... feeling like February......

February has arrived and for most of us it has brought with it wet weather, grey skies and a bracing wind after what had been a mild warm winter so far.

On the positive side, the time indoors will be spent productively dealing with those overdue sewing tasks, whilst making an early start on the spring cleaning chores before our workshop season arrives with Åsa Tricosa's Weekend Knitting Masterclass at the end of April. Something really exciting to look forward to (Åsa's workshop, not the chores, that is).....

 

Asa Södeman is never one to sit back on her laurels; she's off to the Edinburgh Yarn Festival in March where you will find her hosting a couple of three-hour demonstrations:  one on Collars and Cuffs, and the other on the Marlisle technique, a new system of creating decorative texture and colour shifts in handknitted fabric with a particular focus on seamless knitting in the round.  Her workshop here will concentrate on tailoring beautifully crafted, top-down garments, with special attention to all those details that make for an expertly finished, knitted garment.  As a moderately competent knitter myself, I'm looking forward to learning those professional touches Åsa is celebrated for, as well as assimilating some of her wonderful Scandinavian colour sense. 

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Edinburgh seems to be the place to be at the moment for anyone into textiles, yarns, and all things  in-between. Fiona Rutherford, who will be leading her first workshop, Tapestry Weaving, with us in September this year, is starting her year with an exhibition of new tapestries at CONVERGE 2016 Visual Arts Scotland, 29th January - 20th February,  "I'm delighted that my triptych, "Familiar Rhythms", has been selected for this exciting mix of fine and applied art and design showing at the RSA galleries". She'll also be showing a selection of her tapestries under the theme "Fragments" at the Knitting & Stitching Show, Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh, from 28th April to 1st May, when she herself will be available to talk to.  Well worth a visit!

During Fiona's workshop here, participants will be using lightwieght wood frame looms and a vibrant range of her personal Swedish cotton and linen yarns to weave colour and shape. Whether you are new to tapestry weaving or you want to take time to expand your ideas and weaving technique further in a creative environment, Fiona will guide you through the steps of how to create a small tapestry mounted and ready for you to take home.

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If, however, your neck of the woods happens to be Stateside, and Vermont at that, you might like to take the opportunity to view the work of innovative and talented "stitch artist", Emily Barletta whose work will be on view at the exhibition, Intimacy and Materiality,at the Helen Day Arts Centre in Stowe.  

We still have a few places remaining on Julie Arkell's Workshop here: Birds on a Table at the beginning of June. Julie's events here are always a joy, and participants this year will be encouraged to bring nature books they love, a favourite shell, dried flowers or any other nature find, all of which will be used to populate their unique nature table.  As usual, our regular workshop leader and firm favourite,Julie, will be sharing some her celebrated paper maché, knitting, stitching and collating techniques.

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We know that Julie would just love the fabrics of Kekfesto Cotton, a small UK importing company run by the aficionado, Gilly Thomson, which sells dozens of Hungarian, indigo printed, patterned fabrics. Reminiscent of Dutch Delft, but also remarkably similar to traditional hand-printed textiles of Japan, these textiles originally came from India, delivered as presents to the French court in the C17th and immediately became fashionable among ladies and nobles .  By the turn of the C18th more than a hundred workshops were operating in Hungary with printing technology and patterns that were top secret within each particular guild.  Today only eight workshops remain, and whilst still producing  the traditional patterns they also experiment with modern ones.  Luckily for us, Gilly stocks most of them.   

   

Enjoy a fabric-full February!

Katie

....rich stitching.......

How lucky were we to have both Janet Bolton and good weather here last week!  A brilliant opportunity to open all the doors and let the creativity pour in, led by this wonderful, gentle teacher.  The last of the ladies left yesterday and Les Soeurs Anglaises now feels a tad too quiet for its own good, though it does give us a chance to recharge our batteries and bring the place back into ship-shape order for our next workshop, with Julie Arkell, coming up at the beginning of June.   Janet will be returning to Les Soeurs Anglaises in 2017, probably sometime in May or the beginning of June, and we're taking names already so let us know if you'd like your name to be on the list.

 

6 THINGS TO SHARE THIS MONTH:

• If you had your eye on Julie Arkell's workshop, TOYS, starting here on 3rd June, but left it a bit late to book a place, you might be pleased to hear a place has become available as a participant has had to drop out.  We can offer you a £150/$237 discount off the normal price (£1750/$2758) for a single occupancy, standard twin room - which should be enough to cover your Ryanair flight here from the UK - or if you can organise it with a friend, and don't mind sharing, you could split the discount for a shared room (£1350/$2128 each).   If you need any more information regarding booking please contact Susie directly as the booking form has been removed from our website for this event.  Incidentally, this year Julie's workshop dates cover the now celebrated local monthly brocante which is almost worth ta visit to south west France all by itself!
• We now have only one double en suite bedroom still available for our long weekend fundraiser in July, Fete de Boogie Woogie, in aid of Women for Women International,   If you're a fan of great food, vintage wines and superlative live music, then this will be the perfect combo.  We were absolutely delighted that one of our artists, Deanna Bogart, who is popping over from the States especially to perform at this event, has just won yet another coveted award for her sublime piano and saxophone playing.

Deanna at the 2015-BMA-Awards-Performances last week, Memphis, USA

• You may not be aware that between workshops, and when time permits, we run an occasional B&Bs, and we had the pleasure this week of welcoming back Dee Puddy and her husband.  Dee hosts her own seriously chic website where she sells irresistible, hand-picked, vintage finds and covetable goodies from both the UK and the continent - her on-line shop is a must-visit.

   

• If you're coming to Åsa Tricosa's workshop, Seamlessly Clever, in October (or would like to) and you live in Germany, you can have a taster of this ebullient and colourful knitter at the Yarn Festival, Berlin Knits coming up in a day or two.  There's also a "Meet the Designer Cruise" where I'm sure you'll find Åsa sporting one of her scrummy designs as the day cools - and if that doesn't tempt you to join us for Åsa's workshop here then you're obviously not into knitting.....
• As a great fan of West Dean short courses, near Cirencester, UK, I was interested to hear that Canada has its very own version called Halliburton Highlands.  One of the talented ladies at Janet's workshop, Sandi Luck, actually teaches fibre arts there, but there are a kaleidoscope of other short workshops to tempt you if felting isn't your thing.
• With all the property to rent available now in this beautiful part of France, choosing somewhere to holiday that lives up to its publicity is often a lottery, so we thought you might be interested in one that we personally think is the perfect place to stay!  Situated not far from Les Soeurs Anglaises itself, in the picturesque village of La Tour Blanche, La Maison Des Ramparts has recently been completely renovated to the highest standard and is super comfortable and tasteful.  Situated in the heart of the village and with all mod cons, (and with brocantes nearby every weekend over the summer) there's really nothing negative to say about this very special little house that sleeps 4.   Contact Suzy for further information and availability.....  

.. the boys can join in.....

January is nearly at an end and the days are definitely getting longer, but it's still falling below freezing most days here in the south of France, though that's practically tropical when compared with the weather conditions on the east coast of the US.  Whilst reading all about the storms hitting New York, I came across this terrific photograph by ANDREAS FEININGER of the Great Blizzard of 1947.  Andreas was the son of one of my favourite artists, Lyonel Feininger, whose own father emigrated from Germany to the US in 1848.

Don't it make you want to just stay indoors and knit?    But if that's not your style you might be interested in a couple of Fair Isle sweaters that I picked up at a local brocante recently;  one is definitely hand-knitted and both 100% wool and in pretty much near perfect condition, size S/M and for sale at our Etsy shop.

And if you're in need of cheering up during these dark days and the men in your life keep telling you that knitting is for the girls (whilst they got on with rocket science and fixing the car), then here is something to prove beyond a doubt they couldn't be more wrong.  Let's face it, if Mr Spock can make himself a scarf, and our very first heart throb, the gorgeous Cary Cooper, can knit a...a... whatever, then choosing colours, patterns and yarns is also something the boys can enjoy ion the knowledge that together with learning a language and chess, knitting complicated patterns has been proven to exercise the brain and keep minds young and sharp.  

 

We don't often write about events in the US but here is one that might appeal to anyone living in the Los Angeles area who loves 40s and 50s styles.  Wear It Again Sam Vintage Clothing will be running a stall at the Inspiration fair on the 6th and 7th February.  Looks like lots of fun, but if you can't get there then you can visit their on-line Etsy shop to see the best of what they have to offer in retro style.

Beautiful 1940's New Look Gabardine Suit w/ Long Peplum in the Back by "American Woolen Company" 

KEEP WARM!
Katie

.....possibilities.....

In case the last message slipped through your fingers (or landed straight into you spam file!), we thought you would like to know that our calendar for 2015 is now confirmed and ready to view on our website.   We are thrilled with the new line-up; a combination of popular previous workshop leaders, together with a few highly recommended new craftist/teachers whom we've admired for a long time.  We hope you're as delighted at the prospect as us and we look forward to welcoming back some previous participants as well as new guests in the New Year.   Here goes.....

 Janet Bolton:  NARRATIVE STITCHES  6th-12th May
Julie Arkell:  TOYS  3rd-9th June
India Flint:  BEING (T)HERE  23rd-29th August
Ray Stitch: Dressmaking Retreat 6th-12 September
Asa Soderman of Asa Tricosa:  SEAMLESSLY CLEVER  14th-20th October

 Please note that there has been some confusion with the dates for the Asa Tricosa
workshop.  It is in October NOT November

It's quite a line up and we're delighted by the range of creative textile opportunities we've put together. If you feel like simply working on a project (or two) of your own in the incredible light and space of our beautiful studio but with all the accommodation options of a regular workshop, there is an opportunity to join a group of like-minded artist/crafters at the end of September for a week of Open Studio / Yoga.  You'll discover a lot more dates and details and information about the venue if you haven't joined us before on our website.  

Meanwhile, you might be interested in a new website we've come across called Botanica Tinctoria, a Candian company that sells trimmings and threads in a wide range of beautiful and fast colours. 

The carefully curated collection of trimmings includes ribbons, tapes, broderie anglaise and rick rack as well as high quality perle and 6-strand embroidery threads in 14 natural colours which are all sourced from traditional dye plants such as indigo and madder. I'm particularly tempted by the cotton voile.....Yummy!

Some of us are now off to Japan (with our knitting, of course) for four weeks of textile research and a much-needed break after a full-on summer season.  But we'll still be open for bookings and you can, of course, contact us directly if anything needs clarifying - we're always happy to help.

fine stitching with miss jessie......

Last week saw the closing days of another Jessie Chorley Workshop at Les Soeurs Anglaises.  Jessie's unique style of working and teaching make her a firm favourite with participants and it seemed to be a particularly exciting and creative five days this time round.  The fact that we walked straight into an Indian Summer, might have helped, with plenty of sunshine allowing us to eat out every day and organise, a picnic lunch beside gorgeous local ponds - a first and something we hope to make a regular event. Jessie brought with her an individual project bag for each participant containing, amongst other ephemera, a delicate handkerchief with the date personally hand-stitched.  On this each person worked their own motif before passing it along to the next person to add theirs.  By the end of the five days each participant had a beautiful multi-stitched souvenir to take away with them.  Meanwhile, they worked on their main project which in most cases was a unique and beautiful "book-box".  It was hard to drag some of the ladies away for meals, but once separated from their work there was time to go for a dip in one of the pools, or just sit and chat in the dappled sunshine.         Two of those present were winners of LSA's past competitions.  Lizz Harding won last year's Hare competition; and Claire Sounes, whose wonderfully stitched contributions to the Cambodian Childrens Fund Textile Quilt (soon to be auctioned on Ebay - watch this space) wowed our workshop leaders.  Both have since sent us messages of thanks: "Having just completed a textile foundation course at Morley College, London, coming to Les Soeurs Anglaises to do Jessie Chorley's workshop was a much needed and welcome creative break.  With beautiful blue skies to greet us, there was a seemingly endless supply of fantastic food to keep us fuelled for days of  stitching and making in the glorious open and spacious studio.  I was in heaven!  Such great company, too.  It was lovely to make new, like-minded friends and have fun working together with guidance from such a fantastic and generous teacher.  Jessie gave us all the individual attention and inspiration we needed and I have learnt so much in such a short time.  A big thank you to LSA for making it possible."  Lizz Harding 'I had the great fortune to win a workshop at Les Soeurs Anglais and spent an idyllic week on a workshop run by the super talented Jessie Chorley.  With a very friendly group of fellow makers I stitched away in Les Soeurs Anglaises' stunning converted barn looking out at expansive views of the remarkable French countryside.  We enjoyed delicious food throughout the five days, including a memorable picnic. The sun shone everyday, making it warm enough to swim in the two open air pools but there was also time to visit local markets and shops where I found some wonderful linen.  I came away feeling refreshed, relaxed and inspired to use the techniques I learnt at the workshop.  A truly memorable and special week.' Claire Sounes Jessie may well be "supervising" our Open Studio event next year.  Information about it will be on our new calendar, available on our website within the next few weeks.  We'll keep you posted. For those of you looking for a suitable late summer/early autumn pinafore the below might be just the ticket.  Hand-made by Les Soeurs Anglaises in 100% vintage, red gingham linen found recently at a local brocante. Below knee length and loose enough to be worn with a shirt underneath (not included in price) or with a little cardigan on top.   Size 12/14 $190 / £118 + postage

I'd like to buy this now

.... and the winner is.....

At last!  All the workshop leaders have chosen their favourite jigsaw submissions and the majority verdict is that Claire Sounes' three beautifully executed and creative pieces made her a worthy winner. We are extremely grateful for the seventy plus entries from all over the world - we know how much thought and hard work was involved in thinking through and then creating each piece.  Everyone entered the spirit of the competition and we anticipate a beautiful final quilt (though it might be some months before it is completed);  our plan then is to auction it to raise funds for the Cambodian Childrens Fund

AS you can imagine, it was a tremendously difficult task for the workshop leaders to choose their favourite piece as there were so many brilliant submissions, but the three that Claire submitted  reached the finishing post with a majority of one vote! and she will be joining us for one of our workshops later this year.  Over the next few weeks, however, we will be posting photographs of many of the other submissions and cataloguing our progress with the quilt.  We very much hope that you have had as much fun as we have collaborating with this project.

........Christmas shopping in Paris......

........Now the competition is over and winners have been notified, it is beginning to properly feel like Christmas is well and truly upon us, and it's time to to do some serious shopping!  Les Soeurs Anglaises certainly enjoy the brocantes and flea markets of La Belle France so the obvious place to start is Paris!   Equipped with walking shoes, bags and strong elbows, a quick trip on the TGV, Paris Metro and we are off.......

 

…ready to shop 'til we drop.

So much to see, so many little shops and stalls, with a variety of beautiful textiles, haberdashery, paper and much more. Oh, so much digging, below layers, under tables, on top shelves, a real Aladdins Cave, and the smell......... we know we will find some delightful gems!

.... Prize for the March Hare with the Mostest....

We like to keep Les Soeurs Anglaises' enthusiasts busy, so here is our .....

Pre-season Competition..... 

We're enjoying the calm before the storm down here (enjoying rather better weather than most it would seem), and take great delight when, from time to time, we catch sight of our workshop motif, the  beautiful Brown Hare - lièvre - most commonly seen here during the lengthening evening hours in the spring, when their mating rituals of boxing and chasing each other, bring them into the open. Not long ago I caught sight of my first this year, when I glanced out of a bedroom window one stormy evening and caught sight of a large male hare sitting stock-still in the middle of our courtyard staring into the thunderclouds.  I blinked and he was gone - so perfect, so magical.

But back to our competition

We would like you to send us a picture of your hare.  He/she  can be real or imagined, photographed or knitted, sculpted or drawn, stitched or printed on fabric; whatever floats your boat, and as long as it looks vaguely like a hare.  At the end of April we will put together all the submissions and asking our local artist celebrity, Billie Jean Spille, to choose the most creative offering.  

 First Prize

The winner will be offered a free place on a Les Soeurs Anglaises' workshop of their choice, either this year (where we still have places) or one in 2014 ( excluding travel expenses).  There will also be a prize for the correct answer to a hare-related question in the final week of the competition, clues to which will be hidden amongst our blog, Facebook, website or Twitter between now and the closing date.  So if you don't feel like creating anything you can try your hand at something a little more esoteric.

original March Hare illustration by John for Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

felted hare by Ruthfully on Etsy

Charcoal drawing by Valerie Davide

A couple of interesting facts about hares:  they can move very fast when required - up to 70 kmh;  and the young of the hare are born with fur and vision, unlike the much smaller rabbit, which has neither.

Stuffed textile hares by Mr Finch

Wire hare by Julieann Worrall Hood who will be joining us to lead a workshop in August

Dark Hare by Peter Denness

We know how many talented Les Soeurs Anglaises followers there are out there and we're looking forward to seeing all your creations.  To help you along, we'll be posting more hares over the next few weeks, along with clues to the final Big Question.

Submitted photographs of your March Hare should be emailed  to reach us no later than noon on 30th April 2013.   

Have a Happy and Creative Easter.

....

This is the New Year!  You can pass through it coasting on cruise control; or you can step out of your comfort zone, trying things you have never done before, or fine-tuning skills you already have;  make this the year that you elevate from where you are & soar high....   Join us and make it happen!

with Les Soeurs Anglaises' very best wishes to all our past and future participants!

... let the festivities begin...

Well, our Christmas Countdown Competition has come to an end and all prize-winners notified.  We'd like to thank the dozens of you who wrote in with answers (mostly correct) and congratulate all those clever winner.  We enjoyed every minute of the Countdown, but receiving your festive and often very funny messages alongside the answers was a great plus for us.  We very much hope that everyone enjoyed looking for the answers and the winners will be receiving through the post their little prizes very soon. 

The winners were  - in Question/Day order:

Chris Legee

Janet Beardshaw

Judy Griffiths

Maggie Le May

Susan Clarke

Beverley Peach

Isabella simpson

Sally Cross

Georgina Favel

Julia Bond

Eva Polizzi

Robyn Phelps

Pennie Killingsworth

and Sara Miller

....penultimate perfect....

And, of course, the answer to yesterday's question, What was the name of Marion Foale’s partner in her famous fashion design business of the 1960s?, is Sally Tuffin.  Obviously a great number of you out there who were cutting a swathe stylistically back in the Swinging Sixties.....

One of the great things about hosting residential workshops is that we get to watch participants slowly emerge from their art and craft shells.  Even those who arrive declaring their working lives are “uncreative” or that they have “never picked up a needle”  are soon producing amazing work, thanks to the encouragement of the leaders and supportive atmosphere in the studio.   Some people have a background in the arts, with great experience either professionally or as an amateur, but in some ways arriving at a workshop with no preconceptions about the art/craft, or how a thing should or should not be done can be an advantage, and we are constantly bowled over by the imagination and creativity of the work "novices" take away with them.

In 2008 we had the great good fortune to have a photographer arrive for Julie Arkell’s workshop and she has been back, for one workshop or another, every year since and often using her various workshops as inspiration for stitching and photography.  From her first visit we fell in love with Rebecka Ryberg Skott and her hard-to-define but unforgettable photographs;   rising early and before the other participants in to order to make use of the quiet  and just the right light, she composes vintage childrens’ toys and books, memorabilia, found objects and natural props to tell her unique picture stories.  Sometimes they are funny, sometimes nostalgic but always executed with an acute eye for detail, colour and content.  (We have been trying to persuade her to take photographs for our LSA cook book, but she cannot be tempted to stray from her own journey).

Here are a few of our favorites - you may recognise some of them (which she has generously given us permission to use) from our website and blog   -  but find yours on Rebecka's own wonderful blog where she often twins photographs to the lyrics of a favourite song.

And today's prize is an original limited edition print of Rebecka’s, "Shelter From the Storm"

Question No 11

On which of Les sours Anglaises' web pages will you find a photograph taken by Rebecka Ryberg Skott?   

Answer to:  katie@lessoeursanglaises.com