Lisa Smith

Lisa Smith who came to us in May now has a website https://weftdesigns.com  She chats about the Bowes Museum project which she was just starting. Should be interesting to follow.

ARMLEY MILLS SATURDAY 2ND JUNE 2018

 We had an extremely interesting and exhausting day out to Armley Mills, Leeds.  The mills when first built were the largest woollen mills in the world.
First stop coffee and cake by the Darling Rosebuds WI.  
There were lots of stalls including felt, wools, buttons, clothing; something for everyone.
Some of the staff were dressed for their part either as Luddites or factory workers.
We watched a demonstration of one of the machines working.  It must have been unbelievably noisy and so dangerous when the whole factory was in full swing.
The managers house and workers cottage were open to visit with furnishings including a working loom in the Luddite cottage.
Eventually the rain stopped and we were able to have a walk in the dye garden which was very pleasant.
The WI had put on a delightful and delicious sandwich and cake stall which kept us going all day.




View from the window inside Armley Mill.  Photograph by Marion C.

 These pieces are all by Jane G.
   
 Cogs in the water 1.
It is created from Blue Faced Leicester/Swaledale wool from Yorkshire and has been dyed in the microwave from Kenanthonol acid dyes, using alum as the mordant.
The piece depicts cogs going rusty around the outside of  the mill and its juxtaposition with the mill itself.

 
 

 Cogs in the water 2.
This is from the same Blue Faced Leicester/Swaledale wool and shows the rivets that held the metal together as felt balls.
The weathering of the pieces creates many interesting shapes and hues and leads to imagining what the pieces would have been part of when they were part of a working machine.



 

     
 Different types of cogs at Armley including the mangle wheel and how chains connect to make the cogs go round.

This shows a variety of cogs at Armley and explores the nature of building up layers up felt.  It looks at the way ridges can be created in felt and displayed beyond the boundary of the piece.

NEEDLE POINTS NORTH PANELS

During "The Year of the Visual Arts" 1996 the Northern branches of the Embroiderers' Guild  collaborated with local Arts Development Officers to produce a set of fourteen stunning panels, one for each branch.
  
The aim of the venture was to use embroidery to create a contemporary statement about the people and culture of the region.
It was also intended to demonstrate its diversity, liveliness and creativity.




This is a wonderful opportunity for us in the Embroiderers' Guild to show the Needle Points North panels to the general public once again.  This time at the Great Exhibition of the North.

They will be on display at St. Mary's Heritage Centre from Saturday 23rd June - Friday 31st August.

St. Mary's Heritage Centre,  Oakwellgate, Gateshead. NE8 2AU.   0191 433 4699

This gives us a chance to represent embroidery/textiles/stitchery alongside all other features of visual art.

Taken at Beamish Museum 2016

This panel was made by Guisborough and District branch and shows scenes from Guisborough.

Taken at Ripon Cathedral 2017.

Panel of Guisborough by Guisborough and District branch.

All photographs taken by Joy B.  Thank you for allowing us to use them.

100 HEARTS 1918 - 2018

The Embroiderers' Guild has asked members to embroider hearts to commemorate the 100 years of the end of World War 1.    These hearts will be displayed at various venues over the UK.






This heart was stitched by Barbara H.  and is based on the village where all the men who went to war nailed a coin next to a lucky horseshoe in the village blacksmith's.
All 30 men returned safely, so making Catwick one of only around 50 'Thankful Villages' in England.