This month our workshop was led by one of our own members, Sandra Kendall, who arrived with samples of suggested ideas for how you could embroider onto used tea bags.
Some of the samples were labelled individually and some were put together in a group.[See below]
Sandra started by telling us how to empty the dried tea from the bag by making a slit at the back followed by attaching iron on interfacing to strengthen it ready for stitching.
Members were reminded of all the skills they had and how these could be used on the tea bags to produce attractive results. Within a very short space of time little embroidered tea bags began to emerge decorated with interesting off cuts, collectables and enhanced with stitch.
Some members produced embroidered individual tea bags while others produced linked tea bags that could be displayed together. Everyone was different showing a large range of skills.
In the afternoon Sandra showed us how to make an antique looking paper by applying tea bags to a glued hand made paper surface. Once this had been done printing could be applied to the surface to enhance it readyfor stitching. [See samples below]
Most members continued to finish their individual tea bags but a few had a go at a larger piece.
Most members embroidered a few tea bags and they took them home to finish and I don't think any of us will look at a tea bag in quite the same way again.
It was a good day and thank you to Sandra for leading the workshop.
