Harrogate Knitting & Stitching Show 2022 - All the Other Exciting Bits - Part 3

Hawes Yarnbombers - Crocheted Shrek

It occurs to me that in my previous posts I missed out some of the other wonders of last year's Knitting & Stitching Show so I'm going to whizz through just some of them!

Hawes Yarnbombers - Crocheted Ogre Princess Fiona & Lord Farquaad

First of all (largely because this is what I came across first) the Hawes Yarnbombers had a Shrek display and as a Yarnstormer myself I thought I should tantalise you with some pics! And here are their useful top 10 tips if you want to try some yarnbombing/yarnstorming yourself...

Hawes Yarnbombers Tip 10 Yarnbombing Tips

You may not know but the Royal School of Needlework (RSN) celebrated their 150th anniversary in 2022.  They had some amazing work on show.  Guislaine Peart's creative box Larder contains 82 pieces of cardboard covered in fabric and stitched together and has stumpwork foodstuffs - fab!

RSN Advanced Diploma Student Ghislaine Peart - Larder

Paris Morthorpe's creative box was a Colonial Williamsburg House and Garden...

RSN Advanced Diploma Student Paris Morthorpe
- Colonial Williamsburg House and Garden

Those stitchers amongst us may find the online RSN Stitch Bank very useful too. At time of writing it contained 275 stitches. Each stitch entry contains information about its history, use and structure as well as a step-by-step method with photographs, illustrations and video.  You can access it here.

The Quilters' Guild had an exhibition relating to quilts and the written word - Text & Context...

Winifred Dodge - Clothes Label Coverlet

Winifred Dodge's Clothes Label Coverlet was made in the 1980s from over 2000 woven clothes labels - some firms are no longer in existence.  It shows one way textiles can incorporate text that often goes unnoticed.

Lesley Brankin - Belonging

The radiating words in Lesley Brankin's Belonging quilt reflect what the Quilters' Guild means to its members and was a collaborative piece.

Jo Avery - Intertwined

I loved this colourful quilt of geometric flowers and leaves by Jo Avery.

And who could fail to be impressed by Shenley Brook End School's Going for Gold quilt inspired by the gold collecting dragon in Tolkien's The Hobbit...

Shenley brook End School - Going for Gold

The Embroiderers' Guild had work on display, including EG Scholar David Morrish...

Embroiderers' Guild Scholar - David Morrish

and graduates, Suzy Ager...

Embroiderers' Guild Graduate Showcase - Suzy Ager

Eliza Gommershall...

Embroiderers' Guild Graduate Showcase - Eliza Gommershall

Adrian Wa...

Embroiderers' Guild Graduate Showcase - Adrian Wa

Amelia Fern Gething...

Embroiderers' Guild Graduate Showcase - Amelia Rose Gething

Embroiderers' Guild Graduate Showcase - Amelia Rose Gething

All in all lots to be excited about. Looking forward to the next Knitting & Stitching Show in Harrogate (16-19 November 2023) already!

2015 & Cornelia Parker - Part 2 at St Pancras & the British Library

This is Part 2 of my journey through 2015 with Cornelia Parker ...

One More Time - Cornelia Parker

(Quick recap - I have already admitted that until 2015 I hadn't really come across Cornelia Parker - and then suddenly her work seemed to be everywhere.  Parker (b. 1956) is known for her large scale, often site specific, installations.  She works in a variety of mediums and collaborates with many bodies and institutions. Part 1 dealt with her exhibition at the reopening of The Whitworth, Manchester)

To continue ... in 2015 Cornelia Parker also had work on display in St Pancras Station, London.  Here as part of the Terrace Wires public art programme, where artworks are suspended from the Barlow Shed roof for a period of 6 months, she had "One More Time".  A replica working DENT clock in black and silver was hung 16m in front of the original station clock.  For arriving passengers, the artwork gradually eclipses the original station clock.  The work is meant to promote thoughts on the passage of time, life and mortality.  The clock was made by DENT, who also made the original (& Big Ben).  Hope they find somewhere in the station for it permanently - even if not serving its original artistic purpose - it's a very nice clock!

Magna Carta (An Embroidery) - detail

Then just down the road at the British Library, I found "Magna Carta (An Embroidery)" which at almost 13m long is a hand embroidered replica of the Wikipedia entry of 15 June 2014 for the Magna Carta (its 799 anniversary). Embroidered by 200 people, it was created to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta and acts as a contemporary interpretation.  (In case you don't know - Magna Carta, which means "The Great Charter", is one of the most important documents in history as it established the principle that everyone is subject to the law, even the king, and guarantees the rights of individuals, the right to justice and the right to a fair trial.)

The piece was displayed flat under glass

To create this, Parker captured the Wikipedia entry on 15 June 2014 and printed it out onto cloth (half panama cotton).  It was then divided into 87 sections and dished out to various people to complete.  The bulk of the text was done by Fine Cell Work, a social enterprise who train prisoners in needlework and provide paid employment for the work they do.  The pictures, logos and emblems were completed by members of the Embroiderers' Guild (EG), the Royal School of Needlework and the embroidery company, Hand & Lock.  The Royal School of Needlework then put it all back together again.  At Parker's invitation particular words and phrases were completed by a variety of people from many walks of life for which that aspect of the Charter had some special resonance.

Doreen Lawrence embroidered "justice", "denial" & "delay"

Jarvis Cocker embroidered "Common People"

It's a fantastic piece of work.  Here are just a few highlights.

1225 Magna Carta issued by Henry III stitched by Ann Carrick & Elaine Dunn (EG - North East Region)

Pope Innocent III stitched by Anthea Godfrey (EG - Eastern Region) - it took 450 hours to complete!

You can even see what it looks like underneath

Jurist Edward Coke stitched by Shirley Smith & Zita Szabo (EG - Yorkshire and the Humber Region)

King John signs Magna Carta stitched by Janet Payne (EG - Eastern Region)

Page from a 14th Century manuscript stitched by Jane Drummond (EG - East Midlands Region)

You really need to see it in all its glory to get the full effect.  It is currently travelling around the country.  If it comes your way do go and take a look, it's well worth it!  And here are all the people who helped make it ...

A masterly collaboration! You can watch a YouTube video about it here.