Crazy Patchwork Stella Adams- Schofield January meeting 2018

This month we welcomed Stella Adams-Schofield to lead a workshop on crazy patchwork. Stella started the workshop with an interesting power point presentation on the history of crazy patchwork. 
She explained that we were going to build up a pattern of textile pieces in a random manner and then work embroidery on the surface.
She brought two very different pieces with her which you can see below and a piece in progress on which she demonstrated some of the processes.

We started by cutting some shapes and building up a pattern from the centre out. We stabilised the pieces by hemming to the base material. You can see from the pictures below how we all developed a different colour scheme and textures. There was silence in the room as we all concentrated on where we were going to position our pieces!

Stella then suggested a variety of ways of embroidering the piece. We could embroider along the seam, over the seam,across braids positioned on the seam and in the middle of the pieces. As to the stitches the world was our oyster and we could use any combination of stitches we liked. She also suggested stand alone stitches like bullion roses, spider web wheels and picots to give texture and also to cover any "lumpy joins".

Most members finished the piecing and a few started the embroidery which they then took home to finish and hopefully bring to the next meeting.
It was a very enjoyable meeting and a few of the members had acquired a totally new process from scratch. 
Thank you to Stella for informing us of the history of the process, inspiring us to have a go and supporting us as we worked.  

Christmas Meeting 2017

This was our last meeting before Christmas and so we all arrived with our contribution to the Jacob's Join, a dandy bird for the competition and a present for Secret Santa. The morning was bitterly cold and it had been a severe overnight frost making everywhere look very Christmassy.

View from the upstairs window

 We used the upstairs room which is warmer than our usual room and more cosy.
Our first task was to make a party hat for our Jacob's Join and you can see some of the efforts below which caused much hilarity in the making and trying on.

 The entries for the competition featuring Dandy Birds were set out and numbered. We then voted for our favourite which was very difficult as they were all so good.

There was a wonderful spread of food set out in the kitchen and it was hard to choose what to eat as it all looked so good, so we tended to have a little bit of everything!
Once we had eaten our fill and caught up on news it was time to draw the Secret Santa.

 We then wished everyone a Happy Christmas and set off for our homes full of food,Christmas good cheer and our present from the Secret Santa. It was a good day and thanks go to Joanna for organizing it.
 Happy Christmas to all our members!

Dandy Birds Bev Cavender November 2017

This month our workshop was led by Bev Cavender on Dandy Birds which were developed by Maggie Hickman Smith. Bev had made lots of the birds in a variety of fabrics and finishes.[See Below] The birds looked cheeky and full of character and we were ready to have a go at making our own!

  

From the pattern given to us by Bev,  we cut out the pieces in our fabrics.
We  cut four pieces for the feet and sewed two together with some stiffening between the material. Then we made a second foot.

 For the legs we wrapped ribbon/material around two twisted pipe cleaners.

 We made a special fold for the beak and then placed it in the body seam as we sewed the body. This caused a lot of hilarity as some of us muddled our back, front and top and bottom with some peculiarly placed beaks!!!!

 We then stuffed the body pushed the legs inside and  sewed the hole.The bird was finished with a big stitch through the body to give it shape and the eyes and feet  finished it off.

 We had great fun making our birds and they are definitely the dandiest birds ever seen!

A big thank you to Bev for showing us how to make Dandy Birds, letting us have fun and sending us home with a finished item!!!!!!!

      

Please remember the Christmas competition is a Dandy Bird!!!!!