Covid 19 - May 2020

It is now a month since I last posted on our blog and we are still all locked down.  I have heard from a number of members with contributions for the blog and we now have our own Facebook page which is a private group for our branch members only.  If you would like to join, please search for Marlborough and District Embroiderers' Guild Branch Group in Facebook, send a request to join and we will let you in!  We currently have 15 members and it is proving great fun.

Here are some messages I have received via email.

Four photos from Clare R .   She tells me that she is having to made do with the limited materials  at present but she is obviously very busy.

The first image was inspired by a mosaic and the centre A bit of Wales -the end of the Lleyn peninsular with Bardsey Island.

Message from Robina.  
Thank you Robina.  Ros
​
I’ve been doing my own thing, by using lots of remnants which have been left over from lots of projects from the past years.  

I use stencils which I have dawn and cut out, some are just using plain news print paper, as it’s quite strong, while older ones I’ve use a thin plastic which lasts longer. I then use them with transfer dyes onto plain paper, which is then ironed onto the fabric, and then enhanced with other dyes. Altogether I’ve made about eight cushion covers and two hangings.

Robina is certainly keeping herself busy as I have now received a second email with the following photographs.

I’ve been painting and photo copying and putting them together. This middle one is a compilation of three sketches, photo copied. The foxgloves I repeated lots of times by photo copying, and then over lapped, and then tweaked with my multi craft knife. The sheep are the same scene repeated.
 
The floral print is a compilation of my paintings using the transfer dyes and some old stencils of flowers to help with some better detail, then I embroiders odd areas.
The top one is just transfer dyed, but onto bits of fabric which I then pieced together.
 
Hope every one is enjoying having time to play and staying healthy, which is the main thing.
​

Message from Linda W
Thank you Linda!  Ros

The Sea horse skeleton was completed in September last year , worked in kid leather and “gold work“ ; the mistletoe done in shadow work (thanks to Vernice for organising the workshop) is part of a series of Christmas cards....... more to follow

Message from Annie J
Thank you Annie!  Ros

I’ve been busy finishing a few WIP’s - window hangings, quirky birds,  teddy bear and felt bunny.

I’ve also done a felted vase and some rainbow birds for the window.  I tried bookbinding to make some scrap sketchbooks and I’m filling one with embroidery stitches at the moment.  The picture is from the textile.org weekly challenges I combined 3 of them to make a picture in memory of my mother who taught me to sew.

Message from Annie F
Thank you Annie.  Ros

Annie tells us this is a house warming present for a friend who has a view of sheep in a field from her new kitchen window. It is done with a mixture of stranded cotton, perle and Appletons crewel wool on felt with a few gorgeous Stef Francis special threads thrown in for good measure and she had fun doing it!

Message from Christine H
Thank you Christine!  Ros

Christine has been spending a lot of time in the garden but the weather is changing shortly so she plans to get into some serious stitching soon.

Message from me, Ros

As some you you may know the 75th Anniversary of VE Day is on Saturday 9 May.  I was due to attend a celebration at RAF Cosford near Telford organised by friends and families of POWs (prisoners of war) at Stalag VIIIB at Lamsdolf (now Poland).  My father spent 3 years in this camp (one of the biggest in Germany) working in the medical centre and the hospital.   

For the celebration people were invited to prepare displays and in addition to photographs, I made this piece of  embroidery to show my father's RAF badge and his medals.  Visitors were due to come from Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Europe but unfortunately the event has had to be postponed until 2021.

My grandson, Johannes will be 9 on 29 April.  I love making birthday cards for the ones I love.  His current favourite book is about Artemis Fowl, a detective!

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New Embroiderers Guild challenge

The Embroiderers' Guild have launched a new challenge.  The inspiration comes from Matthew Kelly's poem - Reasons to be Thankful

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blIq3m_RW5s

You can get the details below direct from the website (https://embroiderersguild.com/) and go to Members Login.  Deadline 30 June 2020

Message from Ann S.  Thanks Ann!

Is this someone we recognise?  Busy girl!!!

Message from Maria.  Thanks Maria

Another busy girl, well done!

Message from Vernice.  Thanks Vernice!
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I decided not to start anything new but to try and finish some of the many half finished workshop pieces I have. 

These two pieces are from .... 

Emily Jo Gibbs workshop (June 2017)
Linda Miller workshop (October 2918)

So, one hand stitch and one machine embroidery. 

Well, I think that is all for this month.  It is now Monday 4 May and we should all be meeting up today.  On behalf of Ann, Clare and the rest of the Committee we wish you all the very best and let's hope we can all meet up again soon.  

Happy stitching and stay safe.

Ros

PS Don't forget to join our Facebook page
PPS Don't forget to send me photos of your work in case I have to do a June edition of the blog.