Monday, December 21, 2015

newsletter


Embroiderers’ Guild – Bolton Branch

Newsletter – December 2015

All I want for Christmas is a month of Sewing Sundays .... and a sleigh full of fabric !!:



News and Competitions  The Rose Bowl competition title is “Under the Sea”, for our Regional Day in April next year, hope you’re thinking about it!

      The Capability Brown Festival is a celebration of landscape and gardens in stitch.                     See below for details.



 Exhibitions and Events

4-6 February : The Stitching Sewing and Hobbycrafts Show is at Events City, Manchester M178AS.  Adults £8.00, Seniors £7.00.

 Advance Notice

·        A beginners/slight experience embroidery and contemporary stitch class is starting on October 8th at the Triangle Centre, Chorley Old Rd. It will be on Thursdays 10-12 noon. More information at www.facebook.com/pages/Enjoy-Learning-Bolton/141379002171999 or see Glennys Astley.

·         January Meeting’s Speaker is Laura Rosenzweig – “Woven Fabrics from her Travels” on the 19th

·         Saturday 23rd – Jacob’s Feast. Put it in your diary!



Capability Brown Festival

A stitched piece in any technique that reflects the essence of CB ie a landscaped garden. Piece to be  portrait or landscape mounted   onto an artist canvas, A 2 3 or 4. in size. Our venue is Gawthorpe , ready in the summer of 2016. Val is liaison officer.

 Chairman Challenge

Based on the travelling books idea, each branch is allocated 2 facing pages of an A3 pink pig book. One page to record inspirations, sketches notes postcards etc.Facing page a stitched piece/pieces. Theme for each branch to reflect their location. It could be done by one and or many members. Inspiration mounted on paper 1 cm smaller than the A3 page. Stitched , similar but mounted on fabric or paper. I will attach by double sided sellotape. The finished

books could be borrowed by any branch for exhibitions etc. Jackie will coordinate for us.



Ann needs more handmade birthday cards for sending to members if you have any to spare please pass them on. Raffle prizes are always welcome.  Please see Barbara Ryall if you have anything. If there are any library books you think would be suitable for us, please tell Sheelagh Madden. (An ISBN would be helpful)

If you hear of any interesting exhibitions or events that you think may be of interest, please let Brenda Brown know and details can go on the newsletter; brownhovis33@yahoo.co.uk

Don’t forget our blog address for Bolton EG is http://begstitchers.blogspot.com/ .

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

The Northwest blog address is http:/www.info@nwregionembroiderers.org


Apologies, still having problems with windows 10 and written this Blog a different way , so forgot the newsletter. Have a lovely Christmas and I will see you all in February. Val

December Christmas party

Our meeting began with a show and tell. Phil displayed his recent kit, a glass bauble encrusted in jewels, very pretty.


Pauline brought along a piece that she had started at the NWR AGM. It was based on circles but finished however the embroiderer wished.She reminded everyone about what a good day it had been.

Barbara then led the meeting, handing out pre prepared packs and we were able to stitch a hedgehog. Whilst we were doing this, the committee had prepared an excellent buffet for us to share.



Our competition this year was called Snowman. There were quite a few entries. The pink boxes are used to collect how many pennies you wish to put in  for each piece.






Some of us remembered to bring along our metal workshop[ pieces.

and finally,
the pennies were counted and the winner this year was announced, my friend Barbara.

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Out and about, our Museum

A couple of weeks ago, Pauline invited me to join her in a workshop held in the Museum. We were going to make a LED  Christmas decoration so it was very appealing. We arrived and invited to help ourselves to drinks and biscuits and then we got serious. The demo was simple and the instructions looked OK but I have never been so frustrated. At one point I was ready to walk out , but I persevered and completed a snowman ,with LED lights down his chest. Not my best piece of work but a new skill learned.

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Out and about Pendle

Monday was a glorious day after the awful rain over the weekend. I took my godson from Canada who is staying  with me,to the train and then drove past Padiham to our new venue , and new branch name Pendle. I am delighted at the success of this branch, very friendly members and producing lovely work. Our Xmas competition was to create a book cover.P1000058P1000056and there were many to choose from , but our amazingly hard working Secretary , Joan,found the time to make a lovely piece and was presented with a small gift by Sue our Chair

P1000061P1000062

We ate another very successful Jacobs Feast and then had to stitch our names onto a pre assembled badge. Thank goodness I have a short name., because we were then given a quiz to complete.Patricia sitting next to me won with 12 correct answers but I was quite pleased as I managed 11 correct and I had finished my badge too. An exchange of hand made cards and I was ready to leave. We no not meet in January so look forward to my next visit in Feb next year!!!P1000060

Saturday, December 5, 2015

Out and about, Altrincham

On Thursday, I braved the awful weather to go down to Altrincham . Sandra had kindly invited me to tea and then we went to the opening of their exhibition. I was really impressed by the venue and will find it hard to explain, but will try. The place was right in the centre of Altrincham, called Art with a Heart. Two women were in charge of this charity where they encourage art and heritage.They rely on donations and work with an incredibly small budget but was to make art accessible to everyone. The room was huge and divided into many smaller area but I was there to concentrate on the Altrincham embroideries.

P1000036P1000037P1000045P1000046Some of my favourites are below….

P1000039P1000044I have a new camera and am still learning how to make the best of it so some lovely work did not photograph too well.Do call in the centre open Thurs to Sunday, 10.00 till 5.00pm. The embroideries will be there until17th Jan 2016.