Exeter Creative Stitchers

Watch This Space for the new Workshops coming soon

Examples of Previous Workshops by Members of the Group

Denim Chatelaine – May 2021

The aim of the session is to be able to complete one of the three shapes/forms that make up the Chatelaine.

Materials required:

1. N.B. If your printed sheet gives you too small shapes, try this: Open the pdf document. highlight the whole page. Copy it (Ctrl.A to copy if a PC) and paste it into a word document. Drag the imagefrom a corner to make it bigger. Click to print but set the options not to fit to sheet. Good luck!!
2. Printed copy of template outer and inner you want to use.
3. Fabric scraps of denim for the exterior (can use upholstery fabric) and the lightweight cotton for lining. Also if you want to decorate your Chatelaine with fabric scraps (see photos of examples) an assortment of lightweight fabrics
4. Plastic or cardboard for template form (enough to make 3 x Outer forms and 3 x Inner forms for your chosen size of template).

 E.g. Thin plastic for making the template forms. (This is a great way to upcycle plastic from your recycle bin.) (Cooked meat plastic trays, plastic milk bottles, ice cream container lids) (Look for the soft plastics that are flexible) (Alternative is to use cereal box cardboard for template forms)

• Thread – various embroidery threads, general sewing cotton to match denim, strong sewing cotton to match denim colour to secure opening.
• Small buttons, beads or other embellishments (optional)
• Thin batting or felt scraps for inner forms
• Craft PVA glue/fabric Glue/Bondaweb (Optional)

Instructions:

1. Cut out template size you want to use from printed copy.
2. Cut out batting for inner templates only (no seam allowance needed) and glue to plastic/cardboard form and leave to dry
3. Draw template onto denim fabric on wrong size making sure you leave a minimum of ½ inch seam allowance for each form/shape.  Then use running stitch along the marked template edge – this will give you a clear idea where to embellish on the right-side of your fabric.

Marilyn’s Pin Cushion (June 2021)

 Here are the requirements for Marilyn’s workshop.

You will need a Cotton Reel

A piece of card to cut a circle 8.5cm diameter

Fabric piece to cut two circles from plus another piece of fabric approx 15cm x 7cm

Small amount of stuffing

Needle and thread.

Small piece of lace to cover the reel.

Embroidered Button in the Style of Sue Spargo
by Judith Venning (July 2021)

For this workshop, you will need:

1. 1 cardboard circle measuring 2½ inches (6.5 cm)
2. 1 cardboard circle measuring 1 ½ inches (4 cm)
3. Felt sufficient to cut out circles of the larger size
4. Mixture of sewing threads – 6 stranded type preferred
5. Sewing kit & scissors
6. Dissolvable fabric (not essential)
7. Sheet of very small squares for making patterns (not essential. You can draw them)
8. Fabric marker pen (not essential)
9. A blank self- cover button or any button measuring about 2 inches
10. Beads & sparkly thin threads for extra enhancement if desired

The large circle will be used for cutting out your felt.  The small circle will be used to mark the inner area that will be decorated.

October 10th – Stitching Workshop by Lynn Bennett

Bring:-

Piece of fabric either printed or stencilled

Backing

Embroidery ring

Embroidery Threads

Usual Sewing equipment.

Also bring work to show and tell from the lock down.

 

 

Heart  by Liz Moon

Requirements

3 pieces of felt no less than 9ins x 12ins in 2 different colours

2 or more colours of size 8 beads in colours to blend with felt.

(this bead size has large enough hole as they need to be stitched on with embroidery thread – check you have a needle that goes through the hole

Sequins, small disc-shaped beads, tiny buttons or similar

Embroidery threads – not thick or use stranded that can be split to 1 or 2 strands

Usual sewing kit

I will bring template of heart shape

small amount of stuffing and odd pieces of felt for decoration

You don,t have to do the same design as me – choose a different theme i.e. indian

, anniversary etc.

Weaving as an Embellishment 8th February 2020 by Annie Moor

Requirements:

1. Assortment of blunt ended needles e.g. large tapestry to smaller cross-stitch sizes.
2. Range of threads e.g. perle cottons, art yarns, skeins of 6 stranded embroidery thread, other threads in a variety of colour and thickness on skeins.
3. Reel of strong thread e.g. buttonhole thread – I will bring a variety of strong threads for warping the looms.
4. Beads – variety of sizes (optional).
5. Paper/cardboard scissors.
6. Small pliers or tweezers and silicone thimble (optional).
7. Normal sewing kit with small scissors.Small crochet hook (optional)
8. I will bring looms, assortment of threads,
9. weaving needles and everything else you will need.

 

Stencilling and Hand Stitch 11th January 2020 by Dee Priest

• You will need:About an A4 piece of fabric. In the sample I used an orangey yellow space dyed cotton but it could be any light or dark colour even with a pattern as long as it’s not too dominant or busy.
• Thin and thick threads to tone or contrast. I often use variegated thread but whatever suits.
• A4 piece of soft, thin wadding or muslin
• Scraps of felt
• Buttons, beads or sequins
• Usual sewing kit

In the morning we will be stencilling the fabric ready to sew. I will bring stencils, acrylic paint and sponges but bring your own if you wish.

As usual my work is full of colour but this would look stunning in a pale rust, cream and tea dyed colour way or in black and white. Let’s start the year with some beautiful simple stitching!

 

Xmas : Decorated Stuffed Elephant – by Lynn

 

Lynn suggests you might want to preparea the piece of cloth with glittery bits of material.

Here is the template:-Elephant

N.B. The exact measurement of the elephant is 13.8cm wide & 10.2cm high, but any proportion can be used to suit your preference. If you print directly from this pdf, the size will be a little smaller, as it adjusts to fit your paper.  (To get nearer to the correct size, download the pdf file first and choose to open it. Then click on Print and set the scale to none)

 

Requirements:-

Xmas Fabric

A4 piece of calico

Beads, sequins & embelishments

Wadding

Decorative Cord

Sewing kit

 

Fabric Journal Houses – by Nicky Peterkin November 2019

Requirements:-

1. 3 fat quarters of fabric
2. Equivalent of felt
3. 2 rectangles of wadding 6” by 8”
4. 4 A4 pieces of card or thick pelmet vilene
5. 4 samples of embroidery for the house walls (no bigger than 4”by 5”)
6. Embellishments to decorate
7. Normal hand sewing kit
8. Assorted threads (some jazzy for outside over stitching)
9. Craft knife and mat
10. INCLUDE things you would like to keep, ie old pieces of clothing, favourite buttons, something with a story behind it