May talk by Catherine Lawes

Our talk next Friday 3rd May, will be by textile and quilt artist, Catherine Lawes:

From here to there and back again

Originally from New Zealand, Catherine is now based in East Sussex, where she works with many textural mediums to create very intense and emotionally inspired pieces of wall art. These can be in quilt form or small textural pieces. 

Catherine's inspiration comes from the shapes of the landscape around her resonating on a deeply spiritual level. She uses her own photographs to capture the many changing moods of the day and the seasons. Satellite images showing all the amazing patterns formed by nature and man on the surface of the earth are another source of inspiration. Her recent five-year return to New Zealand renewed and deepened her connection to the land of her birth and upbringing, its history and all cultures living there. 

Visitors are welcome.

.... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... ....

There are still a couple of places left on the follow-on workshop on Saturday 4th May:

Textured Landscapes - with Catherine Lawes

This is intended to be a fun and freeing class using many textured fabrics and yarns. Paint a warm, impressionistic landscape or abstract piece where the layers of fabric and yarn and cross stitching or couching build the final finished picture. The technique is particularly suitable for mountain, water and hill scenes.

  

A kit will be available: price payable on the day £10 pp.

If you are interested in taking up a place, please contact Dayschool Secretary: leamingtondistrictdaysch@gmail.com for more details and requirement list.

www.catherinelawestextiles.com

"All buttoned up"

Shown below is just a small part of the extensive and imaginative display put together by Gill and Lucy to set the scene for our April Members' Day:

  

 

  

Gaye got the day off to a good start by giving us an overview of the history of Dorset buttons, which in the 19th century were a real cottage industry.  They were then usually made using rings cut from sheep horn, covered with linen cloth and thread, and there were many variations in the patterns created.  After Gaye's very clear demonstration we had a go at making our own: 

  

The interesting thing to realise is that Dorset buttons don't have to be made in small sizes suitable for clothing - in fact, there is no limit to size at all.  We tried using curtain pole rings and bangles, but you can use a ring of any size, as can be seen in the 'spider's web' example in the display below:

After lunch we diversified into making covered buttons, including printing up some fabric using buttons stuck onto corks to make stamps:

Thanks to the creativity of our two programme secretaries, we had a thoroughly enjoyable and useful day.  Our thanks also to Gaye for sharing her knowledge and expertise.

De Denne competition win for Leamington peacock

We received the thrilling news this week that our JETS group won second prize in the Guild's annual De Denne competition.  The theme was 'Life's Repeating Pattern', and they received a lovely letter from Alex Messenger (Embroiderers' Guild Trustee for Younger Stitchers) setting out what the judges liked about their entry.

"We thought the idea of the peacock was a clever way to make their individual contribution.  It was lovely to see hand stitching using different threads and ideas and the stitches used gave a good suggestion of feathers.  The lace and sequins were used to good effect to suggest the peacock's body.  We particularly liked the colourful wrapped feet!"

Congratulations to our young stitchers!  

We are also proud of our JETS leaders and helpers who give so much of their time and energy to inspire and encourage the students to enjoy their creativity.

April: Buttons and Bunting

Our Members' Day tomorrow, Saturday 6th April, will focus on buttons - items made with buttons and making our own buttons.  We meet at St Mary's Hall at 10.00 am, and enjoy a lovely day's stitching and chatting, as well as a bring-and-share lunch.

  

Our JETS group meet at the same time, but they will be making not buttons but needle cases - what a useful item for a budding stitcher!

This follows a busy session in March, when they were making bunting ready to use on our Art in the Park stand in August. They each made a piece of double-sided bunting and decorated it with stitch and pretty things. One of the leaders took it home to sew it into the length that is growing steadily.

Leader Lucy was presented with a surprise birthday card with motifs all stitched by the JETS. She says it was a lovely treat and she will treasure her very special card.