Sunday 21 June 2015

BRANCH MEMBERS EXHIBITING GROUPS–NEW WORKS

2nd July to 1st September 'Art & Soul' by Natural Progression Textile Group.

An exhibition & sale of contemporary textile art at the Bridge Gallery, Samlesbury Hall, Preston New Road, Samlesbury PR5 0UP- TEL: 01254 812010 - http//www.Samlesburyhall.co.uk -

Open Sunday to Friday 11.00am t 4.00pm- closed some Fridays so please check with the hall. Free entry to exhibition only.

Preview Thursday 2nd July 6.00m to 8.00pm -all welcome

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28th June to 31st October – ‘TIME and TIDE’ by Preston Threads -

This work moves from the Lancaster Maritime Museum on Saturday 21st June to Fleetwood Maritime Museum for a further 4 months.

Opening times 11a.m to 4p.m Tuesday to Saturday – cafe. 
Charges – Children free; £2 Concessions; Adults £3

For more information please contact the Museum on 01253 876621 or www.lancashire.gov.uk/museums

 

Tuesday 16 June 2015

DOLLS WITH ATTITUDE–a talk by Kathryn Thompson 13th June

Report by Carole Sams – one of our Joint Chairmen and a Doll Maker herself -
“We had an entertaining talk from Kathyrn Thompson explaining her development of making cloth dolls.  Her historical perspective from the plastic shilling shop dolls that she decked out in finery, to the upside down Jean Greenhow dolls made for her children through to her current embellished figures, many of which she had on show.  Latterly she has worked with the American doll designer Patti Cullea and our own British designer Ray Slater, whose methods are quite different.  Kathyrn told a tale about stuffing and gave tips from doll making that can be utilised in other textile activities with the use of finger
turners and symmetrical drawing.

2015-06-13 13.43.53    2015-06-15 08.43.02   2015-06-15 08.49.18

Apart from her extensive textile work Kathyrn is a heritage tour guide in Blackpool and has been asked to give talks to promote the planned Museum of Entertainment which will open in 2018, and her dolls are proving useful in aiding her with this.
The ‘Buxom Babe’ doll figure (which unfortunately I did not photograph ) provides a popular image of Blackpool; the Pantomime Dame represents the Entertainment the resort is famous for and the Mermaid is a test to see who knows where in the resort the mermaid riding a dolphin is sited.
This was a very entertaining talk, even if the dolls were a bit spooky for some of our members”

From Sandra Kedzlie – a comment -
I am the one who has always thought these dolls were spooky” BUT after hearing Kathryn’s talk and seeing her wonderful dolls with their beautiful costumes, I must say I was amazed by the detail, colour and imagination put into this work and some of them – especially the ‘Buxom Babe’ – based on the artist Beryl Cook’s work I think might help me get over my aversion!
Thanks Kathryn – a great and entertaining talk -wonderful to see someone using their work to inform others in a different way.

Wednesday 3 June 2015

NATIONAL STITCH DAY–SATURDAY AUGUST 1st

Our session at Ormskirk Library last year to celebrate this event was very successful and this will run again at 3 venues, so we will be looking for VOLUNTEERS to help out with demonstrations and the loan of some small pieces of work for display.
PROBABLY 3 FOR PARBOLD AND TARLETON AND 4 FOR ORMSKIRK.

Venue 1 – PARBOLD library (new venue) from 12.30 to 3.30p.m on FRIDAY 31st JULY

Venue 2 – TARLETON library from 9.30 to 1p.m on SATURDAY 1st AUGUST.

Venue 3 – ORMSKIRK library on SATURDAY 1st AUGUST.  Times to be confirmed.

Publicity material will be available from HQ so there will be enough time to advertise well in advance.

Please see me at our next meeting – 13th June.

SIT AND STITCH–KNOTS OF ALL KINDS

Just to let you all know that the scheduled Sit and Stitch session for this month has had to be postponed and will now take place before our August meeting.

Full details and list of requirements will be available at our July meeting.

Tuesday 2 June 2015

JUNE 13th MEETING–TALK BY KATHRYN THOMPSON

DOLLS WITH ATTITUDE’

Kathryn – a member of Blackpool branch has a longstanding love of doll making and has worked with Ray Slater the renowned Cloth Doll Maker.

Kathryn’s talk will be based on how she creates the character embellished figures, describing the fabrics and ‘other useful finds’ that she collects to include in her work.

Pictures taken from the Keswick branch meeting in 2012 where Kathryn gave a similar talk.  I’m sure she will have made more by the time she visits us.