Back from Summer School

Each year the Contemporary Quilt group of the Quilters' Guild here in the UK hosts a Summer School over a weekend.  We have three invited tutors and spaces for up to 16 students in each class.  The tutors this year were Cas Holmes  http://www.casholmes.textilearts.net/index.html (mixed media), Edwina Mackinnon  http://edwinamackinnon.com/page3.htm (indigo and permanganate of potash dyeing) and Linda Miller  http://www.lindamillerembroideries.co.uk/ (thread embroidery).  We were housed in a property which was built by a textile baron some time ago which over looks the Ribble Valley up in Lancashire (home of the textile industry based around Manchester).  It is run by the local authority as a residential educational centre - the setting is fabulous and the food to die for.

We all had a really special time and the work that was produced was outstanding.  I can't put the other people's work up so you will have to suffer mine.  Linda first had us making little practice pieces to get the idea and the technique of working in a hoop before starting on our main pieces.  We worked on heavy weight calico (I also put stitch and tear behind mine for extra stability) which is held drum-taut in a hoop.  There are plenty of variations and possibilities of mixing or matching threads top and bottom and for playing around with thicker threads and working from the back, etc.  By changing the direction of your stitching the light will bounce off differently creating more interest.  Here's my little practice piece - it's about 2" square.

Now here is as far as I got on my main piece which is taken from a photo of an icon in St Catherine's Monastery, Sinai, Egypt.  As some of you will know I have had a love of icons for a long time and have ideas buzzing around in my head for a big piece one day (but not in this technique!).  This piece is about 5" square (we were working in 8" hoops).  I am thrilled so far and will frame it in one of those deep, highly carved, gilded frames when it is finished.

Hilary