Unfortunately Jean's talk had to be cancelled last week, but she was able to give an interesting day school.
Jean had brought many samples of her own work, truly a varied and exciting range, which inspired our ladies to make their own necklace. Jean had brought a big range of materials, and everyone made some thing completely different. It was all hand sewing, which is a lovely soothing thing to do.
Now for something completely different! We had been waiting more than two years for this class as unfortunately it had been postponed due to the lockdown. Our own member Jean has written in the most beautiful handwriting since learning it at primary school, witnessed by her school books, unlike the usual schoolgirl script practised by most of us.
Jean demonstrated how to form the letters of italic script, and she had prepared an excellent pack of practice sheets and a carpenter's pencil to learn how to write in lower case and upper case. It is actually very difficult to keep things consistent, and the concentration was so intense, you could hear a pin drop. We spent the morning practising letters, and in the afternoon used a pen to write sentences, some of the results below. I certainly have a new respect for the monks who produced those wonderful medieval illuminated manuscripts!
Hayley Mills, who has a studio in Fife, delivered an interesting day school on landscapes made with black free machine embroidery, which was then painted over.
Long term member Isobel Luke gave us a fascinating look at the many exquisite things she has made over her long life. The two tables laden with her work were just a fraction of her output. Starting with hankies edged by tatting which she did under the desk at school through boring lessons. She had a lot of canvas objects, needle cases, scissor cases and keeps (I have never seen so many scissors, enough to start a museum!). Beautiful crewel work, Hardanger thread work, and a selection of gorgeous quilts. Little homemade books full of samplers, or quotes. There was smocking, a beautiful smocked pillow with little ballet shoes on it. There were variations on the quilting theme from traditions of different countries. She also makes lace. There is no end to this lady's talents, and we would need more tables to show all the things she has done. And everything was exquisitely neat and very fine work so beautifully made. It really was an inspiration to us all, thank you Isobel.
Norma is one of our members, and she gave us a really interesting insight into her textile journey since she retired from teaching. Her theme was inspiration, and how to get it! She showed us her sketchbooks, filled with drawings that may eventually make their way into designs for embroideries, and also how poems, music and fairy tales can spark ideas for pieces like the ones below. On the theme of fairy tales she had several pairs of exquisite tiny fairy shoes, made from all sorts of exotic fabrics and findings, gorgeous. We got into small groups and came up with fairy names, and then thought about what stitches we could use to bring them to life - surprisingly few, like straight stitch, fly stitch on wings, French knots for fairy dust. It made us think how a simple idea can lead down all sorts of different paths that could inspire a piece of work. She had also made exquisite little concertina books, and a hat inspired by 'Forest', one of our challenges. Also a plethora of cushions and bags, she is one busy lady!
