June Speaker and Workshop

Our June Speaker is Gail Lawther.  Her talk is entitled Birds of a Feather.

She began working full-time in fabric and thread about 20 years ago and can't imagine a better way to earn her living. She designs and stitches quilts for books and patterns and also creates larger pieces on commission.

She travels all round the UK and further afield, giving talks about her quilts and teaching workshops and several times each year she does residential workshops in different places.

Her workshop is entitled Doodle Birds and Doodle Bugs and is on the 31st May 2022 at Ashby Village Hall.

May Meeting

Indian Kantha embroidery was the topic for our May meeting with local guest textile artist Gill Greany.

Gill had collected many varied samples to show us and explain their origins and traditional patterns almost exclusively using straight stitches.

Some of us who had previously tried this technique were intrigued to see how fine and small the stitches were even on large areas of fabric.  Often two old saris were stitched back to back in an over-all pattern.  If contrasting colours were colours were used for each sari and thread the two sides of the finished piece could result in surprisingly different effects.

Many members then enjoyed a mini practical session in which they tried their hands at a chosen design using these tiny stitches which led at least to the beginning of some lovely pictures.

Fabrics brought by Julie Chapman were also a delight and temptation for many!

Kathy Francis

East Bengali Kantha

West Bengali Kantha

Bottom Left Gold Work Kantha

Old Saris joined together with overall patterns

Julie Chapman's fabrics