Just thought we would show you what we got up to with Patricia Barrett last Saturday – all work in progress – this technique does not grow quickly!!
Thanks go to Pat for her work in getting us all under way – what patience! You may yet see some completed pieces in our exhibition which starts on the 11th June – watch this space -
Our only gentleman member has again won a prize for his exquisite embroidery – John Clarke won the Madeira competition at the Fashion & Embroidery Show in March at the NEC and has received the wonderful prize for Hand Embroidery of a large collection of threads and the Madeira Rose Bowl – shown here in the photograph. WELL DONE JOHN.
Our May meeting was a thrill a minute with Patricia telling us of her worldwide travels which started as a child of 5 when her family went to Aden with her father, who was in the Airforce; and all the while being taught by her mother to knit and sew, draw and paint. She especially liked making dolls clothes.
After training as a teacher for the deaf and living in many parts of the world she ended up teaching at a School for the Deaf in Nassau, Bahamas and this was where her travels really took off – literally in a seaplane!!
Countries included - Peru, Lima, the Andes, Haiti, Panama where she picked up some San-Blas ‘Mola’ work – shown below, then on to the Galapagos, Chile, Ecuador…….
After travelling back on a cruise liner that was being brought to Europe to be scrapped (so a cheap passage!) she returned to her teaching in Rochdale - and took a course to teach English as a Foreign Language.
She was soon off again, this time to Africa – Tanzania, Dar es Salaam, Seychelles and Zanzibar AND -
eventually to Moscow – at the end of the Gorbachov era and from there excursions to Uzbekistan, Armenia, Georgia etc… and a wonderful woollen embroidered cloak, shown below.
At some stage she had tried to join a night-school class for Weaving in London, where she was working at the time, but found it was fully booked and by chance joined the Embroidery classes with a wonderfully inspiring teacher who encouraged her to develop her own work.
Throughout her travels she has kept sketchbooks which include all sorts of interesting drawings and notes – a great inspiration for the work she does now.
We are looking forward to her ‘Darning Stitch Techniques’ workshop next Saturday the 18th – look out for some ‘pics’ – I will try to take some examples from all those attending.
Just a bit more stitching for you.
Following recent tradition, Anne Baldwin and Sue Tyldesley wish to remind members that as this is their last year as (joint) Chairman they would like to invite members to enter a piece of work for the Chairmans’ Challenge.
This year’s title is ‘Your Favourite Place’ worked in any technique or media, and the only restriction is the size – no bigger than A4 (approx 8” x 11”) – sorry I don’t do metric!!
So get your thinking caps on and your camera’s out while you are on holiday or even at home and let’s have lots of entries – please!!!
A reminder from Caroline who runs the raffles that this month we will need to provide prizes for our bumper June raffle – anything stitch/textile related please for our 3 Bumper Baskets.
Pat will be talking about her travels ‘From Aden to Zanzibar’ which sounds very interesting and this will then be followed by her full day Workshop on Saturday 18th on the ‘Darning Stitch Technique’ that she has developed into some wonderful pieces of quite elaborate textured embroidery – how about doing a Landscape for our exhibition??
Although you will work from your own ideas Pat brings a wide variety of finished pieces to use as starting points - couldn’t be simpler.
The photograph below is of a piece I did with her at the Blackpool Branch workshop about 18 months ago – not the best example but it does give an idea of what you will be doing. It is about 8” square and I had almost completed it by the end of the day.
‘A Galaxy of Stitches’
24th May to 29th June
The second in our list of exhibitions, this time from – Natural Progressions. Work will include pieces made by the following of our Branch members - Pat Bean, Sue Chisnall-Sumner, Caroline Percy, Tracey Ramsey,
An exhibition and sale of contemporary work at Mere Sands Woods & Wildlife Centre, Holmeswood Road, Rufford, Lancs – open daily except Fridays – 9.30a.m to 4.30p.m. Free entry.
