Rosa in action at the Harrow classes

The third and final video clip made by Monica Alcazar of the embroidery sessions in Harrow (we've just finished - they were funded by Faiths in Action). This shows Rosa Martyn, of the Royal School of Needlework, in action and talking about her passion for the work. She talks very persuasively of the power that needlework - and stitching - has to bring people together.

Tea party on Uxbridge Road

Our first event at Trillington House, Uxbridge Road. This is sheltered accommodation run by Notting Hill Housing (a major London housing trust). We have been hoping for some time to work on embroidery with groups of elderly people in residential homes, and at last we have the chance. It is an icy morning but everyone is in good spirits. We are very fortunate to have Rosa Martyn from the Royal School of Needlework (RSN) to demonstrate some stitches.  And of course Bridging Arts workshop assistant Katherine Eves and volunteer Katrina Williams, who has been a mainstay of the project from the start.

Katherine Eves talking about her new embroidered book, about her Uncle.

Andrew, telling the group his story

Rosa from the Royal School of Needlework, demonstrating crewelwork (embroidery with wool). She is embroidery a Christmas present for her grandmother.

 

 

 

 

 

A break halfway through.

Katherine Eves, an illustration graduate who has cast aside her drawing pen for the needle, shows her latest embroidered book. I show the dress embroidered for me by my mother, for my first birthday. This is a work of art, with a fringe of flowers from Cornwall (where I grew up) around the hem.

 Inspired, Norma and Sylvia go upstairs to fetch some of their own collections.

A needlepoint picture owned by Norma

Tania's crochet

A visitor in Tooting and more on the romance of the nightingale

We have a visitor this week at the class in Tooting - am delighted to that Andy Pring has come along. He's from Wandsworth Council and is involved in a host of interfaith projects and youth work locally. I last saw Andy more than a year ago, when we had just finished the first round of workshops in Wandsworth. Things have moved on a long way...

Andy is a tremendous enthusiast and not only that - a fountain of information. We start to discuss the nightingale motif in our packs - the nightingale long a symbol of romance, and particularly in Iran where the 14th century poet Hafez of Shiraz wrote the lines we read in previous classes.

In the Garden at dawn, I sought for a rose
When a Nightingale's voice broke the peace with her prose....

In spirit, so like the Nightingale in Berkeley Square (we played the famous song again) written 700 years later.

And by one of the extraordinary coincidences so typical of this project - Andy not only had heard of Hafez of Shiraz but had visited his tomb when on holiday in Iran, quite recently. Even more romantic - it wasn't just a holiday, it was his honeymoon.

He said that Hafez of Shiraz was also known as Hafez al Koran, as he knew the Koran by heart (unusual for a Farsi speaker). 'Hafez' in this instance means 'Guardian' - Bushra and Amtul tell us.

It's our next to last class here - and these

classes have been unique in that they have picked up speed as the summer has passed. We started slowly - with some people finding it tough to get back into the swing of embroidery, and others learning stitches for the first time. Then the pace really changed. Some people, like Abigail (above, with Andy), have raced ahead and finished all the packs already. Others are moving forward at their own pace. 

We've been very lucky to have Royal School of Needlework tutors who have worked hard to ensure everyone can join in.  Here - Kate Farrer at work.

And our intern Katherine Eves is still working hard, threading needles and demonstrating. She has promised to bring her own work next week to show the group. Can't wait. I've seen it before.
And finally - I thought this wax was worth a photo. Goldwork needs wax: threads need to be coated with wax to strengthen them. Wax has many uses! e.g. waxing surf boards. But obviously not the same wax.

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!

Our second week in Tooting

A hot afternoon in Tooting, for the second week of our short summer course there.We're working on our new packs and have a very lively and interesting group. Katherine Eves, Bridging Arts new intern, comes along to help me - and we have extra support from Eppy Evans, a wonderful first year student on the Royal School of Needlework foundation degree course.

We are working on the fish motif and there are lively discussions about its meaning. Abigail Sofourote points out that the fish is not only a symbol of Christ. Fish also make star appearances in many parts of the New Testament. Christ called his disciples 'Fishers of Men'.  There are at lest two miracles involving fish - the first when Christ (on board a fishing boat) oversees a fantastically prolific catch. The second when he works the miracle of the loaves and the fishes - finding enough to feed five thousand people.
On that note I promise to bring in the fish recipes contributed by other people who have worked the first pack.
Meanwhile, a loyal reader (knowing that I am keen on making bags!) sends over an interesting link to a blog unearthed on the Guardian. Thank you, Katrina!

A hot day in Wandsworth and new plans

A meeting at the Islamic School in Tooting, south London. We discuss plans for the embroidery classes at the Furzedown Project, starting in July.... And meet with an enthusiastic response!  A good start to the morning. 

Then over to Mantle Court in Wandsworth, to see friends at the Asian Women's Association. 

Am very lucky to be invited to lunch.

Spinach, black beans and halva. 

 And a wonderful surprise from Zubaidah Shah, who has embroidered two more, exquisite, swatches for the Stitch Roadshow. She is 83.  The day ends with some very good news. We hear that we have been part-funded by Hammersmith and Fulham Fast Track Grants to run a short series of embroidery events and a tea party in a local residential home.

Stitch embroidery pack course - places available this July

Just announced - details of the course we'll be running this July around our Stitch embroidery packs. The classes will be completely free. They will be at the 91/93 Furzedown Project, Moyser Road, London SW16 6SJ. A few places are available - please email info@bridginga-arts.com if you would like to book. BOoking is essential.
They will be from 2-4pm on
21 July
28 July
4 August
11 August
18 August
25 August
At three of the sessions, there will be tutors from the Royal School of Needlework teaching
- surface stitches
- blackwork
- goldwork.
At the other three sessions, the work will be followed up by a class co-ordinator, with volunteers, and information given about the background to the stitches.
Packs for the three sessions will be free and places, of course, will be limited. At the first session, therefore, we are asking people for a small deposit (£10) showing that they do intend to complete the course. That £10 will be refunded on completion of five of the sessions.

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...

Jessica Aldred's website

Jessica Aldred, of the Royal School of Needlework, who has been such an enthusiastic backer of Stitch, has just launched her own website . Pictured: Jessica (far right) when women from Battersea, south London, paid a visit to the RSN collection and ateliers at Hampton Court Palace, this summer.

Jessica's birthday and the fish motif

The second embroidery class at York Gardens Library, Battersea, launching the second new motif inspired by work in Stitch Wandsworth. It's a fish - which is a powerful symbol in many cultures....
But most important it is Jessica's birthday. Jessica Aldred (above) from the Royal School of Needlework has been working on the project from the start and has thrown herself into it - and really supported the whole idea of bringing cultures together through embroidery. It's a year since we first met at the first focus group in Tooting.
More on discussions at the class, the background to the motif and on embroidery brought in by participants tomorrow... In the meantime Happy Birthday, Jessica.

New motifs by Hannah Walker

Bridging Arts' Hannah Walker, a fine art graduate, studies the new panels created by the groups of women in Wandsworth and designs four brilliant motifs for new embroidery packs, which will give background to the cultural traditions that inspire them. Classes planned for York Gardens Library, Battersea, again to be taught by the Royal School of Needlework.

Hampton Court visit

A fantastic visit to the Royal School of Needlework's collection at Hampton Court Palace. Jessica Aldred pulled out embroidery and hangings that she knew would be of interest. Blackwork (above.)
















Lunch afterwards on the grass despite the cold. Chicken curry cooked at 6am and kept warm in the thermal saucepan (centre).