A very much overdue post by me but here it is. An article has just been published in Stitch Magazine issue 123, on my piece for the Embroiderers Guild UK touring exhibition “Home” in 2019/20. You can still catch this at the Spring Knitting and Stitching show. Sally Stirling, managing editor of Stitch says this about this edition. “Stitch 123 is out now! In recognition with International Women’s Day, this issue is packed with projects, features and inspiration – all either by or about women. Embroidery may be dominated by women, still the depth and breadth of skill and talent continues to astound, and as ever, the best is brought to you by Stitch magazine”

My piece has Chichester Cathedral as a small but vital focal point, and this reminded me of early work I did in the 90s. So for the first time I’m showing some of this work alongside a glimpse of my piece for Home.

The South Downs have long been an inspiration but I haven’t used the Cathedral in my work since way back when I was still lecturing, and had two commissions for St Richards Hospital. I’m showing one of these here, as although the image of the final piece is low res, the drawings give an idea of how I developed the piece. Luckily I do have the sketchbook I developed and these haven’t been seen before! Some of my very talented students produced pieces as well, but I havent access at present to their work. The theme was A Sense of Place and the work was made in 1994 I called this piece Cathedral Vistas

And now for 2019 and the ideas I developed. You can see my drawings and progress, and read the article in Stitch magazine. I also have a link on my Instagram account @naylorcarol

These were my inital thoughts for the theme “Home”

Like a beacon guiding you to safety, Chichester Cathedral can be seen from which ever direction you approach the city. It is the only medieval English Cathedral that can be seen from the sea, and the only one with a separate bell tower. I have lived in the city since 1972. When you stand on the Trundle near Goodwood, on the rolling South Downs, the spire is often shrouded in mist, a view I’ve drawn many times. You can see it from the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth on a clear day, from the coast just a few miles south of the city and from the trains that run from Brighton or London.

So here it is, very different in every respect to my piece from 1994 which is still hanging in the hospital and I’ve just posted one drawing below as there are lots in the magazine!

Drawing with the Isle of Wight in the background.

and hope you enjoyed the two pieces and their very different feel. It does show how my work has changed!