members day

Our Embroiderers Guild group meets once a month in this lovely village hall.
On Saturday it was the Members Day, when we don't have any workshops, but everyone brings in anything they have made in the past year, or anything they are currently working on, and we have a display.
Considering that we are only a very small branch of the Guild, and that some ladies were away on holiday, our small show was quite impressive, with a lots of different items. It showed how much talent there is in our small group.


These are some of the pictures taken on the day.

Some of the ladies were showing whitework samples they made in the last month workshop.The tutor was Clare Hanham-Clensy. Whitework is something I would like to have a go at, but unfortunately I was on holiday. She has an exhibition in Bradford-on-Avon (not so many miles from us) in September, I will try to see her work there.

what am I stitching now?

I have had this book for a long time and every time I looked at it, I just wanted to get stitching, but then I looked at the details... and I put it back on the shelf.
But last night I actually started. It is going to be a slow work, because quite a bit of it is new to me.
Schwalm embroidery is of a German origin, very similar to Hedebo from Denmark.
It incorporates various surface stitches, pulled fabric, drawn thread, needlelace and needleweaving. Traditional design is based on 'tree of life', which include hearts, tulips, the sun, pine cones, flowers, fruit, leaves, dove...
To practice as many stitches as possible, I have decided to make a sampler.





And there is the Fabric book cover, which I have been collecting bits for, but at the moment I just don't seem to have any inspiration as to the design. It would a shame to spoil the lovely piece of silk I have chosen for it.


I am also working on Tail Feathers quilt, see post 9th April.