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).

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 - The Silvermans

Even more of the Silverman family were included on the Faith Panel. Quite often there were not enough photographs of people for the crowd scenes on the panels and the volunteers would be asked to root through their photographs for suitable images.

A lot of the archive material has been put in a 'safe place' and I can't find the story Renee wrote about this particular photograph, but if she's reading this maybe a repeat can be written? Meanwhile I'll keep looking....

Renee Silverman embroidered these pieces of herself and her Mum and Dad.

Community Spirit - Mother and child

Beverley wasn't the only member of the Silverman family to become involved with the Tapestry. Her mother, Renee, originally came on board to help with the administration and office duties (and is still the minutes secretary for the Board of Trustees). Gradually she began to embroiderer too, with stunning results.

Renee spent hours hand stitching her daughter-in-law and grandson for the Community Spirit panel. She ironed it when finished and the face turned into a shrivelled prune. Fortunately by this time she had become one of the volunteers who printed the images onto fabric so, with a newly printed face, longer hair and higher collar to hide the applique, Hilary and Jonathan were ready to join the audience watching the procession.

Textile and Industrial Heritage - Hopkin's Catering Equipment

There would have been a nice bit of symmetry if Hopkins had provided the fish fryer for Oakwood Fisheries but they didn't!

Vincent Hopkins established Hopkin's Catering Equipment on 17th September 1957 with the aim to provide a complete service to the catering industry. The business is now in the hands of the second and third generations of his family.

The family were really enthusiastic in their support of the Tapestry. They were contacted via Bryan's Fish Restaurant and provided the cartoons to bring to life the story of the Fish Fryer. Neither did Mrs Hopkins forget us when a neighbouring tailor retired and she rescued his unused cloth for tapestry use.

Jackie Ford machine embroidered the background for the piece and Renee Silverman made the two people in the foreground. Janet Taylor and Kate Russell are also recorded as working on the piece - perhaps the frame?

"Fish and chips being my favourite food I was happy to take up the challenge of the Hopkins piece. The background was being beautifully done by Jackie, I just had to concentrate on the two figures. The setting had an early 1900 look about it, the man in his high button suit and bowler hat, the woman in her hat and dress with leg-of-mutton sleeves. A couple of local people dressed up for an evening out, perhaps returning from an evening in the gallery of the City Varieties, stopping off for a portion of cod and bag of chips on their way home, well satisfied with their lot in life. The fingers presented a challenge and I eventually settled for hands for the man made from fine wire wrapped round with tape, dipped in adhesive and painted. The woman's hand was made in a similar fashion but enclosed in a glove made from a scrap of velvet. Would anyone hold fish and chips wearing a velvet glove you may ask - but that is embroiderer's licence. The newspaper was an actual piece of the Leeds Mercury of the time which Barbara Walker printed onto a piece of silk for me, at reduced scale, and the chips were my husband's inspiration, padded strips of painted felt glued to wires which are passed through and anchored at the back of the embroidery. I hope it looks real enough to viewers and that they might even imagine a waft of malt vinegar as they pass by." Renee Silverman

Post Script March 2012
The road sign above the shop relates to Hopkins address, Kent Road Pudsey.

LS2000 - Drawn Metal Ltd

Some of the pieces on the Tapestry have been researched and recorded in full. Others, like the above have the name of the company attached and very little background material. Drawn Metal Ltd are still functioning, congratulations, and hope someone from the firm can add a potted history to the blog.

Watch this space.

Renee Silverman stitched both of the pieces and I hope she'll be able to tell us more about her work.