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Archives for March 2020

March 25, 2020 by Ann Bernard

Stitching 400 Years 0f History

Almost almost everyone will know of the Bayeux Tapestry, an enormous embroidered frieze which recorded the events of the Norman Conquest and the Battle of Hastings in 1066. But the Bayeux Tapestry is not the only piece of epic embroidery undertaken to commemorate a major event.

In the city of Plymouth in Massachusetts, USA, a team of dedicated embroiderers and historians decided to create something to rival the Bayeux Tapestry in order to mark the 400th anniversary of the pilgrim’s arrival on their on the shores in 1620.

Putting stitches into one of the early panels.

         The final design will consist of 20 panels each measuring 6 feet in length.

Right from the outset there was recognition that the project had to tell two stories. Although the pilgrims had arrived on the Mayflower in November 1620, the land they arrived on was not uninhabited. The Wampanoag people had lived on the land for thousands of years and their history was a fundamental part of local lore.

As such, a number of historical contributors were recruited to determine the narrative of each panel, the most appropriate imagery to tell the story, and the total timeline to be displayed

A panel with threads and wools selected. and example stitches sourced. (source).

Elizabeth Creeden, a talented local needlework designer, was appointed to make the drawings and plan the embroidery for each panel. This required research, consultation and many preliminary drawings. Elizabeth would work on one panel at a time, finally making a drawing to scale on paper the same size as the linen it was to be printed on.

Elizabeth Creeden at work (source).

This drawing would then be sent to Trustworth Studios who printed it on the linen – no easy task. Although when the first panels started coming back, the accuracy of the print was such that there  only a variation of a single thread across the entire 6 feet!

As you can imagine, completing such a project would mean thousands and thousands of stitching hours.

But right from the start it was determined that the stitching would be a communal task. Over the years since the project started, panels have been taken to conferences, workshops and meetings to allow all members of the public to contribute.

Embroidery has been done by children and adults, women and men, highly experienced embroiderers and people who have just started out. Although guidance was given to maintain a standard of quality across the peace, Elizabeth Creeden deliberately designed each panel with stitches simple enough that anyone could learn how to do them and play their part.

Stitchers working together. (source).

Although the opportunity to attend the public workshops have now passed, there are still panels being worked on with the entire project expected to be completed and assembled in 2021

While the celebration date for the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower is in November 2020 a lot of the story of the pilgrims survival occurred in 1621 so the time scale is still on track.

A number of the completed panels will be on display as the November celebrations get closer. But the final, completed tapestry will be the one to see once it’s all put together.

A completed panel  (source).

Not only will the completed tapestry tell the story of the pilgrims, the Wampanoag people and the development of the area, but it will create a memorial which is sure to still be admired in 1000 years time, just as the Bayeux Tapestry is today.

To read more about this amazing project, you can read an article in the Embroiderer’s Guild of America or check out the Pilgrim Hall Museum and website.

Reprinted from  Inspirations Newsletter   news@inspirationsstudios.com

This electronic newsletter is published every Friday and originates from Australia.

Contact them to be on their emailing list.  Always interesting content.

 

 

 

 

 

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March 19, 2020 by Ann Bernard

An Irish Village. Well worth visiting! Enjoy.

See an Entire Northern Ireland Village Knitted Out of Wool

An incredible yarn from Cloughmills, County Antrim.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/entire-northern-ireland-village-knitted-wool-crochet-cloughmills-county-antrim?utm_medium=atlas-page&utm_source=facebook.com

I tried to copy and paste the article for you but it did not work well.  It is amazing what can be accomplished when a group of ladies gets together and decides on a project.

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March 18, 2020 by Ann Bernard

Pandemic times. Let us share how we cope and our creative endeavors.

Life on this planet, earth, is changing rapidly.  Every day seems to be a crisis and for many of us, it is only the early days of this pandemic.  I send best wishes to all readers and hope that you will stay safe and well during the next few months.  It is not easy for anyone and it will hurt us all in different ways.

To help our courage and mental health, I suggest that during this crisis, that we share how we are coping.                We can also share how we are spending our time.  Many of us will use the time of isolation as a time to be creative.

What stitching are you working on?  Do you have questions about your project?

My current project is mundane.  I work these glasses cases when in a group and the focus is more on chattering than on stitching.  They are ‘busy hands’ work.  The kits originate with the cruise companies and sit, unstitched, in stash collections, all over the world.

I will also tell you, that I am no longer young, or even middle aged.  The passing years now qualify me as ‘old’. My vision has deteriorated recently and even this project is hard on my eyes.  Thanks to the professional and excellent care I have received, I am able to see adequately for all normal activities.  In a previous lifetime, I would have been blind decades ago.  A profound thank you to medical research and the skills the doctors have developed.

Send me your suggestions for coping with this pandemic.  Please also send me a photo of your current creative project together with a brief write up of who you are.  We would also love to see how your project progresses.

      email me at ann@annbernard.com

Let us communicate and support each other.

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