Christmas makes, past and present

We thought there was just time before Christmas to share a few more of our members' seasonal makes.

Firstly, Judi sent these photos of her fabulous embroidered bobbin:

These are some of Gill's beautiful entries for Christmas competitions over the past few years:

Gill also shared this image of a teddy's bed and blankets she made for a child without many toys. They are lovingly made from a chocolate box lid and spare fabrics.

The idea behind this unusual advent calendar is to hang up a star each day, representing a treat of one's choice. Gill has offered to provide instructions for next year if people are interested ...

Finally, Janet's wreath was made for a branch competition a couple of years ago:

It has been so much fun posting images of members' fabulous makes, so please do keep them coming in the New Year.

Meanwhile, we are wishing everyone a very 

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

The Needlewoman's Prayer

In case you missed Jenny's reading of this at the Christmas Jolly, here's a chance to enjoy it again:

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

The Needlewoman’s Prayer

God grant that I may see the stitch

Until my dying day 

And when my last short thread is clipped

And scissors tucked away

The work that I have done lives on

That other folk may see

The pleasures I have known, Lord,

In the skill you gave to me.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Christmas Makes, and a request

Just before we indulge in another look at the Christmas makes we saw at the Christmas Jolly, a request:

🎄If you still have new Christmas makes that haven't been included, 

please do share your photos.

🎄 We will also be posting an article on competition makes from previous years. If you have items you made for previous branch Christmas competitions, please also send photos to: leamingtondistrictitrep@embroiderersguild.co.uk

We asked members to send in photos of anything they had made recently as Christmas gifts, decorations or simply completed projects.  

It's been wonderful to see such a range of items and to appreciate our members' skills and creativity. 

Advent calendar made for Judy's daughter's dog - daily treats :)🐶

Lucy's trees were made from scratch by bending metal to form the branches and twigs, 

wrapping them in fabric, then making the decorations.

Judi's entry to her village Christmas Tree Trail - based on the TV ad featuring Kevin the carrot.

Two of a set of six placemats.

Norsemen (Please don't call us 'gnomes'!)

The Christmas tree fabric on the left was inspired by our ceramics workshop a few months ago.

A further example from Anne Griffiths' Illustrated Letters workshop last month.

Beth has recently been doing a printing course.

Inspired by a boro stitching course.

The Christmas tree decorations are sitting on a stitched tablecloth.

Intended as gifts for family and friends.

Two reindeer - not the back and front of the same one!

Hand stitched Christmas ornaments

Reusable face cloths, headbands and bags: gifts for family members.

Back and front of a boro/sashiko stitched pouch using vintage and recycled materials.

Photo shows the pouch opened out and inside pocket.

The centre picture was started at our Black & White workshop earlier in the year.

All items made by Caroline, including honey, wax stars and beeswax from her own bees.

Gifts made from vintage linens

Upcycled jacket with embroidery

Experimental sketching

 

Our grateful thanks go to Programme Secretary, Gill, for organising the super presentation of members' stitching at our Christmas Jolly.

Christmas Jolly - a cover-up!

Saturday's "Christmas Jolly" was great fun in spite of our being at a distance from each other on Zoom.  It's a pity we couldn't take a group photo with so many people wearing their festive head gear - 🎄mistletoe, flashing baubles, antlers, Christmas trees, reindeer hat ....🎄 - which made a really jolly sight on screen.

We made 'simple' stars based on wire or cardboard shapes, bound with ribbon and decorated with tinsel, bells, beads, anything we fancied - so many different variations on a theme (there will be lots more pics of these on our Instagram page)

The quiz never seems to get any easier, especially after lunch when people were getting into the festive spirit with a glass of wine or sherry. 🍷 It was good to be able to keep the tradition going, though.

Members had been extremely busy and creative, making festive face masks and sharing photos of their Christmas makes. The makes will be on here separately, but we thought you would like another look at the masks first - (No. 6) Janet R's reindeer was voted favourite:

Don't go away!  Christmas makes will be appearing soon.