A looking-back and looking-forward morning at Megastitchers for our October meeting.
Looking back - we had a short opportunity to tackle some of the UFOs from previous workshops and get any help we required from the member-tutors present.
Looking forward - Clare and Sue presented some information about the 'Threads of a City' project to create a Manchester Tapestry. The Tapestry will show the history of Manchester - and the wider Greater Manchester area - from the time it became a city in 1853 until the present date, through panels showing social, health, political, sporting and artistic developments. Each panel is one metre square - so plenty of space for images and lots of stitching. Once on display, each will have an accompanying panel explaining how the images tell the story.
And then - without a drumroll, sadly - we had the unveiling of the two panels that Megastitchers' members will be stitching. These are 'Health, Housing & Reform (1853 - 1920)' and 'Birth of Welfare and the NHS' (post WWII - present).
The panels generated lots of discussion about the how, when and where we could start the stitching. One metre square in a sturdy frame on a large stand is quite something to consider! More news next time!
No photos as the panel images are under embargo until the grand unveiling after completion of the Manchester Town Hall renovation, but you can follow the progress of the panels from the initial research that started in February up to the present with the start of the public stitching sesssions this month.
https://www.instagram.com/threadsofacitymanchester/
https://manchesterhistories.co.uk/projects/threads-of-a-city-the-manchester-tapestry-project/
Our afternoon speaker this month was Sally Wilson gave us a talk about moving from painting into free machine embroidery, and overcoming adversity;the catalyst for the change was a traumatic brain injury that she suffered in 2005.
Sally's degree in sculpture gave her the impetus to explore the development of 3D textile work, often created around a welded armature or a stuffed fabric 'body'. She then creates the individual aspects of the subject using intensive machine embroidery on one - or several - of her Berninas.
Sally's work has won several awards in the Madiera and Hand & Lock competitions.
Here are a few photos of the amazing work she brought with her, including some flatter cityscapes. Thank you, Sally for such an inspiring talk.
