November 2017

 How exciting was our little group to be the first official group to meet in our lovely new meeting space, the new, modern, and updated building of the NSW Embroiderer's Guild of NSW. It is all so bright, shiny and new, with lots of light to be able to stitch with.

The day was our last together for 2017, and everyone turned up for show and tell, a fabulous lunch, and we even welcomed a possible new member. There were even discussions as to what we will do next year.

Show and tell is a big part of our day, and because we were all in attendance, there was quite a bit. So grab a cuppa, sit back an enjoy what our members have been up to.

This is Wendy's view of the Coastal Track in South West Western Australia, worked primarily in cretan stitch.

Jenny had finished her bobbin lace book mark. Worked in Gutermann Sulky No 30 cotton thread, the pattern is one that Jenny has changed slightly to meet her own working level.

Robyn had knitted this beanie  featuring interesting cable stitches.

Sheila had made these birds using felt  and a variety of stitches. They were designed for a project for another stitching group.

Gerri had completed her blanket and loved the patterns produced by the 'cake' series of yarn.

These little  mothball holders of various sises from a variety of yarns are also by Gerri. There are twelve in all.

This is Gerri's own design of a carry-all for all her craft and embroidery supplies to go to classes. It was fun to make using up bits and pieces from her own stash.

Sheila had made this coin purse. The original  design was purchased at Castlemaine Embroiderer's Guild exhibition in March 2017. This is Sheila's version using raised chain stitch.

This is Annette's pulled and drawn sampler that will become a needle roll. It has been worked on 28 count linen with Perle threads.

The very creative  blue and orange piece above is Wendy's stitch play piece that she has been working with Effie Mitrofanis.

This beautiful sample of blackwork is also Wendy's, from a Barbara Allum's workshop.

Wendy had been having fun plying with colour on even weave linen.

Wendy had been playing with purple and yellow samples using 

threads dyed by Lizette Campbell.

This is Susan's journal cover with some stitchery and applied stitched patches, ric-rac braiding and other fabrics stitched together.

Susan's Memory Quilt is still growing, eventually going to become a bed quilt. This has been made using fabrics from friends, her Mother's sewing projects, and her own which date back  to 40 years ago. The quilt is a stash buster with still a lot of stash to go.

This is a book by Sheila, started in a Dorothy Caldwell class in 2010. Finally finished in 2017.

 Robyn has been working on a  hexagon motif rug.

Gerri had been crocheting flowers & owls, testing her stitching skills on the eyes.

This gorgeous leaf has been drawn by Sheila , part of her Inktober drawings. It is drawn with a crow

quill and india ink.

Sheila had also been playing with collage, part of a monthly project for November

Another book by Sheila, just showing one of the pages.

This gorgeous tiny brooch was purchased by Annette in Brugge on a recent trip away. The brooch is antique needle-lace.

Well I hope you all enjoyed the  year with our little creative group, and come back to see what we get up to in our new official meeting space in 2018. 

October 2017

Our group meeting this month was held at the same time as our Guild's AGM. Some of our members were busy with other commitments, so only two of our members were present on the day. The meeting was held on the second floor of our new Guild building, and those members that attended were all happy and excited about our new, fabulously lit space.

Our show and tell comes to you via e-mail and technology once again.

Sheila had completed a quilt for a grandchild. It is appliqued and quilted by machine. The owl design was found on the internet.

Congratulations also go out to Sheila whose quilt "In A Fog", gained second place in the NSW annual challenge. The quilt can be seen here.

Gerri had also completed a quilt. this one has been made from children's handkerchiefs that Gerri had in her stash. The quilt is for a new baby boy due soon in her extended family.

This little jumper and hat set has also been made by Gerri. Completed for Rotary/CWA effort for African babies. The jumpers are very easy to knit and can be knitted in one piece. If anyone wants to help out, please send us a message or comment with a contact, and we will send the pattern.

Jenny has started another  bobbin lace challenge. This one is a bookmark featuring triangular ground. The original pattern was published in Australian Lace, a magazine put out by the Australian Lace Guild, and featured a variation of a lace spider as well as the triangular ground. As both elements were new techniques to Jenny, the pricking was changed to concentrate only on the triangular ground. The bookmark is being worked in Gutermann Sulky No 30 cotton.

Sheila was fortunate to visit the House of Dior exhibition in Melbourne .

This has to be the pinnacle haute couture from the basic little black dress to the most fabulous ballgown. Each outfit could be seen as a total ensemble, but closer inspection revealed fine details

that made the outfit sing. A simple looking black wool dress at the front revealed a beautiful inverted tulip shaped opening in the back skirt outlined in silk. A daring show of the leg for 1947.

The Look 47 dress designed by Raf Simmons was like a rainfall of hydrangea petals.Tiny squares of organza, perhaps multi-layered, covered the whole dress. The dress was white at the top and gradually shaded to a deep mauve along the bottom with specs of pink thrown in here and there. A stunning dress.

A small atelier section contained the toile for Johm Galliano's Konnici-Kate suit. The toile had the designs drawn on paper pinned to it.

It was interesting to see the completed outfit later in the exhibition.

Gianfranco Ferre's Luna coat dress was a classic in it'sdesign. Basic simplicity with a stand out and stand up lapel

Jenny had received these two petit point pieces in the mail. Found in an op shop by her friend, these two exquisite pieces were destined for the bin. The quilting pin and lace pin give the perspective as to the size of the pieces and the holes in the canvas. Believed to be worked on a linen canvas, Jenny hopes to re-block them and turn them into brooches.

Hopefully our new Guild building will be open for use very soon. We look forward to our new adventures in this new space, so please come back and visit us in November to see what we have been up to.

September 2017

Our meeting this month was held in Gerri's temporary residence in Randwick, in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs. After a quick catch up on all the news, we settled down to morning tea and show and tell.

Jenny had finished her first ever bobbin lace handkerchief edging. Made in the Bedfordshire style, the edge uses 90/2 Linen thread. The edge is mounted on linen fabric using 'Nun's Stitch' in the same linen thread that the lace has been worked. The full story of this edge can be found on Jenny's personal blog.

Jenny had also finished another bobbin lace Christmas decoration. This star pattern came from an old issue of an Anna magazine, and has been worked in DMC No50 Cordonnet Special thread

Gerri has been working on 3" (75mm) embroidery hoops and themed fabrics in preparing mini Christmas trees. Once stretched into the frames, the fabrics are then embellished and stitched with beads.

The hoops will be then backed with felt, and joined in the shape of a Christmas Tree to be hung on a door or wall.

Robyn continues to work on her country piece, stitching through tea bags and dyed fabric

The Saga with crochet squares continues as Gerri experiments with more shades from the Cake balls of wool. These will be joined into another rug for a Christmas present

This month Robyn has been playing with drawing faces, stencilling, ink, acrylic paints and textas in her journal.

Susan has  started a new unit in her course, Sculpture/Studio Processes, and tried to do some work for it while on holidays  in the forested hills inland from the Sunshine  Coast. Her  first exercise was an ephemeral sculpture and working on the theme of time. Susan was to use found materials, create a form, a la Andy Goldsworthy, and photograph it over 5 days to show the effect of time on ephemeral materials. The photos show 2 things that Susan  created on the day , and which she found was quite fun to do. 

Our travelling adventures are still happening while our new Guild building is being completed. Maybe next month we will be in our new space. Please come back to visit next month, not only to check out what we have been playing with, but maybe also our new meeting space.