Perking up a bit - School of Textiles, Coggeshall

I've been working steadily on my essay, making slow but consistent progress. I've got over the horrible train journey home, where I fretted about my writing, that left me over-tired. I know Jill and Imogen only want me to end up with a good essay. I've also been stitching, but am awaiting more threads.

Over the last couple of days, I've completed another embroidery class with Lynn Hulse and the School of Textiles (Mary Schoeser and Kate Wigley), stitching  a 17th century Garden of Delight design, using 17th century embroidery techniques.  Great networking opportunity too.

Stitch from central area to the edge. Bring needle through vertically.

Hold thread to bottom,
angle the needle to make a snug stitch over  the outlining.

Add caption

Work from centre to the edge.
Work from centre down one side, then return to centre and work down other side.

Long and short stitch.  

I happened to say that if I had the chance to study abroad again, I 'd like to go to Davis University, California, as Jim and I cycled through this town when we rode across the USA in 2014.  Mary said she spent 4 years working/studying there and had all the contacts to be able to negotiate post grad study, and if I'd like it (!!!) she'd make enquiries for me.  Mary had various ideas about how to fund it too, by working as a teaching assistant to one of the textile lecturers.  Oh my word!  What an opportunity.

While stitching, in correct 17th technique(!), we had some interesting conversations.  In her time, Mary has worked as a textile archivist, lecturer at various universities, the V&A and Met Museums, but has also worked as a cowboy!  One summer she worked rounding up cattle.  She's absolutely tiny, but was able to do this because the horse and saddle fitted her.  When she moved to the UK, she could not get to grips with English saddles and gave up riding.

Eileen and Sue were discussing how to recreate an 18th century quilted silk petticoat, and there were lots of discussions about how to transfer stitch designs.  Prick and pounce, too much powder that stains the silk, pencils - no graphite is a powder; ink - can you cover it with the stitch? needle marking, stitching by eye.

Different class members had different issues with stitching.  Mary found the stitching difficult because she has reduced sensation in her finger tips (diabetes?).  I kept stitching the wrong way - backwards!  But I did manage to master starting and finishing my thread correctly.