Graduate Showcase etc. at the Harrogate Knitting & Stitching Show 2015

Helen Sill and her work

Helen Sill was exhibiting this year as the Embroiderers' Guild (EG) Education Scholar.  This is a new project which Helen is involved with which aims to "to reinvigorate the teaching of stitch in the classroom by providing ideas and top quality resources for teachers that will be linked to the new National Curriculum". The EG hope to roll this out in 2016.  Helen's work made quite an impact because it's great and because of her use of a single colour (red).

Julie Heaton - Camera

Julie Heaton's work was fantastic. The detail and precision are amazing.  Very interesting to have a traditionally male subject (car engine) represented through a traditionally female medium (stitch).

Julie Heaton - Car Engine

I also found Sarah Tran's sculptural origami and Holly Hart's 3D assemblages interesting.

Sarah Tran - Sculptural Fabric Origami

Holly Hart - 3D assemblage

And Alice Selwood's cushions were fab (no photos allowed)

The Kingston University & the WI Celebrating 100 Years of Craft Knitwear Project was also on display which I blogged about earlier this year.

Bonnie Gibbons - Kingston University, Karen Griffiths & Audrey Wilson - WI

If you want to read more about this year's Knitting & Stitching Show in Harrogate then I have some more blogposts about the Textile Gallery:

Click here for the one about the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland "Entwined Memories", Stella Harding or New Zealand Contemporary Textiles

Click here for the one about Michala Gyetvai, Isobel Hall, Amanda Clayton & Vivien Prideaux, Helen Pailing & Festival of Quilts Winners - Catherine Groves & Joy Salvage.

Altogether another great show!

Kingston University & the WI Celebrating 100 Years of Craft

WI - Lottie Beard, Mary-Rose Holland, Kingston Graduate - Pippa Harries

You may have spotted in the news that the WI (Women's Institute) are celebrating their centenary this year.  You may even have been to their Centennial Fair in Harrogate this month. And if you did, you probably came across the exhibition of the WI/Kingston University Knitwear Project. 

WI- Lesley Fidler, Judi Smith, Kingston Graduate - Verity Gerner

This project teamed WI members with final year Kingston University Fashion students specializing in knitwear. Each student had two WI members in their team.  The outcome of the collaboration was on display.  
 

WI - Dawn Bailey, Pamala Bugler, Kingston Graduate - Naomi Barker

 

WI - Frances Cowper Holzhausen, Joanna Helme, Kingston Graduate - Grace White

The aims of the project included the sharing of craft skills, intergenerational learning (the oldest participant was 86), developing communities of practice and broadening research skills.  WI members gained an insight into modern design practice and the students were able to tap into the wealth of WI members' knowledge - both skills based and cultural.

WI - Maureen Adley, Billie Melville, Kingston Graduate - Esme Stainthorpe

The garments were all rather fab - here I have featured just some of the work on show and you can read more about the project here.