Goodbye to all that . . . .

This is my last post on this blog as responsibility for it has now passed to Margaret Steeden. I have moved now to Poole in Dorset so am no longer member of Macclesfield branch. Margaret has set up SilkTownStitchers2 which she will run from her own blogger identity. There are some great pix on it already, so please click on the link above to access it now.
Happy stitching everyone. I shall endeavour to convert my new local EG branch to blogging!

Stumpwork and . . .

Nice contrast here with a lovely piece of stumpwork by Dorothy Phillips, which is so precise and controlled . . . . . . and a very free composition by Margaret Waring using the bits you might sweep up from the workroom floor after a busy day stitching - fascinating.

The latter was an exhibit in Celebration of Silk at the Macclesfield Silk Museum.

Kantha workshop with Rubina Porter

Rubina, from the Merseyside RG branch, gave us a great day workshop, showing us how to use a simple running stitch in kantha work. Using 2 layers - silk and a cotton backing, both woven and bought in Bangla Desh, we chose a motif from one of the amazing kanthas Rubina had brought to show us and began stitching it, using rayon threads. She showed us how to do blocks of 3 rows to form an outline, then how to move the next row of stitches on to make the slanting columns and chevrons.
Here are our efforts:

And another of Rubina's, all bought, she says, in Bangla Desh, for pennies!

Rubina visits Sreepur Women and Children's Village in Bangla Desh regularly. Please do check out the link and read about this effort to help orphans and disadvantaged women in a culture that is stacked against them. There are great cards to be bought, made by the people there.

Fascinated by snails . . . (!)

I had for 5 or so years a small tin of escargots in my cupboard, where they came from I cannot recall. Anyway I obviously thought they would be eaten sometime. So when the time came of course they were out of date. Attached to the tin was a plastic cylinder full of 20 or more beautiful shells.

I could have thrown them on the rockery near to the Cheddar Pinks but my granddaughter Hannah looked longingly at them and so, leaving three behind off they went to Cambridge. The three sat on the window sill and then in a small tray.

But the empty slot made me think and so fascinated by the shape and possible construction I looked at spirals and helixes and made two, one for Hannah and one for me. (Margaret Waring)

Little Moreton Hall - inspired pieces . . .

. . . chosen by members to be part of further exhibiting for a wider audience. Pat Milius' knot garden box, Hilary Fish and Elaine Townsley's strip sampler, and a collection of pincushions made by various members, to a shape based on Elizabethan caps.

The pieces were originally made for 'Embroidery in Trust', exhibitions put on in 3 National Trust properties in the north-west EG region. Work had to be based on something seen at one of the properties.