Scrumbling Workshops in Macarthur

Dionne    Knitting and Crochet, Up coming events     macarthur textile challenge and expo, prudence mapstone, scrumbling

As part of the Macarthur Textile Challenge and Expo 2011, the Macarthur Textile Network have secured Internationally recognised knitter and teacher Prudence Mapstone to run two Scrumbling Workshops.

Don’t know what Scrumbling is?  Me neither and I am both a knitter and crocheter.   I had to Google it, … what DID we do before Google?  Apparently Scrumbling is the art of creative free-form crochet, according to James Walters and the late Sylvia Cosh who collaborated from the late 1970′s through to 2000, teaching and re-igniting the passion for crochet, knitting and textile art long before their recent renaissance in popular culture.  Essentially, it is a make it up as you go along approach, randomly incorporating many different pieces, changing colours, textures, fibres and stitches often and joining them all together.

Prudence Mapstone, on her website, goes further incorporating knitted sections amongst the crochet in her Scrumbling objet d’art.  Her What is Freeform page is a detailed step by step guide to total originality in your textile piece.

This looks like a heap of fun, but you must already know how to crochet or knit to participate.

The classes will be at the Camden Civic Centre on

1. Friday 27th May from 12.30-3.30
2. Saturday 28th May from 12.30-3.30

Cost is $50, places are limited to 20 per workshop, so don’t miss out.

To book phone 02 4626 4764 or email MacarthurTextileNetwork@gmail.com

I have attached a copy of the registration and payment form and we have some in-store.

Iris enters our Hall of Fame

Dionne    Cross Stitch, Feel good stuff     heirloom, inspiration

I have been corresponding across the Tasman with Iris, an ex-pat Aussie and a Victoria House Needlecraft customer when she comes “home” for a visit.  In the course of helping her find all the requirements for her latest project, a truly original and personally meaningful piece came to light.

“I inherited that Dutch porcelain bowl from my father. I loved the pattern along the inside rim. The orange and blue is such a beautiful contrast. So I worked out a simple pattern and did this cross stitch runner.”

I really love this sort of thing.  You cannot put a price on it and one day it will be handed on and the two pieces will have more meaning and resonance for the recipient.

Handpainted Tapestry Designs

Dionne    Tapestry and Needlepoint, What's New     handpainted canvases, material assets, nicola thomson, pansies

As readers of this blog and visitors to Victoria House Needlecraft would know, I am passionate about Australian Designers and their work.  Whether it celebrates Australian culture, flora or fauna or not is irrelevant.  Great designers need publicity and support.

We are extremely excited to have 2 canvases from Nicola Thomson.  She is an artist and hand paints canvases to order as well as creating from her own whim and inspiration.  Some designs may reappear, but none is ever exactly the same because they are handpainted.  Her website, Material Assets, showcases her work.  Here are the 2 we currently have instore.