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Members' Projects

The most recent STARS Members' Project was the 'Chair's Challenge'

 

CHAIR'S CHALLENGE 2023/24

The subject for the Chair's Challenge was: 'An Embroidered Sculpture'. 

The Chair's Challenge Trophy, which is awarded for Machine Embroidery, was won by Ann Lally; and the Mary Lovewell Blake Bowl, which is awarded for Hand Embroidery, was won by Shirley Casey.

Chair, Yvonne Brown presenting Ann Lally with the Chair's Challenge Trophy 

Chair Yvonne Brown presenting the Mary Lovewell Blake Bowl to Shirley Casey 

Members who took part in the Challenge were invited to send photographs and, if they liked, a bit of writing about their project, to add to the Chair's project webpage. Here they are:

                       Beauty in Decay by Ann Lally 

I have collected fruits of the Physalis plant (Chinese Lanterns) in various states of their decomposition and made several drawings before I started stitching. So this piece  I will call "Beauty in Decay"

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                                                        By Sally Casey

 I didn't find out about the Chair's Challenge until Member's Day but when I did I thought I would like to make something loosely based on a tree shape. The very next day I found a metal tea light holder at a car boot sale.  I had already been experimenting with binding and coiling yarn around clothes line after a workshop at our Sewing Bee in the village. So I bound the "branches" of the metal frame in a variety of yarns and ribbons.  Used a mat I was already in the process of making for it to stand on and a "skirt" decorated with Dorset buttons to cover the base.  And then I remembered that there was the frame of an old water feature languishing in the garage (the ceramic bowl broken or chipped long discarded ).This fitted perfectly around half the "tree" and I made a waterfall to cascade through the hoops, of Florentine embroidery backed with satin ribbon and embellished with beads etc. I really enjoyed making it as it evolved organically.

     Full Size Render by Phillip Rees

                  The Mighty Mushroom by Mavis Winders 

I made the base material for the top then added a range of hand embroidery stitches, gold foil (you can't see it) and heat treated organza. It is shaped over Sinamay fabric. 

              Zebra MothZ

                        Mint Moth 

                    Jewel Moth

                            Tiger Moth

                  Lunar Moth

                 Selangor Moth 

                                                    Moth Balls by Mary McIntosh

The series of six "Moth Balls" were made for an exhibition by the Group Textile Connections and previously exhibited at The Guildhall, Bury St Edmunds in July 2024.  They were entered into the STARS challenge as they fitted the brief to make a non practical 3D piece of work.

Each moth is inspired by a real example found in nature and are stitched onto soluble fabric using LOTS of thread before dissolving.  Some have wired antennae . Each moth is mounted onto a wooden ball which has been needle felted using merino wool tops.

                      By Sally Turnbull

 Wire frame covered in wadding.  Wings breast and tail embroidered silk/beads Dyed wire accessories/feathers (its a male).  Beaded trousers Velvet leg warmers . Go to bed eyes.

                 Sphere by Ellyn Wilkinson 

The sphere is made from sprayed garden wire, organza and copper mesh with machine embroidered spirals.  Inside is a painted wooden bead suspended in knitted copper wire and a mesh worked on water soluble fabric, decorated with coils of machine wrapped string.  The sphere is mounted on a wooden base. 

Found and fabricated.JPG

                        Found and Fabricated by Marion Leach 

​I found the 3 uprights on Felixstowe beach 3 years ago and they had been hanging around on a shelf waiting for inspiration to arrive. The Challenge was the thing I needed.

The uprights  are fixed to a piece of wood which I covered in fleece fabric made with my embellisher. I used pieces from  my stash of naturally dyed lace and silk cocoons and rods and made small pieces of fabric by using the set patterns on my sewing machine on dissolvable fabric . The rusty bolts and washers were something I had in stock and I added wrapped washers to them.  Lots of glue gun was involved! 

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Heather Taylor.jpg

            By Heather Taylor 

This used a found piece of wood  The mushrooms were constructed with wire,card and padding and then embellished fabric was secured and the stem wrapped in a finger bandage. The 'hump' used different textured threads and fabrics and a variety of threads.

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