February 2020

Our group had our first official meeting for 2020 last Saturday. There were ten of us attendance, and Susan joined us via Zoom.

Show and tell is a huge part of our group, so join us below to see what everyone has been working on.

Sheila has finally hoop-framed her woven picot work from a group activity last year.  The addition of the stitches wrapped around the edge of the frame was inspired by https://www.instagram.com/feathercobbler/.

With the group's May exhibition fast approaching, Sheila has completed another butterfly.  This one has lots of sparkle with added beads and sequins.

Lesley had been working on collages for the Surface Stitching Module of the C Sand D Course. She picked a photograph, abstracted a small part of it, drew it and then created a fabric and stitch collage. Collage 1. above was inspired by an aerial photo of a dry river system between mountains.

 Collage 2 was inspired by a photo taken at Machu Picchu.

The bricolage was also a classwork exercise for the same course. For this, Lesley had to make a stitched composition out of various bit and pieces that appealed to her. Lesley's  included a torn piece of a watercolour painting, a fleecy covered wire, dress linen, upholstery fabric and leaves and seeds from a gum tree.

Our creative exercise for the day was led by Robyn, where she taught us to do a Pulled Back Stitch eyelet filler. Below are some of our efforts.

Robyn 

Suganthi

Jenny

Lesley

Jo

 Annette

Sheila

Jenny had completed a baby quilt for a new member in the family due in April. It was a panel purchased from Lincraft, which Jenny sandwiched with wool batting and yellow homespun, then quilted by machine.

The Southern Highlands group, which Annette is a part of, started the February surprise class by making cloth Singleton buttons. Both Singleton and Dorset buttons are an old British craft. The industry started in the 1700 and provided a living for many cottage crafters. 

Above is a sample of Dorset buttons. Annette  used the making of Dorset buttons for the February surprise class with the Southern Highlands Group. It was a very successful afternoon.

Jenny had also started a new winter cardigan in Bendigo Woollen Mill "Bloom" . Bloom is an 8 ply pure wool yarn with colour transitions that change within the ply to give a unique look . The colour way is ' Blackberry Bliss' and Jenny is using 'Dot Stitch'  to create a subtle texture.

Sheila continues with a small daily practice.  For February, she is stitching an alphabet on plant dyed paper using her hand dyed threads.  The plan is to make a book with the completed papers. The papers were created in an Embroiderers' Guild summer school with Samantha Tannous from https://dwellstudios.artweb.com/

A great day was had by all, and we were all buzzing over the ' Duality' Exhibition by Crossing Threads' in Gallery 76 downstairs. For details go to https://www.embroiderersguildnsw.org.au/Gallery76.

We are getting closer to our exhibition which will be held in May at 76 Queen Street, Concord West. It would be great id you could all come to see it, but in the meantime, check out our blog next month for more of our creativity, and like our Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/Stitchers-Plus-638409429660889/