ACTION HOMELESS - Aspire Magazine

Crazy Crafts
Janice Williams
Goldwork and Japanese Embroidery
Discover
the Art of
Ruskin
Lace
Making
Inspired by a lifelong love of embroidery and
needlework, Janice Williams has always been
keen to share her knowledge and experience with
others through workshops, events and exhibitions.
Specialising in traditional and contemporary threads,
Janice also stocks all the materials you need to have
a go yourself.
After studying at the Royal School of Needlework
as a teenager, Janice spent many years teaching in
schools and colleges up and down the country, and
running inspiring evening classes for all ages. As
her experience of embroidery grew, Janice became
involved with the Embroiderers’ Guild and put
together a large exhibition of goldwork, which was
a rare event at the time. This proved to be just the
beginning for Janice, who has gone on to create
magnificent creations for the British Crafts Council
and Twinings tea, and delivered a whopping 41
lectures for Gloucester’s Women’s Institute in one
year.
Janice now runs workshops from her Sheldon
Cottage Studio, in Gloucester, she says: “I always
make my students come up with their own ideas
and their own designs, as I think it is important for
them to use their own imagination. I will invite them
into the workshop and set them up with materials,
but sometimes I don’t even need to talk them
through techniques as many are already experienced
embroiders. Often they will share techniques and
ideas amongst themselves, effectively teaching each
other; I’ve passed the knowledge onto them so that
they can pass it on in the future.”
At the workshops, both experienced and novice
embroiderers are welcome to attend and visitors
create embroidery for everything from hand bags to
cards, gifts to wedding dresses.
For all of your goldwork and Japanese embroidery
needs, Janice now stocks a wide range of traditional
and contemporary metal threads, including:
• Japanese metallics, including fine coloured
metallics
• Over 200 shades of flat silks
• Metallic skin in gold, silver and pewter
• Books on goldwork and other embroidery
techniques
• The full range of Appleton’s crewel wool
In 2004, Janice established The Goldwork Guild
as way of passing knowledge and techniques of
this ancient craft onto those who are interested
in creating their own intricate, authentic pieces
of work. The partworks publication, available
quarterly, was designed to keep alive work from
across the globe and demonstrates couching, purling
and applying a skin, all of which can be padded. All
of the work for the partworks was completed solely
by Janice, including the research and writing of all
the articles.
Janice explains why she was inspired to start The
Goldwork Guild: “Having spent 40 years working
with goldwork and embroidery, I was eager to
leave a lasting legacy. The Goldwork Guild exists
as a method of passing on information for future
generations and as copies are stored in the British
Library, people will be able to dust them down and
rediscover this centuries old form of embroidery.”
Issues 1 – 18 of The Goldwork Guild partworks are
currently available from Sheldon Cottage Studio,
however, the partworks publication has now been
replaced with an A5 quarterly magazine, which is
produced and edited by Miranda Clarke. Janice
is still involved with the magazine, occasionally
writing articles and offering ideas for features.
Meetings and visits to exhibitions are occasionally
organised for embroidery enthusiasts, for more
information visit the website at
www.thegoldworkguild.co.uk
Janice promises a prompt mail order service, for a
price list, which includes details of The Goldwork
Guild magazine and events. Please send two firstclass
stamps to: Sheldon Cottage Studio,
Epney, Gloucester GL2 7LN
Tel/Fax: 01452 740639
Visitors by appointment only
Learn a new skill from the comfort of
your very own home and see an ancient
needlecraft brought to life with a stepby-step
guide on Ruskin Lace making.
A professionally produced DVD, ‘The Techniques of Ruskin
Lace Making’ brings together a range of comprehensive
tutorials from Elizabeth Prickett. Boasting 36 years’
experience of Ruskin Lace making, Elizabeth’s guide to this
wonderful, inspiring and traditional craft makes it easy to
learn and develop techniques. Having taught more than
4,500 students and produced samples for London’s Victoria
and Albert Museum, Elizabeth was the ideal presenter of
this DVD, which can guide anyone through the intricate
techniques needed to produce these beautiful creations.
Offering a step-by-step guide on traditional Ruskin Lace
making, Elizabeth’s DVD has been created in order to
preserve the traditional characteristics of this delightful
needlecraft.
The most distinctive feature of Ruskin Lace is how the
patterns are worked directly into the evenly woven fabric
– usually linen – and the finished articles may become
anything from table cloths to work boxes, bags to mounted
pieces of work. Threads from the linen are isolated, cut
and then withdrawn, before new threads are worked into
the fabric, and the technique allows decorative shapes and
patterns to be added.
Filmed from the working position, the two-disc DVD talks
you through every aspect of lace making, from preparing
fabric and isolating threads, to creating basic patterns and
more complex ones. With handy tips and hints throughout,
plus a run through of all the equipment you will need, it’s the
easiest way to learn Ruskin Lace making.
The DVD also offers some history on Ruskin Lace itself,
which dates back to 19th Century and is a needlecraft unique
to the Lake District, where it was supported by John Ruskin
in 1884. Ruskin, along with Albert Fleming, established
the Guild of St George to assist local craft workers and to
help them establish their own businesses, and it wasn’t long
before they were employing weavers to spin yarns and create
their own linen. After a trip to Italy, where he was inspired
by the needle made lace he saw, Ruskin returned to the
Lake District with pattern examples and a new needlecraft
technique.
The Aspire office recently received a copy of ‘The
Techniques of Ruskin Lace Making’ and Features Writer,
Sarah Ross, was keen to take a look, she says: “This is the
first time I have come across this traditional craft and I was
fascinated to see that the techniques of Ruskin Lace making
have remained the same for all this time.
“The techniques are easy to learn and the slow pace of
the DVD makes it very easy to follow; as every aspect of
Ruskin Lace making is covered you can easily pick it up
from scratch. I think that being able to watch someone else
working through all the techniques brings the craft to life
much more than a book ever could and it really does allow
you to work at your own pace. It’s ideal for those who would
like to learn under the guidance of an experienced lace
maker, but are unable to attend classes to lean the craft.”
‘The Techniques of Ruskin Lace Making’ has a running time
of three hours and 55 minutes and can be purchased directly
from the online shop for £18 – plus £1.08 p&p. For more
information or to place your order, please visit
www.ruskinlace.org.uk
The DVD is ideal for anyone who is looking to advance their
skills or would like a reference point when working from
home, as well as those who cannot find a local workshop in
order to learn the craft. A book titled ‘Ruskin Lace and Linen
Work’, which has been devised to function as a working
manual and makes a great accompaniment to the DVD, is
also available and allows the sewer to work at their own pace.
It also shows a variety of patterns and is available for £12.50
– plus £1.24 p&p.
Tel: 01539 441416
Email: info@ruskinlace.org.uk
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