Barbara Ballantine, our April 2010 guest speaker, shared with us both beautiful examples of the work of and the history of the crochet designer Mary Card.

Mary Card was a versatile and prolific Australian designer who worked at the beginning of the 20th century. She lived in Melbourne when it was a lively, interesting city. Australia had just become a nation, women had the vote and life was, generally, prosperous.

For Mary, however, times became difficult. She had to sell her school business after becoming deaf at the age of 42. The Ladies Work Association advertised for crocheters to repair valuable items and Mary quickly taught herself to mend the items and this, in turn, led to her designing patterns.

The Ladies Home Journal advertised for patterns and Mary submitted her early designs which were accepted. Her confidence with this success led to her supplying patterns to New Idea and this subsequently led to a six year contract.

Her patterns were popular and easy to follow and she regularly corresponded with her readers. She also published books which the magazine praised as the best . . . on crochet ever published and she was interviewed by the same magazine. During the war years she concentrated on patriotic designs and Barbara showed us some lovely examples which included the Belgium Doyley which was intended to be a Red Cross item to sell at fetes etc to raise money for the war effort in Belgium.

In 1917 she went to New York and her designs appeared in the leading US craft magazine Needlecraft. The Statue of Liberty pattern was an example which Barbara showed us. Barbara also pointed out that these patterns had no instructions - just a photograph which the poor crocheter had to work from!

After a few years Mary moved to England where she continued to design for many years and also sent patterns back to Australia. Barbara said that quite a bit is known about her. She published her work under her own name and also published the names of the people who worked up her designs - a rare and generous gesture at the time. She was an astute business woman and her name was used to endorse many products including Coates Mercer.

Her designs were worked on graph paper and then given to others to work up. Barbara believes her best work was her table cloths, such as the Trefoil cloth and Rose design which she showed us. Mary Card transformed the filet crochet table cloth format by providing giant charts to work from and devising new methods of working circular table cloths by dividing them into nine sections and then joining them together. Orders for her patterns came from around the world and one pattern, the wild roses and pigeon design sold 50,000 copies

In 1940 she returned to Australia in ill health and lived with her sister in Melbourne where she died a short time later.

Barbara showed us many examples of Mary Card's exquisite work and I believe Brigitte has purchased a pattern book for the library. This was an absorbing talk and an inspiring display of beautiful work which everyone enjoyed immensely.

Posted by Prue Hill at 6:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Elizabeth Bay House, Vaucluse House and Elizabeth Farm are properties whose interpretation is based on recreated 19th century interiors. Soft furnishings such as curtains, blinds, carpets, upholstery, loose covers, cushions, hassocks, bed hangings, bell pulls give these interiors a lot of their quality as recreated 19th century environments as opposed to collections of antiques. Elements such as curtains, blinds, floor coverings and loose covers serve an interpretative and a conservation role. It is anticipated that the group will be involved in the maintenance and repair of existing soft furnishings, minor conservation work and refining and extending the collection of soft furnishings in line with ongoing research into the history of the domestic interior.

The Soft Furnishings Volunteers Group will report to Scott Carlin, Elizabeth Bay House and Vaucluse House curator through team leader, volunteer Dianne Finnegan. Dianne as team leader, will co-ordinate the different members of the group in relation to the different skills required. The volunteers will work on a program of soft furnishings projects, which will be prioritized according to HHT budgets and fabric availability.

A sample of the rolling list of soft furnishings projects:

Elizabeth Bay House:

• Replace drawing room muslin curtains, retaining and re-attaching knitted Vandyke border (this project related to the replacement of the gilt timber pelmets)
• Remake linen check hangings for the dressing room's campaign bed
• Make chintz or holland case covers for drawing room sofa and chaise
• Replacement bedrooms holland blinds
• Replace drawing room piano pleated silk front

Vaucluse House:

• Make pantry and scullery holland blinds
• Make breakfast room holland blind, striped with trellis fringe, copying Camelot example
• Make Miss Wentworth's 'tent' bed hangings (Rouse Hill Winfield bed pattern)
• Make case covers for second room sofa, chaise and side chairs in Brunschwig & Fils Haddon Hall glazed chintz
• Repair bindings on runners

Skills and knowledge required:

Volunteers will be selected for their interest, enthusiasm and sewing skills. The HHT will build on these skills, acquainting volunteers with 19th century patterns and methods to carry out worthwhile projects in a fun, stimulating, team environment.

Volunteers existing skills may include:

• Machine sewing, hand sewing, pattern making and cutting, embroidery, knitting and crochet, weaving, cord and tassel making, garment making, dyeing

Please note: You will be required to attend an interview and sewing skills assessment before recruitment as a volunteer.

Hours and days:

The workshops will take place on Thursdays or Fridays one day per fortnight progressing to one day per week, from 10am til 4pm. Participants must provide their own travel to Elizabeth Bay House, Vaucluse House or Elizabeth Farm.

Training:

• Initial 1 day general HHT volunteer induction
• Sewing skills training by Dianne Finnegan
• Training in the role of soft furnishings in 19th century interiors by Scott Carlin
• Scott Carlin will have 19th century and reproduction soft furnishings to guide the making of new soft furnishings
• Visit HHT properties with rich collections of furnishings - Caroline Simpson Library, Elizabeth Farm, Rouse Hill

Info: Coordinator, Volunteers Program, The Mint, 10 Macquarie Street, Sydney 2000, 02 8239 2441

Posted by Prue Hill at 6:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Royal Show invites us to hold the contest that generates such interest in the Craft Pavilion. In turn, it is my pleasure to invite your participation both as teams and as individuals in order to showcase our fine skills in wool craft and in speaking to any and all interested people!

We need teams of three. Each team member should be able to spin, ply, knit, follow a pattern and sew up. Speed is the key, so do all this as quickly as possible: we race the clock as well as each other. It is a fun day of social spinning - with a bit of time pressure. Oh yes, and there is a Trophy.

Copies of the pattern are available only on the day. Bring your own size 6 needles, sewing up needle, hand wipes and talcum powder together with your wheel and accessories. A feature breed fleece will be supplied for us.

Come and join the Crossfibres at the Royal Show this September - come as a group, come as a team of three, come one and all. Call me to book in.

Please Express your interest by 30 May.

When: 26 September 2010
Where: Royal Melbourne Showgrounds, Epsom Road, Ascot Vale
Info: Marion Wheatland

Posted by Prue Hill at 6:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Convergence is a gathering of felt makers which is held every two years in either New Zealand or Australia. It is hosted by a different group and in a different location each time. Sharing knowledge is the underlying theme of the Convergence. Tutors give workshops on a voluntary basis and it is a wonderful opportunity to showcase their work.

Your group may have members interested in this event whether as tutors or participants. We are just beginning the process of organizing the Convergence and have created a blog to communicate news on the program as it develops. It will also post lots of beautiful felting to whet your appetites.

When: 2-7 October 2011
Where: Bunbury, Western Australia
Email: feltconvergence2011@westnet.com.au
Web: feltconvergencebunburywa.blogspot.com

Posted by Prue Hill at 6:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Yarnspinners Fibre Group of Mittagong were delighted by the response to their first creative bag competition held at the Robertson Wool Festival on 1 May 2010 (in conjunction with the Black & Coloured Sheep Breeders Association of NSW)

To promote wool and support the local growers and traders, Deb McGuire, Carol Hamilton and Robynn Ross planned this event to showcase the works of talented fibre artists, entice more visitors to see the top quality fleeces, woollen products,spinning and weaving supplies for sale.

First prize (donated by Maggie Mac and judged by Melanie Olde, Sturt tutor) was won by an astonished (but very clever) Eleanor Brash of Berkeley, member of Illawarra Feltmakers. Her Purple Haze heavily felted handbag used ready-spin damson, merino tops and Leicester wool.

Other creations included a felted handbag (complete with 5 digits) and bags for bottles, evening, casual wear, shopping, work and craft using every fibre imaginable and methods from plain knitting with embellishments to scrumbling, felted and crocheted works of art. More prizes will be awarded next year, so get ready, all you fibre artists, with your ideas for the 2011 Robertson Woolfest.

Congratulations to every entrant who supported our inaugural competition with much energy and enthusiasm for the continuation of this competition and theme in NSW.

Robynn Ross, Yarnspinners

Posted by Prue Hill at 6:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)