Progress is Slow!

December already! Having had a great weekend at Great Missenden being inspired by African Textiles, I'm now working hard on a stole and lectern fall for the hospital chapel. The fabric was a donation and it is proving really hard to handle; it took me 3 hours just to get the piece framed up. We're getting some work done at home and my continuous wait for workmen is getting under my skin - just can't settle at anything for the moment.
I'm branching out to participate in an exhibition next summer on the theme "reaching beyond". You can see the themes, artists and other information at the website Reaching Beyond.  I was told to provide names for the work on show and enlisted assistance from my grandaughter.  I'm sure I'll be testing out ideas and patterns with my friends at the Branch. 
Speaking of the MK Branch, Lucille is now safely arrived in Ledbury and says she will start her own blog to keep in touch! Our Branch is now booked into the MK Gallery Project Space from 6th - 30th December 2012 for an exhibition of Chair's Challenge pieces. We'll also be holding a sit and sew session on Saturday, 17th March to get some experience of working with visitors to the Gallery. Next week I'm meeting the organiser at the University Centre MK to discuss options for exhibiting work there - will keep you posted.

Inspiration from others

Joan Lamb's

Gilda Baron's sumptuous flowers

Shelagh O'Gorman's Garden

I saw these works at Knit and Stitch in October. They are by Joan Lamb, Gilda Baron and Shelagh O'Gorman. I hope the artists don't mind letting you look at them here because they are excellent examples of working on a canvass.

Chair's Challenge for 2012

Calling all MK Branch Members!

This year you can take your inspiration from anywhere within
the Borough of Milton Keynes and then interpret it onto a canvas frame a mere 8
inches square. MK Branch will provide members with one plain white artist’s
canvass each (8” high x 8” wide x 1” deep); if you want to do more than one
project, we would appreciate a donation of £2 towards the cost.

You may use any technique you like to produce your
embroidery as long as it includes stitching! You could stitch directly onto the
canvass or mount your work onto it. You may fill the space and continue over
the edge of the frame – but not beyond it. You may raise the surface as much as
you like as long as your finished piece can be hung vertically, on a wall,
without falling off or falling down. Your total area available is 8” x 8” plus
the thickness of the frame. If you get close to the deadline with little
progress our 21st June Branch meeting will be a sit & sew
opportunity for a burst of finishing energy.

You also need to provide a photograph (*preferably 5” x 7”)
of your inspiration which can be displayed alongside your piece. Finally, a
brief statement of nor more than, say, 50 words could also be useful.

Judging will be done in the usual way on 12 July 2012 with
the award of a £20 voucher to the winner. BUT the Challenge doesn’t end there.
We will be exhibiting at Milton Keynes Gallery in the City Centre – more news
about this later next week.

Starting Over - November 2011

A whole year's gone by since I last posted here. Since then I've started a C&G Diploma with Janet Edmonds at Missenden Abbey and completed a second season on the allotment. My friends at the MK Branch of the Embroiderers' Guild elected me Branch Chair for a second season in September and this blog will be a part of keepin in touch with pictures.

Thanks to everyone who encourages me with the Diploma (you'll hear more about this as we go along). The next post will be about the Chair's Challenge 2011. Happy Communication!

Cheryl