Bolton Branch EG

 Minutes of Branch Zoom meeting of Tuesday 20th October 

Apologies : Glennys Astley, Liz Almond

Present : Brenda Brown, Julie Charnley, Carole Hawthorne, Sheelagh Madden, Karen Vaughan, Linda Thornton, Janet Mitchell, Clare Jady, Pauline Bowling, Lesley King, Val Coleshaw, Ann Willacy, Ann Heather, Marion Jazmik, Julie Harper

Brenda explained that we were not having a formal AGM under the present circumstances.

It was found regrettable that although we did have a rich and varied programme arranged for last year that we are unable to deliver it completely.  However Carole is arranging for some of our speakers the first being Jessica Aldred to do zoom meetings for us in January fingers crossed! Brenda thanked the committee for their hard work and perseverance during a difficult year.

We also missed our usual summer meal at Ridgmount House this year therefore we didn’t have the EGM consequently the committee remains the same. However Ann Willacy who joined Bolton last year has expressed a wish to join us and therefore welcome her to our  committee.

Unfortunately we also missed out on the opportunity of having a craft stall at the Triangle Church craft fair as that too had to be cancelled. In the past we have succeeded in raising a decent amount for our funds as well as having lots of fun planning, making and being there on the day!

Brenda thanked Julie Charnley (IT rep) for organizing the zoom meeting courtesy of her Zoom license. I have however received an email from Terry Murphy recently to say that they are considering acquiring a licence which branches would be able to access.

 Molly's Cup

 You may be wondering what is happening about this year's competition, “Collage and Couching” ?  We have decided to do it virtually by sending a photo by Whatsapp or email to Julie (I.T.)  and she will then collate them post them onto our facebook page and for those who don't do Fb it will also be on the Bolton blog : begstitchers.blogspot.com 

They will have numbers not names so that voting will be fair. You will have one vote to decide your favourite piece.  Please have your photos with Julie by Friday 13^th November  in order to be entered. 

Voting should then take place. You can then register your vote by emailing Sheelagh who is not entering the competition and will be impartial. Please have your votes with Sheelagh , by Wednesday December 11^th. 

The result will be announced at our Zoom December meeting on 15^th December where  Carole who was last year's winner will do a virtual presentation!

 Drop in daytime meetings

 The subject of having informal meetings in between our normal branch meetings was discussed. It was decided that we should try it starting on Tuesday 3^rd November at 2pm.  

There will be no agenda, no pressure to do anything apart from turn up and have a chat just drop out when you want to. Just an informal Zoom get together where you can ask advice on a project, where people can share ideas or information or just be sociable. Its what you want it to be. Julie will set us up again and you will receive the codes needed to log on , on the day. Hope you'll give it a go!

Activity

Following this part of the meeting Val was invited to show us a little activity which we were given instructions in how to prepare for it. Val had done this activity recently on a course and we thought we'd try it. It was essentially designing within a grid with a simple template to create a design which as she said created curves by using straight lines. Of course I got it wrong and started doing curvy lines!!  She then showed us how she had translated her patterns into stitch and I was impressed by a stitch she had used called Bokharra couching.

I would think this method of designing would be very useful to create a pattern for a quilt, but I am sure there will be many more possibilities.

Following the activity we all had a good natter and Marion told us a bit about how her new book is getting ready for publishing next year. Something to look forward to !

Don't forget to claim your voucher which you got when you paid your fees to headquarters. 

There are various offers and it is still available . I've chosen a voucher for the new Thread IT magazine which will normally cost £25 a year but with the voucher you get a free year. So it's worth a try. 

 Do read your Contact Magazine there are opportunities to do various courses including a live embroidery course by Zara Day £30 for 6weeks, which I thought looked quite good.

Zoom Meetings

 November 17^th Meeting will now be mainly a show and tell and I am looking forward to seeing the books made by a few people who have done the online Anne Brooke course . The flower still life picture will be shown – hopefully stitched up- so don't miss it.

December 15^th Meeting will be a Christmas social with the presentation of Molly's Cup and an exciting activity, plus chance to catch up.

January 19th Meeting we will have Jessica Aldred as guest speaker hopefully presenting her talk “My Work and very special wedding dress”. 

(Carole is still working on the rest of the programme so please bear with us- we are all venturing into the unknown !).

As usual take care and looking forward to seeing you at our Pop Up meeting when you are  invited to drop in.

Brenda

 

  

 

 

 

 

Julie Charnley
julie.charnley@aol.com