We are a group of women (but men are welcome!) who have an interest in textile art and embroidery. We are of mixed abilities and there is no need for you to be able to sew to come and join us - there are no tests!
New members are always welcome - why not call in and join us as a guest for a few months?
Meeting fee for visitors is only £5.
Our meetings vary - we have talks and workshops, show and tell - we also have lots of weekend workshops and playdays. For details of what's coming up (and what's been and gone!) check out our programme below...

Monday 9 February 2015

February Meeting - Chicken Scratch Stitch


For those of you who were wondering...
Why is it called chicken scratch? One theory is that the main stitch looks like a chicken’s track. One story suggests the technique started during the Great Depression when a woman wished she could add lace to her plain gingham dresses. However, she only had some floss, so she set about to figure out how to create a lacy look. When her husband asked what she was doing, she told him she was adding lace to her dress. His reply was said to be that it looked like chicken scratches!! 
Chicken scratch is also called Amish embroidery, depression lace, and snowflake embroidery, all typically stitched on gingham fabric.
Here are the samples stitched at the meeting on Friday - part of our ongoing "Stitch a Month" project. Thanks to Anne Brooke for taking the photos. 











And here are some lovely finished examples, stitched by Abi. The ones with dates and initials have been made as gifts for friends. 



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