Embroiderers' Guild - the UK's leading crafts association
sharing opportunities for discovery and creativity
1 Kings Road, Walton on Thames, Surrey KT12 2RA
T: 01932 260738 - E: administrator@embroiderersguild.com
Embroiderers' Guild - the UK's leading crafts association
sharing opportunities for discovery and creativity
1 Kings Road, Walton on Thames, Surrey KT12 2RA
T: 01932 260738 - E: administrator@embroiderersguild.com
Branch Meetings
June 11th Morning Inspiration from Japan with Wendy Ramsey and Bronwyn Fleming a possible starting point for a personal piece for the regional exhibition in 2012 and an origami flower to make (there will be a charge of £1 to cover the cost of the fabric, brooch back, felt and instruction sheet), please bring a basic sewing kit, pins, scissors, strong sewing cotton (black or white) and some buttons and beads to decorate the centre of your flower.
Afternoon ? speaker, textile artist Liz Welch.
July 9th Mildred Higgins Day Guest Speaker Alison Mercer talk and afternoon workshop.
Please bring your entry for this year's competition Colouricious and any other work completed this year, such as our Christmas bags, Everyday life in Africa a challenge, Cathedral exhibition work or workshop pieces you have completed so we can have a display of member's work.
List of requirements for Alison Mercer Stitched book cover workshop.
The aim of the afternoon will be to create a stitched surface suitable for a book cover, you can use any materials you like to create a stitched surface, you may want to use traditional materials, photographic prints or other unusual materials. You will need to bring a range of materials to consider on the day. Bring your usual sewing kit and any ideas you have to discuss with Alison. The materials list below is a guide for the materials and equipment you may like to bring. Sometimes it is best to limit how much you bring so that you become inventive with what you have.
Calico or cotton fabric; lighter weight cotton fabric; threads; usual sewing kit; matchers or a lighter (optional); scissors; masking tape; pins; wadding or stuffing; ephemera collections of interesting small objects (optional); a sketchbook or notebook (optional); digital camera (optional).
July 10th Workshop - Alison Mercer - stitched sketchbooks.
Other Dates for your Diary
July 15-17th Summer school BGC Lincoln: Dionne Swift; Carol Naylor; Christine Benson and Owen Davies. See Norma Bean or look on the noticeboard for more details.
Regional Kimono Workshops
Sunday 12 June Silk painting with Dora Mack
Sunday 19 June Shibori and Indigo with Pam Keeling
Sunday 3 July Sashiko with Margaret Shah
Sunday 31 July Japanese Embroidery with Sylvia Winn
Sunday 14 August Stencilling with Ann Hammond
Kegworth Community Centre Derbyshire. Places are limited to 15 and cost £25. Further details from Pam Keeling 01332 523469 or subject Kimono and send to egkickstart@yahoo.co.uk
Grasby Embroiderers Exhibition
The Grasby Embroiderers are having an exhibition in Grasby Village hall on Saturday 18th June and Sunday 19th June from 10.30am till 4.30pm. Admission is free and there will be tea and cakes.
11th August The Festival of Quilts Birmingham
Hilary is hoping to organise a trip to this excellent show, if you are interested please let her know.
We leave at 7.45am and return home at 4pm Free parking at coach yard. Cost for the trip £29.
East Midlands Region of the Embroiderers' Guild. Kickstart 2011-12 This year's theme is Movement Muscle and Metabolism an investigation into all things sporty.
Artist Inspiration Days:
Risley Village Memorial Hall Derbyshire
Saturday 25th June 2011 Graeme Reed http://www.graemereed.co.uk/ page4.htm And Sunday 26th June 2011 Jo Owen http://www.aliveandstitching.co.uk/ joowen.htm
Asfordby Parish Hall Leicestershire
Saturday 23rd July Andy Gilbert www.andygilbertcartoons.co.uk
Sunday 24th July 2011Janine Pope http://www.mudrabbit.co.uk/Kickstart2011-12
As well as the artist-led workshops Pam Keeling will be running further Development days:
Saturday 17th September 2011 Swinford, Leicestershire
Sunday 2nd October 2011 Dunholme Village Hall Lincolnshire
Plus a further Advice day on Sunday 11th March 2012 Ollerton, Nottinghamshire
To qualify to exhibit in the Kickstart exhibition, participants are required to attend at least one of the days on offer; you may book on more if you wish. The cost of the Inspiration, Development and Advice Days will be £28 per person per day.
Booklet launch at the East Midlands Festival of Stitch 21st May 2011 Lutterworth College.
For further information contact Tel: 01629 584487 Penny Marsden
June 25th to July 4th 2011 Lincolnshire Embroiderers' Guild exhibition Cathedral Inspirations and Other Work at Lincoln Cathedral.
Back to Basics? Further Debate responses to Doreen Hallett's Letter in the May Newsletter
Dear Editor
I was saddened to read Doreen Hallett's letter last month. Like Doreen, I too enjoy traditional embroidery techniques and admire the skills of hand stitching. However, I believe the Committee have got the mix of traditional versus modern, hand stitching versus machine, embroidery versus textile art just right. We have had 2 excellent practical sessions in recent months with Jane and Barbara on canvas work (Oct 2010 and Feb 2011) and a contrast of modern techniques makes for good variety and a challenge for us traditionalists.
Congratulations to the Committee for their efforts to achieve such a varied and comprehensive selection of speakers, workshops, practical sessions and outings. It is not an easy job for voluntary Committees to keep all of us happy, all of the time but this one tries hard to do so.
Joan Panton
Back to basics or future proofing?
Doreen Hallett makes some important points in her comments in the newsletter and I should like to offer my views.
I think embroidery has a very challenging place in the world just now and the shortcomings of the national Guild have not necessarily strengthened our voice as a group with a shared interest.
I feel the Guild deserves our active support, what else is there? And we should look to the published aims of the Guild. These refer to the inclusion of anyone with an interest in textiles and embroidery. We come to the Guild by very different routes and our Branch should be contributing to the learning and development of members. This leads to a difficulty of balancing the levels of activity to suit those members with established and considerable skills and those who have never done a technique.
As we all know when visiting the big shows or reading the ads in the magazines there is a vast array of gizmos and "products" to enhance and extend our range. Given the propensity to buy special offers etc it is helpful to have opportunities to see how these things might be used. The mixed media barbarian is at the gate and we have to deal with it to keep a place in the world of creative activities.
Doreen is right about the general melee in trying to deliver mini-workshops and there will be many ideas amongst members about alternative ways of doing things. The mini workshop model was tried to answer the criticism of the day being too much sitting and listening. When we have them there is a marked increase in the mixing and chattering of members. How do we change to keep the positives?
We could have a regular session of 3 or 4 group activities being led by Branch members and working at different levels. We have access to some dvds which outline techniques and mini projects and we have members signed up to workshops on the web as well as all the skill and expertise in the group.
There are lots of ways in which we can take account of Doreen's point that stitch is at the heart of what we are about and I think members need to be more active in shaping how we do it. For me the camaraderie of the Branch is essential to a successful future and none of us is going to like everything on offer but to have the choice and opportunity to try is an asset to be treasured.
Carolyn Merry
EAST MIDLAND REGION CHAIRMAN'S REPORT 2011
Welcome to our Festival of Stitch 2011 in Lutterworth. I always look back on the reports that I have given before and it is interesting to note how some things change! Last year I reported to you a month after the EG National AGM took place in Nottingham and said that we were looking to the future with many plans. I quote from my last years report, events move very slowly with many words but few actions. Well, this year changes can be seen already - plans are in hand, so now there are fewer words with much more action.
Each year at this time we look forward to our summer activities. Last year many of us enjoyed the good company of friends at a Luncheon Party to celebrate our Anniversary. We listened to an interesting educational talk by Jenny Tiramani maybe that sounds dry but not at all as she has a wonderful depth of knowledge of her subject. The afternoon flew by too quickly a happy get together to be repeated sometime.
This year, ahead of us is another very busy summer. I hope that you all have the dates in your diaries and have made your choices none of us like to miss out. Some work from Kickstart - Chocolate is here today on the way to our exhibition at Cromford in June. We launch Movement, Muscle and Metabolism, the theme for 2011/12 - remember this is our education programme in which all members may participate. The workshops offered by four tutors make choices difficult but exciting time is short as the first days are very soon. Remember our well-established weekend Summer School in July. We are in Lincoln again this year with four inspirational tutors. Once again Norma Bean is looking after us as there was a slight hiccup with timings however it is all sorted out now. So if you haven't organized your choice yet there are still some spaces. It is an excellent weekend not only do we work hard but we socialize. We learn new skills, greet old friends and make new ones. If you have been meaning to try it one year make this the year you do so.Last year, Norma was at the Quilt Show at the NEC in August once again. I said the she would love to have a 1000 bonnets to take with her and she had. Bonnets seem to grow like topsy and some of us still have the one you were going to make but have not started yet !I mention our on going Kimono project that is inspired by the 2012 Olympics. It is a very simple idea which seems to have got a life of its own - spread by those Chinese whispers again ! ! ! or should the whispers be Japanese ? This initiative is some thing in which any member can become involved. So here are some clear
facts:
1. You do not need to make a Kimono.
2. You can stitch anything inspired by Japan.
3. This is not a competition.
4. You can use any technique or medium of your choice.
5. You can exhibit your piece of work in the Catmose Gallery
6. You can work alone, or in a group, or as a branch.
The Region has already held two days for information and inspiration which were excellent and offered many ideas. The Region has other dates organized and also classes on various techniques to help with your pieces. NB These classes are open to ALL whether you wish to take part in the Kimono project or not. The classes will only take place if sufficient numbers enroll to make them financially viable.
On the subject of Finance, your Regional Committee, sensitive to the current economic situation, has decide to hold the Regional affiliation fee at 75 pence per member for the next year. Yes, this is going to be a very busy Summer. The question is sometimes asked, What does the Region do for us ? I hope that you can see that we try to offer you an interesting programme of activities. I am sure you will tell us if it is not what you want and we always welcome your ideas about anything that you would like to
do.
When I began this report I wrote now there are fewer words with much more action. I am much more confident and comfortable in the future of the Embroiderers' Guild this year. We have a new acting CEO, Terry Murphy, who came to talk to us in March and all who attended that meeting left with renewed hope in the future. We have a new home in Kings Road, Walton upon Thames it is bright and spacious and very welcoming. A good place for meetings with far better working conditions for our staff. We have a new Chairman, voted in by you the members at the AGM in Dundee last month Pauline Hannon. Conversation,
communication and consultation is taking place so maybe there will not be fewer words but certainly there will be more action.
This is my last Regional Day as your Chairman as my term of office finishes in September. Once again, I thank all of you for your friendship, your invitations and all the help you have given me over the past years.
Dora Mack Chairman East Midlands Region of the Embroiderers' Guild
OTHER TRIPS
Ingham Art Group Trip to Patchings
Ingham Art Group is organising a trip to Patchings Art, Craft and Design Festival on Thursday 9th June. Cost, including admission, is £16.50. Anyone interested should contact Mike Jackson on 01522 730784 for further details.
Ruddocks of Lincoln Coach Trip
To Patchings art and design festival, on Sunday 12th June 2011 a coach is leaving Casketgate outside Ye Olde Crown at 9.30am and leaving from Patchings at 4.00pm. the cost is £19 concessions £18. To The Royal Academy Summer show on 19th July 2011 leaving as above at 7.30am and leaving London at 4.30pm the cost is £30 per person. Further information and bookings please contact Ruddocks on 01522 528285, ask in store or at www.ruddocksoflincoln.co.uk.
Hilary Farley