Thoughts of pattern and embroidery in Essex

A trip to Waltham Abbey, Essex with my son. This is a long way from home for west Londoners! We are in Essex -  unusually  - and taken by surprise by the size and beauty of Waltham Abbey. Thought to be the burial place of King Harold, killed by the invading Normans at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

He'd just defeated the Vikings up north (no small achievement) and stopped here on the way down to Hastings to pray for victory. But - of course - things didn't go his way. A resounding defeat - recorded in embroidery in the Bayeux tapestry.

Whether this headstone dates from 1066 is doubtful.

But stones set in a herring-bone pattern in the Abbey wall apparently do. Back to patterns and place - the theme of this blog.

A dispiriting shop window

Patterns and place. Usually I love Prada. (Funnily enough glimpses of  Prada window dressing in this - and the I PACKED THIS MYSELF blog - have been a bit of a theme.) But what a dispiriting sight today on New Bond Street. Hawaiian prints in muddy colours - the colours of the rain storm?! -  an over-sized shirt and a ra-ra skirt.

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.

Photos from the final embroidery session

Katherine's camera ran out of battery rather quickly! But she managed to capture a group picture at our last embroidery session in Harrow.  The weeks have flown by!
We've asked for people's exhibition pieces to be ready for pick up on 31st March.

International Women's Day

No class in Harrow today as it's International Women's Day. Everything resumes, as normal, next week for the final session...

Finishing up and starting exhibition pieces in Harrow

Photos from the latest class at Harrow.

Choosing materials for exhibition pieces

FInished Rose and Nightingale motif

Bina's completed work - finished beautifully with borders of her own design

Starting on exhibition pieces. Most people start with a pencil sketch on the calico to guide them.

Jacobean style patterns are proving popular

Bridging Arts' Katrina Williams with Lata

Texture and detail

Katrina Williams, our extremely hard-working and dedicated volunteer, has sent me some lovely photos from last December's workshops at Trillington House, Shepherds Bush (west London). Lots of close ups of embroidery that really capture the texture and detail of the pieces - you almost forget that they are embroidery as they seem to have a life of their own. (She has also sent some pictures of the group - that show how absorbed everyone became - even those who had never done any embroidery before.)
These photos are of embroidery brought in during the sessions - that people wanted to show others (it was interesting to see the wide range of things brought in). The ecclesiastical robes from Holy Innocent's Church, Hammersmith, are dazzling. But the detail on more mundane items dazzles, too.

Filming, Valentine's Day and a birthday

A riotous time today at the Harrow embroidery class. Rosa Martyn from the Royal School of Needlework comes along to teach the goldwork pack.... Tomorrow (Friday) is Bharti's birthday (Bharti helps to run the group.) And there is a long-planned Valentine's Day party. Flowers and red roses have been bought. In the event, everyone decides to stick to the sewing. There will be other times to celebrate Valentine's Day.
Thankfully Monica Alcazar has come along to film the proceedings for posterity. More on YouTube in due course....

The day starts well with Bharti handing around nuts....

She gives me a coconut as a present as she says she has missed me (the first time that I have been able to come for a while)

We're lucky to have Rosa Martyn from the Royal School of Needlework to teach. She arrives in a wonderful black jacket embellished with sequin applique

Starting on the goldwork packs

Breaking for lunch

Pasta a favourite with this group

Bharti with Ruby, the cook

Mina has brought her wedding sari for me to try on. Bharti - birthday girl - poses with me. This sari has a separate fitted skirt. Much easier to wear. Bought by Mina in Gujarat more years ago than she cares to remember. Valentine's Day party flowers ....

A group photo

 

The cake - with two hearts. One, Bharti says, for herself and the other for her husband. It is eggless.

   

Singing Happy Birthday

Embroidery and a birthday party....

Photos from our latest embroidery workshop in Harrow. Am so sorry not to be able to make these classes myself - but Katherine Eves, who is leading them with Katrina Williams, is keeping me up to date with photos and info.
So many people brought in their embroidery - the photos speak for themselves.... And birthday celebrations, too... a great day by the look of it. I think I glimpse our long-standing and hugely supportive Wendy Benn -recently back from Japan  - in one of the shots!  Katherine reports...

"Everyone's sewing is coming on nicely ...The lady in the jumper is Kiran. I thought we made a good pair.

The lady who made the placemats is called Mosea. She painted them as pictures first and then made them into placemats. The designs are all her own.

It was Sweet's birthday. And she sang You're my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are grey.... which was lovely! I reminded them to bring something in next week. And the lovely lady who looks after them all said she would remind them. I hope they are going to wear their saris!"

(Am very sorry that I missed the singing!)

Goldwork

Birthday celebrations. Wendy Benn - far left

The fish motif, completed. Interesting how everyone adds a personal touch

Kiran and Katherine

And a close-up of Kiran's jumper