Silk Town Stitchers

Goodbye to all that . . . .

2007-06-24T06:03:00.000-07:00

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 . . .

2007-06-01T04:22:00.000-07:00

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

2007-06-01T03:46:00.000-07:00

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 . . . (!)

2007-06-01T03:32:00.000-07:00

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 So when the time came of course they were out of date.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 . . .

2007-06-01T02:52:00.000-07:00

. . . 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.

Work from Catherine

2007-05-14T03:43:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of my cushions and bags for the blog---Catherine

Reverse side of cushion using Langa Lapu South African dyed fabric and then the cushion itself made with shiny materials:

Hand made Cushion with layers of Chiffon, Organza

and the reverse:

This Bag has gone to Haze in Monaco. Made with Space died Velvet and Langa Lapu Fabric from one of my South Africam trip. Also Threads from Africa and embellished with a variety of Beads

Detail

Hand made Felt bag embellished with Beads and a variety of Stitch

Showing detail of tassel , stitch and braid:

Japanese patchwork bags

2007-04-20T03:01:00.000-07:00

You've seen the blocks, now here are the bags, six of them anyway, more to come hopefully. Thanks to Julie Eastman, our secretary, for a really good workshop! The black border fabric makes an effective contrast and the black shapes stand out.

A different shape, with a rectangular base. The others have an oval base.

A flap fastening with velcro, and nice turquoise tassel.

Using the same centre fabric throughout, or a mixture of related fabrics, they all look good.

Something a bit different - patchwork

2007-03-30T11:57:00.000-07:00

Dorothy (Palmer) is into patchwork as well as embroidery and has contributed these photos. She made the bag in the first pic for the EG Embroidery in Trust exhibition at Little Moreton Hall last summer. The 'stained glass' technique using black strips to outline the pieces features in this bag and in the quilts.

This bag uses a project that appeared in Stitch magazine involving stitching tucks with space-dyed thread, then stitching across them, pushing them together in alternate directions.

Magic tiles are rather clever. You begin with (here) 12 squares of 9 different fabrics. Piles are made of one of each fabric. Four cuts slice them across, making 9 pieces. These pieces are swapped around and made up into blocks with one piece from each fabric in each block. Look carefully and you'll see Dorothy has varied this a bit, to interesting effect.

Catching up . . .

2007-03-30T04:53:00.000-07:00

. . . with the photos waiting to be posted:

1. Whitework example done at a Silk Museum workshop

2. Books made by Chris Harris, who has been coming to informal bookmaking classes run by me at home. She's used some small stitched samples on the covers.

Some more paisley blocks . .

2007-03-30T04:38:00.000-07:00

. . . which will be on display as part of Celebration of Silk - Competition and Exhibition at the Silk Museum, Park Lane, Macclesfield 7th April 2007 – 12th May 2007 Monday to Saturday 11am – 5pm. Museum Admission Fee Charged.

People keep adding to these embroideries. In May our meeting is another hands-on session where beads and embellishments will be added to any blocks whose makers have not seen enough of them already!

Japanese Folded Patchwork Dayschool

2007-03-30T04:20:00.000-07:00

Hooray, the icons are back, so here are some images from the dayschool taught by our branch secretary Julie Eastman earlier this month.

Basically, in this form of patchwork, one shape is folded over another, enclosing some wadding, and stitched down decoratively. Here they have folded a circle over a square. The objective was to make enough squares to join by oversewing to make a bag. The contrast of border and central fabrics and the scope for decorative stitches make this sort of work very 'moreish'. Once constructed the square/block needs no more quilting. But further embroidery, beads etc can be added of course, as desired.

Other combinations of shapes can be used - square over square, circle over hexagon, for example.

No posts lately because blogger is being awkward - nothing will publish except what I put in the title slot! Apologies to all, please don't give up!

2007-03-17T03:12:00.000-07:00

Memories . . .

2007-02-23T07:34:00.000-08:00

Following on from the workshop with Carol Stowe, making fabric books, Chris Harris put what she learned to good use and made a memory book about her parents, using photos and other keepsake items to create a record of their lives.

Additions . . .

2007-02-23T06:46:00.000-08:00

Carole Biggs' Langley bag finished, with a nice line of stitching edging the pale insert, and a rather fine beaded tassel in rayon threads. And some interesting couching on one of the paisley pieces.
The various paisley design pieces were begun in a hands-on stitching session one month. They are using a design from the silk museum's archives. The idea was, rather than having yet one more unfinished sample, to produce some finished blocks which could be combined to make a hanging for some deserving cause. All the paisley pieces members are willing to submit will be on show in the Celebration of Silk competition and exhibition, not to compete, but just to add interest, being a link with the archive print blocks.

Back to 'Langley bags' . . .

2007-02-11T09:17:00.000-08:00

. . . see an earlier post about the bag workshop.

These bags were made available for study and inspiration to the workshop participants, one of whom contributes these pix. There's some lovely embroidery and beading, and intriguing bag shapes. Two beaded bags:

And details of how curtain rings covered with buttonhole stitch were used on the bags we made.

Something from the Macc Silk Museum collection

2007-02-11T08:55:00.000-08:00

Richard de Peyer, director of the Macclesfield Museums Trust, (www.macclesfield.silk.museum) gave us a talk last month about silk production and its place in the history of Macclesfield and has sent these pics and commentary for our blog. The weaving is beautiful and the special sheen of the silk is just about visible!

Small batch production of personalised woven squares.

Martin Whitmore living in the Midlands has loaned to the Museum a collection of garret - woven silk squares made in Macclesfield the Houghton family. Some of the squares are personalised with a name woven across the centre. A related collection of documents including newspaper cuttings from the 1930s tell us that they were woven on a specially modified hand loom devised by their father and which had been in the family since 1876. On this loom personalised squares were made to order in very small quantities or even ‘one-offs’. There is correspondence with William Anthony Houghton dating from 1935 relating to an order for a dozen handkerchiefs woven with the name Ian F. Panton via a company of mill furnishers in Hayfield, E. Osbaldeston. As a side issue, their letter heading is interesting because it shows a wooden-framed hand loom. The Houghton ‘pieces-de-resistance’ were squares woven by Arthur Biddulph Houghton for King George V and Queen Mary for their Silver Jubilee, with the words:

King George V May 6th Silver Jubilee 1935 Queen Mary.

The square for the Queen was woven in white and the King’s in red, white and blue.

William Anthony died in Jan 1937 aged 80 and Arthur Biddulph in Nov 1935 aged 75. In Jan 1937 their brother Peter carried on the good work offering personalised handkerchiefs of the ex-King woven with the customer’s name. By great good fortune the museum has one such already in its collection – although not on display until now.

Newspaper clippings loaned with the collection record that the loom was thought to be the only one of its kind. My question is; how did it work? My own theory is that Mr Houghton senior added a second Jacquard-type device that wove in the lettering. This may have been a relatively simple device for which ‘cards’ could be quickly produced and set up on the machine. Possibly it was permanently set up to lift groups of adjacent warp threads together, as called for by the design. My knowledge of the Jacquard system is still rudimentary so the experts might have other ideas. Richard de Peyer

Jan 19 meeting - paisley display

2007-01-20T02:08:00.000-08:00

Some more work done on the paisley designs begun in November. These pieces were brought to yesterday's meeting to show progress made so far. Each one was begun focussing on one particular stitch, but others can be added if wanted.

Another Paisley piece . . .

2007-01-14T12:31:00.000-08:00

In my interpretation of the design we are all working on, I chose to use Red, Orange, Peach, Cream and a touch of lilac, reflecting Indian colours. I worked on calico and embellished with silver and red beads to follow the richness of the design. I used mostly back stitch and chain stitch , adding a few variations of my own!Lastly I stitched around both patterns to give an overall detailed and deep design. As I am so inspired by this , I am now sewing my second one. I urge all members to complete their pieces too!! Catherine Wood

A 'Langley bag' finished.

2006-12-18T09:21:00.000-08:00

Front, detail of front, back. The fabrics are silk, the tassel is rayon threads, the embroidery - feather stitch with beads, laced herringbone - done with stranded cotton. The cord is used as a drawstring. I do like this shape.
Barbara

Fabric bookmaking workshop – first attempts!!

2006-12-12T12:34:00.000-08:00

This day-long workshop by Carol Stow introduced us to lots of techniques (stencilling or stamping onto cloth, transferring images using an inkjet printer, burning, overlaying) and materials (‘Polyshrink’, ‘Tyvek’, ‘Model Magic’, etc). We were encouraged to try them all, whether we thought we would like the end results or not – what an opportunity! It was assumed we could all stitch, so the more technical methods that were new to many of us took priority. My first attempts are unfinished, but have given me courage to try new ideas and materials in the future.
“Flowers” page
The fabric was dyed with fruit tea! Motifs were then stamped on, pressed flowers were stuck on, and appliqués were created using shapes burnt out of fabric with a soldering iron and using “Polyshrink” (a film which shrinks on heating with a hot air gun). The final page should be waxed (repeatedly rolled with a household candle and ironed under newspaper) to integrate all the motifs and make them less vulnerable.

“Autumn” page
The fabric was dyed with normal tea. The leaf motifs were stamped on, then the wording was layered on with fabric shapes burnt out using a soldering iron. A leaf motif was created using a modelling medium called “Model Magic” (feels like putty and dries out on contact with air). This can be embellished with paints, gilding, beads, etc, and can be stitched to the background. The final page should be waxed (see above).

Hilary Fish, Dec 2006.

These 3 pages are Barbara's, worked on quite a lot more since, using stamping, felt tip pens, craft vilene, puff paint, beads, cellophane, couched threads and acrylic paint.

Silk Museum workshop . . .

2006-12-12T12:10:00.000-08:00

. . . making a 'Langley Bag'. So-called because the pattern came from silk works at a place called Langley. Margaret Waring, our current chair of the Macc EG branch, had prepared packs of everything needed to make the bag, including pieces of silk from the Heritage Centre shop, and ably led us through the process, in a nice light room at the Centre. The first bag pic is one of a number of bags brought out of the collection by the curator to give us some inspiration. This pattern is an interesting shape! Sorry the second one, made by Margaret, is sideways, I can't find a way to turn it round! There will be more pics of finished bags, or B(ags) I(n) P(rogress)s eventually.

Three more pics . . .

2006-11-22T06:06:00.000-08:00

. . . that the technology wouldn't let me load in the previous post. More playing with stitches. And the paisley drawing is taken from one of the old print blocks. Pics 2 and 3 were done in advance as samples for the groups. The rest will be worked on further as time goes on, and embellishments will be added. Very much work in progress, and there may be updates from time to time.

Welcome . .

2006-11-22T01:16:00.000-08:00

. . . anyone reading this to the blog of the Macclesfield and District branch of the Embroiderers' Guild in the UK. The idea is to provide a web space to show the variety of work the members do, for their own interest, and for the interest of anyone else who may find this blog. New to blog reading? Click on the highlighted words to bring up a related website. Click on a picture to get a larger version.
Technically, I am the IT rep for the branch, and have set this up using my identity and alongside my own blog, and am not sure how to change that. It means that the name at top right is mine, and if you 'view complete profile' in the side bar you see stuff about me! If I knew how to do it differently I would! So please ignore all that, these pages belong to the stitchers of the EG branch in the silk town of Macclesfield, Cheshire.

Here's some we did earlier . . .

2006-11-21T12:43:00.000-08:00

. . . and brought for a display at our November meeting.
There's such a variety of talent in the group, from cross stitch to patchwork, from stumpwork to free machine embroidery. Some people do kits, some people use tyvek, shrink plastic, angelina, dissolvable fabric. Some do canvaswork, some play with all the gizmos - soldering iron, heatgun, etc.
This month we had a hands-on session, choosing one of 5 stitches to play around with - buttonhole, chain stitches, couching, heringbone and knots. We worked to a pattern taken from one of the Macclesfield Silk Museum print blocks, a paisley shape. The aim is to create a hanging from them and give it to a local hospice.
Blogger wont put the other 3 pics in for me, so I'll try again later.