December meeting

Christmas newsletter

Thank you for all the postcard competition entries, hopefully they will inspire us to create Bulgarian postcards but remember that these MUST be mounted on board. No rush for these.

Other competitions include “Lights Fantastic”, for April and Embroidery Perse for our AGM in September.

Have you signed up for the Jacob’s Feast on 29^th Jan. Bank Top Church, 11.30 to 3.30. Please bring your finished bonnet brims, canvas squares and usual sewing equipment.

Barbara is unable to speak in Jan so we are having a metal workshop. Please save tomato tubes etc so that we can experiment. Bring usual sewing kits, scissors to cut metal if available, shiney threads.

Ann has requested hand made cards again, as stocks are getting low.

There has been move staff changes at HQ. Ann will bring the Newsletter from Kathryn and message from Anthea which explains “all”.

Please let me know if you have any items for our Bulletin. AND most important, the committee would like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas. Looking forward to seeing you in the New Year.

 

Sadly due to the awful weather, the support  for last nights meeting was far less than normal. Even I did not want to set foot outside my door and I was the tutor for the night!!

We began with a show and tell. Phil showed us his most recent Christmas hanging.

However we went ahead and I demonstrated how I make felt embroidery. I had made kits for all members and instructions were given.

All members began to make a felt bead necklace and I hope to see them being worn in January. Philip is excused.

Our  usual excellent festive food was unfortunately missing so Ann managed to make mince pies and we judges the Christmas competition. Jackie produced an excellent festive postcard seen  aboveand was presented with her gift, a lovely box that Ann and I had seen and bought at  the K and S in Harrogate.

Please bring tomato paste tubes,and sewing equipment to our amended January meeting……snow permitting.

Out and About

Yesterday, Judith , Ann and I set out for the Knitting and Stitching show at Harrogate. Weather forecasts were awful and we were a little apprehensive. However it was a bright and clear day in Bolton and although there was snow on our journey it really made the countryside attractive.

We met many old friends at the show. The Guild had an excellent display of work , including work by one of our members, John and the clogs made by his granddaughter. By coincidence we all met and chatted there together.I believe that several of our members have also visited the show and we are considering trying to book a coach for next year.

Ann and I tried our hand at a workshop run by Ann Small.

We were both impressed with our results and of course it gave us an hour to rest both our feet and our pockets!!! Finally we had to leave. We all agreed that It had been an excellent show and that we could really have done with two days there.

November workshop

Sorry it has taken me a week to write this but I have been really busy. However, we welcomed Sheila Cass on Saturday.She spoke about  Mythical Creatures and techniques to achieve results.

Many of us tried two differing techniques. BUT I was being spoiled that day by my friends in the Guild. Sunday was my 60th birthday so the room had banners a balloon and after a delicious lunch, I was given a cake to cut and eat.

We di manage quite a lot of work and hope that some might be completed for our December meeting.

November Meeting.

One of our founder  members, Jackie Martin was invited to talk to us last Tuesday. Her title was The Reluctant Quilter” which really confused me as I know that Jackie is an amazing quilter. However Jackie explained how she gradually developed her ideas about quilts and her love of applique.

She has entered several competitions and modestly admitted that she had won many prizes. One of the most recent was for her Flower Alphabet quilt, below.

Jackie also admitted that she would far rather stitch than clean the windows{don't we all agree] and she was happy to show us the back as well as the front of her work.

You can see above the quantity of stitching in addition to all the applique.Mistakes can be surmounted, Jackie had called two butterflies, Red Wine and Coffee and I'm sure you can work out how they gained their names.  Jackie showed us a number of items that might not at first glance be thought of as quilting and left us with thoughts of what we can do with all our favourite but unused fabrics.

November Bulletin

December Meeting - will include a practical session – so please bring your usual sewing equipment, plus a bodkin type needle and pliers if available, beads and ideally glittery threads to compliment blue green and purple felt and £1.00 for the kit PLUS seasonal refreshments and our Xmas Competition. A seasonal stitched postcard.

Jacob’s Feast - Saturday 29th January 11.30 am - 3.30 pm at Bank Top UR Church PLEASE SIGN UP TONIGHT {NO COST........... Just bring food} Activity will be a bonnet making assembly line, watching the video and an Australasian Quiz.

ADMIN A plea from Ann for birthday cards, Another plea, please sign and date the medical form for the current year . Spaces available for the Nov. Workshop sign up now. Our Library, we have a really good stock .Do support it.20p for the first month and then £1.00 thereafter, unless you contact the Librarian or committee member before the night. We also want ideas for new books. Have you seen yourself on our blog yet@ http://begstitchers.blogspot.com Let Val know if you have anything to include on the Newsletter.

NWREGION We are delighted to announce that Terry is being kept on by HQ to implement his proposals ................... Check out Workbox in Nov for an article about the Market Hanging .................... When did you join the Guild . We are still trying to compile a list. Dont miss out on your silver badge. ......................... WHITWORTH ART GALLERY 17 Nov -19 Dec Edith Lundebrekke-Contemporary Textiles 27 -28 Nov Discover Finnish Emb and other activities.

POSTCARDS Our Xmas competition is a seasonal postcard, ie a piece of work 6”x4”. It does NOT need to be backed with cardboard. The OLYMPIC cards , much later do need to be mounted in a similar way to the Rainbow Squares. Details to follow. ...................................... HAND AND LOCK This years competition is in memory of Bunty Hand and her Old Drawers. Details with Marilyn. ..................................... Have you finished your bonnet brim yet? Hearts and Roses. Must be completed for Jacobs Feast. ........................... KNITTING AND STITCHING at Harrogate this weekend. Concessions £12 on door.

Out and About

Monday , 1st November was an important, but worrying  day for me. I had been asked to become Acting Chair for a possible new branch of the Guild. Kathryn and I had met with interested people at Gawthorpe Hall earlier but this was our first “meeting”. Monica Selway volunteered to come and talk to us.

We hoped for a reasonable attendance for were delighted when 35 people attended. Monica chatted about her love of embroidery, and the Guild. She began by showing us one of her earliest pieces{she could not find the cross stitched apron} and finished with a piece embroidered by her mother. I’m sure it inspired us all.

We had coffee and set the date of our next meeting. Kathryn will show us how to make a Christmas decoration. Just bring along the usual sewing equipment. 2 till 4pm Monday, 6th Dec. Hope to see you there. Val, Acting Chair.

Oct Newsletter

· CONGRATULATIONS to both John and grand daughter Sarah who both have work exhibited at Alexandra Palace and Harrogate. Sarah has also been awarded the De Denne prize for her embroidered clogs.

· COMPETITIONS, Dec is the embroidered, Christmas themed postcard. Molly’s Cup for the AGM is Brorderie Perse, NW region rosebowl is April is “Lights Fantastic”. There are more competitions at this venue, check with Marilyn for details.

· ONGOING PROJECTS You will be delighted to hear that the Market Piece is ready to be hung in the Library. The fabric is here for you to add your name tonight. A planning meeting for Nancy’s pulpit fall will be arranged tonight. We hope to see you bonnet brims at the next meeting. Olympics postcards to be mentioned later.

· SALES TABLE. Under new management .Packs available for Brorderie Perse, Xmas Comp and mystery bags all at 50p.

· EXHIBITIONS. Great Northern Craft Fair at Spinningfields, Manchester, Fri Oct22nd 10 till 7 [£6/5}, Sat 23^rd, 10 till 6 ,[£9} and Sun 24^th, 10 till 5{£9}.

· XMAS WORK EVENING. Please bring usual sewing equipment, beading needle and a bodkin. Beads and threads, especially metallic’s to complement green purple and blue felt. £1.00 for your kit.

· NW REGION You are welcome to attend meeting at other branches. Marilyn has a list of programmes and of course they will also be on the website.

· POSTCARDS .Olympic {not Xmas} need to be laced onto 2000 grey board and backed in calico. Finished size,6x4” Name etc on back in waterproof pen.

EILEEN P has supplied some notes about Bulgaria. Briefly, on the Balkan Peninsula, has a Black Sea coastline, quite mountainous, hot summers and cold winters. Religion mainly eastern orthodox Christianity.

Embroidery is cross stitch, back stitch and satin stitch often using stylised flowers. Red often used and outlined in black Some Turkish influences. Do ask her for more details.

VERA  made a request for childrens  quilts to be donated to the Huddersfield Hospice. Details from her.

LESLEY gave details of an exhibition/course at Norgreen Village Hall on Nov13th.Cost £50.00.

October meeting

We were delighted to greet Liz Almond a former founder member to our meeting. She spoke about her Blackwork Journey and brought with her perhaps the greatest number of finished pieces , that I have ever seen.

We were introduced to Hugh Starkie {above} and how this began the journey for Liz.

Liz shared so many tips about creating a blackwork piece, which would help both the beginner and more experienced embroiderer.Liz has a website

www.blackworkjourney.co.uk

that you might like to investigate.

At this meeting we were delighted to welcome back as visitors, Lily and also Helen, over from Ireland. Ann also had the pleasure of presenting the Molly Lee  Rosebowl  to Margaret  Hulton.

October meeting

STOP PRESS

Page 33 of  The Bolton News,Friday,1st October. Check out the picture and very short article.  They did not use the article that we sent!!!!  However the photo looks OK.  Thank you, John.

AGM September 10

36 members attended our AGM on Tuesday. What a busy night. The formal part took about an hour but there was so much else to do. Maggie Wilde had been invited to come and tell us about the bonnets made for women convicts sent to Australia. Unfortunately, Maggie had recently suffered  a really bad accident and broke her leg, thus unable to attend. She kindly sent a DVD that was  to be shown, for our use. We send her our good wishes. We had already purchased fabric and cut out bonnet brims ready to embroider with hearts and flowers so members just needed to make a choice of a convicts name.

As usual we had our annual competition for “Molly’s Cup”. This year we used the same theme as that of the NW Region, Buildings and Architecture. There were perhaps less entries than usual but I am delighted to say that the Rose bowl was won by Margaret Hulton. It is the blue bag at the front. Margaret sent apologies for the night so she will have a formal presentation in October.I will then include a better photograph.

We also collected some of the canvas blocks that members   are making for our next installation. They certainly look colourful. BUT we need lots more , so keep going.

The local newspapers had been invited to see and photograph our Bolton Market Hanging. Neither were able to attend so John did the honours.

In addition to all this, Barbara showed us the latest designs for Nancy’s Pulpit Fall and asked for volunteers to firstly machine applique the roundels and then for hand stitchers to add details.A meeting of those interested is planned.We plan to use threads donated by Geoff, Nancy’s husband and then we were able to sell quite a lot of fabric and thread donated by Nancy’s husband.

We managed a short Show and Tell, too. Jackie had brought along the two quilts featured in the previous article. Eileen brought photos of her latest ecclesiastical commission. She also shamed us by bringing along details about Bulgaria and her postcard!!!! I will type up this information for our next meeting. No excuses then, for lack of knowledge. Florence shoed us a baby quilt that she has just completed and finally I showed everyone the bowl that I made at summer school, reminding everyone of the great weekend that one has ,at Alston Hall. So as I said at the start,a very busy night.

Out and About

Yesterday , Ann and Pauline invited me to join them on a trip to The Great Northern Quilt Show in Harrogate . It was a lovely day, travelling in a coach with members of the Quilters Guild and meeting several people that I knew. The buzz went round that Jackie Martin, one of our members had won two awards.

 

We all rushed around to see these two wonderful quilts. I cannot the patience that one must have to make such amazing creations.The use of colour and technique emphasise their beauty. Well done Jackie and I am proud to call you a friend.

There were some incredible quilts to see. Of course there were also the obligatory stalls as well as demonstrations and mini workshops. We watched a very interesting demonstration by Maggie Davies, who was using a paper product in her work. Later we joined a Folk   Art Anemone workshop lead by Jane Rollason.

Here you can see Ann and Pauline busy at work. Finally we wandered around the rest of the exhibition and saw that Pauline had also won an award for her mini quilt seen to the right of Anns

piece. So a very good representation by members of our guild. It made the very early start for me all worthwhile.

The market hanging

 

Pretty impressive, don’t you think?   Thank you Lesley for your imaginative idea and leadership throughout this work. Lets hope that we do find a suitable permanent home for it. Would all contributors sign the fabric that I will bring to the AGM and then we will attach to the back.

Out and about

Last Wednesday, Barbara Ann and I , visited the current Progressive Threads exhibition,”Whispers from the past”.

It is a lovely venue, good parking and cafe and the exhibition room is well lit. You can see above that Ann and Barbara are intrigued . Ann is checking to find photos of herself. Why? How?Maybe Pauline piece of work will explain this.     

  A deckchair!!!!

The exhibition lasts until30August. Mon to Fri 12 till 4 and weekend 12 till  5.00pm. Small entrance charge to the site.
Helmshore  Mills Textile Museum. BB4 4NP

Summer school 2010

Last weekend Jennifer Bamford, Eileen Holmes and I, attended the NW Region, Summer School at Alston Hall. By co-incidence we had all chosen Kath Danswans Silk Bowl class. We began with a huge silk cap which Kath promised would be transformed into a stunning creation, similar to her own. Kath demonstrating.

 

 

 

  Managing the huge cap was quite a challenge to us all. We then added water soluble and stretched   it into a frame and began machine stitching. This was my start and almost competed vase. I  still need to add beaded raindrops

Jenny Burns found a new use for her vase and then you will see some of our nearly finished items.

 

Ruth Peel demonstrated how to make and bead, stunning tassels.

And finally Annette Morgan ran a three day course”Dying to Stitch”.This time fabrics were dyed using microwaves and then embellished with stitches.

So just a taster to show what happens at our summer school. I have added the new details to the Web site BUT you cannot apply until Jan 2011. I have lots more photos if anyone would like them.

July Meeting

We had a most unusual July meeting. Due to varied commitments by members of the committee it was decided to combine our EGM and Annual meal into one evening. So about 40 members attended a short EGM at Ridgmont House where the committee for 2010 –2011 was approved. We then  celebrated with a Kir Royal or Bucks Fizz and then moved upstairs to enjoy a delicious meal.

Ann plans to send our the usual Chairs letter during August but wanted to remind all members that the Mollys Cup competition to be judged at the AGM in September is Buildings and Architecture.

Also for anyone unable to attend the EGM, Ann announced that our country for the postcard challenge is Bulgaria.More details about this in September.

June meeting

Well we certainly saved the best until last. I was delighted to see that one of our founder members, Eileen Pepper , was to talk about  “Tudor Times “ and was  not disappointed.  One clue to this,  was perhaps the variety of artifacts and embroideries that were displayed.

Eileen gave an amusing and comprehensive talk about the hardships of   life in Tudor times. She passed around a range of items including a tussie mussie and a hand made orange and clove pomander.

Ann our Chair was not able to just sit and listen as she was used as a model. Eileen had loaned her a thin white shift and then proceeded to dress Ann in rich Tudor clothing.

As Ann said in her vote of thanks,  that Eileen gave us such an informative and entertaining talk and we all wish that we had such History teachers when we were  at school  .Thank you Eileen.

 

EMBROIDERERS’ GUILD - BOLTON BRANCH

NEWSLETTER – JUNE 2010

GUILD NEWS

A message of sympathy was sent to the family of Charles Gotto, the Guild President from the North West Region, tragically killed in a farming accident, as it was too far for anyone to attend the funeral.

Summer School at Alston Hall – There are a few places left for Elaine Peel’s Beaded Tassels workshop from 16^th – 18^th July, or as a day student for the Saturday at a cost of £44, including morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea. Contact Sheila Shaw (s.shaw@sk12.demon.co.uk) for further details or to book.

EXHIBITIONS

There are quite a lot of these at the moment, so I have listed them briefly. If you are going further afield this summer, the Embroiderers’ Guild website has a long list of exhibitions from all over the country and beyond.

BANKFIELD MUSEUM Boothtown Road Halifax - 10+ Textiles. Until July 4th Tuesday – Saturday 10 – 5. Sunday 1 – 4.

DRUMCROON GALLERY 2 Parson’s Walk Wigan - Textile Narratives. Until June 22nd, featuring the work of Val Jackson & Jane McKeating. Tel. 01942 233303

TOUCHSTONES GALLERY Rochdale - Knit One Purl One – an exhibition of contemporary knitting & crochet. Until 4^th July, Monday – Saturday 10 – 5, Sunday 12 – 4.30.

PLATFORM GALLERY Clitheroe – Artefact. Until July 17^th, including work by textile artists Alice Kettle and Isabelle Wright as well as other artists working in glass, ceramics etc

WHITWORTH ART GALLERY Oxford Road Manchester - The Manchester. Until July 1^st Monday – Saturday 10 – 5, Sunday 12 – 4. Thomas Wardle & India.

The HARRIS MUSEUM and Art Gallery in Preston - Embellished: The Art of fabulous fabrics, runs until November 2010. Open Monday- Saturday 10am – 5pm except Tuesday 11am – 5pm. Tel. 01772 258248.

FARFIELD MILL Sedburgh Cumbria – Trees in the Park, quilted textiles by Turning Point. Until July 11^th. AlsoWear It – wearable textile art from July 11^th - September 19^th. 10.30 -5 daily. Tel. 015396 21958.

WEST PARK UNITED REFORMED CHURCH Harrogate. An exhibition by Harrogate Branch of the Guild from June29th – July 10^th Wednesday – Saturday 11 - 4 Tel. 01257 463113 for information.

ECCLES FARM Eccles Lane Bispham Green Nr. Ormskirk. City & Guilds Textiles Exhibition, June 30^th – July10th, Wednesday – Saturday 11 – 4 Tel 01257 463113.

HELMSHORE MILLS TEXTILE MUSEUM Holcome Road Helmshore. Whispers from the Past – Bolton Progressive Threads. From July 3^rd – August 30^th, daily 12 – 5. Tel. 01706 226459. NB There is an admission charge.

TURTON TOWER 10 Decades of the Barlow Institute in Stitches Edgeworth Craft Group – 10 tapestries depicting images from local, national and international events to commemorate 108 years of the Barlow Institute. From Augush4th – 30^th. Normal entrance fee applies.

ADVANCE NOTICE

The AGM will be on September 21^st and we will be having a talk about the project to make a bonnet for every woman who was deported to Tasmania.

REMINDERS

Don’t forget the EGM will be held at Ridgemont before our annual summer meal on 20^th July, starting at 7.00pm. If you would like to join the committee, please let Ann know before the meeting.

Don’t forget that Val has set up a blog for Bolton EG at http://begstitchers.blogspot.com/ .

Also just a reminder that the Guild web address is www.embroiderersguild.com

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