Machine Embroidery Workshop

This was our fourth workshop with Eileen Gibson and yet again we had a great day.  There was much splashing of paint crumpling of tissue paper and crimping of metal.  After preparing our backgrounds we then attached metal shims with our sewing machines.  One or two of us were a bit nervous of this process but the courage to try was found and we all produced a number of interesting pieces.  I completed mine this week into a little book using a tecnique of colouring pages that I had just learnt at an Art Van Go workshop with Francis Pickering.  Below are some of the work that was produced.

September Meeting

Saturday was our AGM which went quite well although not as many members as usual attended.  We had a very interesting talk 'Thread Therapy and Frustration' by Jonathan MacPherson of Barnyarns.  He also brought lots of threads and accessories for us to spend out money on!

We had our 'Rose Bowl' competition entries on display for Jonathan to judge and below is a photograph of those entries. The subject this year was flowers.

The winner was Moira Wood with her beautiful picture of buddleia done with applique and embellishing and here is a picture of Moira with the 'Eva Heselton Rose Bowl' which she gets to keep for one year.

We have also had some entries completed for the Guild Olympic postcards.  Only three so far but we have earmarked the November meeting as a finishing off day so hopefully there will be a few more by then.

It's the Bag Lady again!

I was so pleased with my poppy bag that I made after Kathleen Laurel Sage visited us that I have made another one.  This is for my great niece who will be 4 this week.  I have reduced the size of the bag and only used the smaller flower shape and added a couple of butterflies.  I have fastened the flowers on with small buttons instead of beads as I thought they would hold on better. You can buy the plastic at Dunelm if anyone is interested in making their own bags.

AGM

Done't forget that Sepetember is our AGM.  We will be having our usual stitching session in the morning and the AGM will commence at 1.30.  We have a speaker for the afternoon from Barnyarns, so it should be an interesting day.  If you wish to bring anything up in 'Any Other Business' can you let Janet know before the meeting.

July meeting

I missed the July meeting but talking to people who went, it was very enjoyable.  The speaker, Heather Ritchie was excellent, so much so that we have purchased her book for our library. 

I have re-organised our cancelled machine embroidery day for Saturday 15th October.  We will be looking at machining metal shims and cellophane but anyone who hasn't been before and would like to have a go at the first project we did, then Eileen is more than happy to have you along.  Price is £13 and the venue is Wrelton Village Hall.

Bags of Fun!

Since Kathleen Laurel Sage came to talk to us, I have been desperate to get started making one of her bags and this is the result.  It was interesting to work with plastic instead of fabric, it doesn't slide on the sewing machine very well which makes the free machining a bit tricky until you get used to it.  If anyone else plans to do this bag that is in Stitches magazine you need to be aware that the rolls of plastic we bought from Kathleen are not quite sufficient for an exact copy of the bag.  Mine is just a bit smaller, I haven't put the flap over and there are fewer flowers.  I am still quite pleased with the result though.  I thought I might get some more plastic and make my great niece one for Christmas with flowers and butterflies on.

Ripon and Lotherton Hall

We had a lovely day out last Wednesday, the weather mananged to stay fine for us and the rain shower came while we were on the coach.  Lotherton Hall is a lovely country house, a bit smaller and more homely than a stately home but there is still plenty to see there for the very reasonable entry fee.  The exhibition of North American Plains Indian artifacts was very good and very informative.  I think everyone enjoyed it.  If you do go and you watch the DVD that is played, don't wait for Sitting Bull to die, you could be there all day! We took a few friends as well as members to fill the coach and it made a nice mixed bunch who all got on well together.  The exhibition is on until the 31st December and I can certainly recommend it, I think children would enjoy it too.