(Images are the property of Skipton Branch of The Embroiderers' Guild)
Tuesday 4th February
Meet Jackie Lunn! She's a textile artist and she specialises in making rich and sculptural pieces which are embellished with stitches, you might have met her at Yarndale last year. Jackie is leading three workshops during February to create the textile map of the Yorkshire Dales National Park which will form the basis of our community art project StArt in the Dales. The project has been funded by a Community Grant from Craven District Council and by the Yorkshire and the Humber Region of the Embroiderers' Guild.
Just over a dozen members of Skipton and Grassington Guilds gathered around the tables at Christ Church to discuss how we might bring our initial ideas for a textile map to life. Inspired by Jackie's work we were all keen to get busy! There was plenty to do: mixing colours using carders, making small swatches of half-felt, needle-felting small details that could be appliquéd on at a later date. We then got started on the serious business of making the map. A huge mat of felt was laid out, gradually building up colour before applying the top surface. We wanted to draw the contours of the hills and dales and be faithful to the landscape. By the end of the day we had half-felted the main piece. Next time we will be cutting into it to add features such as roads and rivers using the swatches to insert new colours and textures.
The next session will take place at Christ Church on Tuesday 11th February 10:00-3:00. Everyone is welcome. Stay for as much or as little time as you can spare. Bring an apron and some rubber gloves because we will be dying fabric and yarns!