On Saturday 18th September there will be a full day workshop with Liz Almond on Blackwork.
Commencing at 10a.m the charge for the day will be £22 for members and £25 for visitors – this will include fabric, threads and designs.
Refreshments will be provided – please bring a packed lunch.
There are still a few places left so contact Karen Hurrell if you are interested – visitors most welcome.
The year of our Open Day saw the end of the 3 year term of our joint Chairmen Sue and Tracey and as a closing event it proved to be very successful, both in visitors attending and increasing our income for the year, which was very much needed due to high increased costs.
Both Sue and Tracey and other members of the committee who retired this year were thanked wholeheartedly by the 25 members who attended and new members to the committee were introduced – Ann Baldwin, Caroline Percy, and Carole Sams. All other members remain on committee for another year.
The Chairmans’ challenge for a ‘Folded Book’ had 7 entries – judged by the outgoing Chairmen, the winner being Audrey Gore and runner up Marjorie Williams. Pictures of some of the entries are shown below.
‘Geometry’ by Audrey Gore
‘Machine Stitches’ by Marjorie Williams
Some of the other entries.
AFTER THE AGM official business, we followed on with a most interesting talk with a show and tell of the Project Linus quilt project. Lesley Mercer the Lancashire area organiser seemed to have an endless supply of quilts, from mini ones (20” square) for premature babies, up to much larger ones (40” square) for teenagers. All in bright colours and patterns, stitched by hand or machine and as well as quilts, or comforters there were knitted blankets in soft colours.
Originally targeting paediatric cancer patients, Project Linus has broadened its focus towards seriously ill, abused or traumatised children – in need of a ‘big hug’ and Lancashire is one of the most productive regions with over 1200 items donated in the last few years.
The quilts on show had all been produced by volunteers, either individually or in groups and would eventually be donated to hospitals, hospices, Dr. Barnardo’s, care homes etc., in and around Lancashire.
Some of our members at the end of the meeting, were quite keen to ‘get something started’ not as part of the Guild, but as an individual group and anyone who is interested should contact me, preferably by e.mail or phone (you will all have my contact details on your membership card). When we know who is interested then we can go about setting up a meeting with Lesley to get organised.
However – to the quilts – I have only shown parts so that you get an idea of the detail. I am no patchworker but love hand or machine quilting so if there is any, please excuse the incorrect terminology!!
There were whole cloth quilts; pieced and patched; some with hand embroidered panels attached and as you will see in lovely bright child friendly colours -
A week after our monthly meeting we are running a full day workshop on Blackwork with Elizabeth Almond – there are places left so please contact Karen Hurrell or Sue Chisnall. Kits will be available to purchase on the day, so no need to worry about the correct fabrics and threads to bring.
Elizabeth has a website – www.blackworkjourney.co.uk and there is a link to her blog which provides lots of hints, tips and ideas about blackwork design – she also has a few patterns which you can download as freebies.
It should be a good day – I love the counted thread techniques and blackwork especially can be so effective.
Hello again – I have been away for a while and missed the August meeting, so hope you are all refreshed from you ‘hols’ if you have already had them, or perhaps you are still looking forward to them?
Whichever it is I look forward to catching up will all of you at our AGM on the 11th, and if you have all worked hard to make the Chairmen’s Challenge, hope to see lots and lots of entries – mine is not quite finished, but will be I’m sure!!
Following the AGM when we will be gaining some new committee members and officers, we will have a talk by Lesley Mercer on ‘Project Linus’ – a volunteer organisation who aim to provide a sense of comfort and security for sick and traumatised children of all ages, through the provision of home made patchwork quilts and knitted blankets. This idea originated in December 1995 in the USA and since then over 3 million quilts and blankets have been delivered worldwide.
Started in the UK in March 2000 over 122,000 quilts and blankets have been delivered so far in this country – the aim being to deliver quilts as locally as possible to their makers. It should be a fascinating talk with lots of samples to see.
We have a new colour raffle for the year, starting with our September meeting – no pictures this time but interesting titles – the one for September is “You’ve been Tangoed” – wonder what that can be?????
I shall be putting our new programme for 2010-11 on the Branch web page soon so please log in to check out what we have in store for the coming year.
Sue and Tracey will be retiring at our AGM in September and they have set the members a challenge – to make a ‘one page booklet’ from fabric.
You can use any theme, colour and techniques that you prefer and these will be displayed for judging at the AGM on September 11th.
Information sheets are available at our meetings – but you will need -
A piece of fabric 10” x 7” approx. – plain, patterned, dyed, painted or printed. You can then hand or machine stitch; patchwork or applique, and embellish with decoration on one or both sides.
Full details of folding and cutting are in the hand-out. If you haven’t got one please ask at the next meeting or if you can’t get there and would like to take part I am sure one could be posted or e.mailed – contact Sue or Tracey.
We get distracted from our stitching at this time of year, when the sun shines, the garden needs doing and holidays are on the horizon!! SO – you will need to get started soon.
The two made by Sue and Tracey are shown below .
Looking forward to seeing at least 40!!!!!!
Marie Brown from Preston Branch will be running a Hands-on session for us on ‘The Distorted Stitch’.
You will need to bring the following requirements -
A 12inch square (or 30cm) of multi-coloured or space dyed cotton fabric.
Quilters wadding or felt the same size.
Piping cord or string.
Strong threads to match fabric.
Needles and scissors.
Look forward to seeing you all then.
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THE COLOUR RAFFLE FOR THAT DAY IS –Yellow ribbon sweet-lips – a cute little creature. Colours to include – lime green, pale blue, and black.
