Bolton branch February meeting

Still feeling delicate, I was not very enthusiastic about attending an evening meeting but was delighted when I saw who it was. I had heard our speaker at a Padiham{Pendle}meeting last However there had been a technological problem and Karen  improvised and spoke without the use of her slides. This time all went well. Karen Casper has a site www.tulleandcandyfloss.co.uk which really is apt and describes her work so well. You cannot ignore the carouselle skirt that dominates her exhibition. Add to this , a fan , some veils and Miss Coral a her posters are stunning. We are delighted that Karen is leading a workshop in Bolton on 12th March. Co incidentally she will be at Parbold the Saturday before and there might be workshop spaces.

cape and you have a flavour of her work.. Some of the work is heavily padded , other pieces are scrunchy  and you want to touch. Karen explained her inspiration, techniques and then how she wants to have control when photographing her work. She has been in several magazines and

February 2016

News and Competitions   

The Rose Bowl competition title is “Under the Sea”, for our Regional Day in April this year, hope you’re working on it! There is no restriction on size as long as it was produced within the last 2 years. This will be voted for by members on the day.

Also the Coates Anchor award for Excellence in Embroidery, the design for which is your personal choice but must primarily involve hand or machine embroidery or a combination of both. You should involve Coates Anchor threads in your piece of work. Entry forms available from Brenda.

 Exhibitions and Events

• Chester Cathedral : the Royal School of Needlework are showing more than 50 pieces of ecclesiastical embroidery. Mon – Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 11am-4pm. £5 for adults children under 12 free.
• NEC Fashion & Embroidery- Hobbycrafts- Sewing for Pleasure and Cake international from 17-20 March. See notice board.
• Details about Summer School at Waddow Hall, Clitheroe on 3-5 June, on the notice board. Booking suechisnall@btinternet.com
• Now & Then : 60^th Anniversary of the Manchester Branch. 14^th Feb- 22^nd May. Exhibitions and workshops see Salford’s What’s On booklet, www.salfordcommunityleisure.co.uk/culture/ordsall-hall. Workshops must be booked through Ordsall Hall.
• Planted and Picked a celebration of the garden border through stitch by Carole Dawber, 1 Feb- 12 March 2016 at Martin Mere. Daily 9.30-4.30 Tel 01704895181.
• The Threadmill Textile Group have an exhibition at the parsonage, Stenner lane, Didsbury. sat 13 Feb- 13 March 2016.  Preview Sunday 14 February.

 Advance Notice

Book your place on our workshop with Karen Casper: “Wearable Art”, 10.00am on March 12^th at Bank Top Church, Ashworth Lane, Bolton BL18RX. 

Other notices

• You can purchase an A4 canvas from Amazon –Quick Draw Supplies, cost -£3each including p&p. Ideal for the Capability Brown Project .
• Please order your Journal from Brenda today –only£1, an excellent read.

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

Manchester at Ordsall Hall

Last Sunday Pauline accompanied me to Ordsall hall. Manchester Branch have been very busy, last week at Events City and then this at Ordsall Hall. It was their official opening so I was delighted to represent our North West region and meet up with many friends. They have an excellent exhibition showcasing a wide variety of skills. They are also running a number of workshops. I would strongly recommend a visit.

They are there for several weeks.   Please use the link on this blog to find out more . We spent ages looking and chatting but found enough time to nip into the bedroom and see for ourselves, our bedspread. So a couple more photos to tempt you.......

Events City, Manchester

Still feeling delicate, I was not very enthusiastic about driving to the Trafford Centre and then wandering around the exhibition but I had promised. Manchester Branch do an amazing job each year so I had to go. Liz asked me to choose my favourite piece for the visitor vote. This piece caught my eye , immediately as it was an unusual form of Blackwork with additional stitched techniques. Liz might not be too happy  that I am making it public but I believe that it is one of her pieces. Great Liz.

 I then went to see a de

mo of how to make a pretty bag. I have a paper template here but as yet it has defeated me. Ro says that it is very easy so I will not give in.

Wandering around , I saw an exhibition based on a Scottish theme competition and was drawn immediately to a piece that I recognised , by our member John.

 Finally I admired the collection of costumes from Far from the Madding Crowd, I have read this book several times so matching costumes to characters was fun.

 I had been asked by Pauline to pick up some double sided.  cellotape. I saw it on the way in so as I was leaving I went to purchase but they had run out. Sorry Pauline. I did have two more quick trips around to see if I could see it elsewhere.

Pendle 2016

No its not a new branch but a change of name more suited to the new location[which is actually excellent].I had a very tentative drive over on Mon1st Feb, the first meeting of our New Year, still feeling very delicate after my trials in India. I was asked to give a short report about the last Council meeting and then Sue presented Joan with flowers and a book in recognition of all her work

for this branch. Our speaker from Halifax was Wyn Ingham.She had brought along a massive selection of lace , old and new, from all over the world and even though her title was called Casalguidi, she managed to cover an enormous range of ideas. A very entertaining talk, well worth the drive over.. In June she is coming back to give a workshop that I'm sure will be very popular

Jacobs Feast Jan 16

Today was our annual Jacobs feast. Sadly I had to send my apologies. Had a back problem in India, necessitating a couple of days in a wheelchair and injections in an Indian hospital. Certainly a different experience. I  still loved Kerela though. Ann again took a couple of photos of our activity, using skeleton leaves. She said that the food and company was great and that they played several games of bingo. Numbers have declined over the years so do put the date in your diary. I really missed being there.

January meeting

Laura Rosenzweig was invited to our first meeting of the new year. Her talk was called Woven fabrics from her travels. again I had to send apologies but Ann was there to report and take some photos, She says that it was an interesting travelling talk , based in India. This was an irony as at that time I was travelling around Kerela and also collecting some fabrics.
I will try to attach the newsletter and then some of Anns photos.....

News and Competitions

The Rose Bowl competition title is "Under the Sea", for our Regional Day in April next year, hope you’re working on it! There is no restriction on size as long as it was produced within the last 2 years. This will be voted for by members on the day.

Also the Coates Anchor award for Excellence in Embroidery, the design for which is your personal choice but must primarily involve hand or machine embroidery or a combination of both. You should involve Coates Anchor threads in your piece of work.

We must all make an effort to enter the Journal Cover competition- the North West Broderers’ Cup- which must be a suitable design for printing on a single colour background in A5 format. This is only open to the Bolton Branch! This will also be voted for by members on the North West Regional Day.

Exhibitions and Events

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


NEC Fashion & Embroidery- Hobbycrafts- Sewing for Pleasure and Cake international from 17-20 March. See notice board.


• Details about Summer School at Widdow Hall, Clitheroe on 3-5 June, on the notice board. Booking suechisnall@btinternet.com


International Patchwork Exhibition -16 Jan -17 Feb 2016 at Fairfield Mill, Sedburgh, Cumbria. Open Daily 10.30- 4.30. Adult £3.50, concessionary £3.00, Students free. Tel 01539 620489.


• Now & Then : 60^th Anniversary of the Manchester Branch. 14^th Feb- 22^nd May. Exhibitions and workshops see Salford’s What’s On booklet, www.salfordcommunityleisure.co.uk/culture/ordsall-hall. Workshops must be booked through Ordsall Hall.


• Planted and Picked a celebration of the garden border through stitch by Carole Dawber, 1 Feb- 12 March 2016 at Martin Mere. Daily 9.30-4.30 Tel 01704895181.


• The Threadmill Textile Group have an exhibition at the parsonage, Stenner lane, Didsbury. sat 13 Feb- 13 March 2016. Preview Sunday 14 February.


• Are you looking for a workshop? Check out this website- www.creativeworkshops.co.uk Contact linda@creativethreadworkshops.co.uk.

Advance Notice

Saturday 23^rd – Jacob’s Feast. This Saturday!

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

Ordsall Hall

The Radcliffe bedspread project has been completed. Thank you to all those of you who volunteered to stitch the names. I believe that you all received invitations to the unveiling on Jan 11th. I was so sorry to have to send my apologies but know that Ann and Barbara were going to attend. I understand that it was a lovely occasion. Liz has sent me some photos .She also tells me that there is talk of cushions…. I must visit as soon as possible. There is a newspaper link .http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/ordsall-hall-quilt-names-stitched-10715766
and Caroline was also interviewed for the radio.