In the spring of 2023 member of the guild studied the history of pockets. As part of that study, members were encouraged to make and embellish pockets.
Since then a proposal to exhibit the pockets has been suggested to the Silk Purse in West Vancouver and has been accepted. Members have been encouraged to add to the collection. The image presented below is the pattern template used to make the pockets. Feel free to embellish with needlework of your choice.
Congratulations to Elizabeth Janzen, one of our members for receiving a remarkable honour. In recognition of her work in safeguarding “Boutis” as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of France, the Government of France and France Boutis have granted her the right and privilege to attach the official Intangible Heritage Emblem logo to her work. She is the first Canadian woman to receive this honour. The emblem allows her to use the logo to promote Boutis through workshops, exhibitions, publications and artistic creations, although she may not use it for commercial purposes.
The Intangible Heritage Emblem logo symbolizes authenticity and quality, representing specific adherence defined by the Cultural Heritage Inventory. Elizabeth’s recognition underscores her embodiment of the purposes outlined in the UNESCO Convention for Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage adopted on October 17, 2003. Her respect and commitment to understanding, practicing and passing along the art of Boutis, showcased through her expertise, teaching endeavours, and advocacy for French Boutis exemplifies why she was bestowed this honour.
You can read more about Boutis here and on Elizabeth’s beautiful Boutis website here . Enjoy reading her blog Welcome to the World of Boutis. This is clear evidence why Elizabeth had been awarded this prestigious honour.
To find out more about UNESCO Convention for Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, visit Wikipedia’s information here.
During the Cherry Blossoms: A Textile Translation exhibit, there are demonstrations of various textile techniques every Saturday and Sunday during the tenure of the exhibit. You can view the schedule on our Calendar. You can find out more by clicking here.
On Sunday, April 7, 2024 two of our members Bonnie Adie and Linda Spence demonstrated various hand stitching using embroidery stitches.
The time was spent greeting interested visitors, introducing some to textiles for the first time and answering textile related questions.
According to Bonnie, it was the perfect way to spend an afternoon. Thanks to Bonnie, these are pictures of some of the items on display along with a picture of Linda doing some hand stitching.
If you haven’t already done so, why not come by for our Thursday Stitch-In held the second Thursday of every month from September to June. Enjoy the camaraderie of other stitchers while working on your project or a group project.
This month’s activity Stitching with Wool – A Sampler. The activity is approached as ongoing and members can bring their Sampler to work on at the various Stitch-In meetings. As this is a sampler, members are encouraged to practice and experiment with a variety of embroidery stitches with wool. This will be an opportunity for members to share the “how to” of various different stitches and will have a chance to notice the various different styles of stitches.
No one person will be teaching but help will always be available for members to learn a new stitch or two.
Members may sign up for a Stitching with Wool kit and purchase it at this April’s meeting for a cost of $25. The kit contains everything you need to complete this project including: a 6″ wooden spindle to create the scroll for a sampler of wool stitches, 5 pieces of 6″ x 12″ linen fabric, assorted colours of wool year, a crewel needle and supplies to make a pin cushion for the top. Member Roberta McLaren will demo “making the scroll’s pincushion top” to start off the monthly Stitch-In project.
Sit back, relax and spend some time stitching with other members at our in-person Stitch-Ins.
The sun is shining and the blossoms are starting to show!!
It’s that time of year again when the Silk Purse Art Centre hosts Cherry Blossoms: A Textile Translation. This annual event showcases the artistry of regional textile artists’ interpretation of the colours excitement and fascination of Cherry Blossom Festival.
The opening for this exhibit is April 4 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. You don’t want to miss this!!
Each Saturday and Sunday during the exhibit there will be demonstrations in a multitude of techniques. You can check the hours for the Silk Purse Gallery and get further information here.
So what’s a dendrite and why would a needle arts group be interested? Well…let’s start at the beginning with a definition. What exactly is a dendrite? According to the dictionary it is a branched extension of a neuron that receives signals from other neurons and transmits those signals to the cell body. Wow!! that’s scientific!!! but what does that have to do with needle art? On March 14 our member, Helen McCrindle will lead a workshop at our Thursday Stitch In that will have us creating dendrite shapes using paint and a printing process. The resulting images will look something like this.
You will need to bring the following items when you come to our Thursday Stitch In.
2 pieces of glass 6 – 8” approximately, the same size
3 pieces newspaper
Plastic spray bottle for water (or share with friend)
3 sheets paper towel
3-4 pieces cotton fabric 9-10” square or rectangle, prewashed and pressed if you wish
2” piece of masking tape
Paper bag to transport your creations
Just imagine the stitchery that could be created around the shapes that you’ve printed. After you have made a few of the shapes, what if you embellish the shapes with various stitches? What if you printed the shapes to paper and stitched into the paper? The possibilities are endless. Come join us and see what you can come up with.
You’ve got a basket that you have been tossing your orts, scraps, and solitary buttons into. It holds all those little things that are just too delicious to throw away but couldn’t be used in the project you were working on at the time. It’s been sitting in your studio, or next to your comfy chair, just crying out to be used in some fashion. Well members, have we got something for you that just might fit the bill.
Meet Gnarls the little creature that’s been hiding your scissors on you, or misplacing your glasses, or stowed away the project you just had in your hands a moment ago. You know the one…the “I didn’t do it” one.
And here is his cousin, Gnarly. He’s just as mischievous. Our member Roberta McLaren will lead you through the process of creating your own little creature. Will he have blue eyes and orange hair, or green hair and orange eyes? Will he be sporting a patched vest or pink trousers? That will all be up to you.
Here’s your chance to put your creative design in play using that basket we referred to earlier, or gather up some ephemera that you think will work nicely to create your own Gnarls & Gnarly.
It’s all taking place at Roberta’s home on March 9, 2024 from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Refreshments will be provided throughout the day. Register by sending an email to Bonnie at [email protected]. The cost is $75 and includes a supply kit.
You will need to bring your sewing machine, sewing basket complete with scissors, threads, needles , pins, etc. and of course an enthusiastic imagination. If you have any special buttons, yarn, trims, etc. that you would like to use for embellishing your little creature, please bring them along.
We’ll look forward to see what personality you give your Gnarls & Gnarly.
In the late summer, North Shore Needle Arts Guild applied to the Silk Purse Gallery in West Vancouver for an exhibition in 2024 and we were accepted!!! Our exhibit will be called “Pick a Pocket” and here’s the details we have so far. There will be lots more information, posters and all sorts of visuals a little closer to the time of our exhibition.
The exhibition will be on display Oct. 16 – Nov. 9 , 2024, and with October being Women’s History Month in Canada, the gallery thought the subject of this exhibition would make a great fit for this time of year. And we agree!! We are super excited not just to get an exhibition in this lovely gallery but to have such a perfect spot on the calendar as well.
If you missed out making a pocket during the Virtual Wednesday sessions now is your chance. All North Shore Needle Art Guild members are welcome to create a pocket and have it shown at the exhibition. If you would like a digital copy of the pattern please contact any one of the ABC team and we will be happy to send it along.
Anni Hunt, Bonnie Adie and Catherine Nicholls. Please direct any questions to Catherine [email protected]
Here is an opportunity to learn about a traditional stitchery technique.
Boutis is a traditional needlework technique specific to the Languedoc and Provencal regions of the south of France, whose origins can be traced to the port city of Marseilles in the 15th century. Here it became a highly popular form of embellishing plain, most often white cotton and was a much sought after textile into the 18th century. However with the advent of the Industrial Revolution of the late 18th century and the invention of the sewing machine, came a decline in its popularity. it was during the latter part of the 20th century that there has been a renewed interest in the craft thanks to the active promotion of local artisans and their 31 boutis associations throughout France.
Most commonly referred to as “Boutis” today, the official names are “Piqûre de Marseille” (Stitch of Marseilles) and “Broderie de Marseille” (embroidery of Marseilles). The name “boutis’ come from the ancient provençal word “emboutie” which means to stuff or to cord. Not to be confused with quilting (matelessage) or trapunto, Boutis is a raised, dimensional textile sculpture, hand stitched and corded to create relief via a network of narrow, raised channels which highlight the designs and patterns through the play of light and shadow.
The design is constructed by layering two pieces of cotton batiste together, stitching around motifs and narrow channels that outline the pattern and then, after the stitching is completed, inserting cotton yarn through these same channels. It’s the addition of the cording that relief is created, which defines and gives life to the patterns and motifs of the piece.
In France, boutis is a registered artisanal technique unique to Provence. In 2019 the technique and name were designated as an Intangible Cultural heritage and have been placed un the protection of the French Ministry of Culture.
We have a unique opportunity to learn this technique which is infrequently taught (if ever in Canada) in a workshop led by our very own member Elizabeth J., who is quite an expert. This will be an enviable addition to your needlework repertoire!
Boutis has been declared the national embroidery technique of France and in this 2-day in person class, you will learn the history of Boutis, how to transfer your design onto a special background fabric, and the stitches and techniques used in traditional Boutis. There will be stitching time in class.
It will be held February 12 and 26, 2024 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and there will be time to enjoy your brown bag lunch. Held at the home of one of our members, Gaye H., it’s an opportunity to expand your stitchery toolbox.
Cost: for the two days is $115 which includes all Boutis specific supplies, which are not readily available here in Canada. However you are asked to bring the following:
Please note the Guild’s refund policy: Final payment is due two weeks before the commencement of the workshop. There are no refunds unless your place can be filled from a waitlist.
For more information, and to register contact [email protected].
Well our ABC Team has done it again! This quarter our Virtual Wednesday meet-ups will feature the study of tapestries. The recent presentation at our Guild meeting by guest presenter Sandra Sawatzky of her work The Black Gold Tapestry may have been the impetus for our ABC Team. This is going to make the fourth Wednesday of every month for the next 3 or 4 months very interesting.
Bonnie started us off by providing a tapestry definition. It is a pictoral narrative created with thread that can be woven or in the case of our interests, embroidered onto a background of canvas, linen or any other fabric that will support the stitching. Oxford dictionary defined it as “a piece of thick textile fabric with pictures or designs formed by weaving colored weft threads or by embroidering on canvas. It is most commonly used as a wall hanging and references an intricate or complex combination of things or sequence of events.”
We will be concentrating on stitched tapestries, but to enhance our study, Bonnie shared several examples of some famous woven tapestries which included:
The presentation then went on to highlight various stitched tapestries which included:
Yes, yes, I know what you’re thinking…”well I’m not going to do a huge tapestry in this quarter”. That’s why Anni brought us all back down to earth. She understood that a much smaller scope was what was needed. Anni asked us to consider that we could just as easily tell a story of an event on a much smaller scale. A scale that could easily fit an a piece of fabric no bigger than a 6-inch square, or something slightly larger. She presented embroiderers that told stories of everyday life, daily events, and what some might consider mundane. Here are some of links to those examples.
Thank you to the ABC Team for the extensive research and for providing a vast storehouse of inspiration. Can’t wait to see what happens next month when we once again visit during our Virtual Wednesday. What better way to end this, than with the following quote:
When there are no words, art is the storyteller, each stitch a story. –Tina Bryson