Tag: Manchester Tart

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Swiss Fiber Art Fanzine

Every two years Claudia and her colleagues over at Swiss Fiber Art design an exciting new project in collaboration with international textile artists. Their new project for 2024/2025 is the Swiss Fiber Art Fanzine and I’m delighted to announce that Bunting, Butties and a Brew & Manchester Tart have been accepted for publication.

Bunting, Butties and a Brew - part of the Swiss Fiber Art Fanzine
Bunting, Butties and a Brew – part of the Swiss Fiber Art Fanzine
Manchester Tart
Manchester Tart
My projects start with a handful of my favourite vintage Sylko threads
My projects start with a handful of my favourite vintage Sylko threads

Swiss Fiber Art Fanzine

A series of zines will be published throughout the two years of the project.

The project is running until December 2025 and the list of themes are: mushrooms, science, food, insects, plastic, time, architecture and humans.

If you’d like more information on the project, pop over to the project page and maybe take part yourself!.

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Beryl Dean Award for Hand Embroidery

I’m delighted to share that ‘Good Grub‘ had been awarded ‘Winner of the Beryl Dean Award for Hand Embroidery’ in the Embroiderers’ Guild 2024 Members’ Challenge ‘Opposites Attract’.

Good Grub, awarded the Beryl Dean Award for Hand Embroidery
Good Grub, awarded the Beryl Dean Award for Hand Embroidery

An ‘Opposites Attract’ E-Book is available on the Guild website, featuring all the pieces in the challenge. Below are a few extracts from the book.

Embroiderers Guild Book - Opposites Attract Members' Challenge
Embroiderers Guild Book – Opposites Attract Members’ Challenge
Extract from the Embroiderers Guild Book - Opposites Attract Members' Challenge. Beryl Dean award fro hand embroidery
Extract from the Embroiderers Guild Book – Opposites Attract Members’ Challenge
Extract from the Embroiderers Guild Book - Opposites Attract Members' Challenge. Beryl Dean award fro hand embroidery
Extract from the Embroiderers Guild Book – Opposites Attract Members’ Challenge

Thank you to the Embroiderers’ Guild from producing such a brilliant and inspiring challnge. Congratulations to the all winners and participants.

All the pieces taking part in the challenge will be on display at the Knitting and Stitching Shows 2024.

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Manchester Tart

I feel very lucky to have had a childhood full of tasty home cooked food. This includes the dinners at primary school and a delicious pudding I remember the dinner ladies made with bananas, coconut and custard. My latest hand embroidered artwork is dedicated to this delicious desert which was one of my favourite school puddings ever – Manchester Tart.

Manchester Tart
Manchester Tart
Finishing the piece with a hand stitched edge.
Finishing the piece with a hand stitched edge.

Recipe for Manchester Tart 

A huge favourite in Lancashire. It’s delicious.

Although there are plenty of recipes available on the internet, this is how I remember it made.

  • Shortcrust pastry
  • Raspberry jam
  • Sliced bananas
  • Thick custard
  • Desiccated coconut 
  • Line a baking tray with pastry, bake blind and cool.
  • Spread with a layer of raspberry jam.
  • Add a layer of bananas.
  • Cover with an inch layer of custard.
  • Sprinkle with desiccated coconut.
  • Leave it to set for an hour and eat cold. 
Completed work
Completed work

“one of my favourite school puddings, dished up at primary school, the dinner ladies made it in really big metal trays, cut into squares, I liked it chilled, and the corner slices that had a nice pastry crust on them.”

Size 11 x 23cm, hand embroidered with vintage Sylko threads onto cotton cloth.

Reverse of Manchester Tart
Reverse of Manchester Tart

This piece is my latest addition to a body of work based on Lancashire food.