'My Journey to Design and Beyond' - talk by Debbie Harding

 At our first meeting back from the summer break we were treated to a fascinating tale of how Debbie found a new career in starting her own design business after being made redundant, and limited mobility curbed her ability to paint and draw, which she loved. Her needlework passion is cross stitch and black work, and modern computer programs enable her to create designs with much less tedium than in pass times - we can all remember endless tracing and transferring!

Debbie began with making designs for stitched game boards, like Snakes and Ladders, and chess boards. Customers can purchase kits to stitch their own, with all the material, threads etc included, or download a digital pattern, or even buy prints to quilt. These are a great idea, they can be rolled up and stashed away, and won't get bent or damaged. She moved on to designs of flowers and animals, and a lovely touch is her taking commissions for pets, a portrait of your dog or cat would be a lovely thing to stitch. She markets her designs on cushions, clocks, mugs, and more. 

Debbie works from her studio in Leven, Fife, aided and abetted by husband Gavin. Do visit her website at www.doodlecraftdesign.co.uk for more info and pictures.

Below is some of Debbie's lovely work. (Our members also brought things they had been making over the summer - see separate post for pictures.)

AGM

 The AGM took place on a lovely sunny day. Sadly the turnout was rather low, but the meeting went smoothly  and was followed by a lovely tea, thanks to the great bakers. Although some of the committee were due to stand down, it was agreed that all would serve another year, to keep continuity after the upheavals of the lockdowns. Lynda Marshall has stood down, but we now welcome Allyson Angus to replace her. Everyone will have received a copy of the minutes by now, the club is in a healthy state, and we hope that when we meet again on 14th September we can continue without any Covid interruptions.

The challenge we set two years ago was 'Forest', and though there weren’t many entries, the work was lovely. Lesley Crawford won first and second prize with her Green Man quilt, and concertina book 'Seasons in the Forest'. There was a Forest journal, a headpiece, a lovely wee Forest scene quilt and a gorgeous cushion based on Klimt. The challenge for the coming year is 'My Favourite place', so get those thinking caps on. Not too many beds please 😂.

Day School - Funky Neck Piece with Jean Mellin

 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.

Day School - Calligraphy with Jean McAllister

 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!

Day School - crossing Over Mixed Media Landscapes with Hayley Mills

 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.

Isobel Luke's Stitching Life

 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.