The Magazine is full of interest and information written byyou, the Members.

Be transported to Trinidad and share a Christmasevocatively recalled by Vidhya. Share in her descriptions of

the tastes and smells conjured up from her childhood memories.Or travel to Gambia, with Rosemary, for a holiday of a

lifetime where she spent time away from the commercialismand hype of an English Christmas.

Finally we must sadly say goodbye to Shirley Baldwin,who has played a large part in the recent history of the Guild.

Ruth Smith has written a very fitting obituary to hermemory.

May Christmas end your year on a happy note whilst itmakes way for a fresh new year. Include in your New Year

Resolutions the making of time to stitch. I wish you all avery merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

Keep Stitching

From the Editor

The purpose of embroidery is to beautify an otherwise plain surface by means of stitchery. Thegolden rule is to use embroidery materials in harmony with the fabric to which they are applied. Failureto observe this principle may give rise to unexpected problems, and the result will invariably lack thedesired effect.

When confronted with an elaborate and intricate piece of embroidery, which may have entailedyears of painstaking effort, it is difficult to envisage its composition as an arrangement of basically simplestiches. True enough, advanced embroidery consists of a skilful blend of imaginative design, coloursenseand method attained only after considerable practice and experience. But there is nevertheless a set ofbasic methods and stiches on which the more elaborate forms of embroidery are founded.

SourceHome Handicrafts IllustratedThe homeworkers book of practical instruction in eleven popular crafts.Odhams Press LimitedFirst Published 1951

Embroidery

Many EG members wil l be saddened to hear that Shirley

Baldwin died on November 28th. She is survived by her

husband and childhood sweetheart, John, their two children

and four grandchildren.

It was in 1980 that Shirley first joined the EG after having

moved to Hampshire. Wanting to make new friends she

became a member of the Winchester Branch and five years

later became Branch Chairman for the first time. Before

long she extended her activities to Hampton Court,

stewarding at Guild exhibitions, for example. In 1989 Shirley

was nominated to the Executive Committee by Ann Joyce,

the first EG Director. Shirley took her responsibil ities very

seriously and served for the next eight years during the

demanding period when the Guild was searching for a new

home. Another important contribution was that of

Treasurer of the newly formed SEW Region. The banking

experience she had gained as a young woman ensured her

meticulous accounting, a skil l which was especial ly

appreciated when lottery funding was granted to fund

SEWs programme of activities during the Guilds centenary

year.

Shirleys craft skil ls were in upholstery and soft furnishing

and she was always keen to point out that she was not an

embroiderer! She claimed not to have the patience.

However, she loved and appreciated embroidery, acquiring

Shirley BaldwinShe Will Be Sadly Missed

contemporary pieces and following changing trends with

great interest. She believed that her role was to support and

to encourage embroidery rather than do it herself; and felt

that she could best do this through the EG at both local and

national levels.

Shirley was a Friend and Life Member of the Guild. She

always looked forward to attending the AGM weekends

which she greatly enjoyed, and where she became known

for her searching questions. She had an eye for detail , a

l ively and enquiring mind and a concern for the proper

handling of Guild affairs as she saw it. Her knowledge of the

constitution was second to none.

Shirleys fondest memories of her Guild membership, and

indeed her legacy, relate to the Winchester Panel, a huge

9x6 foot embroidery depicting some of the landmark

buildings in the city set against a backdrop of trees and hil ls.

Made during her chairmanship by the Winchester Branch it

marked their 25th anniversary in 1988. It was due to her

initial idea and efforts to find a suitable venue that the

project got off the ground. The panel formed the

centrepiece of the Branchs Silver Anniversary Exhibition

before being transported to the Royal Hampshire County

Hospital where it has remained on display ever since. It is a

testament to her notable contribution and to the energy

and dedication she gave to the Guild;

she wil l be sadly missed.

A long way from the SEW region, but a few days in Fife provided theopportunity to visit the Mary Queen of Scots exhibition at the NationalMuseum of Scotland (ended 17th November). This reflected on the mainevents of her life, particularly during her time in Scotland and includedseveral embroideries among the exhibits.

The most important was one of the Oxburgh hangings, the MarianHanging, which has the hand and pruning fork as its centrepiece with themotto 'Virtue flourishes from its wounds'. It is surrounded by bird andanimal motifs including a dolphin, a bird of America and a tortoiseclimbing a tree. It is always exciting to see a hanging on display instead ofpeering at small reproductions in books.

The exhibition also highlighted how much embroidery is often wronglyattributed to Mary Queen of Scots and her four Maries (her lifelongattendants). A stunningly well-preserved hanging from Lochleven Castleattributed to her was on display. It has been shown to be late 16th century(after Mary's death) but is stitched with typical 16th century motifs inbands of appliqud black velvet surrounded by satin dots and basket stitchon red wool.

The Morton valances were also on display. Again these were once said to bethe work of the four Maries, but are now proved to be of a later date.These depict Elizabethan figures worked in canvas stitching.

Images of both these hanging can be seen atwww.nms.ac.uk/highlights/mary_queen_of_scots/wall_hanging.aspx

The exhibition also included four large costume dolls made by VictoriaCairns in 2003, two of Mary Queen of Scots, one of her husband, LordDarnley and one of Elizabeth I. From studies of contemporary paintingsand engravings, and extensive costume research, she has recreated scalemodels of them. On the underskirts of both Mary and Elizabeth, thedetailed embroidery of flowers, animals and birds on silk is stunning. Theembroidery has been carefully scaled down and meticulously worked. Theouter garments are ornamented with gold braid, lace, velvet, fur,beadwork and jewels. Examples of Victoria Cairns work can be seen athttp://www.ladyoffinavon.com/home/

The last were an unexpected surprise in the exhibition and added to theoverall enjoyment of spending a day in such a wonderful museum.

Sue Moys

MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS EXHIBITION,EDINBURGH

All day long you sit andsew,

Stitch life down for fear itgrow,

Stitch life down for fear weguess

At the hidden ugliness.Dusty voice that throbs with

heat,Hoping with your steel-thin

beatTo put stitches in my mind,

Make it tidy, make it kind,You shall not: I'll keep it

freeThough you turn earth, sky

and seaTo a patchwork quilt to

keepYour mind snug and warm

in sleep!The Lady with the Sewing Machine

Edith Sitwell

Solent Branch is lucky enough to be within reach of Guild HQ.In early September we filled a 19 seater and arrived at Embroiderer' Guild

House in time for morning coffee and a very warm welcome.The exhibition space is light and spacious and at the time of our visit was

filled with inspirational work from the Guild's collection.We had requested a huge number of folios to look at and we were mightily

impressed that they were all out ready for us.A big thank you should go to all those who have been and are still involved

in the restoration of the folios: they are a wonderful resourceand our branch will be borrowing material to support and inspire future

workshops.If you can get to HQ and haven't managed it yet can I suggest that you make

it one of your New Year resolutions?Margaret Mainwaring

Visit to Walton-on-Thames

Please can you tell us a little about yourself

I graduated from Eastleigh College with a degree in Textile Arts, which I undertook aftercompleting a City and Guilds Diploma. I was thrilled to be selected for the graduateshowcase at the Knit and Stitch show in 2013. As well as being a member of other groups, Iam a member of the Andover Branch of the Embroiderers' Guild.

What were your early influences

I had always enjoyed sewing and it was not until I joined an evening class in 1980 that Ibecame aware of the scope of embroidery and textile stitch.

Tell us a little bit about your process and the environment inwhich you like to work

During the City and Guilds courses, I, of course, experimented withmany types of stitch, dyeing and other textile art formes. But it wasfree machine embroidery that really inspired me.I am very fortunate to go to Africa twice a year and all my work isinfluenced by my trips there. Photography is very important to meand it is through my photographs that I am able to record my travelsand experiences. Wildlife is my predominant theme but also thepeople and landscapes have an influence.It is Zebras that are my particular favourite design source. The stripesare all individual to each animal in a similar way that our fingerprintsare individual to us. These stripes influence much of my work at the

moment and it was experimenting with them in mind thatevolved into the pieces of work for my graduate show.

Do you like to use a sketch book

I used to shy away from sketchbooks but I learnt during mydegree course how useful they are. Mine are not only used fordrawing but also for jotting down ideas, keeping websites andemails safe, adding interesting photographs, fabric and smallstitch samples. So my sketchbooks have become a referencetool.

How do you see your work evolving in the future

I am not quite sure how my work willevolve in the future. I think it is goodnot to have too many hard and fastrules on where you want to go but tolet your work develop as you areinspired. I have just returned from asafari to Botswana and Zambia,during which I gathered freshinspiration for a completely newbody of work that I am eager tobegin.I will continue to work with freemachine embroidery and

particularly using water soluble fabric. I like this because it enables me to create holeypieces. I am starting to use this technique to create large pieces of work.

Have books inspired you

I found two books that particularly inspired me.Africa Art Now and African textiles by ChrisSpring.

Will you be exhibiting in 2014

I am still in the process of deciding where toexhibit. The details will be put on my web site.www.janmcgarry.com

After visiting The Bishops Palace in Waterford, Eire with my sister and husband we had a combinedticket to visit the adjacent building housing the Waterford Museum where we a found a stunning displayof fifteen century Benediction copes and High Mass vestments which quote:-Affords a rare insight into the richness of Liturgical practice in late medieval Ireland

The embroideries are even more remarkable for their period by the unusually largenumber of figures and details in each panel.Eamonn McEneaney with Rosemary Ryan Waterford Treasures. A

guide to the historical and archaeological treasures of WaterfordCity. www.treasure-troves.com

From Cromwellian times the vestments hadlaid hidden for 125 years until they wereaccidentally found when John Roberts was

in the process of demolishing the medievalcathedral in 1774.

What a find they are, particularly since they have been restored totheir former glory of wonderful crimson, emerald and gold which shine out again like new.The copes are a set of embroideries which follow great cycles of the Old and New Testaments through thelife of Christ to the Last Day and Salvation of Souls.The High Mass vestments consist of a chasuble, dalmatic and tunicle, all of green velvetbrocades on cloth- of- gold ground.The decorated panels on the front of the cope are worked withsilver-gilt metal threads, coloured silks with split, brick andstem stitching. There is also couched work which wasperfected in Flanders. There is shaded gold work, OrNue technique on linen fabric.

Ogive arches framethe scenes and thescenes are worked in gold thread laid over string and parchment paddingwith blue silk spandrels.The semi circular Magi cope which is one and a half metres high and twometres wide is made of brocade velvet on cloth- of- gold ground withpomegranate design in red silk pile and tiny gold loops coming throughthe pile. There are asymmetrical patterns of undulating stems, leaves andstylised pomegranates.The book also states the velvet came off a Florentine loom about 1480.If you happen to visit County Waterford the Waterford Museum will notdisappoint. I was enthralled and excited on entering the room whereeach of these vestments is so splendidly displayed.

Julia Webster

Waterford Treasures - The MagiCope

Christmas Fairies

Wokingham Branch madeChristmas fairies and hung themon a bonsai tree. For Christmasthey will hang on a Christmas

tree in the centre of Wokinghamwhich will raise money for

Charity

It's a Swedish customTo have a bird's nest inyour Christmas tree willbring you good fortune in

the coming year...

Prepare yourself mentally for sewing. Thinkabout what you are going to do. Neverapproach sewing with a sigh or lackadaisically.Good results are difficult when indifferencepredominates.Never try to sew with a sink full of dirty dishesor beds unmade. When there are urgenthousekeeping chores, do these first so yourmind is free to enjoy your sewing. When yousew, make yourself as attractive as possible. Puton a clean dress. Keep a little bag of Frenchchalk near your sewing machine to dust yourfingers at intervals. Have your hair in order,powder and lipstick put on. If you areconstantly fearful that a visitor will drop in oryour husband will come home and you willnot look neatly put together you will notenjoy your sewing.

ADVICE FROM A SINGER SEWING MACHINEMANUAL 1949

Overhead at the end of a tour of the Old Jameson Distillery where twomen where chatting.

" Yeah, it wasn't a bad tour but I do remember that at the end of theCoca Cola Factory we did receive a pencil case."

I wonder what they expected; a free bottle of whisky

Chairman'sChristmas Message

Christine

For your Diary

The Committee of theSEW Region all wish

you a very MerryChristmas and a Happy

New Year