Summer School with Chris Gray

We had a brilliant two-day summer school with Chris Gray last week-end, held in the lovely rural setting of Leek Wootton deep in Warwickshire countryside.  Chris gave us two days of expert and entertaining tuition on stamping and stitching, along with lots of tips and anecdotes, to make unique folded books on a theme of our choice, which - if they turn out anything like Chris's own - will become beautiful keepsakes.  

Chris brought everything we needed, from a wide range of wooden stamps, stencils and paints to her vast stash of hand-dyed fabric, beads, sequins, threads and wools.  We spent a happy and very busy couple of days creating patterns, motifs, re-arranging layouts and then stitching and embellishing.  All works to be completed at home, of course, but we felt we’d had a really indulgent and satisfying time. 

Decisions, decisions, which motifs to use?

Deciding on the layout

Preparing to stitch

The fun part is selecting the threads and embellishments

A very varied collection of themes shaping up

Chris is a generous and very helpful tutor, and she has been kind enough to put a very complimentary post about us on her blog, with some photos of work in progress:

I had a wonderful time with the lovely ladies!

 They did some absolutely stunning work...

 ...and I've blogged it this morning...

 ...copied to Facebook page as well.

Chris

Textile Butterfly - Lovely-Leamington

Leamington Junior Embroiderers have been busy ....

At their October workshop they made some colourful and original gift tags  - all sorts of embellishments were applied to painted luggage labels.  One enterprising young person was clearly getting ready early for Christmas:

and in the November workshop, the focus was definitely on Christmas preparations.  These little stockings are ready to be filled with sweets or a gift and hung on the Christmas tree ...

Mothers' Day gifts from Young Embroiderers

We're sharing pictures of some of the felted and stitched gifts made by our Young Embroiders for their Mums on Mothers' Day ...

Lucky Mums!

For details of when and where Leamington & District Young Embroiderers meet, please look at our Young Embroiderers page.

Congratulations to our Young Embroiderers!

Congratulations are due to Elizabeth, Rona and Milly, whose work will be included in the Young Embroiderers Travelling Exhibition!

Elizabeth proudly holding the cushion she completed at a recent workshop and which will form part of the exhibition:

and this is Rona's cushion:

Well done, girls!

Young Embroiderers Group

Young Embroiderers under 12

Young Embroiderers meet on the first Saturday in the month (except August and December) at St Mary’s Church Centre, Leamington CV31 1JW from 11 am- 1.00 pm

Our activities include all kinds of textile-related activities such as hand and machine stitching, dyeing, printing, weaving, use of beads and other decorative items. We also use different kinds of materials such as paper and waste materials as well as fabrics and threads.

We have made bags, cushions and wall hangings as well as cards and gifts for special occasions. 

Sometimes we enter competitions and take part in exhibitions. 

The ages of our Young members range from 8 to 17.

Girls and boys are all welcome to join us.

For more information contact: 

01926 316131 or e-mail: sallypinfold@gmail.com

View the website for young embroiders and textile students: www.youngembroiderers.com

Nativity figures made for Christmas:

Young Embroiderers 12-16