Sunday 13 April 2014

Glimpses of Britain with Gail Lawther - a brilliant talk!

Well our monthly club meet yesterday was a humorous feast of all things delightfully British and a delight to listen to.

Gail Lawther gives a fast, funny and informative narrative of her reasoning behind the planning and making of the 24 panels,
that form the basis (of two and half years of work!) of her new book.
These following links can do a far better job than I, so do please trip over to You Tube and watch them.
One shows Gail herself chatting briefly about her former book
Glimpses of New Zealand
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IHLAbjRQIs


and the other SO delightfully and pictorially shows the
Glimpses of Britain book itself!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zn8UjIgUqMc

I bought a copy of her book yesterday since I was captivated by several of her pieces of work ........... the Beatles one especially is divine!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Glimpses-Britain-Spectacular-Information-Photographs/dp/0955349966
 
But for example, having decided that cricket, Halle's Comet and also King Harold should be included somehow, in things British ..........
she's depicted Bayeux Tapestry like scenes of King Harold with accompanying cricketing wit and words, whilst Halle's comet flies overhead!
Seemingly King H saw it before he chased off to fight and thought it was a portentous sign ........... sadly it wasn't for him!

Inspirational interpretation lol

There are 24 projects in it as well as close ups of her pieces and explanations of what she did on them.
So, well worth seeking out for a read or treating your book shelf to a copy, since she uses so many different techniques there's a bit of something for most every stitcher.

She asked that no photos should be taken, but then said I might take a couple if I was putting info about the book on my blog after all, but having taken a couple of pics ............ today they simply wont download but thankfully the You Tube link should give you an idea.

I must say after listening to her talk, I was really proud of our British heritage, spelt out as it was in this most unusual manner!
Okay some of it was creatively and poetically air brushed into the panels , as is all history, but even so, it was a joy to hear and see listed, the very many attributes these collective islands do have.
And Gail's stitching and creativity is a delight to see!
On a personal and political note ~
Please Scotland,  stick with us -
                   and vote against separation from Great Britain~
Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland ARE Great Britain!

Meanwhile some other completed hookies from last weekends workshop were on display >>>>

Jean's tee shirt shaggy sample piece she'd made some time ago -
with her completed circle, which will form a rug when she's made more circles to join together.
A great idea I reckon that and doesn't it look like an agate or something in its design?


I must have wobbled on this one but you can still see the delightful flower shapes and then the lovely stained glass effect below too.


And below are some of the knitted herring fishes that members had made for the Follow the Herrings theatre and exhibition that is travelling down the east coast, following the herring fishermen's  and fisher women's trail of old ~

And although I don't 'twitter', this link if you scroll down through, has some amazing pictures of knitted, sea themed items that will be used for display during the 'Tie up Your Fingers' theatre tour.
 
 
The women folk who travelled down the east coast, following the herring fishermen as they landed their catches, and who gutted the 'silver darlings' needed to tie rags round their fingers,
so they didn't cut themselves ( as much!).
Hence the title of the play.
 
              http://www.customshouse.co.uk/followtheherring

2 comments:

  1. wonderful videos. i loved the one Gail did representing the famous Public Toilet designed by Hundertwasser. i love that toilet and all his work. wonderful post.

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  2. What fun - altogether. There was so much to see and learn about with this post. The book looks like a treasure and it was lovely to see the hookies. Found it surprising that Scotland is thinking about separating....shades of Quebec here!

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