Community Spirit - Carnival Queen

This is the final embroidery on the Tapestry from Chapeltown Carnival. Another of the Carnival Queens, this one stitched by Margaret Clark with hand made lace by Audrey Pigeon.

Community Spirit - Injuns

Machine and hand stitched by Jackie Ford (20 hours), this trio was also involved with Carnival. Yet again we have no idea who the boys (?) are or which year they were dressed like this.

The sun is shining this morning so fingers crossed, the weather stays dry for the procession.

Community Spirit - Carnival Queen

Another of the pieces from Carnival, this time one of the Queens. Lets hope the weather stays dry for the next two days for this, the 43rd Carnival. See the blog entry for Arthur France for more details of the history of the event.

Hand stitched on printed fabric by Godfrey Harland (17 hours)

Community Spirit - Carnival Boy

Bank holiday weekend and it's Chapeltown Carnival time. It's a three day event with a procession starting in Potternewton Park on Monday. Not sure which year this boy is from, so if anyone could identify him I would be grateful.

The piece was hand stitched on printed fabric by Godfrey Harland (68 hours).

Community Spirit - Irish Dancer

An Irish dancer. There are many thriving groups and classes for the dance around Yorkshire and there's a website devoted to the subject, including making the dresses. These dresses must take an age to make with the design in embroidery and applique.

So, an embroidery of embroidery, stitched by Jan Brown on printed fabric. Does anyone know who the girl is?

Community Spirit - Orissi Dance

The Orissi dance is the Indian classical dance from the Eastern state of Odissa. It has a long, yet broken tradition. Although dance in Odissa may be traced back more than 2000 years, it was brought to near extinction during the colonial period. Therefore, modern Odissi dance is a reconstruction.

There are taster classes in Leeds to learn some forms of Indian dancing and Zoobin Surty's group often have end of year/term exhibitions at the Yorkshire Dance Centre.

The piece was hand stitched by Thelma Manning (30 hours) on printed fabric.

Community Spirit - Bharatanatyam Dancer

On the Community Spirit panel there are several dancers from many parts of the world. The Morris men and Women have been blogged (see 14th May) already.

Today's offering is Bharatanatyam from South India, not just a dance but a variety of natya yoga which reveals the spiritual through the physical and emotional body. It's possibly more enlightening to check out their website than having me getting things wrong.

Margaret Clark hand stitched this piece (39 1/2 hours).

Education - Leeds Waterfront Heritage Trail

To promote public awareness & enjoyment of the historic waterfront of Leeds the “Leeds Waterfront Tourist Development Action Programme” was established in 1990. This has involved Leeds City Council, British Waterways, Leeds Development Corporation, and the English and Yorkshire Tourist Boards, as well as the National Rivers Authority and the Leeds/ Bradford City Action Team. Leeds City Museum published a pamphlet showing the Heritage Trail in the early 1990s. The trail starts at Rodley Fall in the west and ends about 8 miles later at Thwaite Mill in the east. Between these two points are museums, Kirkstall Abbey, parks, chemical works, tanneries, rhubarb fields, breweries, hotels and many bridges.

Hand stitched on printed fabric by Lesley Dove in 40 hours.

Education - College of Art and Design

The logo of Leeds College of Art & Design is taken from a section of the large rectangular double figured mosaic built into the wall above the front entrance of the College in Vernon Street. The colourful mosaic was designed by Professor Gerald Moira (1867-1959) of the RCA specifically for the new art college building. It was made by Rust & Co in their then new vitreous enamel and represents the muses 'Art' and Design' (only Art is represented on the panel). Does anyone know where Rust & Co were based?

The building itself was designed by architects Francis Bedford and Sydney Kitson and was opened in 1903.

It took Jan Webster fifty-six hours to complete this piece using French knots.

Leeds in Bloom -Butterflies

Despite the changeable weather since the children started their school holidays I just wanted to remind myself and others that officially it is still summer. Today, briefly, there were some butterflies in the garden, so, in celebration, three small creatures using different embroidery techniques.

Hand made lace by Audrey Pigeon (5 hours)

Satin stitch by Valerie Horner (6 1/2 hours)

Probably machine stitching on vanishing fabric with chain stitch and pearl beads added, worked by Renee Silverman (2 hours).

Environment - Dent Head viaduct

I'm not sure where this cross stitch of Dent Head viaduct, stitched by Christine Pitchfork, was going to be used but it is included in the book with the pieces from the Environment panel. At least the real thing is in use as part of the Settle to Carlisle Railway.

After writing about the Gascoigne canal not coming to fruition I was sent a quote about another failed attempt at linking towns in Yorkshire with various forms of transport.

"A quarter of a mile above the Wharfe road bridge in Tadcaster, an imposing viaduct of eleven arches spans the River Wharfe.

This was built as part of a projected direct Leeds to York railway promoted by the industrialist George Hudson through the York & North Midland Railway. The construction of the line was authorised in 1846. It was to run from Copmanthorpe to Cross Gates, joining the Church Fenton to Harrogate railway line between Tadcaster and Stutton.

The collapse of railway investment in 1849 lead to the line being abandoned after the viaduct had been constructed. The need for the line evaporated with the opening of the Micklethorpe to Church Fenton line in 1869.

Extract from Tadcaster historical information dated 1890 - "About a quarter-of-a-mile above the road bridge is a handsome viaduct of eleven arches spanning the Wharfe. This was erected whilst George Hudson was the ruling spirit in the railway world, but with the collapse of the "Railway King" the line, which was intended to connect Tadcaster with York, was abandoned. The viaduct was subsequently purchased by the North-Eastern Railway Co."

Between 1883 and 1959 the viaduct carried a siding that serviced a mill on the East side of the River Wharfe. The last time the viaduct was used to fetch and carry goods was in 1955. The structure is now a Grade II Listed Building owned by Tadcaster Town Council for the use and pleasure of the local people."

Quite an expensive mistake.

There's a whole host of disused viaducts, tunnels etc on the Forgotten Relics of an Enterprising Age website.

Environment - Scarecrow sample

Another piece not used on the final panels but this time because it was a sample for the rag rugging technique used for the Environment panel. This one was made by Margaret Kenny as a test piece to see if really fine canvas could by used.

On the Move - The Butty

By the time the full scale cartoon of the panel was put together there were several small sections of embroidery which didn't quite fit in with the overall look. Most of them fitted well with the Textile & Industrial Heritage but the butty above is still waiting for a serendipity panel.

A butty is a second boat pulled by the narrow boat, it has no engine but does need to be manned, to operate the rudder. Apparently they were introduced as late as the twentieth century when engines replaced horses as the source of power.

This particular butty, Ash, is possibly the one towed by Oak and operated as a hotel by Reed Boats.

Pauline Clayden hand stitched the piece on printed fabric.

Textile and Industrial Heritage - Garforth Colliery Barge

Just returned from Hartlepool, where the Tall Ships have been docked over the weekend. A really impressive sight and a great opportunity to catch up with friends who've also left the town. This photograph, though not too good, is included for health and safety issues

Another tenuous link - Leeds may not have the sea but in the past sails may have been seen in the area. Today's offering is Garforth Colliery Barge.

Sir Thomas Gascoigne planned a canal to Tadcaster, to ease transport from his colliery, and even acquired an Act in 1774. Realising that such a navigation would open the Wharfedale market to competing collieries, Sir Thomas abandoned the plan. Presumably, this is an illustration from his scheme of 1774.

The embroidery was hand stitched on printed fabric by Joyce Maynard.

Leeds in Bloom - Elizabeth Bidgood's Garden

Sometimes the link between embroiderer and subject is even closer (see yesterday's post). Elizabeth Bidgood stitched her garden for the Leeds in Bloom panel. She regularly opens it to the public to raise money for charities and sponsored hers and Temple Newsam's on the Tapestry.

I met her, in her role as Chairman of the Leeds Horticultural Society, at the Flower Show yesterday and she said that the garden is much altered now from the depiction on the panel.

Many techniques were used in stitching this piece including cross stitch, hand stitching and, I suspect, a few french knots.

Leeds in Bloom - Joe Maiden & Gardening Which

This weekend Leeds Flower Show is taking place at the Grammar School at Leeds up in Alwoodley. Joe Maiden is broadcasting from there this morning for his gardening programme on Radio Leeds.

Renee Davidson stitched the background in counted thread work. A second print of Joe Maiden was made, hand stitched by Merel Jackson (11 hours) and appliqued to the ground. Merel was one of the stalwart helpers at the Show until last year so it's appropriate she stitched Joe.

Quite often there is a link between the embroiderer and the subject.

Community Spirit - Caring Together

Another community organisation, this one based in Woodhouse and Little London. Caring Together provides support and practical advice to people aged 50+ in the area.

The embroidery was hand and machine stitched on printed fabric by Ena Dunn (10 hours).

Community Spirit - Armley Helping Hands

Some time ago a friend sent me a link to this site describing an exhibition of photographs at Armley Mills illustrating the hands of women who worked at the mill. Many of those workers now meet at Armley Helping Hands, the local organisation which supports the elderly, with activities and a lunch club helping to prevent social isolation.

A small piece of embroidery but Armley Helping Hands is represented on the Tapestry with this, hand stitched by Barbara Farrugia (3 hours).

LS2000 - The White Rose Centre

The centre opened on 25 March 1997 and is linked to the M621. It's a smaller version of Meadowhall and The Metro Centre with shops such as Sainsbury's, Marks and Spencer and Bhs. There's free parking for 4,800 cars but it still seems an easier option to nip into the City centre on the bus! I must make the effort to go there sometime, but do prefer the option of fresh air between shops.

The building was hand stitched on printed fabric by Renee Silverman and the shrubbery made by resident tree maker, Margaret Kenny.

Faith in the City - Trees

Machine embroidered trees supplied for the Faith panel by Margaret Kenny.

Faith in the City - Two congregations

Happy Yorkshire Day.


Several of the volunteers were called upon to provide crowd scenes and trees, at fairly short notice, when the panels were being stitched down and a gap needed filling. These two crowds were hand painted and hand stitched by Gill Cook for the Faith panel.