Many of us were inspired to sign up for her workshop in September.
Kathy Francis
Many of us were inspired to sign up for her workshop in September.
Kathy Francis
Our July speaker is Jane Caven and her talk is entitled "A Journey into Making Embroidery Art".
Jane Caven's textile pieces have evolved from drawings made on pastel paper with soluble crayons. The hand stitched embroideries are 'drawn' with running stitch, which is used in a variety of ways. Some of Jane's work combines felting, collage and stitch. Themes depicted are largely of nature, trees and birds, done in a stylised way. She likes to use strong contrasts, juxtaposing the black fabric with vividly coloured embroidery threads.
An example of her work
Our June Speaker is Andrea Lechner and she will be talking about the quilts of Gee's Bend.
The quilts of Gee's Bend are quilts created by a group of women and their ancestors who live or have lived in the isolated African-American hamlet of Gee's Bend, Alabama along the Alabama River.
The quilting tradition can be dated back to the nineteenth century and endures to this day. The residents of Gee's Bend, Alabama, are direct descendants of the enslaved people who worked the cotton plantation established in 1816 by Joseph Gee.
The quilts of Gee's Bend are among the most important African-American visual and cultural contributions to the history of art within the United States. The women of Gee's Bend have gained international attention and acclaim for their artistry, with exhibitions of Gee's Bend quilts held in museums and galleries across the United States and beyond. This recognition has, in turn, brought increased economic opportunities to the community.
Our May meeting is a practical evening. You will need your sewing kit. Lace bobbins will be provided as well as fabric etc, but you can bring your own if you wish. See below for examples of the project to be made.
"Collage just got bigger" was the title of Sarah Hibbert's presentation on the first evening meeting of 2025.
We certainly saw some large quilts with large designs. Originally Sarah had produced some more traditional work and hand quilting. Later she found an interest in more abstract designs.
I personally, not being particularly proficient at art and design, was fascinated with her process of producing modern abstract designs. As a starting point she cuts/tears paper before arranging them as a stepping stone to her quilts using mainly solid colours, often with a limited palette.
Sarah was an interesting speaker, often sharing humorous details of producing quilts even if they illustrated problems she faced, including a grandchild dyed blue by a non-colourfast fabric.
Kathy Francis
Our April speaker is Sarah Hibbert and her talk is entitled "Collage just got bigger". Please note that this is the first evening meeting starting at 7.30.
Sarah's quilting has been on a journey over the last few years. Having learnt traditional patterns as a hobby over thirty years ago she has now begun to explore more modern designs. She lives just outside London and her little study is floor to ceiling in boxes of fabric. Reinventing her design process has helped her to have more fun with fabric choices and to largely let the fabrics talk for themselves.
She loves the combination of old and new; of the traditional and contemporary; patterns passed down through the generations and her personal contribution bringing something new. Even though she enjoys playing with large abstract prints she finds using solids more appealing for their timeless appeal. She mainly works in linen, purely for the texture and natural element of the fibres, but also for the way linen blends so well with the hand quilting making a conversation together that will carry onto the next generation.
Her second love is paper collage, enabling her to broaden her colour palette. From these simple paper creations, she has taken the idea through to quilt layouts. This not only challenges her in problem solving but excites her seeing her design in two creative mediums.