Out and About January 2011

I have just about recovered from our Feast last Saturday. Ann asked me to tell everyone that  The Market Hanging is now displayed in the new local history section of the Museum. We must all call and visit.

Today Marilyn Barbara and I went to Blackburn Cathedral to see the Quaker Tapestry. This year is the 30th Anniversary of its conception and you can see 39 of the 77 panels. The3re is also a shop selling calendars, postcards etc, etc.

The Cathedral is really accessible. Follow the signs for the Town Centre and park in the Shopping Centre . Its a 2 min walk from there. Open every day except of course Sunday. There is a coffee bar in the crypt too. Really worth a visit.

Jacobs Feast 2011

Seventeen of us joined together today for our annual Feast. It is a time to socialise ,eat drink and a short activity. The date is published on our calendar and sadly Ann had become double booked and was unable to attend{ but at least she did make her very popular meringue for us to share}

I began the meeting , introducing the birds needed for our latest installation. We also hoped to wrap straws but time was limited and this will be a later task.

We worked for an hour and then shared a delicious lunch.We had also planned to make up our Convict bonnets so I produced a quiz based on Australia and New Zealand. There were some very good scores!!!! Jackie and Marilyn brought machines to assemble the bonnets.

We are promised a few more but today we have 22 on display.

Coffee, tea and cake in the early afternoon and a final display of the birds stitched  today.

We are still accepting canvas squares, birds and bonnets. See a member of the committee. 

January 2011 meeting

January newsletter.

A Very Happy New Year To you all.

· I believe that there is much activity at HQ and will let you know after my next NW committee meeting. The move is imminent

· Thank you to those braving the awful weather for our Dec meeting and congratulations to Jackie for her winning postcard. There were fewer entries than normal but I am sure that you will now be wearing your new badge whilst clutching your bonnet brim.

· Have you planned your Lights Fantastic piece? No rules, anything goes. They will be taken to the NW Regional meeting in St Anne’s. Later that year, the Embroidery Persee . We also have postcards of Bulgaria to complete

· Pauline tells me that there is a new book available. See www.ruthnorbury.com for details.

· Are you coming to the Jacobs Feast? Sat 29^th Jan 11.30 till 3.30. We will make birds, bonnets and have a quiz. Usual sewing stuff and a pen please.

· Ann has requested more greetings cards and I would like information for this newsletter.

· Quaker Tapestry exhibition at Blackburn Cathedral, all of Feb, Mon to Sat, 10 till 4.30 Free

· Macclesfield Branch till Feb 18^th. “Sampling”. Details on main NW web pages

· Help needed to restore some Victorian vestments.

· There are some places left for Summer School.

· Marilyn has details about NW Regional Day in St  Annes and all competition entries

Pauline Ann and I stepped in at the last minute to lead the January meeting. At Harrogate, last year, Ann and I joined a metal work shop so decided to demonstrate. Pauline put together an inspiration board and we  finished our samples.

Ann made her sample into a picture  and I made a book cover. We both played around with the idea of making brooches . Finally this was the challenge for the night. We put together a hand made felt backing and piece of tomato tube. Members picked, at random a kit and began.

We made coils and curls, jewels and punched pieces. Brooch backs were distributed and hopefully we will see the finished results at our next meeting. Many members said that they both enjoyed the activity and the chance to catch up and chat after the Christmas holiday.

Ann had been very busy. She brought along four pieces for our Show and Tell. Here she proudly shows us her first ever quilt, made for Phoebe her granddaughter. Please bring along any work  that you have completed, to our  next meeting. We love to see what you have been doing.

 

·

New Year confusion

Very sorry. I am ahead of myself. The meeting is January 18th 2011 . Soon  after the Jacobs Feast on Sat 29th and the Feb meeting is as advertised.

Urgent changes to Feb Meeting

Hi everyone, hope you had an excellent Christmas and my greetings to you in the New Year. As you may know, Barbara will be unable to lead the Feb meeting so Ann, Pauline and I have worked together. We are planning to stitch into metal so can you bring along......

Craft knife and cutting board or scissors to cut metal. Mouse mat on which to emboss. Gold ,silver or fancy threads.Dead Biro or embellishing pens.

We will provide the felt and metal and in the cupboard there are some threads. We will also raid our stockrooms and provide as many materials as we can but the list above is just a guide. IF you have any easily accessible then it will save us all sharing.

We will have samples to handle, instructions and a sampler board. Do hunt around for metals, especially tomato paste tubes and the like. It could get addictive.

Please pass the word around. Look forward to seeing you. Val

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.