UK: Stitching a Cultural Identity- Week 2, Classes Started at the Royal School of Needlework, Guided Tour of Hampton Court Palace, Hangout with Mr. X Stitch, Oxford and St. Paul's Cathedral

Week 2 started off with a guided tour of Hampton Court Palace with historian Vanda Nadolny.  She showed us through the palace explaining the history of the palace and the people that have graced its halls throughout the centuries.  She focused especially on the tapestries, describing to us the stories and process behind the creation of the tapestries and how they are cared for today. 

I'll update this shortly with a link to Rachel's blog post about this tour. 

Monday evening, we enjoyed an exciting trip up to King's Cross to "Drink, Shop, Do" and cross stitching with Mr. X Stitch himself at his X Stitch Hangout.  If you are ever in London on the first Monday of the month, I highly recommend it!  The cakes and drinks are delicious and the cross stitching is so much fun!  Jamie, Mr. X Stitch, teaches you the basics of cross stitch and provides a great environment with other stitch enthusiasts and stitch curious people.  

Notice Jamie wore his NC State hoodie from when he visited NC State to present a lecture and cross stitch workshop to our students in Raleigh!

Check out Angela's video blog post about our evening with Mr. X Stitch here.

Tuesday was the students first official day at the Royal School of Needlework (RSN).  There was a lot of excitement as we met Natalie from the RSN and she walked us up to our classroom at Hampton Court Palace.  The RSN tutor for the students was Mandy Ewing.  Mandy was amazing and the students and I loved her.  She is so very, very knowledgeable and had a great sense of humor!  She had just gotten back from teaching for the RSN in Williamsburg, VA, USA in May with Tracy Franklin and Jenny Adin-Christie. 

The students spent Tuesdays and Thursdays for 4 weeks stitching at the RSN.  Mandy taught them 2 weeks of crewelwork and 2 weeks of goldwork, focusing on lots of sampling and starting a final motif that combined the two techniques.  When I developed this program, I thought these two techniques would complement the appointments we were going to and also would give the students a range of new skills (also thinking that if they weren't a huge fan of one they would probably like the other).  

On Day 1 of the RSN, the students received their scroll frames and materials kits.  They spent the morning learning the proper way of framing up and then embarked on their crewel adventure!  It was really fun watching them all so excited about beginning to stitch.  I especially enjoyed seeing the colors they chose for their crewelwork as you could really see their personalities come out in their choices. 

 Angela and Gillian choosing colors.

 

Rachel framing up.

  

Everyone getting ready to start to stitch!

 The view from our classroom!  

You can read the student's blog posts at links below:

Ashley wrote about the Royal School of Needlework

Rachel wrote about the 1st week of classes at the RSN-- updating post will blog link shortly!

Wednesday we took the train to Oxford.  Excited about their projects they started at the Mr. X Stitch Hangout, Carly, Katelynn and Rachel all spent the time on the train cross stitching away!

We enjoyed a two hour walking tour of Oxford with our animated guide Tom, a local writer and Oxford graduate.  It was quite exciting to see all the different colleges and gardens.  Oxford is beautiful and filled with history and stories!  We then had an appointment in the Study Room at the Ashmolean Museum to see some amazing examples of 17th Century stumpwork.

 I'll update this shortly with a link to Rachel's blog post about this tour.

Our last stop during Week 2 was St. Paul's Cathedral.  We arrived right as they were opening so the students were able to tour the inside before the crowds got very crazy.  Then we went up to the Broiderers' studio to meet with Anita (head broiderer) and two of her volunteer broiderers.  They were so generous with the students and I with their knowledge and process.  We were able to see new projects they were working on, restoration projects they were doing and pieces from the collection at St. Paul's.  My all time favorite has to be the Hammersmith Cope with the Jubilee Cope not far behind on my list.

It was so amazing for the students to see such a wealth of different techniques and mixes of techniques.  Additionally, it was truly wonderful having the tour with the broiderers as they explained their whole process and different decisions with the students for both new and restoration projects.  All three embroiderers were trained at the RSN and also shared experiences of the different projects they had done during their training and as part of the RSN.

During our St. Paul's trip, we were also able to see the "miniature" model of St. Paul's (if you ever go you must see this!!!! It's part of the Triforium tour) and climbed the roughly 600 steps up to the top to see an amazing view of London.  It was actually sunny for us too so we could see for miles!

You can read more from Katelynn's blog post here. 

Week 3 and 4 coming shortly :)!

RSN Canvaswork: Drum roll, please!!!!!

Here it is, the very last thread tied back for my very last module of my RSN Certificate!  Can you tell I'm just a little bit excited about this!  Now just for awaiting the marks from assessment....

 Here is an image of my final piece.  It is from an illustration that was on the front of UK Vogue in May 1936 for Royal Ascot.  I have to admit I am really pleased with it.  It was a great challenge but I've really fallen in love with this technique.

For some technical information:

The threads are mainly DMC cotton stranded, however, I've mixed in Appleton wools for the greenery and silks and rayons for the butterfly, lips and flowers.  There is tent stitch and trammed tent in the flowers and lips.  Tied gobelin into some encroaching gobelin for the hat.  Parisian and diagonal parisian form the blouse.  All kinds of different cross stitches create the areas of greenery.  I constrained myself to just cross stitch patterns for the greenery as I thought it had a more "bushy" type appearance and I wanted to try lots of different stitch patterns.  The skin is in diagonal satin. The little blossoms are chain stitch within chain stitch.  Finally, the Lily-of-the-Valley are padded satin with a stem stitch stem.

 I had to sneak some Lily-of-the-Valley in somewhere!

Here's a detail of turning the corner of the blouse. 

 I have to admit, canvaswork was a module that I was not originally terribly excited about.  However, I have found that I absolutely LOVE it!  I love the color mixing aspect of it and the constraint of the counted stitch patterns.  I love the textures that the stitches create and the painterly quality of it.  I really cannot wait to start another piece of canvaswork and I already know what it's going to be :)! 

UK: Stitching a Cultural Identity- Week 1

As I write this I am still actually trying to pinch myself to make sure it's real.  Seven years ago when I started traveling to the UK to learn embroidery I never would have guessed that I would be bringing a group of enthusiastic students over to learn embroidery too!  I feel so honored to have developed this summer study abroad program with the Royal School of Needlework and a big thank you to the NC State Office of International Affairs for awarding me one of the Internationalization Seed Grants to help get this program off the ground.  With that said, if you or anyone you know would like to support this program going forward or help with student funding, please email me!  I would love for this program to become an every other summer opportunity for our students (it is open to ALL university students not just NC State students!).

First of all, I just need to say- what a time to be in the UK.  The past 3 weeks in the news has been incredibly interesting as an American in the UK.  I landed the day of the Brexit vote and stayed up way too late watching the returns.  UK politics have provided lots to talk about with the students this trip!

So highlights of the 1st week:
Week 1 saw the students staying in housing near Portobello Road in Notting Hill.  This allowed the students to experience living in the center of London and allowed us take advantage of a lot of the museums and exhibitions in London without the students having a long commute. 

Tuesday:  Tate Britain to introduce the students to art in the UK.  We started with The Growth of British Art Tour.  Then the students had the choice to visit one of the special exhibitions, either Painting with Light or Conceptual Art in Britain.
You can read Giovanna's review of Painting with Light here.

 
We then made our way to Victoria Coach Station to take a ride in the Afternoon Tea Tour Bus.  We enjoyed a yummy mix of savories and cakes as we saw sights including Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Harrods, the V&A, Trafalgar Square, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben and Piccadilly Circus.
You can watch Angela's video blog post here.

Wednesday:  I introduced the students to the V&A!  I "lectured" on Opus Anglicanum to Stuart Stumpwork as the students viewed pieces in the Medieval Wing and the British Galleries, providing a brief history of the UK as we spoke about the development of the embroidery.  It was so awesome to have these pieces in person as I spoke about them as normally I am just teaching off slides and photos.  So, as much as it's an awesome opportunity for the students to see the pieces in person, it's also an amazing experience teaching beside them too!

After lunch at Whole Foods on Kensington High Street (I had hoped for a picnic but it was icky and raining), we made our way to Kensington Palace for the palace tour and the special exhibition Fashion Rules Restyled.  Here are a couple of my favorite pieces on display:


 
 
 
 
You can read more about the above Flowers of the Fields of France dress by Norman Hartnell here.  
Read Rachel's post about our visit to Kensington Palace here. 

Thursday:  We started the day with a visit to the V&A's Clothworkers' Centre where the students were allowed to see a selection of both historical and contemporary British embroidery.

 

Here are links to some of the pieces the students and I were able to view:

Two 17th Century Stumpwork Caskets

18th Century Court Jacket

Evening Gown worn by Queen Elizabeth II by Hardy Amies

Evening Gown worn by Princess Diana by Catherine Walker

Lot's Wife by Audrey Walker

Evening Gown by Erdem Moralioglu

Read Giovanna's post about our trip to the Clothworkers' Centre here. 

After a quick lunch, we were given a studio and workroom tour of Catherine Walker & Co.  I am still in awe of our tour here.  The owner and director presented such a wonderful tour of Catherine Walker the company and their design process.  He spoke a lot about design symbolism and the process of creating bespoke garments.  Growing up a huge fan of Catherine Walker's pieces for Princess Diana, this experience was truly special.  I remember reading about the process and thought behind Ms. Walker's pieces for Princess Diana's state gowns and it making me want to read more about both fashion design and cultural symbolism.  They were never pieces created void of concept or cultural awareness.  Their richness of concept was matched with the beauty of traditional craft utilized in their creation.  It was an amazing opportunity for the students to see each of the workrooms and to see traditional craft in action.

They had displayed presentations in each room with examples of each step of the process.  We were even able to see a couple gowns worn by Princess Diana to various events.  When we went to the showroom, we were able to see some of their pieces available for order.  It was so exciting to see such beautifully crafted pieces.  Look at the beauty of these sleeves and how beautifully they are set into the jacket.  Truly the handcrafted details make my heart happy!!!

Carly's post about our tour of Catherine Walker is here. 

 Friday:  We ventured over to the New Designers Showcase to see work from design students graduating in numerous universities across the UK.  It was a great opportunity for the students to see how other students and universities displayed their portfolios and final projects.  We also saw some really great embroidery and were able to speak with a couple very talented students about their work. 

Read Katelynn's review of the New Designers Showcase here.

Week 1 wrapped up with the students moving to their new accommodations near Kingston.  

Week 2:  post coming soon!  Students start classes at the Royal School of Needlework!

Some Updates: Study Abroad Stitching and RSN Canvaswork

I have lots and lots to tell you about here shortly!  I'm about 2 weeks into the UK: Stitching a Cultural Identity study abroad program that I am directing this summer.  I have a great group of students over here with me and I will be doing some posts about all the fun things we have been doing soon.  In the meantime, please follow the program blog UK: Stitching a Cultural Identity Summer 2016 and my Professor Katherine Diuguid Facebook.  

Also, my fingers are furiously stitching away in spare moments after the kids have gone to sleep on my RSN canvaswork piece.  Lots of greenery has been added!

Common Thread Symposium: November 6-7 at NC State University

So, as you can see I have been a wee bit busy here recently.  I have another important announcement though.  Over the past few months, I have been coordinating a 2-day symposium addressing Fibers in Contemporary Art.  It's open to the public so we would LOVE to have you join us!

The Common Thread Symposium
Through the gracious support of Cotton University, Cotton Incorporated and the Department of Art+Design at NC State University's College of Design, we are excited to offer this 2-day symposium for the first time!  It will include morning lectures, afternoon workshops and a number of special activities that will address Fibers in Contemporary Art+Design.  Please see the details below and our website for more information about our guests.  I've also put a link below to our Brochure and Schedule. 

Dates:  Friday and Saturday, November 6-7, 2015 
Location: NC State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
Common Thread Symposium: Brochure and Schedule


Registration Information:
Link to Registration Website
Please notice that Friday and Saturday require separate registrations!  If you can join us both days, please register for each day.  Registration includes lectures, workshop fees and food (lunch and reception on Friday and breakfast and lunch on Saturday).  Please bring your printed registration receipt and proper student ID (if registering as a student) to the check-in table each morning.
Public:  $35 each day
Students (high school or college):  $25 each day
College of Design (or those students taking COD courses):  $12 for Friday and $6 for Saturday

Lectures:  More information about the guests and their lectures can be found HERE
Dr. Susan Kay-Williams, The Story of Colour in Textiles
Ilze Aviks,  A Reflection on Slow Textiles in a Digital Age
Precious Lovell,  King Cotton- The King is Dead, Long Live the King!
Andrea Donnelly, Art//Craft//Design: the Work and Practice of a Conceptual Weaver
Paula Kovarik, Artist Talk
Susan Kay-Williams and Katherine Diuguid, Royal School of Needlework and Study Abroad 

Workshops: More information about the guests and their workshops can be found HERE
Paula Kovarik, contemporary quilting workshop (Friday 1:30- 5:30)
Gabrielle Duggan, Webwords and Impressions workshop (Friday 1:30- 5:30)
Precious Lovell, Call and Response collaborative workshop (Friday 3:30- 5:30)
Ilze Aviks,  Altering Cloth with Hand-Stitching workshop  (Saturday 1:30- 5:30)
Mary Kircher, Journaling and Woven Collage workshop (Saturday 1:30- 3:30)
Mackenzie Bullard, Indigo Shibori Demonstration (3:30-5:30)
Kelly Kye, Folded Star Quilt Block workshop (3:30-5:30)


Special Events:
“Treasures of the Gregg” presentation at the Gregg Museum textile storage by Mary Hauser
“Faculty Show and Tell” informal pin-up of current work by faculty members of the Southeastern Fibers Educators Association with reception
Information Session for Art+Design Graduate program
Portfolio Review Session for Fibers Art+Design Seniors
Open Stitching and Review Time


Funding for the 2015 Cotton Initiative + NC State Art2Wear Project was awarded in part through a competitive grant presented to Assistant Professor Katherine Diuguid by the Importer Support Program of the Cotton Board and Cotton Incorporated.
NCSU Art2Wear is supported by the NC State University Foundation.

Exciting Announcement: UK: Stitching a Cultural Identity

I have been sitting on some super exciting news that I can now announce:

UK: Stitching a Cultural Identity Study Abroad Program for Summer 2016

Over the last couple years, I have been developing a study abroad program for NC State with the Royal School of Needlework.  It will include two courses: a course on traditional embroidery taught by RSN tutors and a course addressing the history of stitching taught by me.  Below is lots of more information about the program.  
 

Program Introduction:

Embroidery has served as an important aspect of British history since the early Roman times.  Secluded from the rest of mainland Europe, it saw embroidery flourish to new technical and artistic heights in the early Middle Ages producing some of the most prized pieces of ecclesiastical embroidery of the time known today as Opus Anglicanum.  Through the years as the United Kingdom established itself as a global power, British embroidery reflected the different global influences.  In modern history, it was British women that revitalized embroidery as an artistic medium.  Embroiderers such as Alice Kettle and Audrey Walker have been exhibited next to contemporary painters and sculptors in recent exhibitions.

The Royal School of Needlework (RSN) is an internationally respected authority on traditional hand embroidery.  It strives to preserve the heritage of precise and artistic stitching through teaching embroidery technique and through the many varied projects it undertakes in their working studio.  Housed at Hampton Court Palace just south of London, the RSN offers day, certificate, and undergraduate courses teaching the art and cultural significance of hand embroidery.  Their working studio on the ground floor of Hampton Court Palace restores and creates pieces for numerous Cathedrals, fashion houses, stately homes, and the royal family.  They were responsible for the embroidery on the coronation robes of HM Elizabeth II and the late Queen Mother.  In recent years, they gained much acclaim for their extensive embroidery on the wedding dress, veil and shoes of HRH the Duchess of Cambridge. 

Course Descriptions:
ADN372: Traditional Embroidery taught by Royal School of Needlework tutors at Hampton Court Palace
Students will be doing two modules (2.5 weeks each).  The modules will be Crewelwork and Goldwork.  They will develop samples experimenting with the technique and a final motif.  Each module is divided into 4 tutor days + 1 work day (with me there for help!).  The costs of each kit and scroll frame is built into the program cost. 

ADN492: History of Stitch in the British Isles
This course will introduce students to the history and development of stitching on the British Isles from the 9th Century AD to today.  It will blend cultural, historic and socio-economic factors affecting the development and importance of stitching with the design and technical characteristics of the techniques.  This course will be taught through a series of visits to museums, exhibitions and collections to see actual pieces from the time periods being studied. 

The kink:  I need 12 students for this program to run, so.....If you know any university students (they do not have to be from NC State) that may be interested, here is the link to the program and application page through our Study Abroad office.  Applications open TODAY!:

http://packabroad.ncsu.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ViewProgram&Program_ID=3627

More Information about the Royal School of Needlework:

RSN website: http://www.royal-needlework.org.uk/

Playlist of Videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEM-X5dJ9Lo-Prqe7OGfk6jGQScgj_vI0

Want to Know More About This Program?:
Come join us for the Common Thread Symposium (more on that later today too) in November where Susan Kay-Williams (the Chief Executive of the RSN) will be presenting a lecture on her research on the history of dyes and help me launch this program to our students.  She and I will be talking more about the history of the RSN and the program details for this study abroad opportunity!