May Meeting

Our last meeting was quite different from the norm. It was a reciprical visit from Merseyside branch. Three of our members had been there earlier so they made a return visit. Their Chair Vicky brought, Jean Michelle and Gill to talk to us. Vicky introduced her members and made a quick comment about our next Regional Day in April next year. £30.00 at Sefton Park,two speakers, sounds good.

Michelle spoke first. She had photographed all the pieces in a recent Endeavour exhibition and brought along her completed bird. and an amazing astronomical piece that was back lit.

Jean displayed her Taumi and explained what she had collected to use on the Taumi .


 

Finally Gill, who had visited us before brought along a wedding dress and a green dress adorned with flowers inspired by the views of New Zealand.Each talk was fascinating and really spoken from the heart. We were very impressed.

 We then had a little celebration , a cake was presented and shared , celabrating Eileens 90th birthday.

Embroiderers’ Guild – Bolton Branch      May 2019

News

This evening we are hosting members of Merseyside EG on an exchange visit to meet Bolton branch members.  Jean, Michelle and Gillian will talk about their work and show images of the work produced for their last exhibition – “Endeavour”.  Last June some of us were warmly welcomed to Merseyside when Barbara, Jenny and Eileen took samples of their embroidery and spoke about their inspirations and experience.  The return visit should prove just as enjoyable.

Our next workshop is this Saturday, 25^th May, with Laura Marriott who came to our March meeting.  You should have received an email listing the requirements to bring with you for this workshop. Two weeks later, on 8^th June, we have a workshop on silk papermaking with Wendy Ann Stanger who came to our meeting last November. If you wish to go, please add your name to the list and check the requirements to bring.  The cost of this workshop is £30.

The National Day of Stitch this year is on Saturday, 22 June.  The theme this year is HOME and we are hoping to have a display and stitch activity.  Hopefully we will be able to display our birds, so we do need lots of them.

Exhibitions

Textile 21 have a touring exhibition, “On the Edge of ….”  at Chester Cathedral 5 – 30 June. The works are all based around the theme of the sea.

Whitworth Gallery, Manchester until November 2019. – an exhibition of textiles from the Islamic world; “Four Corners of One Cloth”.

There are several exhibitions this year at Gawthorpe Hall to mark the 60^th anniversary of Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth establishing her unique textile collection as a trust.  Information on the noticeboard.

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

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

Ann would welcome hand-made greetings cards to add to her stock for members’ birthdays.

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 website:  www.embroiderersguild.com

 

                               www.nwregionembroiderers.org

April Meeting

First I must apologise for this delay. I am afraid that I totally forgot....age related? So Jaki Bogg came to talk to us over a week ago. An interesting title, "Stitch Rich". Judith and I were the first to arrive and we had to prise Judith away from Lily Frudd the donkey. A very unusual display but well explained during Jakis talk.Jaki explained how she found inspiratiion for her pieces.Many of them use recycled mataerials and are 3D.The Mender was almost life size though I found her to be quite malevolent to look at.What do you think, she is here below?

Inspiration from the past

 A variety of materials used

 A fishy quilt

 Lots of texture and finally, Judiths beloved donkey. Good job it would not fit in my car!!!!

A better photo and AGM news

I have taken a photo in daylight of my piece from the last workshop.

Last week I went to the National AGM in Newcastle. Good news, the fees of £38.00 pa will remain for the next year. Alice Kettle is our new President and our member John had a piece in the last competition, seen below. 

March Day School

In over thirty years of attending Day Schools, I can say that this was one of the best, EVER!!!!
I had missed LIz when she came to speak to us a couple of years ago but had seen her work in magazines and then on line.It looked amazing.  I contacted Carole a couple of weeks ago to ask for our requirements list. her answer was that everything would be provided for a cost of £4.00. This is always a pleasing response but she gave a short list of bits that we could take if we really wanted. I took along some threads , found objects and jewellery tools but none were really necessary as ALL was provided. I think we were all a bit concerned, not sure of what we would attempt but Liz was very reassuring. She began by demonstrating a number of techniques and then we had a play. I was still not sure where we were going but we experimented. After lunch we heard that we were going to create our own picture and not just take home a group of samples. We had another demo and then began to assemble our own pieces. Again I was not sure how it would work, but Liz came round and gave encouraging comments. I did tease her and said that it was a bit like the pressure of The Sewing Bee but I was only joking. Twelve of us went on this journey today and by 3,30 twelve of us were happy to show our totally or almost finished pieces. I dont think that has ever happened before. All of these pieces were of a high standard, I am thrilled that we all achieved so much. I suggest you look up LIZ COOKSEY as soon as possible. If you are reading this from another guild then book her!!!!

Liz explains her technique

And then have a go

 A few of her amazing pieces

And ours

Mine is now on the wall, but I really dont know what has happened to the colout. I used purple and orange on a white background, Think its my evening light. 

March meeting

Travel Inspired Stitch was the title of our March meeting. Perfect for me, two of my greatest loves and combined together too, Our speaker was a former EG graduate Laura Marriot who had travelled up from Derbyshire. Laura had been on two extended holidays /tours which had inspired her work, Southern Africa and SE Asia. I was in my element as each place that she mentioned brought back happy memories for me. I have so many pictures stored in my head but rarely have the skill to transfer them to fabric and thread. Laura experimented with wall art but decided that her skill and also a way to fund her work was through the medium of wearable jewellery.

The jewellery was all very brightly coloured and reminded me of the Hindu temples. She begins with a photo and then incredible black and white drawings. However her skill is then taken into our 21st century where she combines /cuts up images on her laptop. Not something possible for someone like me.Laura is however coming to a workday on 25th May and we will be able to learn more about her process and hopefully take away a completed brooch.

Our meeting started with congratulations from Brenda on the production of birds but said that more are required. She also mentioned her other challenge begun at the Jacobs Feast to stitch a small piece of fabric 

.

I took along my completed piece from the last evening speaker, Liz Almond and then three pin cushions that I had made based on an idea of Kathryn at Pendle Branch.

Vivienne then showed two rabbits that she had just completed. They were fully dressed , including undies and had great personality. Im sure they will be well received gifts, not not really to be played with.

Embroiderers’ Guild – Bolton Branch      March 2019

News

Our next workshop is this Saturday, March 23 with Liz Cooksey, who came to our May 2017 meeting.  You should   have received an email telling you what items it is suggested you bring to the workshop.

In May we have a workshop with Laura Marriott who is our speaker tonight.  Please add your name to the list if you wish to attend her workshop.

The EG national AGM is in Newcastle-upon-Tyne on 6 April.  Details and booking form are on the Guild  website.

Contact Magazine.  You should have received an email from Pat Tempest at EG HQ announcing that a monthly edition of the Magazine will now be emailed to all members containing more information about the Guild’s activities nationwide. It will be also available on the Guild website.  Only an Annual Review of the Guild will be printed each year.

Competitions

The subject for the Rosebowl competition for NW region next year is “Twist it, Turn it”.  There will be a joint regional day/AGM for 2019 on 28 September at the Crofters Hotel in Garstang.

Exhibitions

Glossop branch are having an exhibition at Chatsworth until 22^nd April, see the poster on the noticeboard.

Rochdale branch are having an exhibition at The Coach House, Lodge St, Littleborough OL15 9AE from 6 April to 5 May.  Open daily 11-4pm.

Ten Plus have an exhibition “Beneath the Layers” at Warrington Museum and Gallery, WA1 1JB until 23 March.

Whitworth Gallery, Manchester until November 2019. – an exhibition of textiles from the Islamic world “Four Corners of One Cloth”.

There are a number of exhibitions this year at Gawthorpe Hall to mark the 60^th anniversary of Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth establishing her unique textile collection as a trust.  Information on the noticeboard.

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

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 website:  www.embroiderersguild.com       www.nwregionembroiderers.org

February Meeting

Liz Almond, one of our members led the practical evening yesterday. She had chosen to teach us Kogan work,  She explained that it was done by the wives of Japanese fishermen and each village would have its own pattern. She had some amazing pieces and it didnt look tto hard......just running stitch. To make life easier , she had brought alonf packs for us, thread, fabric a needle and pattern.

Liz ezplained how the design we were to work could be used to make so many other items, pencil case, cushion or bag for instance. All we had to do was to count, one three or five. Easy!!!No, the TENSION was palpable. Very little chatter, just one three and five over and over again. I unpicked mine so many times that I only managed the inner square. Liz suggested that Aida fabric might make it easier and I intend to try. I can say that I will not be making a tablecloth!!!

It was a pleasant evening, though and i will work at my technoque.

Embroiderers’ Guild – Bolton Branch      February 2019

News

This Saturday is our Saturday stitch Day at Bank Top Chapel.  We will be trying out different activities and products and you can bring your own projects.

Our next workshop is on March 23 with Liz Cooksey, who came to our May 2017 meeting. Please pay the balance of the workshop fee tonight if you have not already done so.

Following on from the successful Capability Brown and 100 Hearts projects, the Guild’s project for 2019    is HOME -what does it mean to you?  Details of how to take part are on the noticeboard and the EG   website.  Last date for Registration is 28 February.

The national AGM is in Newcastle-upon-Tyne on 6 April.  Details and booking form are on the Guild  website.

During this evening’s meeting we are going to have a fund raising auction of some magnifiers, other items and some lace, all of  which have been donated to us.  Listen out!!

Competitions

The national members’ challenge for 2018/19 is “Life’s Rich Pattern”.  Details are on the member’s section of the Guild website, you will need to log in.

The subject for the Rosebowl competition for NW region next year is “Twist it, Turn it”.  There will be a joint regional day/AGM for 2019 on 28 September at the Crofters Hotel in Garstang.

Exhibitions

This weekend Preston EG have an exhibition, “Shorelines and Seascsapes”  22,23 and 24 February at the Green Room, Barton Grange Garden Centre, near Garstang.  Glossop branch are having an exhibition at Chatsworth in March and April, see the poster on the noticeboard.

Ten Plus have an exhibition “Beneath the Layers” at Warrington Museum and Gallery, WA1 1JB

Sorrell Kerrison’s display at Bolton Art Gallery continues until 24 February 2019.  Also from 24 Jan -23 Feb, there will be an exhibition showcasing the work of staff and students from the BA(Hons) Textiles and Surface Design course at the University of Bolton, inspired by Bolton’s textile heritage.

Alice Kettle has work at the Whitworth Gallery, Manchester until 24 Feb 2019. ‘Thread

Bearing Witness’ contains large textile works that consider the subject of migration and how individuals, groups and communities respond to it.   Also at the Whitworth – an exhibition of textiles from the Islamic world “Four Corners of One Cloth”.

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

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 website:  www.embroiderersguild.com       www.nwregionembroiderers.org

Jacobs join

Yesterday was our annual Jacobs join. Lunch with an activity , some stitching and plenty of time to sit and chat. If you have not yet tried it, then put the date in your diary for next year!!!! We meet at BANK TOP not at Horwich. Bring along a plate of food to share and usual sewing eqipment. You may go home with a prize and another plate of food.
 This time Brenda introduced a guess the famous person with only YESor NO answers. certainly quite taxing as we had to remember whether each persona was dead/alive , male or female etc. As older people Brenda relented and read out the list of possible names, several times. Shelacgh [AKA Sherlock Holmes}was amazing and annihalated the rest of us.guessing all but about three people.
The lunch spread was again imaginivite and plenty. I know that members were packing up food parcels to take away at the end.
I stayed to hear about the afternoon stitching activity which I think was a bit like "Consequences" where you stitch a bit and then pass it on. What" It" was is a mystery to me. Brenda would not say except that they could be used at an exhibition in October. I was leaving early as I had to drive to Mums so left at this point.Cant wait to hear and see about these mysteries.