Next meeting, July 4th 2017 at Grantham Tennis Club

Our July meeting is a general one for stitching and socialising; there will be an opportunity to learn new stitches with Sue and Annette, if she is able to come to the meeting, and continue with the stitch books, which we have not done for ages. Also an opportunity to practise some of the stitch  ideas we have learned recently, and share with those who did not attend the workshops.

We had an excellent workshop with Sue Stone last Tuesday, and she was extremely generous with her fabric and threads and her use of stitches which she incorporates into her figurative pieces. We hope to have her again in the Spring of 2019 - she is fully booked next year, as she does a lot of exhibiting - so we shall be lucky to have her again so soon.

At last month's meeting, we heard the story of Lynn Haith's wonderful box, which she had researched and worked on for 3/4 years for her City and Guilds Diploma. Based on a Victorian theme, it had so many nooks and crannies, and some working parts and even sound. It was a joy to behold, and there were many 'oohs' and 'ahs' and gasps at the sheer exuberance of it. An amazing piece of work, enthralling us all.

The May workshop on Stumpwork with Kay and Michael Dennis was also enjoyable, and enthused many of our members with a different from normal type of embroidery.

We are very fortunate to be able to have these well-known tutors and speakers, and many thanks to Margaret for organising them all.

Our thanks also to Michele Maloney for being the coordinator for our contribution to the Lincolnshire Show last week; we look forward to hearing how it all went.

We had discussed organising an outing for the August meeting, but were not sure where and how far to go; perhaps members could come up with ideas for a possible one next year, if it is felt to be a good plan. The August meeting will also be a stitching one, but we could do some painting and/or dyeing of fabric backgrounds for stitch, or learn some printing techniques; perhaps members would let the committee know at next week's meeting what they would like to do,
Don't forget that Saturday 5th August is National Day of Stitch, and the theme is ' Butterflies'; we are again at Belton House outside the Orangery, so encourage family and friends to come and get involved. We still need a few more volunteers to help on the day, please.

And finally, thanks to Sue Cork for keeping the branch going whilst the chair has been out of action - she has this tendency to think of things that had not even crossed other peoples' minds, and has worked very hard for the branch.

I look forward to seeing you all on Tuesday
Kate.

NEXT MEETING:

 Tuesday, 6th June, 10am to 3pm.                  

Lynn Haith 

The Antithesis of Serendipity 

Lynn’s fabulous work for her City & Guilds Diploma, for which she gained her second Medal of Excellence. 

Bring something to do in the afternoon. Visitors Welcome.

Congratulations

Marian Jackson has won the Embroiderers Guild "Julia Caprara Award for Colour" for her piece entitled "Hidden Sugar", entered in the competition Imprisoned Splendour. Congratulations from the Committee.

Another Two Quilts

Aline Wooley also donated these two quilts to Project Linus today, when accompanying Joy - really beautiful!

Project Linus

Joy Kitchen, one of our members, kindly volunteered to deliver the extra quilts, made by members since the January Meeting.

Joy is off today to Ruskington, and has sent these photos of the quilts she is taking to Project Linus Lincolnshire co-coordinator, Brenda.

April Meeting

NEXT MEETING: 

Tuesday 4th April, 2017, 10am, Tennis Club, Grantham

HELEN PHILLIPS - The Master Craftsmen of Kashmir

Helen Philips, (Door to the Himalayas) Will be giving a talk and showing examples of textiles from Kashmir, some of which will be available to buy.

"How long this tradition will continue depends very much on the ability to bring these shawls to a wider market. The current political isolation for Kashmir has resulted in very few tourists visiting the region."

Do not forget to bring your pennies (or lots of pounds!) as Helen will be selling some exquisite items. See her website on http://www.doortothehimalayas.co.uk/himalayancommunities/kashmiri-craftsmen

Letter from Kate Pike

Layers of Stitch

We began the new year with a very interesting session led by Brenda and Fran from Project Linus, who are local organisers of this organisation providing quilts and comforters for sick babies and vulnerable children. Thanks to Sue and her group, they went away with 19 extra quilts (and they were lovely!) and the promise of more to come.

Joy Kitchen has kindly offered to be coordinator for any more quilts which may appear at the next two meetings (February and March), and she will take them to Project Linus in the Sleaford area for us. Sue also

has a knitting pattern for a stillborn baby’s wrap with hood, if anyone is interested in making these or knitting and donating premature and newborn size hats, cardigans, mittens, bootees or blankets, which go via Sue to Peterborough Maternity Unit.

Michele and Ros went to a Christmas ‘bring and share’ lunch meeting in December at the Lincolnshire branch in Bishop Grosseteste College, Lincoln, and came back with information about how they will be organising the Embroiderers’ Guild stand in the Flower Tent at the Lincolnshire Show in June. I still need to clarify a few points with them, but we are hoping to do some stewarding during those two days, with free or reduced entry for those who do.

The backdrop to the stand will be garden trellis and in our committee, it was decided that any members who would like to contribute a stitched piece (these will not be for sale) on a Horticultural theme, these will be exhibited in the round wooden frames they are stitched on, frames not larger than 6 inches in diameter. That way, we hope to have quite a number of pieces on our piece of trellis. More details, if you need them, at the February meeting.

I now have the exhibition ‘tree’, in pieces, from Grantham Museum, and I will bring all the triangles to the February meeting in order to disperse them back to their makers.

At the next meeting, February 7^th,we shall have mini-workshops, beginning to make items to sell on the table of the Lincolnshire Show stand. ( Items priced up to £20 are the guidelines we have been given.)

Sue has some small embroidered brooch ideas, and will bring the requisites, and I have Tina’s permission to use her flower brooch pattern – Tina did this with us as a workshop whilst we were still at Stitchcraft! and we have now been at the Tennis Club for two years – so I will bring instructions, templates and some fabrics. If you have leftover pretty bits of cotton of your own, please bring to use.

The basic flower is made from a 12cm diameter circle of fabric x 5 – but these can be smaller or larger – this should give you an idea of the size of fabric needed for one flower. You will need toning thread, and we will supply felt for the backing, and brooch pins. There will be some beads for embellishment.

We shall also be making lavender bags; there are some heart-shaped pieces of fabric already cut, ready for sewing, but again, you may have pieces you can use, and they do not necessarily need to be hearts! And we shall need bits of ribbon to hang them on. There will also be some lavender and filling available.

Other ideas may be perhaps handmade notebooks, or small bags for a mobile phone, or similar; some of these could be embroidered. You may also have other ideas of your own.

If you do not wish to do any of these, do bring your own stitching and be sociable.

We are looking for a logo, or even several logos, which can be used on our blog, on flyers, and other publicity, which will immediately identify us by its format, and can be used incorporating our rather long name – LAYERS OF STITCH, EMBROIDERERS’ GUILD GRANTHAM.

It can be any piece of embroidery, from which we might use a small detail, and can be any shape, round, egg-shaped, rectangular, or whatever. This is to be your challenge for the next few months, with entries to be in at the April meeting, and judging will take place after Easter. There will be no prizes, just the kudos of having your piece of stitch as a logo for the branch.

Happy stitching!

I look forward to another productive meeting, and to seeing you all on 7^th February.

Kate.