Gold work day school with Hanny Newton

Following Hanny Newton's inspiring talk about her journey in embroidery, we enjoyed a lovely gold work day school with her.

Hanny Newton - Copper and tin on wool blend fabric

We were given everything we needed on arrival, so that we could get straight into our stitching: a ready-hooped piece of fabric, needles, scissors, and a generous selection of metal and embroidery threads with which to start on our gold work samples - brilliant!  After a short demonstration from Hanny, we embarked on couching our chosen metal thread with a variety of stitches, getting used to manipulating the threads and gradually building up our repertoire sample by sample.

After a bit of practice, we were able to start thinking about the combinations we preferred and how to develop them further.

It was an engrossing and very enjoyable day, and Hanny was helpful and encouraging.  Many of us had been wary of gold work, fearing it was going to be difficult and very exacting.  However, Hanny's contemporary approach, which is freer and more informal, gave us the confidence we needed to experiment and have fun.

We agreed that we had all learned a great deal and went away after a thoroughly satisfying and inspiring day.

Talk by Hanny Newton - "Embroidery, my story so far"

Members and visitors will be welcome at our talk on Friday 4th November by Hanny Newton, a hand embroiderer with a great love of stitch - especially gold work embroidery.  She loves to find inspiration from the rich tradition of hand embroidery and uses this to find her own contemporary approach to hand stitch.

Hanny studied hand embroidery at the Royal School of Needlework, and then contemporary craft at Falmouth University, which allowed her to combine her interest in both traditional and modern approaches.

After graduating in the summer of 2014, Hanny was selected for the Embroiderers' Guild Graduate Showcase 2014 and has exhibited nationally since then, including at Handmade in Britain, Art in Action and the Selvedge Spring Fair, and she delivers talks and workshops nationwide.

Visitors are always welcome to come along to talks.  

For details of times and venue, please see 'About our Branch ... How to find us' .

Regional Day 2016 (and 2015)

Our thoughts are turning to this year's Regional Day, which is being organised by Birmingham branch at Oldbury on Saturday 18th June.  Leamington members have received details and are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible.

As a reminder of what it's all about, here's a re-post of the entry about last year's Regional Day in Leamington.

Regional Day 2015

Leamington & District Branch of the Embroiderers' Guild were hosts for the annual West Midlands Regional Day last Saturday, 20th June.  Over 100 delegates from thirteen branches in the West Midlands came along to make this a fun, informative and stimulating day.  It was an opportunity to catch up with fellow Guild members, browse some of the Guild's historic gold work samples, and check out some lovely pieces of work produced for the competition, both adults and young embroiderers, to name but a few of the things on the menu.

Firstly, the shopping, which started just after people arrived!  The 'pre-loved' book stall was an immediate temptation:

while some equally tempting 'lucky dip' packs waylaid people

on the way to the main traders' stalls - fabric and threads, dyed felt, silks, gold work supplies and accessories, mmmmmm ...

Following a few words from Leamington Chairman, Mary Holden and West Midlands Chairman, Stephanie Harper, one of the highlights of the day was an extremely interesting and entertaining talk by Professor Giorgio Riello of Warwick University, titled "Decorating Textiles".  Already a well-known author of a number of books on the things we wear, including the fascinating and readable Cotton: The Fabric that Made the Modern World, Professor Riello's appearance on BBC 2's "The Great British Sewing Bee" in 2014 brought him to an even wider audience.  In his talk, Professor Riello gave us an insight into aspects of producing textiles that were a revelation to most of the audience.

Professor Giorgio Riello, "Decorating Textiles"

After a relaxed lunch and further chatting, shopping and browsing ...

... we were treated to more delights and insights by Nicola Jarvis in the afternoon Madeira Lecture, "All that Glisters".  Nicola, who trained at the Royal School of Needlework, is also well-known as a gold work teacher and embroiderer and for her recent exhibition "The Art of Embroidery" of work based on the designs and textiles of William and May Morris.

Nicola took us on a journey through the history of gold work, from its medieval beginnings in ecclesiastical and royal textiles, through Tudor, Stuart and Georgian garments, furnishings and trinkets, Victorian costumes and regalia, to the present-day applications of gold and metal threads in a much more informal manner.  Some sumptuous slides helped to paint the picture.

Nicola Jarvis, "All that Glisters"

The day was rounded off by the presentation of 25-year certificates to four Guild members, the lucky ticket draw, and then the award of prizes to winners of the competition, "All that Glisters".

Here's Leamington's own Gill Dakin, being presented with her First Prize certificate by Nicola Jarvis and Stephanie Harper, Regional Chairman:

Gill also won the Members' Choice certificate for her entry, an intricate combination of machine surface, hand embellishment and 3D construction:

Anne Thumpston of Solihull won second prize for her panel, which drew the comment from Nicola, "A beautiful panel ... technically very good standard of gold work flowers."

and Leamington Chair, Mary Holden was awarded Third Prize for "a lovely 3D flower with a very appealing colour scheme":

Junior Embroiderers prizes went to:

Isobelle Jones (South Cheshire) - First Prize and Best in Show (all age groups) - Isobelle won a Janome sewing machine.

Joint 1st: Toula Gryparis (Leamington)
2nd (14+): Jess Franklin; 2nd (13 and below): Evie Griffiths; 3rd (14+): Phoebe Frendt; 3rd (13 and below): Katie Brain - all Leamington.

Of the Group entries, Stourbridge won First Prize (14+) and Second Prize (13 and below), while Lichfield won Third Prize.

Prizes were generously donated by the Janome, Embroiderers' Guild Bookshop, John James Needles, Wonderfil and Coats Crafts.

The day was rounded off with a welcome cup of tea and some very scrumptious strawberry sponge cakes before the homeward journey.

Our grateful thanks go to the suppliers of prizes, and especially to our official sponsors, Coats Crafts, who supplied the Adult competition prizes, and Madeira Threads, who supplied First Prize for the Lucky Ticket draw and thread packs for all delegates, as well as to North Leamington School, which was the venue for the event, and to everyone who put so much time and effort into making the day a success.

'Sparkling Threads' - a talk by Nicola Jarvis, Friday 4th July

We are delighted to welcome local textile artist, Nicola Jarvis, back to the branch.  Nicola spent a number of years teaching with the Royal School of Needlework before starting her own business, and in 2013 she staged a major exhibition of her work at the William Morris Gallery.

Nicola is very skilled in hand stitching techniques.  Her illustrated talk will focus on the development of gold embroidery from the medieval period through its various applications over the centuries to innovations in contemporary stitched art and fashion works.

Friday's talk will be followed on Saturday 5th July with a 'Sparkling threads' Workshop. 

The morning session will introduce participants to traditional padding techniques, which will be overlaid and stitched with a selection of gold threads. In the afternoon session, participants will be encouraged to explore the new/revisited gold work skills in their own designs and applications, with the option of using unusual and novelty metal threads.

Nicola will supply a small introductory basic gold work kit for the traditional morning session costing £10.0.