Colcha workshop

My last post reported on my developing interest in New Mexico Colcha embroidery over the last seven months since reading an article about it in Piecework magazine.

As I gathered more and more information, my obsession spilled over to the Ethnic Embroidery Studies Group of the Embroiderers' Guild of SA, of which I am a member. Other members of the group are as keen as I am to learn about the embroideries of specific cultural groups, so I offered to share my research at our December meeting.

Colchas (Spanish word for bedcovering) came to the Americas with the early Spanish explorers, along with churro sheep - small, wiry arid land sheep. The sheep provided both the woven material for blankets and the thread with which they were embroidered. When the Spanish sent expeditions north from New Spain churro sheep, blankets, looms and expertise in embroidery and weaving went with them.

modern churro wool for weaving or knitting (from Weaving Southwest)

In the harsh conditions they found on arriving in what became New Mexico, the sheep and blankets were invaluable and contributed to the survival of the community. Embroidery of the blankets was reduced to the use of a single stitch - now known as  Colcha Stitch, a variation on Bokhara couching. It was quick to work and provided two additional layers of wool to the base wool fabric. The sheep were also highly valued by the Pueblo Indians and have become integral to Navaho weaving.  The story is much richer than this summary - I put together and made available a paper summarising what I had learned of the history.

For the workshop I put together some simple kits using doctors' flannel, Appleton's wool and some traditional designs from Wroth, William (ed) Weaving & Colcha from the Hispanic Southwest, Ancient City Press, Santa Fe, 1985

I created some iron-on transfers of the designs to save having to trace them individually. While this made it easier, the transfers bled a bit on the flannel.

Interest was high and everyone tried the stitching. Many also explored the books (all of which are listed in the paper).










A couple of members have already finished their sample piece. One is intending to make a blanket or quilt!








In April next year our group is responsible for a display of work in the Guild's Gallery. We plan to display our colcha pieces.  I will post photographs when the time comes. In the meantime, I have some photos of finished pieces. Barbara Mullan finished hers and then did another one on black - this time outlining the chalk tracing with tacking stitch to keep the shape.

Barbara's finished lizard

Barbara's tacking outline

my unidentified plant!

Lori Howlett's bird

I am especially grateful to Esther Vigil who sent me her two books on Colcha. Esther is the daughter of Maria Teofila Ortiz Lujan, a pivotal pioneer in the survival and renaissance of Colcha Embroidery. One of the cleverest ideas I have seen in a long time is the back covers of Esther's books which feature the back of the piece of embroidery featured on the front of the books!

Esther has answered my questions, supported this venture and sent me links to a video interview with her. There is also a transcript of that interview. I hope I have done her justice in the workshop and paper.

We topped off our workshop with a shared Christmas lunch - a really lovely morning spent stitching, learning and eating together.


 May we all enjoy such blessings this Christmas!

Ethnic Embroidery Study Group

One of my favourite Embroiderers' Guild groups is the monthly Ethnic Embroidery Study Group . 

Its purpose is to gain a greater understanding of embroidery through the study of traditional textiles from around the world. The different techniques and materials used, the significance of traditional designs, the place of embroidery both domestically and ceremonially in the lives of people of other cultures are all explored by the study of embroideries from the Guild's Museum and other public and private collections and through research and the sharing of knowledge.

We have great expertise in this area in our Guild. A number of members have travelled, lived, worked and collected textiles amongst a range of ethnic groups - particularly throughout Asia.

The group's theme for this year is beading, so each month we have looked at different uses of beading in the work of a range of ethnic groups. This month we invited talented , long-standing Guild member Sheana Davies, to talk to us and to show us some beading techniques.

We looked at a lot of samples of beading work, from the Guild's Museum and from Sheana's own collection, and browsed some books and magazines with stunning examples of ethnic beading.

For me, the most interesting piece was this beaded cardigan. The original colour in the beads has faded with time, but the effect is still lovely - because the thread used was matched to the colour of the beads and still preserves the colour.  Tip from Sheana - always match thread to the bead you are using!

I have little experience with beading, but would not have thought to do this.

As usual, we had a lively and interesting meeting as we shared, asked questions, and some tried their hand at it. It is great to be part of a group focused on learning and sharing around our common interest.

It inspired me to get out my stash of broken jewellery and make a relatively simple restringing repair to a strand of this necklace, of Indigenous Australian origin, so I am now wearing it again!

Ethnic Embroideries Study Group

                            Last Wednesday was the monthly meeting of the Embroiderers' Guild Ethnic Embroidery Study Group. This month's meeting was a presentation by Janna Lock who spoke about her years in Pakistan and Afghanistan, the women she met and worked with and their embroidery. She brought with her lots of examples, which we could examine in detail.

There were beautiful fans, mostly made with two sticks so they rotate freely. You hold the longer, outside stick and swing the fan around it in a circle. Apparently young girls are happy to do this for older women!

Janna had a complete outfit - a voluminous dress with belt, modelled by Colleen, first with the headdress of a single girl,

and then with a married woman's headdress.

This veil was worn by a bride on her wedding day to cover her face from her betrothed, until the point in the ceremony when she is married and can reveal her face to her husband.                                                                                                                                                                                                          These sandals are made from old tyres. 

There were bodices, 

and a host of examples of cloths and bags.

as you can see, we had a good time and saw some lovely pieces of embroidery.

Paul Lock has written a book about their experiences,

while Janna continues to support a widow's group by selling their handiwork in Australia.

Ethnic Embroideries Study Group:A Feast of Embroideries from China

Last week I attended the monthly meeting of the Guild's Ethnic Embroideries Study Group - one of my favourite Guild groups. The group exists  to gain a greater understanding of embroidery through the study of traditional textiles from around the world. The different techniques and materials used, the significance of traditional designs, the place of embroidery both domestically and ceremonially in the lives of people of other cultures are all explored by the study of embroideries from the Guild's Museum and other public and private collections and through research and the sharing of knowledge.


This week Glenys Osborne, a member of the group, showed, and spoke to us about, her collection of embroideries from China, collected in the years she and her husband lived and worked there. Glenys has a fabulous collection and we all had a great time looking, touching, asking questions and following her journeys on her map.

Much of her collection comes from ethnic minority groups in the more rural and remote areas of China.

I did not take notes in the session so will simply post the photos, hoping others will enjoy the variety, attraction and skill of the pieces we were privileged to see.

skirt in hanging panels, like a vertical blind

Inside of the skirt

Earrings!