Hannah Gilpin SAL and Hannah Gilpin MacStitch Are Now Ready

The Stitchalong for Hannah Gilpin's sampler is now open and I invite you to share with kindred spirits the enjoyment of stitching this very lovely and subtle Quaker heirloom sampler with a palette of just 5 colours. Just click here for an invite to the SAL. To browse or buy the chart and accompanying ebook just click here. You can obtain a kit for the sampler put together by Janice at Traditional Stitches. AND for those of you with MacStitch, the wonderful Steve Rousseau has made an editable version for you. Click here for more details if you would like a MacStitch copy.

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Name That Band

We need to keep up with our naming of bands - it is my fault we are a bit behind as I have been very busy on new work and preparing for lectures. In case you are new, here is the background: We shall be printing a dictionary of bands in our next book so that in future it will be easier for writers and teachers to talk about them. It would be very unfair if we had all the enjoyable work of naming them, so we have invited everyone to think up distinctive names and let us know. People who come up with the chosen names will be acknowledged in the book. I have to say that this is one of my favourite bands - I wonder what names you will find for it.

To see all the bands so far, click here

Memories of Father's Day 1954

Sundays were special days when I was young. If it was not too rainy, we would escape town and walk out into the clean air of the country, over Baildon or Ilkley Moor - or sometimes to Shipley Glen. There we would perch on rocks and picnic on sandwiches my dad had made long before we were all up - consequently they were just a teeny bit soggy. But he had a hundred inventive ways with a tin of sardines and they were always good. Back home in the evening with appetites inflated by gusts of Yorkshire air, we all looked forward to his Spam or potato fritters (food was just off rationing). And Sundays we were allowed to watch Roy Rogers on the TV - small and black and white, so I never appreciated just how fabulous his costumes were. My dad had just bought me a cowgirl set and so I sat astride the settee arm riding along with Roy and Trigger - probably making a lot of noise!

The Roy Roger's costume are for sale at Christies in New York on 14-15 July.

The Embroiderer's Art - 16th Century Netherlands

At Bonham's auction on 7 July there is a magnificent portrait of a 16th century Netherlandish lady who has the most astonishingly rendered Renaissance needlework about her neck. Look first at the simple, plain black button-hole or blanket stitch around the turnover of her collar to which is applied gold braid. Follow this down and admire the Italianate strapwork and stylized floral motifs in gold, outlined to such great effect in black again. For me the real surprise of the piece is the inside of her overdress. At a distance it appears like blackwork, but zoom in close and you can see that it is drawn-thread fine linen infilled with needle-lace stars and florets. Just look at the incredibly fine edging with the slightest whisper of a fringe. And before you go, admire the dual rows of pulled-work between each of the needle-lace rows.

And here you can see the full portrait. It is lot 3 and carries an estimate of £5,000-£7,000.


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