April meeting and Mr X Stitch

What a great meeting we had with Mr X stitch, there were 43 of us including members. Mr X showed us so many pictures and stunned us with so many new ideas. The talk was interesting and inspiring. We heard about how Mr X first picked up a needle 11 years ago because he thought it would look bizarre to see a big guy stitching on a plane trip to Canada. It was an Art Nouveau cross stitch kit. Next he started but did not finish Gustav Klimt's 'The Kiss'. He got the PCStitch software and turned graffiti into cross stitch designs. He started to do figures from film and comics until the filmmakers and comic producers lawyer-ed up.

Next Mr X applied for an arts bursary in his home town of Milton Keynes. He was shortlisted and given an exhibition. He stitched Whitby Abbey and entered into a competition at a county show (he was on TV with Kristy Allsop who entered the same show).

He has curated exhibitions at the Knitting and Stitching Shows and is one of a number of 'manbroiderers'.

Mr X keeps busy; at the moment he is stitching a black cat with black thread on black fabric! He runs mrxstitch and has a shop on  EtsyHe does talks and workshops and has a residency at a shop called 'Drink, Shop, Do!' 


Mr X showed us the work of many embroiderers who are pushing the boundaries of textile art.  He has a book 'Push Stitchery', which features 30 of them. We were shown many examples including Glow in the Dark stitching, stitching on paper, on photos and even on cars. then not stitching on motorbikes but a stitched motor bike!

harriet-hammel image from http://www.mrxstitch.com
Lord Libidan's transformer image from http://www.mrxstitch.com

Mr X signing copies of his book
I have tried to select more picture to share with you but there are so many to choose from I can't! If you want to see more go to  mrxstitch but beware of Not Safe Saturdays (you have been warned).

The 'green' raffle was won by Mr X who graciously handed it over.
This months raffle bag was Green

Notes from the meeting:

Cocomad Saturday 5th July Cotteridge Park 'Festival of the Forest'

We will be having a stall on the day and would like to ask for help if you can as follows:
  • Next month we will have a rota for helpers on the day please sign up if you are able - we will need help selling and stitching with visitors.
  • We are going to have a bit of a Christmas element to some of the things we are selling so we are asking members to make a Christmas card or Christmas Coasters/decorations. If you can help, we have blank cards or coasters and frames - they will be available at the next branch meeting.  We are not asking for cards generally as we have quite a few left from last time.
  • We also want individual small items to sell, perhaps a framed picture, even better if it on the event theme but not essential. 

N.B. We aim to sell things for £5 or less so please do not give anything you are not happy at being sold at this price.

Any questions please ask Bernadette, Angela, Jayne or Merial.
Thanks

Members Meeting 12 May 

We are going to be hand sewing doodled leaf motifs

We will provide plain fabric to stitch on. Please bring with you:
  • Your usual sewing kit and some embroidery threads and perhaps some beads that would go together.
  • If you can also bring a small hoop and an erasable pen or a pencil
  • Finally please bring an A5 piece of backing - Vilene or felt

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