Sun Printing - Sue Tyldesley July Meeting 2026

 Sue arrived laden with a basket of flowers/greenery and boxes of equipment. The flowers were not to give to anyone but to use in our sun printing.

Once our prints were ready she would show us how to make a folded book with a sun printed cover or we could embroider our prints to make pictures.

Sue told us all we had to do was paint a rectangle of fabric with water and then add the silk paint so the colours flowed together

Once painted the greenery and objects could be placed on the surface and pressed to get a good contact and placed outside to dry.

While drying there would be a  reaction with the paint as it dried leaving a print.

It was not a perfect day for sun printing with a gusty wind blowing and clouds but there was still enough light to get some interesting prints as you can see below.

Sue had brought sea salt that we could sprinkle onto our paint to produce more texture.

Once the prints had dried the greenery/objects were cleared and the paint set with ironing.

Some members set about making their concertina books after a demonstration from Sue.

Members had a fun day and took home finished books and/or fabric to embroider.

A big thank you to Sue, who is always generous with her time and equipment, for showing us how to sun print and make a small notebook.

Finished Pieces of Work

 Karen has finished another interesting page of her holiday diary. A little while ago she visited Northern Macedonia and remembered swimming in  Lake Ohrid where harmless, non-venomous water snakes were also swimming.

The watery background has been sewn using a circular sashiko pattern that looks like waves and the snakes are made from kumihimo braids.

Thank you Karen. That is a very ingenious way of representing your "lake swimming" amongst the native species!

Sandra has completed her landscape picture with a sashiko frame.

The landscape has also used sashiko patterns but in a more random way.

The landscape has a sun rising above the hills with trees either side of a stream with flowers.

The trees and stream are made from kumihimo braids. The flowers are cut from Japanese material and secured with pearls.

Thank you Sandra

Exhibition of South Lakeland Stitchers Work - Grange Library June 2026

Walking through the library and turning left I was met with a pop of colour and then I realised it was all of our work set out beautifully on three display boards.

The range of work is very wide, there is something of interest for everyone and it might inspire you to try something new.

Thank you to the members who set up the exhibition, members who have lent their work and anyone who has come to see it. The range of skills exhibited is impressive.