'Wish you were here ... ' mini project

Going away on holiday may not be an option for all of us this year, and so Sue has designed this project, which may help you to travel in your mind.  Even if you are still working on your Stitched Selfie, you may also like to have a go at one of these little stitched postcards.

For each ‘postcard’ you will need:

• Inspiration – post card or photograph, landscape, seascape or garden
• 1 piece of cotton wadding 7 x 5 ins
• 2 pieces of Bondaweb 7 x 5 ins (a second piece is optional)
• 1 piece of calico 7 x 5 ins
• Small pieces of coloured fabric, which could be patterned as well as plain, but the design needs to be small
• Threads: thin, thick, textured 
• Usual sewing equipment - don’t forget needles with large eyes

Sue says:

I usually work these small pieces in my hand, but if you prefer to work in a hoop this will need to be at least 8 ins. diameter and you will also need a thin piece of fabric as a base. A piece of old sheeting will be fine.

 

Simple designs seem to work best; the first one I did was Chesterton Windmill. 

I placed the sky down first and then two contrasting pieces for the fields. I used yellow for the main field, as oil seed rape is often planted in this field. You can Bondaweb these onto the cotton wadding but this makes it harder to hand stitch through, the choice is yours. I attached the 'fields' with zig zag stitch on the machine. I then hand stitched lines to shape the fields. I used Bondaweb to attach the windmill and used a metallic thread for the details and sails.   

Bondaweb the piece of calico onto the back, trim to size, 7 x 5 ins. You can then either go round the edge with the zig zag stitch on the machine or by hand with buttonhole stitch. I usually curve the corners because I find it easier to stitch round a curve than a right angle.

The next two pieces are quite abstract, but still suggest a landscape. The first one uses all the lovely scraps of hand dyed fabric you have left over and can't bear to part with. 

The second one is work in progress. I attached scraps of organza using the embellisher, and I still need to add stitches to it.

Another UFO, a bit bigger than postcard size but it could be a birthday card. Cards like the one shown make a good source of inspiration.

 

This one is from the hot springs at Rotorua in New Zealand. The small images on the back of pictorial calendars are a good way of keeping inspiration without taking up too much room!

The inspiration for the last one came from a magazine. There is a lot of hand stitching on this so I only used Bondaweb to attach the calico to the back or I would have got really fed up trying to stitch it!

Caroline has found a lovely book: 'Stitched Postcards by Christa Rolf, published by Search Press. This is also a good book if you are joining in the ATC cards group. 

I look forward to seeing what you have created on our blog.

Sue Cooke

 

 

Online Embroidery courses with Zara Day

Coming up in September: a new set of short online (Zoom) courses with Zara Day, who is well known to many members.  Zara's aim is to build a creative community one stitch at a time, that is supportive and inspiring to all.

• Course 1 – Experimental Textures – Tuesday 8^th September – 2.00pm (£30)
• Course 2 – Embellished Textiles – Tuesday 15^th September – 4.30pm (£45)
• Course 3 – Mending Matters – Monday 7^th September – 4.30pm (£45)
• Course 3 – Mending Matters – Wednesday 16^th September – 2pm + 4.30pm (£45)
• Course 4 – Landscapes Redefined – Wednesday 16^th September – 10.30 am (£45)

The format remains the same as for previous courses - working in small groups in real time with live demonstrations, feedback on work and advice how to progress further, time to chat with other members and to be inspired by each other's pieces and knowledge.  Each course lasts six weeks, plus a free week at the end.

 

Places are limited for each course, so if any members are interested please email Zara to reserve a place / request more details: zara@zaradayembroidery.com

Libby Smith talk, "From Landscapes to Still Life"

Libby, who is a Textile and Mixed Media Artist from North Essex, gave us a really interesting talk via Zoom last night about her inspirations, how she has developed her techniques and her current body of work.

She is a long-standing member of East Anglia Stitch Textiles, with whom she has regularly exhibited her work at Braintree Museum and the Knitting & Stitching Shows, among many other venues.

Libby told us that her work is inspired by art, especially the still lifes of Ben and Winifred Nicholson, poetry and local landscapes.  She aims for a painterly effect in thread, and her passion is mainly for hand embroidery, especially kantha stitch, which creates movement in fabric.

She dyes her own fabrics, creating a palette of colour and mark making to use in her collages.  Developing her own style has been very important - you may be familiar with her rolling landscapes which she has been doing for a number of years.

In the last few years Libby has also taken up pottery, which has proved to be a useful aid in moving her work on and giving her a fresh perspective. Painter and printmaker, Giorgio Morandi's harmonious still life compositions of pots, bowls and vases have been a particular influence.

 

Libby’s work can be seen on the EAST website, on Instagram and in Wowbook 5 published earlier this year.

'From Landscapes to Still Life', by Libby Smith

Our Friday talk this month is again on Zoom - on Friday 7^th August.

Libby Smith's talk is entitled 

From Landscapes to Still Life 

All members are welcome.

The invitation to the talk will be sent automatically to all members who have attended previous branch Zoom sessions. Members who have not yet requested an invitation to a Zoom session should email Anne at anneprior@btinternet.com without delay.

The talk will start promptly at 7pm - 

please log in using the link at 6.45pm.