Gilliatt's adventure

Good Friday is the start of the Channel Island Heritage Festival.

This year the theme is our relationship with the sea, this also ties in nicely with the celebration in April of the 150th Anniversary of the publishing of Toilers of the Sea 

which was written by Victor Hugo while he was living in Guernsey,

and is a love story based round a ship wreck off Guernsey.

 

Its a brilliant story

but in my opinion Hugo can go into pages of over the top description. 

Fast track through those and I think you will enjoy it!

For our part of the festival we have decided to let our visitors help in

producing a small (20cmm/30cm) panel celebrating Hugo and Toilers. 

 And the wool has now arrived, love those colours!

So last week I got the image all gridded up.  In Toilers, Gilliatt the hero (pronounce the G like a J as you would in patois, which is the same for Guernesiais) sails his small boat,

a Dutch Sloop  (see image below) down to try and free the engine from the shipwreck. 

 

 

I felt that the boat featured in the 12th century panel definitely bared a strong similarity to this style/type of boat. So that boat and Hugo's signature in the 19th panel became the base for our design.

Once you are all gridded it up it actually is rather satisfying transferring the image from paper to canvas.

Ta da all done!

Now just an excuse to practise a couple of stitches! We are using a 14hpi canvas (a little larger than the actual panels which are 16hpi) and Appletons Wool crewel weight.

I am keeping the palette of stiches very simple as hopefully we will have lots to different abilities of people involved.  These stitches will included satin, upright cross, Romanian couching, tent and back stitch.

So if you want to have ago, we will be stitching every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning between 10 and 12am from 25th March till 10th May except for Liberation Day (9th May). 

Entrance is £4.95 for Adults, £4.50 for Seniors and Students and children are free.

 

So every one who comes to see the Tapestry on those day can have a go if they would like.

Cant wait to get started!!!!!