threadfairy: Alexandra Palace

I have just returned from this years visit to the Knitting and Stitching Show. As we are expecting our students to record their experiences using a blog I thought I would share some of the wonderful things that we saw.

We have been working on improving the breadth and quality of handstitching . We started the course by looking at just running stitch and what could be achieved. Look at this lovely still life by Audrey Walker a member of the 62 group.

www.62group.org.uk

This piece by Surjeet Husain of the New Embroidery Group also showed a wonderful use of this stitch.

www.newembroiderygroup.net

More unusual pieces incorporating hand stitching included this one of a series 'Healing Sutra' by Erin Endicott

www.erinendicottart.com

and this piece called 'Way of Roses' by Severija Incirauskaite-Kriauneviciene.

www.severija.It

We have also been working on machine stitching and these next two artists had a range of work on display.

Carol Naylor

www.carolnaylor.co.uk

Richard Box

The last project completed by the first year students also incorporated applique, which does also feature in Richard Box's work. Another artist who mixes it with other techniques is Jan Beaney.

This piece of shadow applique with hand stitching was absolutely exquisite but I neglected to write down the name of the artist.

For their next project the students are moving onto dyeing and printing so we wanted them to look at examples of this work too. Here are some examples of work that I liked.

This was a quilt featured in the 'Color Improvisations' exhibition curated by Nancy Crow

'The Ghost of Farmer Smallthorne' by Liz Ashurst

'My Garden Full of Tulips' by Peggy Field

Both artists are members of the New Embroidery Group

There were also plenty of examples of dyed and printed fabrics from other countries, including these resist dyed fabrics from Burma ...

... and these from Africa, including some mud cloth.

I spent some time talking to lots of the wonderful artists including Sian Martin about her printed and stitched life drawing ...

... and to Jo Smith, the Embroiderers Guild Scholar 2012, about her fantastic wire and wool sculptures (which you can just see sitting next to her)

Over the years Gilda Baron has not only produced fantastic work but has always been willing to talk to and offer support to students. She has helped a number of my students with their projects and this year was no exception - my students were very excited to actually meet her in person.