C H I K A N S T I T C H

Wednesday, 13 May 2015

Catch up and Chapter Six

Where has time gone? I can't believe it is 8 months since I last posted anything on my blog. Life is now back to normal - we have a super new house and I have my own workroom again - up and running. It has a large window and I have to use my Roman blind regularly as it is so sunny! Hope you like the material.

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Smocking Exhibition

– Berrington Hall (NT), Herefordshire

In April, during a visit to Ludlow we stopped off at the National Trust property, Berrington Hall. I did not realise that the textiles collected by Charles Paget Wade who once owned Snowshill Manor are now stored at Berrington Hall and twice a year they change the items on display. To my delight for my visit there was an exhibition of old smocks.

The smocks were late 18^th & early 19^th C and constructed for agricultural labourers using rectangle shapes of linen or cotton twill with bone or metal buttons. The shaping was created by using smocking stitches.

The room was quite dark so it was difficult to see the detailed stitching clearly but they were in great condition and well conserved. Here are some photos I took of the items on display.

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Last September we had a fun workshop with Jennie Rayment. Unfortunately I have not finished my suduko sampler but hopefully one day . . . . . .

Now for

Chapter Six - Tucks, Pleats & Gathers

– at long last!

Images 6.1 (samples 1-10), 6.2 (samples 11-21) & 6.3 (samples 22-24)

Images 6.4 (samples 25-31) & 6.4a – gathered up

Images 6.5 (samples 33-39)
Sally Stanley smocking machine borrowed from Marlborough & District Embroiderers’ Guild

Images 6.6 Ros winding organza into smocking machine, 6.7 twenty four spools of thread, 6.8 thread comes off spool, between Velcro, 6.9 thread through eye of needle

Images 6.10 (sample 40, 41 & 42), 6.11 (sample 43) & 6.12

Images 6.13, 6.14

Image 6.15 (sample 44)
Details of samples

Text images 1 - 4

Tuesday, 9 September 2014

Chapter Five

Quilting, Padding & Stuffing

It is three months since I last posted any work. Coursework is a bit of a challenge at present as we are in temporary accommodation. Better things are around the corner but I must be patient and let the legal system do its thing! Can you spot my sewing machine?

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5.1 & 5.2

5.3

5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7

5.8, 5.9, 5.10, 5.11

5.12

5.13

Text for Chapter Five

Tuesday, 24 June 2014

Chapter Four

Fabric investigation

Images 4.1, 4.2 & 4.3 – variety of natural and man-made fabrics

Image 4.4

Images 4.5 & 4.6 – selection of fabrics frayed & burnt into with a candle or soldering iron. Good job I read the course notes carefully and had a bowl of cold water next to me. Quite frightening how quickly two of the fabrics caught light!!