Sunday 22nd November

Our Christmas Tree is up in St Wulfram's Church in Grantham for the Festival, which runs from 5.00pm on Tuesday until next Sunday evening; it is one of just over 100, and is quite close to the coffee shop in the church, so whoever goes in to have tea/coffee, etc. will have a good view of it.
Although it is 6ft tall, in that large space it looks quite diminutive, but it's very full of our decorations, with Sue Cork's hardanger Angel on top, and looks very good. 
I do hope those of you who live in the local area will take the opportunity to go and look - I think the whole thing will be quite impressive.
Annette has taken some photographs, which should is on the blog (under Past Events) for you to get an idea of what the tree looks like, and hopefully there should be more eventually of the entire church full of trees, with its skating rink.

Look forward to seeing you all on 1st December (with wrapped baubles!) 

Kate.

Sunday 8th November 2015

Last Tuesday's meeting at the Tennis Club was buzzing - whether this was to do with our ongoing projects or just general enthusiasm, I'm not sure; thanks to Annette again for her expertise in dry-felting, to Margaret for the magic with Angelina fibres, and Sue, as always, for the travelling books and show and tell.
Despite the weather outside, we had a light and bright meeting, organising 'things' to put on the Christmas Tree in St Wulfram's Church Tree Festival at the end of the month, and making some progress with the CB/Stately Gardens project for next year. Thanks to all who have already given me tree decorations; any others, please deliver to Grantham Museum, on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday of the next two weeks, or to the Tennis Club on 17th November at the 'extra' workshop, or bring them to the church when we have notification of the set-up day, - I will let you know as soon as I am told - or mail them to me at 7 Church Lane, Sedgebrook, Grantham, Lincs. NG32 2EU in a jiffy bag to protect your offerings.

I think we have decided on the shape and size of our pieces for the CB project - I'm just awaiting confirmation from Jane that we are on the right track, then I will get together with her to dye the fabric for the next meeting, as I know that some of you are keen to get on with the stitching.
 Thanks to Jane and to Marian for their contributions so far to this project.
December's meeting is down on the programme as 'Social Stitching', but also hopefully we can move forward with the CB project.

Instead of a raffle for the December meeting, or a 'Secret Santa', it was decided that each member who would like to take part should wrap a Christmas bauble - value no more than £5 - and put in a 'lucky dip', receiving a raffle ticket at the same time. Those not taking part will not receive one! Then you get to draw out a bauble with that number on - hopefully not your own! to take home.
Those not wishing to do any of these things, please bring your own stitching and enjoy the sociability.

My copy of the latest 'Stitch' magazine was removed from the table inside the door on Tuesday - I'm sure inadvertently! - and as I had only recently purchased it and had not yet had time to read it, I would appreciate it being returned at the next meeting.

Looking forward to seeing you all on December 3rd, if not before then, at the Linda Rudkin workshop on 17th November, or at the Church to set up the Christmas Tree.

Kate.

Last month and next month's meetings.

Grateful thanks to Annette, who helped with the egg-felting workshop at the October meeting, as well as taking members' money on the door, and providing the tea and coffee.
As well as the needle felting, we did wet-felted eggs - some people did both, and some showed a marked preference for one or the other.
These hopefully will be embroidered on to for the ongoing exhibition at Grantham Museum, as part of Layers of Stich EGG challenge.

It has been suggested that we submit a decorated tree for the St Wulfram's Christmas Tree Festival at the end of November; St Wulfram's is Grantham's Parish Church, and this is their first Tree Festival, along with having a skating rink in the church for the duration of the festival. They are hoping for a lot of trees and a lot of interest, and it would be good for us to have a profile there.
Applications need to be in by 31st October, and I have the form here to submit; we can have either a real tree or an artificial one, any size, floor or table standing, with an extension lead if we want lights on it.
I have an artificial tree in the loft, much used, but in good condition, 6ft. high, which usually goes in the conservatory. Because it takes to pieces, it's easily tranportable and put together in situ, and we have lights for it too.
As this will be a first attempt, I suggest we go down this route, and we should like members to bring along to the November meeting any handmade decorations they may have. Also, as Annette demonstrated dry felting on polystyrene spheres, some could be made in the meeting, or beforehand, if you have the wherewithal. I will again bring along to the meeting my selection of tops and the felting needles, and they can also be decorated with beads and sequins to catch the light. I have a few spheres, but if you can bring your own (Boyes stock them), that would be helpful.
Jane has some canvaswork ideas with shisha mirrors, and will bring some of these to show us. Other ideas welcome!
The booking form for the tree asks for a 'proposed decoration theme'; as this has to be submitted by Saturday, I need to think of one quickly - perhaps some of you could email me with your ideas? katfisch00@hotmail.com The church will provide all of the signage for the trees, so all we need is a theme!

At the November meeting, we also need to discuss the way forward for the Capability Brown/Stately Gardens project; both Jane and Marian have lots of ideas, and hopefully Marian will be with us to bring along the 'tree' that she has as the foundation for this. If she is not able to be there, I have photos she sent me, and an email with her ideas on, so we need to pool these, decide about dyeing the fabric which Jane has kindly given to the group, and come up with a Plan! Your contributions will be most welcome, please.

It has also been suggested that for the December meeting, we have a 'Secret Santa' - as well as a raffle? Something else to discuss, and do bring any 'show and tell' pieces, and your travelling books - some of these will again be swopped with the ones already in the museum.

Sarah is still requiring money for the extra workshop with Linda Rudkin on 17th November; if your name is on her list and you have not paid, please have your money for her at the meeting.

If none of this appeals to you, do bring your own stitching and join us for a sociable day.
Looking forward to seeing you all on Tuesday 3rd November at the Tennis Club.
Kate.

Exhibition at Grantham Museum.

Annette Cooke has kindly sent in some photo's of the LOS EGG Exhibition at the museum. They can be viewed on the Blog by clicking on the sidebar "Past Events". If you have taken any Photo's you want to share, please feel free to send them to me at suecork8@hotmail.co.uk, but remember that images will then be in the public domain and could be viewed or copied.

Layers of Stitch Embroiderers' Guild, Grantham exhibition at Grantham Museum is now up and running.
A number of people attended our Preview last Wednesday evening, including our Regional Chair, Pam Keeling, all the way from Derby; Brenda Scarman, who helped to get us started on the branch Banner; and also the Mayor of Grantham, Jacky Smith, who, I discovered, does some stitching in her spare time! Later, a group of people from our sponsors, Korbond, also joined us.
The Bannner looks stunning - thank you, Jean, for the idea and dyeing the fabric, and thank you, Brenda, for getting us started - and the Bunting, now that you can see all at once, is also lovely.
When finally seen altogether, our display is really good, especially when you consider that the group has only been in existence for eighteen months. Well done to all - you have really made a superb exhibition!
Some items, like the travelling books, will be interchanged over the weeks, so do go in and see what there is on show. The post-card competition is really good - grateful thanks to those who entered - the result is very professional-looking.

Next month's meeting - Tuesday, October 6th - for those who wish to, will be learning how to make Felted Eggs - part of our ongoing EGG challenge, and we hope that some will be displayed in the Museum in the coming weeks. (If you do not wish to take part, do bring your own sewing and just enjoy the sociability!)
I shall be demonstrating wet-felting, and Annette will be showing dry/needle-felting, on polystyrene eggs. We have quite a few of these, but if you have one/some, or indeed, other ideas, do bring them along. These can then be embroidered into in any way you fancy!
The rest of the equipment will be supplied, but if you have a dry felting needle, that would be appreciated.
You will also need a towel to cover the table, and perhaps two small plastic bowls for the hot and cold water (for wet-felting).
I look forward to our efforts, and seeing you all on the first Tuesday in October.

Kate.

Hello Ladies

A good meeting last Tuesday; one of the quickest AGMs I have ever done, and don't forget to fill in questionnaires if you have something to say about how our EG branch is organised.

Jeanette Jackson's talk and presentation was most interesting, particularly as it showed that her textile work is her second (or was it third?) career, and her skills and inspiration are quite innovative. I personally would like to hear her talk about Japan, perhaps one for another year?

Another reminder about our exhibition - we are setting up the display on Tues./Weds., 15th/16th September from 10.00am each day, and have quite a few volunteers to help, and also to help on the Preview evening, Weds. 16th from 7.00pm. Others welcome, if you can spend a couple of hours or more with us.
We have some framed pictures which some people have brought in or promised for display - these will have to be hung on mirror plates to make sure that they are secure - if you object to yours having mirror plates screwed into them,  and being hung this way, then please contact Christine Robbins at the museum (remember, it is only open Thursday, Friday, Saturday each week) at: christinerobbins@ granthammuseum.org.uk  or telephone 01476 568783.

Christine would still like some stitching stories to go with some of the loaned items, and would also like more information about the WW1 Hearts and the stories behind those. Three of the hearts have no name attached (one has initials, but we cannot work out who the maker is!) : one is a broken heart, '1914-1918, Remember' on it ; one commemorates Ezra Bell, and one re: Col.W Beddow - please let Christine have the information a.s.a.p. - preferably by email if you can.

Christine has worked extremely hard on our behalf, and this promises to be an exciting display, so do give her your whole-hearted support if possible, and contact the museum if you are coming to the Preview, with numbers to help with the catering.

Next month's  meeting, 6th October,  will be a workshop making felted eggs, for those who wish to, but I shall be sending out more details later.

Kate.