PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM

I have been asked to make a textile cover for the branch photograph album which will be on display at our Open Day and I felt it would be far nicer if everyone contributed towards this. 

At our December meeting I requested small pieces of work from our members, no bigger than about 3” square (sorry don’t do centimetres!!). 
These should have a border all round for attaching to a backing which I will be making, but please – no text or lettering of any kind as there will be a finished title on the cover which might then clash!  The piece should have your name attached to the back of the work. 

There is to be no theme, as the Album itself covers a wide variety of  Talks, Hands-on sessions and Workshops, and if you want to have a look at it next time you come to a meeting, I am sure there will be something  to inspire you or remind you of  things you have already done – maybe a part finished piece started at one of our workshops, or a small sample done at a Hands-on session.
The album is always on display on the Welcome Table, where you sign in,  together with a folder which holds hard copies of the Branch Blog pages, for members who do not have access to the internet.  This might also help, as some of the photographs show work in progress as well as finished pieces.

I want to have the work completed for our April meeting so PLEASE get your pieces to me in plenty of time – the sooner the better – as I have other stitching commitments for exhibitions and don’t want to have that snowed under feeling at the last minute.
Thank you all in anticipation!!!!!!!!!

Still very icy here.
Sandra

MORE SNOW PICS!!

Following my request - a couple of 'pics' for you from -
Karen Hurrell our Programme Secretary who lives in Chorley and Ann Christy (Regional Secretary and personal friend) who lives across the water from me in Lytham.

I was too much of a coward to go out in the garden to take close up pics, but they are obviously much braver (and younger) than me!!!

Karen

Ann

Karen has a couple more pics on her blog - Serpentine Stitches. Many thanks to you both.

I notice that the snow is starting to melt here now but the road is still a sheet of ice, so another day indoors I think.
Hope to see you all on Saturday.

SNOW, SNOW, GLORIOUS……….

As I said before I am not a lover of snow, but today I have sat indoors in the warm and by the fire, watching a load of snow (about 4 or 5”) deposit itself on our garden and how lovely it looks. 
Thought I would show you a few more photo’s of my snowy garden in Banks – a place not known for heavy snowfall, as being near the coast we are supposed to have higher temperatures to keep the snow away, but something has gone wrong!! 

You can actually see the snow falling in this one and not a bird in sight.

 
Taken at about 10a.m when it had been snowing for a while.

 
Another lonely seat and still no birds – I was hoping for a robin to show up.

View from my front door.

How about other members send me their ‘pics’ and I will try to include some of them – just e.mail them if you have any.

HAPPY NEW YEAR - 2010

Hope you had a good  Christmas and here’s hoping 2010 will be a healthy and happy year for you all.

We are looking forward to our Open Day on 8th May, of which you will be hearing a lot over the next few months, but in the meantime we have some very interesting monthly meetings and full day workshops coming up for you.

JANUARY MEETING – Saturday 9th

Our first meeting of the year promises to be a good one with Sheila Smith talking about ‘The Contemporary Felt Scene’
Sheila is a very well respected Felt maker who teaches in the UK, Australia and New Zealand.
A former Chair of the International Feltmakers’  she writes regularly for textile and embroidery magazines.  She is also the author of two books ‘Felt to Stitch’ and ‘Embellish, Stitch and Felt’.

I just hope now that the weather will be kind to us as Sheila lives in Thirsk – the far frozen hills of Yorkshire!!!!  (Apologies to my Yorkshire friends – one of the best places on earth, though now I live in Lancashire, perhaps I shouldn’t say that either!!!!)   That’s what comes from moving around this lovely country of ours.

We have also planned for Sheila to hold a full day workshop for us in March and we will be taking bookings for this at our February meeting . Several members of the branch attended a workshop she did last year at Cedar Farm Gallery and I know they would all agree it is worth attending one of Sheila’s classes – book early as I think this could be a popular day.

NEXT MEETING - JANUARY 9TH - COLOUR RAFFLE

This month's raffle colours are based on this little creature - called a Spearer Mantis Shrimp.
Sounds quite scary to me but lovely colours - pinky brown, mauve, yellow and cream.
Look forward to seeing the collection of threads, fabrics, beads, buttons etc.
Good luck everyone.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Well it looks as though it will be a white Christmas here  on the North West coast– snow for the last 6 days on and off – unheard of and I don’t like it.  It looks lovely but that is all it does for me – I never feel too safe when walking so tend to stay in and just look – a real wimp I’m afraid.  Good job we have plenty of food in for Christmas though we should be in Bury for lunch tomorrow!!!!

A few snowy ‘pics’ from my garden  -  a bit cold to sit here!!

Not many cars about today.

And a Christmas tree for you all from me -

HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A GOOD NEW YEAR.

With best wishes.  Sandra.

Talking Threads - TV Show

I have just picked this up from another Guild blog page and thought you might like this information, if you do not already have it.

Below is the complete listing for the Talking Threads TV Show (on Sky):

Remember, if you don't have Sky you can still watch it for free via the Country Channel TV Website

[CountryChannel.tv website ] which works similar to the BBC iPlayer or video on demand. You can watch Talking Threads anytime; each episode will be available online from the day it goes out on Sky and will stay there indefinitely.

I know that some of these dates have gone, but as it says they are available indefinitely – haven’t tried yet so can’t confirm this information. (Sandra)

Episode 1- Wednesday 14th Oct 19:00 - Jill Kennedy (Silk painting)
Episode 2- Wednesday 21st Oct 19:00 - Gilda Baron (Landscapes)
Episode 3- Wednesday 28th Oct 19:00 - Di Wells (Quilting on paper)
Episode 4- Wednesday 4th Nov 19:00 - Kim Thittichai (Stitching & melting - Tyvek)
Episode 5- Wednesday 11th Nov 19:00 - Fay Maxwell (Cutting through layers)
Episode 6- Wednesday 18th Nov 19:00 - Linda Miller (Machine embroidery)
Episode 7- Wednesday 25th Nov 19:00 - Myfanwy Hart (Dyeing)
Episode 8- Wednesday 2nd Dec 19:00
Episode 9- Wednesday 9th Dec 19:00
Episode 10- Wednesday 16th Dec 19:00

Each episode will be repeated on Thursday morning (05:30) and again at lunch time (12:00). It is also being shown on Sundays at 12:00.