporating unusual postage stamps

The next meeting is on Saturday 3rd August.  Claire Ketteman will be running a workshop on Devore Print.  This is an unusual technique that involves burning out areas using a chemical gel to create a cut velvet effect.  Numbers are limited for this so booking is required.  However visitors and those wanting to work on their own projects are very welcome to come along.  

Our June Meeting

YES got together on the first Saturday in June and social stitchers continued working on their individual pieces.  Two very different stitch clubs got started.  Sue led a Gelli printing session and Nicky led modern blackwork.  

Getting started with Gelli printing

Gelli printing samples

 

Gelli printing was messy and participants needed to work quickly and decisively to roll out the acrylic paint and get it printed onto fabric before the paint dried.  They used a range of precut stencils, leaves, sequin waste, bubble wrap, feathers, wooden stamps and even egg box bases to create interesting textural effects.  

Nicky's blackwork sample book

In complete contrast Blackwork required concentration and attention to detail.  Stitchers used Nicky's detailed instruction sheets to make a start on some stitch patterns and we look forward to seeing how their work progresses at the next meeting. 

Hidden Histories 

In the afternoon we were privileged to be able to see and hear about a range of work that members had brought in for 'show and tell'.  Many evidenced high levels of technical skill and married the techniques to a strong visual sense of colour, design and place.  We appreciated textile pictures and samples/items made at workshops where knowledge and skills had been generously passed on and explored.  We admired blankets made from an unusual technique found in an old book and 'works in progress'.  Several members brought '52 week' pieces that evidenced their involvement with the vibrant online community that emerged during the strange time that was 'lockdown'. 

However what was particularly noticeable was that many people really valued items for the memories they held.  This was frequently an outcome of time spent with a grandchild, a mother, a friend.  Revisiting stitched items made by someone whose style of work perhaps was imperfect or had dated in an aesthetic sense although its intrinsic value remained.  Discovering unloved but interesting old textiles in sales.  Bringing unfashionable textiles and objects out of drawers and boxes into the light, re-purposed, re-imagined and giving pleasure.  When we judge stitching in a competitive sense we overlook the hidden history that many textiles hold - the pleasurable hours spent making something practical or decorative, engaging the mind, stitching companionably or alone during "me time!" Enjoying the process as well as the outcome, creating tangible things whose histories might be hidden to others but known to the maker.  

There were so many interesting and lovely things that it wasn't possible to photograph them all so a (very small) selection of those that were pre-revealed by being displayed on a table ahead of the 'show and tell' are given below.

Denise's RSN stumpwork picture

Angela's interlocking crochet blankets

Helen's Victorian quilt finds

Josie's 1986 stumpwork piece 'In the Rough'

One of several holiday inspired mixed media pieces made by Eileen

Upcoming workshops

Helen will be running two one-day workshops on Scandi Style embroidery in June.  The first is on Saturday 15th and will be in Heworth WIthout Community Centre and the second on Monday 17th will be at the Viking Loom in Wiggington.  The workshops aim to be a fun and relaxed way to learn new hand embroidery skills using the materials, threads and embellishments provided.  

Next meeting

Our next meeting in Haxby Memorial Hall is July 6th.  Dawn Ireland will be our speaker in the afternoon "My Journey as a Textile Artist".  Visitors and new members are always welcome to join our friendly group.

 

Our May Meeting

YES members enjoyed the morning working on their own pieces and catching up with friends.  Diane was delighted to be awarded the Chairman's bursary which is worth up to £100 to be used for a workshop of the recipient's choice.  YES will be mounting an exhibition in 2025 and the theme which was most popular among members was Architextures.  This will give a focus for the exhibition but all types of work will be on show. Our exhibitions celebrate members interests and skills which are very wide ranging and everyone is invited to contribute. 

Rosie was making a start on a cross-stitch kit.  

She fund raises for the St Leonard's Hospice where her 

lovely hand made cards are popular.

Patricia was embellishing 

felt with embroidery and beads to make

colourful Christmas decorations

Travelling Book 

Pauline worked on the travelling book this month.  She is interested in the American technique known as 'Chicken Scratch' embroidery.  Chicken scratch creates a lace like effect on gingham fabric, typically made using one or two strands of thread and simple geometric pattterns.  The resulting pieces show how versatile a traditional technique can be when done on different scale fabrics. 

Mary Holt - Moving North from India

The speaker in the afternoon was Mary Holt who had travelled across the Peninnes to talk about Indian and Nepalese textiles and fibres.   Mary has been travelling to Asia since 2015, exploring the textile heritage and buying from artisan weavers and craftspeople in order to support traditional skills.  She was a knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide bringing out examples of a wide range of woven and printed fabrics, shawls, felt and fibres.  A small sample is shown below.

Mary has become increasingly interested in Nepal, which produces a diverse range of fibres spun from yak fur and goat hair and others made from bamboo, banana, hemp, nettles, silk and organic cotton. Traditional techniques include block printing, hand colouring with black ink, kantha and tambour work.  She also showed Dhaka which is a cotton fabric traditionally woven on wood and bamboo hand looms.  In more recent times felted items have been made and new colourful blends of fibres have been created for hand knitters.  We were delighted to be able to handle old and new items and see how skilfully they are made.  Many items made for the tourist/export trade, although bright and fun, lacked the subtlety of older techniques and colourways.  

In lieu of a fee, Mary asked that we make a donation to Nepal-ease, a small charity that works directly with communities in Nepal, supporting sustainable charities identified by them. You can read more here: https://www.nepal-ease.org.uk/  

Mary Holt    Unravel    mary@unravelcrafts.org.uk 

Next time ...

Our next meeting will be on June 1st.  Visitors and new members are always very welcome.