Meeting 6 March 2014

Our guest speaker was Melanie Birmingham who gave an in-depth insight into all things felt.

Her title was ‘May Your Stitches Be Tight’ which is a well-used greeting in yurt communities. Melanie enthralled us with her background knowledge into ethnic felt making along the northern and southern Silk Routes. She demonstrated techniques passed down through generations for over 1000 years which she had learned first-hand on her travels. We were guided along the Silk route and eventually reached the Mongolia area. Felt making, especially the wonderful rugs is a communal activity, you are greeted on entering a yurt with ‘May Your Stitches Be Tight’ and then you get to work. All the community work together women, children and men who help with the horses to roll the fibres into felt. These rugs are used as social hierarchy symbols, the brown ones go on the floor first as everyday rugs, these are for the family to use day to day, guests are invited to sit on layers of patterned rugs – the higher the layers the more important you are. These are the Sunday best rugs.

We also saw a variety of different hat styles and Melanie enlightened us to the fact you can tell whether the stitcher was right or left handed from the stitching used. Melanie creates replicas of archaeological exhibits to demonstrate the techniques used. Felt has been made in the same way since at least 1800 BC – unfortunately Victorian male archaeologists omitted details of stitching and colour on their finds and most are black and white photos.

We had an Exhibition table with Grace’s work to ponder and marvel a; a plethora of embroidery and textile styles to admire. Well done Grace, you are an inspiration to all.