Time for a recipe

It has been a while since we had a recipe, so this one is included for those of you suffering from deprivation I wish I could claim the credit for it, but no, this is from Melanie who added the tip about Brandy; clearly she knows a thing or two.


CUMBERLAND CURRANT CAKE


Cumberland Currant Cake Recipe with Short Pastry, Mixed Peel, Currants, Mixed Spice & Sugar.
INGREDIENTS
Short Pastry
Mixed Peel, Minced
Washed Currants
Mixed Spice
Sugar

METHOD

Roll Short Pastry into an oblong strip 10 by 20 inches. Cut the strips into two 10 inch squares. Spread one square with washed Currants, undried, and sprinkle with Mixed Peel and Mixed Spice, then with Sugar. Brush the edges with water and cover with the second piece of pastry. Lightly press with a rolling pin, prick with a fork, and bake on a buttered tin in a quick oven (375F / 190C / Mark 5). Cut into four when cold.

TIP
Soak the currants first in Brandy or Liqueur for extra flavour.

Melanie also would like to have a demonstration soon on appliqué and its applications. If anyone else is interested in this subject just let me know with details so that I can progress this if at all possible in the near future.

I have done shadow appliqué for City & Guilds embroidery and also have used it on several quilts I have made but there may well be other applications which can be demonstrated too. As a rule I do machine appliqué but I am sure someone will know how to do hand turned as well. For instance one of the rainbow squares I photographed recently ready for sending off in July to the Summer School was hand appliquéd by Sally.





















This next square was machine appliquéd by me.





















So we may be a small group of embroiderers' but we are not lacking in knowledge or skills and I hope to be showing some more rainbow squares soon.

Time for a change

Hi All,

It was a good workshop today with Cath Norman and I hope you all enjoyed it. I was busy with the Rainbow Squares as today was the last day to hand them in. I will be showing some photos of them as soon as I have uploaded them from the camera and tweeked them a bit. Meanwhile, I have changed some of the blogs in the list as some of them were not being updated frequently. I hope you like the ones I have added instead. If you have some you follow and would like them included let me know. I shall keep changing the list because it will keep this blog fresh, but ones that become your favourites can always be bookmarked by yourselves.

Although we will not be meeting for a couple of months during the summer it does not mean that I will not be updating this blog, infact I have it in mind to improve it with some new ideas. I want to add a better system for displaying photos of your embroideries and I have found just the thing but it needs a bit more work on it.

So until we meet again, have a lovely summer and keep stitching.

James Hunting embroidery

This piccie is an example of James Hunting's embroidery. I rather like his style, it seems to combine simple lines with wonderful floral emphasis.

James Hunting post from Melanie Vincent

Dear All,
I just got this through from Phillipa regarding a James Hunting day. Ring her directly if you are interested or forward this to anyone I have missed out and who might be interested.


Hoping you are not burnt to a crisp in this wonderful weather,
Melanie.


James Hunting


New Course Tutor at The Royal School of Needlework
James studied at Goldsmiths
Works with fashion designers Jasper Conran, Julian McDonald, Givenchy, etc.


Embroiderers Guild Scholar over 30s 2006


His own work includes following a line, figurative stitching, mood, flora
http://www.jameshunting.com


Sat 20th June 9.30-12.30 Workshop for members of
The Appleby Young Textile Group (free) and 7-17 year olds (£3)


Sunday 21st June 9.30 - 10.15am talk for all
(free if attending course, £2 if lecture only) followed by
10.30-4.00 Adult workshop (Over 14s £15 per head + £5 materials)
£5 deposit required to secure booking for the workshop please.
Phone Phillipa Turnbull 017683 53683/07736 642996 to book or for more details

Better late than never

Hi All,

I am typing this on a new laptop as my old faithfull developed a malfunction which meant replacing it and completely revamping the whole home network.

So I am back and now I need to catch up on all the news, so I'll start with going backwards and then work forwards if you see what I mean.

Rheged Report by Keswick EG Secretary Pat Knifton follows:-



North West Region meeting at Rheged on 24 April 2009

Keswick branch had the opportunity to co-host this meeting with Carlisle’s Cumberland branch, and a couple of years of discussions took us to the great day in April. Margaret Davies of Carlisle used her expertise to guide us through all the important decisions, but Lyn (Chairman of Keswick branch) and I (Pat - Secretary) enjoyed being involved, and learning how much goes in to create a day that would be enjoyed by all our visitors. The venue at Rheged, near Penrith, is stunning – a building which is almost completely buried beneath the earth, and is full of shopping opportunities of a very tasteful kind. There are art and craft galleries, book shop, delicatessen, etc, and within this warren, the North West Region of the Embroiderers’ Guild held their regional meeting in a very smart lecture theatre.

It was a great day, and really good to be involved. The exhibitions of embroidery, the competition entries and the traders gave us a lot to look at, and the two speakers were first rate. Shirley McKeand visited us from Dumfries, and gave a highly amusing account of her career in haute couture in The House of Worth. No wonder Shirley always looks so good! Maggie Grey chose to talk to us about Celtic Inspirations – and we were inspired! The slides we viewed were very enlightening, and I know I wanted to put all the techniques into practice at the very first opportunity. The concentration on a particular theme for one’s work certainly pays off, and might be interesting for a future workshop at Keswick ….

About 12 of our members took on the role of stewards, and I think all enjoyed the experience. There were very few mishaps – perhaps more chairs at lunch time would have been appreciated, and the many stairs and escalators to reach the various levels within the building were difficult for some of our less able visitors – but on the whole we caught the feeling that Carlisle and Keswick had fulfilled their role well in running the meeting. What a great way to spend the day! Pat