Windermere Deanery Mothers' Union quilted banner project

It has been a long time since I attended to this blog but I have been involved in a lovely project which took over my spare time for a while.  I want to show you how the project  progressed in this posting but first let me explain what it was.  If you do not live in Cumbria you may not have heard of one of our treasures, it is Cartmel Priory.  A beautiful place which I have visited in the past on my frequent cycle rides when I used to live in Levens where it was a superb afternoon ride there and back to my house.

Anyway, I was asked if I would make a new quilted banner to be hung in Cartmel Priory but which would be used at the various churches in the Windermere Deanery Mothers' Union.  The design had already been sketched out by the time I was asked to become involved.  So it was just a simple matter then to make the quilt, or was it?



Original sketch showing the Saints heraldry of the churches

I must admit when I saw the complexity of the design my first reaction was how on earth was I to do the heraldry?  Well came the answer from my brain, how about machine embroidery?  Of course that is what I do best, so it was easy then......So what about all that lettering in such a confined space?  Hmm, I pondered it and realised that my desktop publishing skills would be needed there and if I could design the letters on paper then they could be tried and tested before being made out of fabric.  So it was beginning to form in my head, but what about the Langdale Pikes and Windermere?  Easy peasy said my brain.

So here is the design process.

Firstly I spent a lot of time studying images of the Langdale Pikes whenever I felt I needed inspiration.  This is from an old postcard and gives a good idea of what I was looking for.  Clear shapes had to be used for the Pikes to be recognisable. I knew that I would not be able to put in too much detail but I also wanted to make the outline of the hills very sharp against the sky. I also started 'sky watching' anyone out walking with me would have been amused as I looked up at all the combinations of sky I could. I asked my arty friend and the reply was 'don't attempt to do clouds', but I had to do something I thought, so one day I laid out my Egyptian cotton and carefully set to work with my silk paints.  I was quite pleased with the result and decided to start on the lettering, and then I played with the various fonts until I found one which worked.

Spindly lettering did not work but the top font had potential

I also decided that I would need to break the quilt up into chunks to make it easier to design and then sew it together at the end, this meant I could isolate problems and work them to a satisfactory finish before attempting the next stage, a useful tactic which saved me from becoming distracted.  But I did work on some pieces at the same time so as I was designing the sky and lettering I was also starting on the heraldry.

Paper and card mock ups of some of the Saint's heraldry and the MU logo

I designed some of these on my computer and used a drawing from my DH of a medieval sword. I also researched St. Cuthbert's coat of arms.  I had seen his pectoral cross at Durham Cathedral when I went to see the Lindisfarne Gospels exhibition in the summer of 2013.

 

I also spent time looking at banners as used by the Mothers' Union because I wanted to see how they were constructed and took a few photos of banners in Churches I visited.  This all helped to keep the project current in my brain.


Carefully lining up the letters and checking the spacing.

The banner was starting to grow.  So I decided on the main grey fabric for the lake next and then applied pieces of printed paper scenery and auditioned each piece to see if it would work

Playing with cut outs and making decisions



An island for the lake was essential but what colour to use?

It was slow going at times but I was enjoying this bit.  Popping a tree here and there.



A rocky escarpment above the lake was given some leafy plants.

I was not sure what to place along the bottom of the scene so decided to make it look a bit like a rocky ledge with boulders and bits of May flowering plants such as rhododendrons and fox gloves and placed more dark pieces on the lake to make it look like large dark gusts of wind sweeping across the surface.





Nearly there.

The bottom of the quilt was filling up now and the shields had all been placed on three inch squares of green fabric which became lighter as they reached the outside edges, a little touch which made them more jewel like. The background fabric for the shields was chosen to match the top of the rocky ledge which had become important to the design. All of the shields had been embroidered too and they really worked well together.  From the left, St. Mary, the single lily; St. Michael, the cross; St. James, the shells of pilgrimage; St. Paul, the sword and book; MU logo; Holy Trinity, three fishes; St. Cuthbert, his pectoral cross; St. John the Baptist, Maltese cross; and lastly, St. Anne, the lilies.




The scenery design waiting to be embroidered.

Next the exciting bit; I turned on my trusty Bernina, oiled and cleaned her, dropped the feed dogs, and did a trial on my little embroidery frame to check the tension; all good.  I had now to really concentrate and did the sewing in small chunks of about two hours each.  Anymore, and I risked making a costly mistake because tired eyes are no good when you need to be precise.  No photos were taken as the sewing progressed because I was so engrossed and distractions were the last thing I wanted,  no this was full on sewing.

But it was worth it I think.

It was a windy day over the Langdale Pikes.



Dark patches moved across the surface of Windermere.



I signed the quilt off on the back with a feeling of relief and sorrow because it was over.



The date and maker label and the MU Logo on the back.

I liked the calm simplicity of the back of the quilt which contrasted with the front.

A simple, bold set of tabs and no frills border worked well.

There comes a time when you have to part with something you have made and give it to the owners and I felt quite attached to it really.  But I did go to the dedication ceremony on Tuesday (Lady Day) and we had a lovely time at St. John the Baptist's Church, Flookburgh with a lovely service followed by a superb afternoon tea.  So thank you, and well done ladies and special thanks to Gail Swanson for giving me the commission and the lunch too!  I hope you enjoy the banner for years to come.



Finished in time for Rheged on Saturday

Well here is the final version of the wall hanging for Keswick Embroiderer's Guild. I just want to thank all of you who helped out whether it was stitching or advising or designing, it could not have happened without you all.

Pat and I went to Portinscale on Saturday and showed it to Elizabeth who's husband Charles had designed the lettering (Keswick) in the Arts and Crafts style for us. His contribution was essential to the look and all the more precious for us because he was very ill and sadly died before the hanging was finished. So we asked Elizabeth to put the finishing touches to the wall hanging in memory of Charles and I know she was pleased and very proud that his work was part of it.

I know that you will all share with me that proud moment when the wall hanging goes on display at Rheged on Saturday for the North West Regional Day. I hope to see you there as it promises to be a splendid occasion.

Somewhere in Keswick a duo sit stitching

Moira and Sally, those stalwarts of the needle, have been busy getting together on Wednesday afternoons to sew bits and bobs on the wall hanging. They have nearly completed the sides which are made up of various examples of embroidery techniques and they are just about to finish off the grey fleece which was chosen a) to show off the individual pieces and b) to give a flavour of Keswick with its town full of shops selling fleece jackets.

This photo captures them mulling over those last little details which have made the hanging come to life. It also provides them with cover, yes you guessed it, they wanted the photo of them shown on the blog with their heads down....I am only here to oblige, but I do have one of them smiling too for the record. Well done the pair of you, your Chairman is very pleased with the results of your labours and I know that everyone else in the Keswick EG will agree with me.

Meanwhile, Moira also came up with a very simple recipe.


POOR KNIGHTS PUDDING

Take two slices of malt loaf per serving
Fry on both sides in butter
Dip in sugar and cinnamon mixture to coat both sides
Place on a warm serving plate
Put a slice of canned pineapple on top
Lastly pour a little of the pineapple juice over all.


This I am assured is delicious and it is also a very old and well tried recipe which Moira has made for her family. Sally showed me that you can now buy 'Soreen' malted loaf in handy two slice packs. So there you are, no excuses; if you do try it please take a photo and send it to me for the blog.

Labor Omnia Vincit

Well, that was a mouthful, but if you know what it means you will understand why I used it for this posting. It's been a long day, literally, I awoke about 4.55am and nothing I tried would get me back to sleep, so I did the usual and made off for the kitchen to put the kettle on; back in bed with T for 2 and Bella snuggled between the sheets all was cosy. That's when I went through my mental list of all the jobs I have to do between now and Rheged. Don't know why I focused on the Regional Day but it was as good as any other. So I have made a start and number one is the Carpet Bag! Yes I finished it a couple of days ago but had not found time to take the photos, so here are some shots I took this morning.If you remember our ladies were given this lovely Turkish furnishing material by my special friend in Rosthwaite. So I just had to try and make the bag using the best angle on this lovely flower, I think its a poppy. The clever bit is that this fabric is reversed, i.e. I used the back of it not the front as it looked thicker and more lush.




The design I made up myself after studying bags on the internet for a few days I quickly came up with an idea for a bag, then all I had to do was make the pattern and see what happened; like a voyage of discovery. Well it took a few turns here and there but I am so pleased with it, here's an inside view of the red linen material I used for the lining and the little ties and zipper pull.By the way if you click on the photos on this blog most of them come up much bigger so you can really scrutinise the interior of this bag. You can see I made one large horizontal pocket which I sewed down the middle to make 2 (this is the real side of the fabric) and in the background you see a cord with a swivel bolt snap on it for attaching keys or even a purse. Then on the front side you see a long vertical pocket which is useful for glasses or anything long like pens or pencils to take to embroidery class.

But the real beauty of this bag is that it expands...... yes if you undo the side ties and undo the zip all the way (it's open ended) then you have a much bigger space for all that junk you need to carry about. Hey presto, when finished, you do the ties up again and its back to the smaller size. Here's a photo of it fully expanded.I turned it round too so you can see the vertical pocket better. So now if you would like to make this bag yourself, please post a comment. I would be quite happy to make a 2nd one and take photos of each stage and post on this blog, but be warned I cannot be responsible if it does not work out for you, as I am pretty nifty with my hands and sewing machine.
So I can't help you basically and its only my pattern not a commercial one. Also, I used a ring binder folder (thick clear plastic type) for the base and 4 little side 'bones' to make it stand up so you need to be able to cut up plastic safely. I know I could have bought a bag bottom, but I wanted to see what could be done with what I had around.

Here's a side view











March Workshop
This is with Gill Reid and the subject is 'Head Cases' but I am assured that if we are fast we will make more than the head for the doll, so all being well she will come away with a body too.... Not like the photo....
Now you will need the following items to bring to the workshop if you are going to make the doll. Bye the way you need to book this workshop and as usual that means contacting Pat Knifton as she has a list.

½ metre closely woven cotton fabric (flesh colour or cream) - cotton percale sheets are ok
Strong thread to match
Pipe cleaners (optional)
Dress fabrics & trimmings
Yarn for hair
Stuffing
Sharp pencil
Colouring pencils - water colours - acrylic paints - oil pastels - gel pens - fabric paints
Long sewing needles
Paintbrush (very fine)
Cotton wool buds
Any embellishments you like e.g. feathers, beads, shells, silk flowers, foliage etc.
Lastly, a sewing machine will be useful but not vital.

Gill will bring along some cotton fabric and some stuffing if anyone cannot bring some.
If you do not have everything don't worry too much, someone will lend you theirs I expect as friends usually don't mind sharing.

Well that is that and now for something completely different......................................Yes its a sneaky peak at the Wall Hanging, with Lesley's lovely woodland scene at the top, next is Sally's Ruskin Lace and lastly the Fairtrade sign as Keswick is a Fairtrade Town. More photos like this next time.

Cumbrian Hospitality & a little bit of history

Lets kick off this blog with a recipe which I tried this week at a friends house. She is a marvellous cook and runs a Guest House in Rosthwaite which is a cut above your average, with its own sitting room for guests, complete with open fire and their very own kitchen.

She cooks on an old AGA and her kitchen is a large roomy place where she has a table for her Bernina sewing machine and of course she is still sewing all sorts of things on it.

When I first went to the place I was shown all of the guest rooms and each one had a lovingly made quilt on it, all completely hand quilted by the 'lap quilting method'. After the tour of the house I was shown her latest 'block' for her next quilt and of course had to know how it was all done. That was fatal, as I became bitten with the bug. I made my first quilt with the lap method when I was still lecturing full time and remember stitching the blocks on my sewing machine and then spending many evenings by the lamp carefully hand quilting each square.

But let me not digress, I promised a recipe and this one is very good, but I don't have a photo as I have not had a chance to make it myself yet, but rest assured my husband was with me at the tasting and he liked it, so it will have to be made soon....

So here it is

DATE & LEMON BARS

4oz Margarine or butter
1 tbsp Golden Syrup

Melt in a saucepan

Add

5 oz SR Flour
5 oz coconut
4oz chopped dates
2½oz sugar
1 tsp Baking powder

Mix and pour into a lightly greased tin size 11" x 7" and smooth the top.
Bake 300F 25 - 30 mins

When cool, heat juice of a lemon with 4oz icing sugar and pour over the top.
Cut into bars when cold.

Lastly enjoy with good friends and have a natter.

The reason I went out to Borrowdale in the first place was because I had bumped into my friend in Booths Supermarket and she told me she would like to donate some material to our stash as she had been given more than she could use by another contact. Well, we never demure when it comes to material because the rules are YOU NEVER HAVE ENOUGH...Even if your shelves are bulging it is still the same rule..

Well this material looks perfect for making bags. Carpet bags actually. So I trotted off to our meeting on Wednesday with a large cardboard box of the stuff expecting to have to cart half of it back home again after the meeting. Well I needn't have worried, because once I mentioned fabric suitable for bags and finished talking there was nearly a stampede.... But they were told to make the bags and bring them along to show the rest of us so that we could pick out the best ones and then we could set up a workshop to show how it was done.

It always seems to me that no sooner is one item made than they all want to set off and make another....Which is handy really because I had asked them all to contribute some embroidery to a 'banner' to be displayed at our Regional Day next April. We are co - hosting with Cumbria Branch in Carlisle and I wanted something to put behind the Keswick Stall so came up with the idea of a banner. I have since been told to change the name to 'wallhanging' so that I don't attribute the wrong words to the item. Anyway, if you are confused so was I.

I am still not sure what to call IT but IT has started to materialise at last and here are some piccies of work in progress on the ah humm item....






This is Sally placing the copper text at the top of the item. We decided to use actual copper for the letters as it represents the copper mining industry in the area.

You see the sheep left, what a lovely example of a Herdwick, that's the local sheep which is seen on most of the fells around here and in Borrowdale. It was the breed most favoured by Beatrix Potter and she and her farm manager at Hill Top Farm, Tom Storey used to show them at Keswick Show. They had a series of prize winning ewes spanning two decades at the agricultural shows when Tom joined Beatrix in 1927 after leaving Troutbeck Park. Beatrix used to impress her shepherds with her skill at drawing her sheep. Baa

This is one of the smaller squares which have been contributed towards the finished item by each member of our guild. We were all asked to make either a small square or a rectangle to go down both sides of the item which represent the white stones on the side of the Moot Hall in the market square in Keswick. These are acorns which are plentiful around here and they are done in crewel work to remind us of the wonderful day we had Phillipa Turnbull here last year to give us a workshop in beginners crewel work. It was a revelation to many of us and do you know that we all still do it thanks to Phillipa's inspiration. There were so many who volunteered to do a crewel work piece that I thought there might be a problem but happily we don't mind some duplication as all the subject matter is different.



Here is the embroidery of the Moot Hall showing the lovely placement of stone down the sides alternating between squares and rectangles. It has been worked with great skill by Sally who spent hours experimenting with fabric and threads to create just the right image. She used white felt in the end to represent the stones which are so distinctive a feature of the Moot Hall. It was built by German Miners in Queen Elizabeth I's reign to look like their meeting halls back in Germany.