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Monday 24 February 2014

70 Years of Embroidery

Monday 17th February 2014

The Skipton branch gave a warm welcome to Dot Drummand who spoke of the Life and Times of Hilda Brassington, her close friend and teacher in earlier years.  Who had over 70 years experience working in creative crafts.

Hilda Brassington was born in 1908 and brought up in the Staffordshire Potteries.  Her schooling had the usual classes of art and sewing, embroidery, knitting etc as was the norm in those days.  She travelled much during her life and was well known in her field of creative craft.  Hilda died in 1989, leaving her entire life’s work and collection of books, wonderful fabrics, including cotton, silks, velvets, as well as boxes of buttons and beads, threads in wools, cottons, silks etc to Dot Drummond!!!

The Collection Hilda brought together over many years was astounding.  Items such as table cloths, tray cloths, pillow cases, bedspreads and needle worked pictures that were framed and hung in her home.  She embraced many kinds of craft as they became popular and would turn out lots of work in each category.  Macrame, canvas work of varying types and even plastic canvas included.  Soft toys were embraced, Hardanger, Counted Cross Stitch, Free Machine Embroidery, cut work, Black, White and Gold work, not one craft escaped her busy fingertips.

She filled drawers, wardrobes, cupboards, boxes and shelving in may a room, all of which were inherited by our speaker Dot Drummond.

I believe the audience was incredulous!  I mean we all have our “wonderful stash of bits and pieces” we hoard over the years, but to find space for another’s “Stash” is mind-blowing.  But gosh, Dot Drummond did just that.

Some “work” did eventually find worthy homes elsewhere amongst nearest and dearest, but now much accompanies Dot on her travels, she shows the samples as she talks to groups such as our on the many materials she lovingly cares for, worked by the fair hands of Hilda Brassington.

Dot closed her talk with an invitation to all those present, to come view Hilda’s marvellous work, much of which took all of us back many years to what was in vogue through the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and progressive years.

Our Programme Secretary, Christine Patrick gave a warm vote of thanks on our behalf and we all added a resounding applause.  We then viewed and chatted over many lovely pieces of Hilda’s work and carefully sipped cups of tea and nibbled a biscuit of two, all agreeing what a lovely afternoon we’d had and what a brave lady Dot Drummond was.


Sue Sissling