1985     Garden Panel

The first of these was the created to celebrate the centenary of Guildford’s Castle garden.

Each member was given a block to design which were then turned. Workshop with Jean Draper workshop “designing with Flowers” was the starting point

1989    Childhood Panel

This Panel was  created for the “Memories” Exhibition held at the Grange in Rottingdean, Sussex. The Grange houses part of Brighton Museum important toy collection.

The panel incorporated a patchwork of 24 background “boxes” of 3 pieces giving a 3 dimensional appearance.  These were stitched together by one of the members.  Each participating member was allowed to add their chosen design.
The brief was to use any textile media in representing a toy. Either real or imagined  memories of childhood. it could be anything like dolls, teddy bears, dressing up clothes, games & books

1993    Ethnic Hanging

This panel was based & inspired by the colours of a member’s textile collection of ethnic designs
.
Everyone received a piece of silk noile & 2 skeins of threads which had been dyed with natural dyes in  madder, pink & beige. With the addition of extra threads  in

individual choices of  supplementary colours and ethnic designs the whole came together very successfully .

2001

African Hanging

Great interest had been shown by many of our members in African inspired designs after African study day early in  2000 to which books and African artifact had been brought for sharing. We were all so inspired by the strong and vibrant patterns that it was felt a exciting group  hanging  could be the result.

A4 hessian blocks where issued to all members  & we were  encouraged to work directly  or appliqué something onto these.  A great variety   of techniques were used including printing ,bleaching, stitching, tasseling beading &  knotting resulted in a hanging of 8 separate pieces all  joined together according to colour, shape and the strength of design.

It has been on view for two of our  exhibitions to date.

2006   Rhythms of Light

By 2005 we had an intake of new members & because there had been no exhibition in 2005 we felt it was time to do another group panel.  One of our members had connections with the Royal Surrey County Hospital and she obtained a commission for the Wey Valley Workshop to produce a hanging which now hangs in Outpatients Clinic I. One of the busy areas used every day by patients for consultations, results  and follow ups. These clinics are used by anxious people from all walks of life, religions and age groups and in particular children ,who may not know or respect anything about art.  Therefore we felt it to be a worthwhile project to work on.

The design had been researched in depth with the focus on colour & texture; each member was allowed to chose a two toned block of canvas and the brief was the embroidery should be an embellishment  and a match  of each of the given colour boards. We had to work within certain parameters & with the adjacent boards in mind to be effective as a whole. Nonetheless we had a lot of freedom resulting in a exciting &  sensational panel for all the outpatients

to enjoy.

in 1992

The Wey Valley Workshop members collaborated to produce a very special present for a very remarkable person: Brian Worth who had been the caretaker looking after all our needs at the Adult Education Center in Godalming. it was for a significant birthday as well as a retirement gift.  

Being a great jazz fan we decided make him a waistcoat & to print on striped silk background our signatures & other motifs mainly jazz patterns, shapes & elements; which were then outlined in stitches. One of our annual feast was prepared to present the waistcoat but unfortunately Brian himself had to cancel at the very last moment!

2008   the Time Line Boards.

Our last project were the Time Line Boards which were created by the members of the Wey Valley Workshop for our last Exhibition in May 2008 at the Guildford House Gallery.

Because the Gallery was such  such a historic venue  it was decided to emphasize the historic aspect of embroidery through the Ages.  Members were asked to bring in samples of past work done for their C & G courses of historical interest or techniques.  So many were brought in that the best were selected and mounted on boards provided by the Gallery.  These were displayed downstairs in he Garden room and  upstairs in the Powell room. there was a great deal of interest displayed by the public.  The boards were of a really very fine  collection of all sorts of techniques through the ages. From the Bayeux Tapestry, through to the Modern Day with Tyhe Ideas & Innovations Board .