Tuesday 3 November 2015

Embroidery Training Day in December

I'm delighted to announce that we will be holding another embroidery training day with Jacqui Macdonald, the RSN tutor.



On Saturday, 12th December she will be coming to Oxford to teach us. She is happy to teach any of a wide range of embroidery techniques including crewelwork, goldwork, whitework, stumpwork and surface embroidery techniques. 

Jacqui's stumpwork vegetable patch kit, available from her website

This is a very unusual opportunity to study techniques not often taught in day courses. Please email me at lucyashaw@gmail.com if you would like to know more, or to book a place on the course. The price is £80 plus materials, and the course runs from 10am till 4pm. Space is limited so please don't delay!

Jacqui's crewelwork parrot kit, available to buy from her website

Jacqui came to Oxford in February 2013 and again in October 2014 and taught the Guild group a variety of techniques including stumpwork, whitework and silk shading. 

Tuesday 7 April 2015

New altar frontal

The Guild of St Clare was delighted to be asked to make a new Marian altar frontal for the parish of SS Gregory and Augustine in Oxford. The fabrics were provided by Watts & Co, and the work was undertaken by our expert seamstress Clare Auty. The result was really splendid, and the new frontal was used for the first time on the feast of the Annunciation at Fr John's EF Mass.






- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Wednesday 25 March 2015

Goldwork Training Day: report

The second of our Goldwork Training Days took place last Saturday, on the 21st March, and a splendid time was had by all. We are very grateful to Sarah and Sue who came all the way from Warrington to teach us. They brought with them their amazing shop, which is always popular!

Several of the group were working on symbols associated with St Clare, in preparation for making a Guild of St Clare banner: you can see some of them in the pictures below.

An abbess's crook

Lucy with her abbey church design

Amanda with tutor Sarah Rakestraw, and Amanda's Monstrance design: Amanda is learning the Or Nue technique to get perfect points on the Monstrance's rays.

Clare's lily

Dorothea's cat - this one won't be used for the banner! A really commendable first attempt at Goldwork.

Dorothea with tutor Sue

Liz with a stylised heart design

Dorothea's cat

Tuesday 17 March 2015

Last reminder for Goldwork Training day on 21st March

We will be holding a Goldwork Training Day with the ladies from Golden Hinde, Warrington this Saturday in the church hall of St Anthony of Padua, between 10am and 4pm. Places cost £60, not including materials (which will be available on the day). Tea and cake will be provided - bring a packed lunch! Please email me if you would like more information, or to book a place.

Monday 16 March 2015

Lace Day: report

The Guild of St Clare held a further lace training day in Oxford on 14th March. It's great to see several children starting to learn.
Amanda's black lace bracelet with jade beads

Once again Liz Baker came to tutor us - we really are extraordinarily fortunate to have the benefit of her enormous experience and expertise.

We will be holding further lace training days in Oxford - please get in touch if you would like to learn!
Lucy's pink lace bracelet with cream leaves


Clare's black lace leaf motif

Amanda and baby Robert

Frances and Agnes, making lace snake bookmarks

Liz assisting Agnes
Frances and her beautiful handmade bobbin holder

Dorothea and her white lace bracelet with rose quartz beads

Monday 23 February 2015

Goldwork Training Day: report

We held the first of our two-day Goldwork training days on Saturday 21st February. Several of us were starting Intermediate level techniques, as we have already completed several beginner's projects. We were also happy to welcome two complete beginners.

Embroidering on a slate frame

Couching down soft string for basketweave and cutwork


Couched string on a Monstrance design



Amanda's Monstrance design with couched string, and the beginnings of basketweave with Or Nue

Clare's lily with couched string and basketweave
Dorothea and Agnes display their work at the end of the day

Our next training day is on Saturday, 21st March. All are welcome! Please email lucyashaw@gmail.com to book a place.