April News from Jane M.

MARCH MEETING. We heard from member Vicky McGarth who is the Learning Officer of Richmond Museum. Vicky overcame our inability to connect the projector with great professionalism and delivered a splendid talk on textiles from the Museum’s collection, including a sampler, a fabulous embroidered waistcoat, and a WW2 patchwork dress, which she linked to their historical significance and why and how items are curated. As well as our regular show and tell, members also shared items on the theme of embroidery – please see photos.

APRIL MEETING. We were led in a "Postcards" mini-workshop by member Sue Hackett who gave us a magnificent variety of fabrics and embellishments to work with. Sue and other members brought along examples for inspiration. Please bring your finished postcards to the May meeting for an anonymous “Sewing star” vote.

MAY MEETING We had hoped to have an outside speaker but unfortunately, it has not been possible to find someone who is available. However, we are blessed with talented and generous members and Val has very kindly offered to run a workshop for us on foundation and flip and stitch piecing. Val is bringing along the block stamps but you could draw your own pattern if preferred. Please bring your sewing kit, fine calico if you have it for backing (or a thick large hanky!) and some fabric scraps – big enough to allow for ¼“seams. Sorting through the Group’s old papers, several albums and photos of members quilts and previous exhibitions were found. These will be at the May meeting for viewing. Please do take away any of your own quilt, or for inspiration. Those left at the end of the meeting will be disposed of.

JULY MEETING- tbc Unfortunately Brigitta is not available in July for the jacket workshop.

Benta distributed fabric for the Group mystery block. – details are at the Block Fun tab on the website. Please bring finished blocks to the May meeting for the next step!

Sewing stars:

Just for fun, a “sewing star” is being introduced for when we are all working on the same item- so not for usual show and tell when there is a range of items.

The entries (and votes) will be anonymous with a token prize for "people's favourite". This is not for technique or skill but just what takes your fancy - ideas, colours....

Please bring your postcards in May, and your A3 challenge in June and we’ll see how it goes. Thanks to Benta for the brilliant badges

Committee

Benta also made these lovely badges so it’s easy to identify who the Committee members are (Benta, Brigitta Jane M, and Sue B). Plum and Vicky who are managing the website have their own (red) badges. There are vacancies on the committee so please consider if you would like to join in and have a badge of your own!

EXTRA PROGRAMME ITEMS – save the dates, further details on the events, cost, and travel options to follow.

There will be a one day workshop with Paula Doyle on Saturday 19th November following her talk at the monthly meeting on 14th November. This will be in the village hall at Horton

A group visit is planned to Region 2’s Quilt & Craft festival at Lullingstone on Saturday 16th July.

Days out . There are many other places to go, exhibitions to see, and this is often more enjoyable in company. Is there anything you’d like to do? suggestions could include Farnham Maltings, Sunbury, Hampton, Parham….. If so, please suggest a date for the thing you fancy and let Benta and Plum know to spread the word of where and what and when, and then those of us interested can meet there for lunch/ afternoon using own / shared / public transport. Maybe we could end up with a monthly or quarterly trip out.

HELP please. Jane has spoken to Region2 and other Surrey groups and it seems we are not alone in needing a new home for Exhibition stands. Consideration is being given to merging these into a common resource to minimise the storage costs, but still a cheap enough location needs to be identified. If you know of somewhere- perhaps a garage or someone with a piece of land they’d be content for a shed to be out on, please let Jane M know.

Website. All information will now be shared through the website. Contributions such as photos, tips, events, resources to share etc are very welcome. As well as adding the Blog function Plum is considering further ways to refresh the site to attract new members and be a resource for us all. Please would you let Plum have contributions by the weekend following each meeting and also any suggestions, ideas for the site’s development.

Jane G thanked members for the donated fabrics for refugees. These had been made into garments and were much appreciated.

Members’ recommendations and tips

Hilary mentioned the Quilt shop, Dorking , https://quiltroom.co.uk/about/ who offered sample sets of small pieces of fabric ranges.

Fiona mentioned Tribe yarns at Richmond Hill https://www.tribeyarns.com/ for quality wools.

Library and shared resources: Valerie has a set of block stamps available to members.