The virus

It will come as no surprise that Merseyside branch has taken the sad decision to cancel the NWRDay. I saw this mentioned on the NWR Pages so have written to Vicky , current Chair at Merseyside to send my "sympathies" and support. We in Bolton must feel their sadness as its not long ago since we hosted a similar day. Vicky attended our meeting fairly recently, with members of her branch, The good news is that it is not actually cancelled, just postponed. The LACE centre will honour the booking and it will go ahead on 24 April 2021. There are implications for Glossop branch who offered to host 2021 but will hopefully be able to move to 2022. I am awaiting similar news from HQ regarding the National AGM. If you peruse the HQ site you will find the Minutes etc and a proposal to raise fees. This would have been voted for on the day so wonder if we might receive proxy votes? I have two European holidays that are very unlikely and I also think summer school might fold. Very worrying times for us all but we can keep in touch. Brenda has extended the Facebook connection so you are never "alone" The only positive is the time that we have gained to STITCH. get out all those UFOs and photograph the end results. Val

Lots of new information

I have struggled and found it impossible to publish the poster designed by Brenda but have copied the very informative e mail distributed by Julie


Dear all



I apologise for the length of this email, however we have lots of exiting events over the next few months and want everyone to have all this information.



MARCH MEETING 17th March 2020



Our March meeting will be held next week (Tuesday, 17th March), when we host speaker, Jessica Aldred (My Work and a Very Famous Wedding Dress).



Please note: If you have taken a piece of Brenda's collaborative flower picture and not yet returned, can you please bring to the meeting (finished or unfinished) as Brenda would now like to assemble this work. 



BEG EXHIBITION APRIL  2020



Please see poster attached



As was announced at our last meeting, we have at long last (and after much searching!) a venue for our Exhibition,  which is Horwich Heritage Centre, next door to the Resource Centre where we have our meetings.

The exhibition will run from Saturday 4th - Wednesday 8th April 2020 (except Sunday).

Unfortunately this doesn't give us as much time as we would like to gather items from our members and there is only one meeting before the event, which is 17th March (next week). 

Therefore, we request that any items you would like to be part of the exhibition be brought to this meeting, clearly labelled with your name and in a carrier bag. Please bring only items from the past 3 or 4 years and not anything which was in the pearl anniversary exhibition.

There will be screens for hanging items but we'll also have some tables for smaller free standing  pieces or framed items on the cardboard stands, so it will be possible to show a variety of things.

Some suggestions from Brenda, of work we would like to collect at our next meeting (17th March) for the exhibition.

• Birds
• Nikki Parmenter workshop creatures
• Stitched paper collage (Marian Jazmik workshop).
• Wire collages ( Liz Cooksey)
• Landscapes ( Emily Norman)
• Silk paper lampshades
• Any Individual projects
• Competition entries
• Anything that has been produced since the Pearl anniversary.

Hoping we get a good response - we would like to include at least one piece from everybody!



SATURDAY WORKSHOPS



MARCH SATURDAY WORKSHOP RACHAEL SINGLETON "UP ON THE HILL, DOWN BY THE SEA  

The list for the March workshop on Saturday, 21st March, 2020  at Bank Top, will be available, at the meeting. Cost is £30. Please bring any money owing for this workshop to the next meeting on 17th March. 

There are a few places still available for this workshop, so if you wish to attend please bring £30 to the above meeting and add your name to the list.



Please see attached requirement list 



We will be making tea light/vase covers (depending how fast you work will determine which) but could simply be 3D pieces of stitched art (see below).  





Advance notice forJanet Browne Workshop  23rd May 2020:



 Janet Browne Workshop

 23rd May 2020

 at Bank Top

 9.30am - 4pm

 Cost £35

The list for this workshop will be available at the next meeting on 17th March. Full payment preferable, although a £10 deposit acceptable, the balance to be paid by 19th May (last meeting before the event).

Please see Janet's website www.janetbrownetextiles.com   for examples of her work, although bear in mind her work tends to be quite large and we will be making smaller simpler pieces. 

Please see attachment showing designs from her previous workshops. 



Requirements  to follow, although you will need a sewing machine capable of free machine embroidery. 



I will send the March 2020 newsletter prior to the meeting.





Kind regards

Julie

Feb Meeting

Apologies again for this delay. After the meeting I dashed home to complete my packing and was then off to Cyprus at 5.00am. However the meeting was well worthwhile. Sue Sercombe and her husband came over from the Wirral  on quite a miserable night, to talk to us. Sue brought along a vast aray of pieces of work and many of them were passed around for closer inspection. She shared her love of embroidery and textiles but admitted that she had not concentrated on one technique, rather trying all that was on offer.,This is something to which I concur. Some of her pieces were clothing and members modelled them with grace. No one attempted to wear the wedding dress that Sue made for her daughter but we heard stories about its construction and reconstruction and then why and how it was washed!!! Sue spoke without notes and we were quite disappointed when Brenda had to draw thw time to her attention. I believe we could have been there all night.

Embroiderers’ Guild – Bolton Branch      February 2020

This Saturday, 22 February is our next Saturday Stitchday.  A chance to work on your current projects or try something new with support and encouragement from other members.  Carole will lead a demo on papermaking so please bring an apron and plastic table covering.

  On 21 March we welcome Rachel Singleton (who came to our October meeting) for an exciting   workshop.  See the poster or Julie’s email for photos of her work and what we could be making. The cost of this workshop is £30.  £10 deposit when booking and full payment by 17^th March.

  All Saturday events take place at Bank Top Chapel, Ashworth Lane, Bolton.

   Competitions

The national Members’ Challenge for 2019/20 is “My Favourite Things” – people, places, mementos, etc.  Details on the Guild website, you will need to log in. 

This year’s regional day is in Liverpool on 25 April and the Rosebowl competition theme is “All you need is Love”.  Tickets are £30 including lunch, please see Sheelagh if you wish to attend.  See the poster for details of speakers, traders, etc.  Competition entry forms are available. If anyone thinks they are now entitled to a 25 year badge, please see Brenda or Sheelagh.                                                

 Unfortunately, the National AGM is on the same date, in Birmingham.

Exhibitions

Manchester HOME gallery: Work from the first Greater Manchester open arts exhibition including some pieces by Marion.  Until 29^th March.

Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool. ‘An English Lady’s Wardrobe’ 70 outfits and accessories showing changing fashions from Edwardian times to WW11. 23 Nov – 1March.

Whitworth Gallery, Manchester. ‘Tapestries’ – an exhibition of textiles from the Whitworth’s collection of tapestries including historical and contemporary examples. Until 1 March.

Preston EG are having an open day on 4^th April including a talk by Valerie Wartelle.  See poster.

The Palm House at Sefton Park, Liverpool is hosting an exhibition by the L/P based Contemporary Threads group, using the Palm house itself as their inspiration.    9-18 March, open 10-5pm.

If you have any items for the sales table, please give them to Karen.  Please don’t just leave items.

If you hear of any exhibitions or events that you think may be of interest to us, please tell Sheelagh.

Birthday Cards: Ann still needs of cards for members birthdays.  Please, if you have any handmade cards or you       can make some can you give them to her.

Our Bolton blog: begstitchers.blogspot.com  

We now have Facebook pages for Bolton and NW Region. Please ‘like us’ to help publicise the Guild and our    activities.

Guild web