SEW THE EMBROIDERY
SW E
Celebrating
Capability Brown 300th
Anniversary
Banbury and District Branch display their cushions around
Broughton Castle
“Remember that a picture before being a horse, a nude or some kind of anecdote, is essentially a flat surface covered with colours arranged in a certain order�
Our China Tour
There were so many highlights and we saw so much of the country travelling by coach, train and plane. Since the Beijing Olympics the country has developed very rapidly and the standard of living has risen so that we saw well dressed workers driving big modern cars and new buildings and developments everywhere. New airports made Heathrow look very small and old fashioned and their bullet train was punctual and comfortable. We saw most of the main attractions including The Bund and the huge towers including the Pearl Tower in Shanghai, the Great Wall, The Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and the Summer Palace in Beijing, the Pandas in Chengdu and the Terracotta Warriors in Xian. We had a few days on the great River Yangtze seeing the three dramatic gorges and the huge Three Gorges Dam which is part of the biggest HEP scheme in the world. But for stitchers the most amazing work we saw was in Suzhou, near Shanghai, where the silk industry has
thrived for over 4000 years according to the guide book. It was on the famous Silk Road and now has a silk museum showing the history of silk production and fashion. But for Ann and me it was the double sided embroidery that wowed us. Ladies were working on large pieces of silk material making tiny stitches resulting in truly stunning pieces, which had a different picture on either side and no sign of joins, knots or mistakes. These were generally used for screens. In addition there were one sided pictures of many famous images including the Mona Lisa and Princess Diana. The Grand Canal runs though Suzhou with many subsidiary canals and gives an opportunity for a gentle, picturesque journey along it. In addition during the trip we saw some lovely machine embroidered pictures, stunning large round tablecloths worked in batik with top stitching and Banyan leaves that had been dried and embroidered or painted on. Many memories and lots more to see. We would recommend a visit.
What through youth gives Love and Roses Age still leaves us Friends and Wine Thomas More
S u
g in
r Pu e dd m m
An easy to make delicious British
pudding full of the fruits of Summer
Dragon By Julia Little - Metal and silk embroidery on silk
Doodle with a Needle
Blue China By Designer Loetitia Gibier
Doodle with a Needle by Loetitia Gibier
Art In Action R.I.P. Art in Action, as I am sure most of you will know, has been held almost every year for the last 40 years, at Waterperry House and Gardens near Oxford. It has been a show case for up and coming talent as well as more established artists and designers, who present their work for the thousands of people who visit each year. This year will be the final year
The event has been staffed by volunteers connected with the
School of Economic Science, the charity which owns Waterperry House. They have been trading in the Art Materials and Publications Marquee for almost 10 years now and I have enjoyed each and every time I have taken part.
The four days of the show buzz with activity and apart from the Demonstrations and exhibitions, different kinds of food and drink to suit all tastes are readily available. The weather is something else………………you have heard of Glastonbury, well Waterperry comes a close second for mud. Wellingtons are a must and amphibious vehicles would be most useful. Rain does not prevent the show going on, though, like the Windmill theatre, it doesn’t close.
Bales of straw are imported to spread on the ground to soak
up the water, and we spread plastic sheeting in an attempt to stop the rain dripping on our tables. The only casualties in my department were some packs of soluble fabric! I was tempted to advertise them as 'ready dissolved solubles, but.......... thought better of it.
The shuttle bus service in one particularly wet year, was
greeted with mixed feelings, but on the whole, despite the waiting around, was surely better than getting the car bogged down in the mud.
I will go away with fond memories of it all…….…..the
wonderful hanging baskets in the tents, which we could buy after the show………….the Aeolian harp singing quietly to itself as the wind blew………….the long queues of eager children signing up for the workshops………….the tempting food smells ……………the music, madrigals in the rain and even Dame Emma Kirkby herself (my husband’s personal favourite)……………..the cadets organising the car parking (not always as we would like it)………..the loos, (maybe not so fond)…………….the welcome cups of tea or coffee, with biscuits of course.
L ots and lots more, come and join us all for the last one, let it go out with an enormous bang.
Truly the end of an era.
Flowers in Embroidery
Flowers have always been an inspiration for embroiderers. Their beautiful colours and dirverse shapes have inspired many over the years and today’s embroiderers are no exception. Modern embroiderers using various techniques,whether machine or traditional hand work such as stump work,
take their inspiration from nature. These photographs taken in the gardens of the Royal Horticultural Society Wisley Surrey in June, show the flowers that grow in English Gardens, at their best. They are shown alongside excellent examples of the use of modern stitch worked by members of the Region.
The Betty Laker Award for Excellence
The Betty Laker award for Excellence 2016 won by Myfanwy Hart
The Betty Laker Award for Excellence
Betty Laker Award for Excellence.
S o C a p a b l e f o r S EW C a p a b i l i t y
The landscape of much of lowland England today may look timeless but it was in large part an 18the century creation, and it was Brown more than anyone who made it.
Angels in North London
Ode To Evelyn
Pu s s in Bo o ts
Ode To Evelyn
WALKING UP SCAFELL PIKE
This was going to be my fourth trip to the top of Scafell Pike, but this time with my walking buddy, who would be making her first ascent of the mountain. In fact it would be the first time she had gone fell walking, having only walked the various round London paths before. We started our ascent to the top of Scafell Pike, from Seatoller. This is the most used route up to the top of the mountain, and it gives you the choice of two different paths. We decided on taking the path which followed the Derwent River and would come back down, following the path which went via the two lakes Skyhead Tarn and Sprinking Tarn and the river Styhead Gill So on a bright warm day we made our ascent, taking my trusted updated edition of Wainwrights walks ,” A Pictorial Guild To The Lakeland Fells (Book 4 -The Southern Fells)”. Being a bank holiday, there were lots of others also making the same ascent, so the chances of being lost was very remote. That was if others did not think we knew what we were doing and decided to follow us, which luckily for us was not the case. The path to the top is generally well marked, with a sort of cobblestone pathway for most of it. Where this doesn’t exist, cairns mark the route and are easy to see. For most of the route, the climb is not very strenuous and is easy to negotiate. The only exceptions being two boulder covered areas, which was not too difficult as you stepped from stone to stone, again, because of the passage of other walkers over the years, they are well marked.
The final part up to the top being possibly the worse part, as its steep and like me if you are scared of heights you can look straight down into the valley below. So keeping our eyes to the front and not thinking of when we would be going back down that slope, we made it to the top after 3 hours. The views on the way up and from the top are breath taking. You are supposed to be able to see Blackpool tower from the top on a clear day. Which this was but we could not see it. The descent took us longer then expected. And because of that we missed the last bus back too Keswick, but luckily for us there was a number for the local taxi service in the public telephone booth at Seathwaite Farm .
OK at over 60 it's hard to learn to walk again! I did it at just over 50 so I know I can do it! I'll come clean, I've had both hips replaced. My left was done 6 years ago and my memories of it was of being very cross with my husband. Before going to work he would put my socks on for me, but on a couple of occasions he forgot as he had to leave very early. This time it's my right hip. The plus side is we have both retired so no problem with socks!! After years of nursing which is what I put the wear and tear down to it was with release I had the first one done. It is surprising how much different I feel 6 years on. Before the operation I went along to "Hip school". Yes there is a school for hips! It was held in the Physiotherapy department and unlike the last time, they told us all what we could expect after the operation. That we would be up on the afternoon after the operation, that is if we had it done in the morning. We would have a zimmer frame to help, then onto crutches. First time up on the frame. It's a bit scary as you feel your leg is not part of you, but if you want to go to the loo then walk you must.
back to my room for a rest. It was the getting in and out of bed that was the next obstacle. My right leg had taken on a life of it's own, in other words it would not do as I wanted! I would win!!!! The second day arrives and having been up several times in the night (not my usual habit) my trusty frame is taken away from me, help !!!! It's just me my independent right leg and the crutches. So heel then toes along the corridor once more to a set of small stairs. Up holding the crutches in one hand and back down. My youngest grand daughter thought they were very funny, the stairs to nowhere. On the second afternoon it was a long walk to the main staircase. Yes real stairs, I managed them. Going down was ABC back up was CBA. So able leg, bad leg, crutch, going up crutch, bad leg, able leg. That was it. I was ready to go home?. Well that was from the physiotherapist point of view. Thank goodness I was able to get to the car by wheelchair.
Next is the crutches as long as they are the proper height. Off we went, out of my room and along the corridor. A slow even pace, heel down then toes. Then turn slowly and
It's been five weeks now and yes I can WALK all on my own, no stick around the house. For my own support I have it when out and about. The main thing is to walk slowly then I don't limp. The next hurdle will be driving again!!!!!
Stitches in Time
Capability Brown - Landscapes and Gardens
Looking through to Freedom Margaret Lawson 2nd place in the Jane Lemon award for Drama and Creativity Highly commended in the Val Campbell Harding award for Machine Stitching
Looking through Time and Space Loetitia Gibier 2nd place in the Julia Caprara award for Colour Commended in the Beryl Dean award for Hand Stitching
Looking through Binoculars Julia Little
Looking through Time & Space to the Glowing Eye Nebula Carol Winter
Pier in trio Patsy Fernandes
Back in Time Anne Walden-Mills
Looking Forward Anne Beckingham
Sunshine through an Arrow Slit Ann Lowe