Blackwork Honey Bees

Blackwork Honey Bees
Blackwork originated in Tudor England, commonly thought to have been introduced to the country by Katharine of Aragon. During the Tudor period, beekeeping was a popular activity and we understand that Tudor bees were black and not striped. This design by Cathy is worked on Aida fabric and introduces three simple geometric patterns, decorated with a small amount of gold thread, again not uncharacteristic of the period. The embroidery measures approximately 6" x 6" and is presented in an 8" frame (not included).

Alstonefield celebrated a Festival in April 2018 commemorating the life of Anne Green, whose gravestone in our Churchyard is dated April 1518, thought to be one of the oldest in the country, now 500 years old. It was lovely working this Tudor embroidery as part of the Festival and a donation of £100 has been given to St. Peter's Church from the 6 workshops run in 2018.

Suitability - Beginners
Suitable for beginners to blackwork but some experience of stitching will be helpful.

Date(s)
Thursday 7th March 2019 (fully booked)
Thursday 10th October 2019 (3 places remaining)

Times
10.00 am. to 4.00 pm. with 30 minutes for lunch
Arrival:- from 9.30 am.

Location
Alstonefield Memorial Hall (The Village Hall)
Postcode for Satnav - DE6 2FR
Click for Directions

Refreshments
Tea & coffee is provided throughout the day, with home baking.
Please bring your own packed lunch.

What you need to bring
All materials and equipment will be provided (box frame NOT included), but you may wish to bring your own 8" embroidery hoop if you have one. A seat frame is best, but not essential. Please note that if you use your own hoop, both rings should be bound with white cotton fabric (e.g. bias binding). Alternatively, you may borrow a bound standard hoop for the day if ordered in advance. Standard hoops and seat frames are normally also available to purchase, but will not be bound. White bias binding will be available for purchase if required.

Cost
£45 per person including all materials (box frame not included).

About the Workshop
The honeycomb & bee design is pre-printed onto the Aida fabric for you. You will learn to work the geometric patterns, commonly known as 'diapers', without having to count threads! You will also learn the basic techniques of blackwork shading. There is some flexibility about which diaper patterns you may use, and complete beginners may wish to stick to the larger designs. More advanced stitchers may even wish to use their own designs!