Beading after the trenches - World War One embroidery by a soldier

This cushion was embroidered by a soldier from the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry - 'therapy' kits were distributed to hospitals and prisoner of war camps. In the centre is the Cornish shield and the county's motto: 'One and All'.
The pastel colour, delicate beading and goldwork seem so poignant - worked by someone who had seen the carnage of the trenches.
It was on display in Helston Museum, Cornwall, as part of an exhibition marking the centenary of the start of World War One.

Reviewing the Harrow course... and work created

Katrina Williams and Katherine Eves are here today in Shepherds Bush. We're reviewing this spring's course in Harrow. It's gone well  - some really good work created. Fabulous colours.

Goldwork on church vestments

Stella, a pillar of the congregation at Holy Innocents' Church, Dalling Road (less than a mile away), brought in some vestments with exquisite goldwork. Most of the best examples of goldwork in the UK are on ecclesiastical garments. These are really interesting examples of contemporary work and designs.

An ear of corn

A very different ceremonial gown

And upstairs ecclesiastical goldwork. Here detail of a statue for Our Lady from the Prague Loretto. 1700 to 1720
Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

Today's class in Tooting

A photo gallery of today's class in Tooting, led by the Royal School of Needlework's Sophie Long, with the help of Bridging Arts' intern Katherine Eves and volunteer Josie Harris. The pictures speak for themselves. Wish I could have been there! It looks as if everyone is really involved with the differentpacks. Josie and Katherine played Vera Lynn singing " A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square" - useful background to the nightingale motif that some people are embroidering in crewelwork. Abigail and Hyacinthe (below) are very keen....

 Helped by Sophie, from the Royal School of Needlework (RSN)....

Hyacinthe is racing away with the goldwork pack...Abigail, a keen artist, brings in a piece she  created some time ago. She paints, too. Everything she creates she hangs on the wall.

Katherine Eves, our intern, has plunged into the project so brilliantly.

Amtul arrives with two of her friends, who have been thinking about coming for some time. We are so pleased that they made it!

A team for the new catwalk collection

A meeting in Wembly with Amit Rastogi of RCKC and Jessica Aldred of the RSN ... We're putting together a team of embroiderers to create the new catwalk collection (designed in India, embroidered here - complete reversal of the usual process...).

So - if you are interested - the first step is to submit a sample of your work for Amit to look at. He asks for anything that you think might be relevant. Please send it to Susan Roberts, c/o Bridging Arts by 21st June -

Bridging Arts

370-376 Uxbridge Road

London W12 7LL

Please enclose return postage to ensure it can be posted back to you - I am not sure how much more registered post is, but it is probably worth it.

All very exciting! Amit will look at all samples submitted in the following week and put together a team...

A call for keen embroiderers....

Exciting news... Amit Rastogi of sari retailer RCKC (who produced the winning British Sari Story saris last year and will also have this year's winning entries made up) is keen to have a catwalk collection designed by one of his designers embroidered here in the UK. So ... we are sending out a call for keen embroiderers who might like to become involved. If you feel that you could come on board please do get in touch (please email info@bridging-arts.com). Initially it would just be a question of getting some examples to your work to Amit (who will be based at RCKC in Wembley this month) so he can see. Then we'll get a team together.  We don't anticipate a huge amount of work - this will just be for sample garments for the catwalk show.
Amit would like to start on this as soon as possible.
This is really an exciting development. Currently the vast majority of embellishment and beading for London catwalk shows is done in south Asia. We're keen tostart to change this. This first idea is a small move that could be important. This new collection will be designed by an Indian designer but embroidered by a British team....

Goldwork classes at the Asian Women's Group

Royal School of Needlework tutor Owen Davies teaches goldwork at the Asian Women's Group. On the table - a cushion he embroidered while training at the Royal School of Needlework.