July meeting

We started our last meeting before the summer break with an extended, part-day lino printing workshop with Sean Willis. Much of Sean's work is inspired by local landscapes but he teaches classes throughout the country.

Sean was an excellent, patient tutor who came very well prepared with plenty of resources, including good quality tools, for everyone.

After a brief introduction about his work and the lino cutting equipment, the process and, of course, safety, we were soon at work making our first trial blocks to familiarise ourselves with the tools. We printed these on paper Sean had provided. 

Once the test print was completed, we were able to start tracing our designs (the only thing we had to provide), transferring them onto lino before we began cutting.

Sean was at hand to encourage and help with inking and burnishing. Those whose wrists were not up to using the cutting tools had the opportunity to do some mono-printing. We could choose whether to print on pieces of fabric or on calico bags.

Thank you, Sean, for a busy but surprisingly therapeutic workshop.

You can see Sean's work on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/seanwillisprints/

After a brief AGM and lunch, we then had a talk from our member, Ro, who has been a prolific quilter since she came to the craft in 2008. Ro makes mainly traditional 'quilts', often using stripes and checks and scraps, with one of her creations winning a couple of prizes at the Harrogate quilt show.

Ro had brought many samples of her work for us to handle and look at from the early circle of hearts to the prize-winner, both shown below.  We were all in awe of her work, meticulous stitching and eye for colour.

An excellent talk to complete a good year at Megastitchers, thank you, Ro.

June meeting

Jean led the group in a lively, most enjoyable, full-day workshop about Calico Gardens, showing us how to create our own versions of this pleasing art form. Here are some of her samples.

Calico Gardens is hand embroidery, stitched in neutral colours, creams, brown, or pale shades and includes lots of texture. The designs are mostly nature, garden and rural related.

She brought examples of Calico Garden work she had completed and spare materials.

Our workshop started with us taking pieces of calico or beige/cream/white cotton and cutting them to size for final size, allowing an edging all round.  One option was to use a CD as a frame for the final piece. We also cut backing material of light wadding to the same size as the fabric.  Those using the work as a CD covering, with hanging loop, used felt as a backing.

We next designed an image onto fabric, some used Jean’s ideas, others their own, using stencils. Hazel had a wide collection of stencils she kindly shared.

We used embroidery threads of different thickness and colours ranging from pale cream to brown.  and a variety of simple stitches e.g. straight stitch, stem stitch, chain stitch, French knots.

In addition to stitching directly onto the fabric, we were also shown how to add signposts, boulders, stones and leaves which could then be stitched in place.

Signposts were from tea-stained dried vilene.

Boulders were made with a cardboard base cut to desired size coverered with calico fabric running stitched around the margin, stuffed with soft filling and pulled tight.

Smaller pebbles were made with small pieces of old beige tights as covering, stuffed and small circles of running stitch pulled tight to give a cluster of pebbles.

The leaves gave the image a 3D effect. Some were made from small circles of punched hole material threaded onto white thread. Some made using wide open weave stiffer material. Thirdly pointed leaves were made using a woven picot stitch. 

The results were very pleasing, though by the end of the day some of us still had to complete the embroidery. 

Calico is a plain-woven cotton, unbleached, undyed and not fully processed. It is less thick than denim or canvas.

Originally Calico came from Calicut in Kerala southern India. Calico is a simple, cheap plain fabric, with equal weft and warp in white, cream or unbleached cotton.

Thank you, Jean, for a great workshop, and for making us owrk hard!

 

May meeting

Our May Day was actually 'Jane Hadfield Day' with a talk from Jane in the morning followed by an extended part-day workshop.

Jane's inspirational and well-illustrated talk took us from her family history of textiles and making through to her current work which has developed into 3-D forms.

Using natural, found, vintage and re-cycled materials, Jane uses a combination of painting and stitching to make 'something out of nothing'. Everyone greatly admired, - and were jealous of - her collections of items displayed in her workshop photgraphs.

Jane has exhibited widely with Threadmill Textile Artists but is now taking time out in retirement to more fully concentrate on her own practice. Since a Textile Study Group summer school with Polly Pollock, some of this time has focussed on creating vessel-like forms using free-weaving.  Which takes us into the follow-up workshop.........

.........where we were taught how to make formers using rice in plastic bags around which we then wound and wove paper string, with the judicious addition of masking tape where required.  Jane came extremely well-prepared with everything we needed and a very, VERY extensive collection of paper string. The most difficult part of any workshop is making choices!

By the end of the session most members had (nearly) completed their weaving.

Jane briefly told us how to complete the vessel to make it sturdy enough to remove the rice and plastic bag and the possibilities of adding embroidery.

Thank you, Jane for an excellent, enjoyable and fun workshop where we were all pleased with our achievements.

April meeting

It was another productive session at Megastitchers with a morning workshop led by member, Joy, looking at creating silk paper using cocoon strippings. Joy is a very accomplished practitioner and brought along many samples for members' inspiration.  Here are just a few of them

After teasing out the cocoon strippings, adding decorative items such as leaves, threads, paper etc and applying watercolour members, were able to iron their pieces (using baking parchment). They were also able to add colour to silk rods and begin the fiddley process of separating them into fine layers.

Some great ideas for creating backgounds ready for stitching! Thank you, Joy.

In the afternoon, we had a presentation from Pam about the choices for our next 'Artist of the Year' that will, hopefully, inform teaching for our member-led 2-hour workshops. We had the opportunity to vote for Jan Messent (textile atist), William Morris, Ton Shulten and Hundertwasser.  More news when all the votes have been counted.

March Meeting

In the morning we have a relaxed stitching session with Jean, creating small cylindrical covers for empty thread bobbins.

After covering the bobbin with wadding, members were soon able to start work stitching the cover. It was also possible to create a small pincushion top by using a stuffed Suffolk puff and trapping the edges under the removeable end of the bobbin.

Here is some of the work-in-progress.

Those members not taking part in the workshop were making progress on their own stitching, some completing work started in previous workshops and others on continuing with kits or other projects.

Our afternoon speaker was Lynne Stein, with a talk on Rags to Riches: a Contemporary approach to Rag Rug'.

Lynne combines her hooking and prodding with a variety of other techniques such as needle-felting and stitch. Her larger works are made using a tufting gun as we saw on a brief film clip. This craft has amazing textural qualities especially when using re-cycled and non-traditional materials, and lends itself well to the range of workshops that Lynne has taught for community, school and inter-faith groups. A well-illustrated talk with handling samples, a display of work and brief demonstrations made for an interesting and inspiring afternoon.

Lynne has written a book 'hook, prod, punch, tuft' which is excellent - it's a well-balanced combination of history, techniques, projects and good photos of 'rugs', old and modern.

Thank you, Lynn, for a great talk.   

Threads of a City: Manchester Tapestry Project

Led by Dr Lisa Gold, Senior Lecturer in History at Manchester Metropolitan University, Threads of a City is a unique, city-wide initiative that brings together students, artists, and community members to celebrate Manchester’s rich history and vibrant present through the art of embroidery

The project is supported by MMU staff, Manchester Histories, and the vibrant community. The aim is to create a large-scale textile tapestry that reflects the stories, cultures, and history that have shaped Manchester from its incorporation in 1853 to today. Through fabric, thread, and shared creativity, the project will capture the spirit of unity, resilience, and identity that defines the city. The completed tapestry will be unveiled at Manchester Town Hall’s grand reopening in 2027.

Threads of a City is more than an artwork; it is a storytelling project, a celebration of Manchester’s history, heritage, and people. Each stitched panel will reflect stories uncovered and interpreted by researchers, artists, and volunteers across Manchester. In Year 1 of the two-year project, from early February 2026, the focus is on research, story curation, and panel design. Later in 2026 the project  will move into the stitching phase.

It's still possible to join in the research phase; 

you can register through Eventbrite. The research phase meeting are all held in the ManchesterHistories Hub on the Lower Ground Floor of Central Library, Manchester on Wednesday afternoons from1pm to 4pm.

You can also share this invitation with others who may be interested. For any questions about the process or ways to get involved, contact us at l.gold@mmu.ac.uk.

There's a blog so you can keep up to date with progress on the project: 

https://threadsofacitymanchester.blogspot.com/

Also on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/threadsofacitymanchester/?hl=en#

and Facebook: Threads of a City: Manchester Tapestry Project.

It's almost time for TexStyle!

This new fibre and textile show is at Manchester Central (formerly G-Mex) this coming Saturday and Sunday, 14th and 15 March. There will be knitting and crochet, quilting and sewing, weaving and more all from independent stitch craft creators.  

Follow the link for more info and the range of ticket options.
https://texstyle.uk/