October 19th 2017

A busy meeting

It was buzzing at the guild today !!







It was a well attended meeting with two workshops and social stitching. It is so good that members are prepared to bring their work along to share their talents.

Here are some of today's gems

I always love to see how people have responded to workshops and put their own mark on things.

It was Barbara Bauckham's first time taking the meeting as chairman and a good job she did too!

Amongst the things she mentioned was the need to keep other member's details confidential.

Two new members received their welcome packs. How nice it is to be greeting new people as we have in the last year. We also had three visitors today who seemed to enjoy the activities.

I spoke to the meeting to tell them of my visit to the Guild exhibition at Aylesbury museum. It it stunning!! Unfortunately it finishes now soon but preparations are being made for the permanent exhibition.

We were read parts of Val Coleshaw's last newsletter as NW chairman.

Appeals were made for new programme secretaries and a new treasurer for next year.

After the business concluded people got down to one of the two workshops or some social stitching.

workshope

Kate Philbin led a group to make some "Dotty Dolls and Muriel Hardy did some canvas work.

Our thanks to them.

I think this was the star of the 'Dotty Dolls but expect to see some examples on the worktable in future months

                                    

Here are some examples of the other group's aspirations

                                

                                          

Start of another year

Branch meeting 21st September 2017

Today was the start of a new era as we welcomed our new Chairman Barbara Bauckham
First, though, we had to show our appreciation to Hilary Small at the end of her three years in office.

I think she liked the flowers!

Some of our members had been busy over the break and had brought along some finished 
aricles




Nicola Jarvis left her mark!!

After the AGM business the people who had been doing the latest round of travelling books came out to talk about their experiences.
Most had enjoyed the exercise and the point was made that it had encouraged them out of their comfort zone.
A suggestion was made that we had a sort of library of the books so that people could borrow them and take them home for a month to view them at leisure.
Here are just a few sample pages.

Following the tea break our new chairman led a workshop making Dorset buttons
There were samples




Many people were soon beavering away







Cant wait to see the results at a future meeting!!!

National Stitch Day one week early!

Saturday 29th July 2017

Because so many members were due to be away next weekend Rochdale decided to hold a stitch day a week early rather than not hold one at all.

We decided to use the St Andrews Church venue which is where we hold our annual cream tea.

We were pleased to welcome a number of visitors, young and not so young, as well as some members.

You can see our newly completed bunting in the background.

We were aware of the suggested butterfly theme for national stitch day and one member had procured some plastic butterfly shapes which could be the basis for stitching.




Another made a number of "kits" with an appliqued butterfly shape on a painted calico background.
A variety of beads threads sequins etc were provided in the kits so that stitchers could freely express themselves.



A work in progress                                                                                  A completed butterfly

                                                   

Other members simply worked on their own pieces. 

There were cups of tea or coffee available and a great atmosphere prevailed as beginners and experts alike chatted and stitched.

From conversations that took place I think we will be welcoming a couple of new members in September.

All in all a very successful day!!!

As a point of further interest on display near the door was this 'nearly finished' embroidered hanky which Jillian Holden is completing as the Rochdale piece for the NW table cover due to be assembled shortly.

As you can see it features the formation of the Rochdale Pioneers Movement ( Co-operative) for which Rochdale is famed.

A day at Stonyhust College July 6th 2017

Once again Joyce Sankey had worked and negotiated for us all to have a wonderful day out.
We were to see a sample of the ecclesiastical embroideries in the collection of this historic Jesuit college.
These photos of our approach give some indication of the beauty of the buildings.








After an introductory talk about her work and tasks undertaken by the college, given by our host for the day, Susan Pilkington Hanna, we had a chance to visit some of the historic rooms in the college before we were taken to see some of the wonderful vestments.


Here is just a sample of some of them.

          





















Did you spot St Dunstand pinching the devils nose with his red hot tongs?


We had a marvellous lunch and then another chance to see further treasures






It was difficult to get a good picture of this which is a shame. It is the piece that Susan had been working on three days a week since last September and had just finished.

 This is a wonderful piece of early blackwork

I need to check my facts here but I believe this is the piece worked by Catherine of Aragon

I think this stunning piece was my favourite.

Jan Graffies, the curator of the Stonyhurst collection, then showed some of us a few of the non textile treasures including some beautiful 'Books of Hours', one of which had belonged to Elizabeth Plantagenet and some delicate fans.

As you can see this was a very special day.

Thank you Joyce, for organising it.