Out and About, Burnley

Last Tuesday I was invited along to the preview of  the Progressive Threads exhibition at Queen Street Mill Textile Museum[BB10 2HX] The show was titled ” In touch with Textiles ”.  There was a diverse range of techniques and some really lovely pieces that reflect the traditional and contemporary use of textiles. Several of the members are also members of our Guild so it was splendid to see their work so well displayed. I took a few photos but the show is on until29th June so I suggest you go along and see for yourself.

Out and About,Padiham,March meeting

A week ago{sorry its so long again} I went to the meeting in Padiham.One of our members Diane Derbyshire is a volunteer at Gawthorpe .She has a fascination with lace and has been working closely with the Rachel Kaye Shuttlewoth collection. With this in mind, she was able to give us a history of needlelace, illustrated with pieces from her personal collection and several pieces borrowed from “the Collection”. Diane then brought the talk right up to date, showing us pieces that she has worked. Very interesting. I took some photos but obviously there are none from the Collection.

Diane{above} shows us a small gift worked for her by a lady in Australia. The raffle was drawn and I was lucky enough to win the first prize, a wonderful collection of yellow fabrics and threads. My immediate reaction was that I could use them in my “Summer” piece that I must do for our competition, later this year.

February 2013 meeting

Firstly, my apologies for the delay in publishing this.It really proves the point that you must do a task immediately. I have been very busy with other EG issues and this account moved down my list!!!

So we met in February,no snow for a change. There had been some confusion about the aim for the night but as it turned out, we had lots to do.

Pauline brought along a cushion that she had made, using fabric that she had bought at the Events City event.Lovely subdued colours and an excellent design.Wish I had her talent.

 

This was followed by Ann who has fairly recently begun quilt making. She showed us her black and white quilt made for her grandson. Jackie was not there but Im sure that she too would have been impressed.

A table had been arranged full of little bags of silver and white. Barbara then explained to us about our next group challenge, making Christmas decorations for the Lowry tree.

Members had the choice of three basic designs and began the task with enthusiasm. Due to the “early start” of this challenge we anticipate a tree smothered in decorations. Please bring back the finished products and any spare embellishments asap…..and then start the next one!!!!

Another task for the night was to make felt that could  be used as a background for the next day school. Ann and I had already been on Lesleys course s o were able to get started quite quickly. We owe Lesley £1.00 each for materials.

Date for your diaries…Jacobs feast re arranged for Sat 13th April.

NEWS

The 2014 Regional Day will be held at Queen Elizabeth School, Kirkby Lonsdale LA6 2HJ on April 27th. The tickets are £25 and doors open at 9.30 for 10 30 start. The competition is entitled “King Cotton” and 2014 “The Ties That Bind”. Further details are on the poster. We need to know how many tickets to order by the 27^th February as well as take your lunch order.

The 2013 AGM will be held from 5^th – 7^th April at Cheltenham.

Bookings are now being taken for the Alston Summer School.

The EG Forum closed on Feb 1^st but an independent Forum has started up on http://groups.yahoo.com/group/embroideryfriends . Although this is no longer part of the Guild, it is still very much focused around a shared connection to the Guild and all Guild members are very welcome to join in.

EXHIBITIONS & EVENTS

Dorothy Colvin has 3 paintings in Bolton Art Exhibition at the Museum this January and February.

Lucinda Attwood is running embroidery classes at the Friends Meeting House in Silverwell Street, Bolton. The next one is Brazillian embroidery and runs from 18^th February for 6 weeks costing £38, including materials, on Mon. 10-12am, Tues 2-4pm, Weds 1-3pm. Call Lucinda (07977821119) or ask Brenda Cooper for further information.

Botanical Threads is a retrospective on textile & botanical art by Vivienne Brown at Bankfield Museum, BoothtownRd Halifax, HX3 6HG (01422 352334) March9th –May 6^th. Tues – Sat 10am -5pm, Sun 1 – 4pm, Bank Holiday 10am – 5pm. www.textileandbotanicart.wordpress.com

There will be a Japanese Day at All Hallows Church Hall, Greenhill Rd, Liverpool, L18 6JJ on Sat 20^th April. From 10am – 1 Kayzashi folded flower brooches and a talk about Kimonos followed by a Japanese tea ceremony from 2 – 4pm. £10 for the day, £3 afternoon only. Book by Feb 28^th at coursebooking@megonline.co.uk

ADVANCE NOTICE

The next Day Workshop is “High Profile Faces” with Jackie Cardy on 16^th March.

This year’s competition for Molly’s Cup is “Metal Thread”.

REMINDERS

Ann is in need of hand made Birthday cards for sending to members if you have any to spare.

If you have any items for the Sales Table please see Jackie Martin. Jackie also needs clear envelopes (like the ones cards come packed in) if you have any please keep them and pass them on.

Raffle prizes are always welcome. Please see Judith if you have anything.

If there are any library books you think would be suitable for us, please tell Brenda. ( An ISBN would be helpful)

If you hear of any interesting exhibitions or events that you think may be of interest, please let Marilyn know and details can go on the newsletter.

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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

January Meeting 2013

I was disappointed to miss the last meeting but happy to be sunning myself in South America. Coming home to the snow was pretty awful though.

We had a visitor ,representing the Horwich town council, who wanted details for the new handbook. Good to get some publicity,again.

Christine, Charles and William from Empress Mills came to the meeting and entertained with the talk ,Evolution of thread. There was a demonstration of Softsculp and crashing and I believe their amazing travelling shop was well supported. I have met this family many times so i know you will have had a good evening.

NEWS

Your next copy of Contact Magazine (Issue 33) should come by post but if you have not picked up your last copy they are on the side table. There are also 3 spare copies of issue 32 and 1 copy of issue 31 if you haven’t had either of these.

The 2014 Regional Day will be held at Queen Elizabeth School, Kirkby Lonsdale LA6 2HJ on April 27th. The tickets are £25 and doors open at 9.30 for 10 30 start. The competition is entitled “King Cotton” and 2014 “The Ties That Bind”. Further details are on the poster.

The 2013 AGM will be held from 5^th – 7^th April at Cheltenham.

Bookings are now being taken for the Alston Summer School.

There is information about Angela Higgins (Vice Chairman Elect) on the table.

EXHIBITIONS & EVENTS

Dorothy Colvin has 3 paintings in Bolton Art Exhibition at the Museum this January and February.

Lucinda Attwood is running embroidery classes at the Friends Meeting House in Silverwell Street, Bolton. The next one is Brazillian embroidery and runs from 18^th February for 6 weeks costing £38, including materials, on Mon. 10-12am, Tues 2-4pm, Weds 1-3pm. Call Lucinda (07977821119) or ask Brenda Cooper for further information.

ADVANCE NOTICE

The next Day Workshop is “High Profile Faces” with Jackie Cardy on 16^th March. need firm commitment from members and possibly payment in advance – or any other ideas you may have.

This year’s competition for Molly’s Cup is “Metal Thread”.

REMINDERS

The Jacobs Feast is on January 26^th. The activity is Charades and the workshop Magic Canvas.

Ann is in need of hand made Birthday cards for sending to members if you have any to spare.

If you have any items for the Sales Table please see Jackie Martin. Jackie also needs clear envelopes (like the ones cards come packed in) if you have any please keep them and pass them on.

Raffle prizes are always welcome. Please see Judith if you have anything.

If there are any library books you think would be suitable for us, please tell Brenda. ( An ISBN would be helpful)

.

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

Hope to dig myself out and see you at the Jacobs feast tomorrow, Val

Play Day

I have just returned from a play day, an opportunity for us to meet and share ideas. I had suggested that we use foils and embossing powders so tried to provide a list of items.. Ten of us arrived and unpacked our equipment. We began with a show and tell, explaining what we had brought with us and what we hoped to try.Some of us were happy to demonstrate to the rest of the group We were so busy that I forgot to take photos for ages. These are five shots which show our interaction. It was a really fun day.Listening would have confused an outsider as we kept oohing and aaahing  as we saw the results of a new skill. Almost every attempt was passed around and admired.

There was not much to actually see for all our work but I guarantee that we hardly stopped. One comment was a disappointed that other members had not come along and experienced our play day. There will be another chance. We plan to try the Romeo technique and also use of Lutrador etc ,some time in February. Now I need to unpack my bags and try to put the materials away.always the downside to a play day!!!

Enjoy Christmas and the New Year and I will see you at the Jacobs Feast.

December meeting

Jackie M lead our meeting on Tuesday, demonstrating how to make a simple but effective Christmas tree decoration. Mine now adorns my tree. Thank you Jackie.

We had a lovely exhibition of Angels, our Christmas competition.When the votes were counted, Clare was declared the winner. She had said earlier to me that she  had not entered a competition before , but was pleased that she felt compelled to do something for this.Well Clare you now have quite a standard to maintain!!!

It really was Clare's night. We realised that it was actually her birthday that day and that she had chosen to spend it with us, so Ann made her a singing cake.We shared some festive food and drink and of course ,the cake. Barbara R then explained about our next project. The Lowry shopping outlet has an annual display of Xmas trees ,decorated by organisations and later auctioned off for the Hospice. The idea was met with great support. We could use ideas given to us by Jackie but in Feb more details and possibly templates and fabric kits will be distributed.The tie competition was mentioned again and we are looking forward to some interesting. ideas. I suggested that you could look up recycling ties on the net .There are many pages .

So the end of another year for us, have a wonderful Christmas and I look forward to the New Year. Apols for missing the Jan meeting.

Out and about,Padiham

I attended the Christmas meeting at Padiham today. Kathryn have put out an amazing array of fabric, threads ,beads etc. As well as this she had cut up and edged loads of inchies. So what are inchies?  They are one inch squares that you adorn with embellishment.They are a bit like the trade cards but smaller. Six of us in Bolton are swapping them at the moment. However back to Padiham, the fiddly bit had been done for us so we only needed to add beads etc. Thank you Kathryn.It was a busy meeting. Nan our Chair asked us for ideas for the Tie Challenge.Lovely festive food needed to be consumed. We then had to vote for our favourite piece in the Xmas competition, this time based on the colour white ,blue or purple.The outcome of the vote was that our Secretary, Joan was awarded first prize presented to her by Nan. Well done Joan.We meet again in February.