February 2015

Welcome to another year of show & tell by Stitcher's Plus. We are a creative group of the Embroiderer's Guild NSW and play with all kinds of art. This year is the year of the personal challenge. 

Congratulations go out to our member Susan, who applied for, and received, the position of Guild Secretary at our headquarters in Concord West. 

Last Saturday was our first official meeting for the year, with seven of us in attendance. Show and tell is a major part of our day, and as our last official meeting was way back in November,  there was some great show and tell to be feasted on.

Robyn had finished stitching her lady, who will eventually adorn the lid of a work box.

Robyn had also finished her needle case featuring Afghanistan reversible stitch.

Donna had been playing with running stitch, exploring what could be done with it. The little bird at the top of this set was inspired by a Mexican ceramic tile, while the remainder were inspired from doodles. Exploring running stitch is Donna's personal challenge for 2015.

Jenny's personal challenge for 2015 is to explore the technique of filet lace. In this sample, Jenny has made her own mesh by withdrawing threads from fabric, bound them into a mesh formation, then worked a dragonfly in linen stitch. The dragonfly was first drawn, then charted into a graph which was then used to chart the linen stitch working order. The working order of the linen stitch has to be precise for the under/over sequence of the linen stitch to happen.

Jenny had also been adding to her sampler with a band of Wessex stitching. The sampler began eight years ago, and Jenny has decided that 2015 is the year to finish it. The whole back story can be found here, and by following the links within the post on Jenny's personal blog.

 This table mat is being worked by Jenny  from a Christine Bishop workshop that she had attended back in September 2014. The piece is inspired by Dresden Embroidery, and features both pulled work and surface stitching.

Annette had been busy making her daughter's wedding dress. The hand beading on the sleeve and bodice echoed the pattern in the lace.

Sheila had made a new plaque for a young relative, using constructions by Jenny Cochran Lee in the September/October 2014 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors

Sheila's personal commitment for the year is to draw every day. At the moment she is drawing in a day book/calender.

This is Susan's sample of "Cross Plus Two Stitch", worked on Aida cloth. The piece is for the Embroiderer's Guild installation at the Craft and Quilt Fair, later this year in June.

Robyn was beginning to stitch on this Aboriginal panel, purchased from the Black Arts Markets. The fabric has been screen printed and will be made into a bag. This is one of four personal challenges that Robyn has listed for herself.

This bag was made by a talented Guild member and raffled as a second prize at the Guild's Summer School. It was won by Sheila.

Such a great start to 2015 by all our talented members. Come back for another visit in March to see how we are all progressing on our personal challenges.

February 2014

There were eight of us present at our first meeting for 2014, with much talk about our project for the coming year.

Show and tell, as usual brought a wide range of  eye candy.

First up we had Annette's biscornu featuring an Afghanistan reversible stitch. Although not visible in this pic, the little flap at the top opens to reveal a needle-case. The flap is only a single layer of fabric, and  on the reverse side, the colours of the stitches have reversed, ie green squares and  red crosses. This stitch is illustrated in some versions of Jacqueline Enthoven's "The Stitches of Creative Embroidery".

Next we have Sheila's book. It features both fabric and paper  leaf prints, dyed in a class with Kirsten Ingemar. Some surface stitchery has been added  and  the book assembled.
 

 

Just some of the pages inside Sheila's book.

Sheila's  "Beneath The Trees" . Natural dyed shibori silk made in class with Kirsten Ingemar. Surface stitched to highlight the gum leaves.

Jenny had been working on her latest piece of Tennerife, joning the motifs together and adding a filling in the center. The piece is still in progress.

Gerri had finally made the fabric she bought  in Paris into table runners for Christmas presents.

Susan's left handed artwork due to a broken arm. A shell in mixed media, and first thoughts for printmaking, based on Gwen Harwood's " Carapace". A piece for her OUA Bachelor of Fine Arts.

Sheila's book cover, made from a re-cycled cushion cover using raised chain stitch.

Susan's cup and saucer, an unfinished molar variation and an exercise for the textile unit of her OUA Fine Arts course.

Jenny was  knitting a wrap in a 2ply wool that she bought on sale in country NSW. Using 3.75mm needles, the yarn is producing a very open structure. The pattern is a slight variation of the free "Meandering Vines Shawl" to be found on Ravelry.

Gerri's crocheted blanket for her No 1 son's future children. These children are a long time coming so she is wishing, hoping, and being prepared.

Annette's Furoshiki bag will be the February surprise for the Southern Highlands Group. A square of fabric, dyed with Drimarene K dyes, featuring a shibori dyed corner.