67 new creations of embroidery on display at East Ruston Old Vicarage gardens

Around 67 embroidery creations inspired by beautiful blooms, wildlife and even wood piles, made by members of Norwich-based TOPstitch group, are on display and for sale at East Ruston Old Vicarage gardens.

All the 67 pieces are hand stitched by the 13 members, taking hours to make, and it is the first time the group has put its work up for sale since being set up two years ago.

Exhibition organiser Marianne Charlesworth, said that the creating is a challenge to one self with all the new techniques coming through but there is always hark back to the original skills.

They want to raise the awareness of textiles and embroidery as an art form. Embroidery was not dead and the exhibition had attracted visitors from across the country as well as young art students.

Work on show includes woven pieces, subjects put onto handmade felt backgrounds and painted silk. Flowers featured in the embroidery include millefiore, blue hydrangea, irises.

Textiles were also inspired by a honey bee, dragonfly, tree bark and wood piles. The pieces were created after visits to the garden between spring to autumn last year.

The visitors at the exhibition are impressed with the intricacy of the exhibits.

TOPstitch was formed from a group of post and ongoing City and Guilds hand embroidery students, all with a very different approach to their work. It was set up because students wanted somewhere to go and create different things through embroidery after their exams.

Members of TOPstitch group are looking for a new venue, which should also act as inspiration, to hold their next exhibition in 2016.

The East Ruston event held at East Ruston Old Vicarage gardens will be until Sunday July 20, it will be open between 1-5.30pm. It is closed on Monday and Tuesday.