Another Update

 The Angus Halls committee will be meeting at the end of October to discuss developments, but at the moment the hall at Guthrie remains closed. Present Scotgov guidelines are no more than six people from two households can meet indoors, so not looking good for clubs such as ours. We'll keep you informed of any updates. Our secretary is doing sterling work liaising with speakers and tutors, so hopefully we'll have something ready to go when we can eventually resume. In the meantime, you can take part in discussions on our Facebook page, and post pics of what you've been doing. Or if you just want to chat about anything, and keep in touch with friends.

Keep stitching, and stay safe!

Update on the September session

 Hallo Everyone,

hope you are all keeping well and busy. I have received an update from Maggie Hodges, our Secretary, and it's not great news. We should have been having our first meeting on Wednesday 9th September, with an afternoon tea, but unfortunately events have conspired against us and due to Covid we are not able to meet.

The next speaker would be 23rd September, Izzy Valentine, though this may well not take place either. Maggie will let everyone know either way by email by the 16th.

Isobel Law is scheduled to give a talk on 7th October, and a day school is booked for 15th October with Morag Grey, and a stitch and chat on 21st October. I will upload the full programme in a few days, but it is very fluid at the moment, so could change at any time.

But as they say in the press, 'Watch This Space!'

Don't forget you can see what everyone is doing on the Facebook group.

New Facebook Group for Members

As we finished earlier this year, it will be a longer summer break than usual, assuming we can get back together in September. So to help everyone stay in touch I have  started a Facebook page for members.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/214782936279305/

It's got off to a flying start, so do hop over and have a look. We can have a virtual stitch and chat, people are posting photos of their work, and we can talk about anything and support each other through these difficult times. If you haven’t used Facebook before, just take your time looking around it, and if you've any problems, Debbie Kenward, who is the other Admin person for the Fb group, and myself, will help you. Hope to see you there. Stay safe and well, everyone.

Lesley, Blogmaster

COVID-19 Update More Cancellations

You've probably been expecting this, but it has been decided to cancel the meetings for the rest of this term, including the AGM. Talks and day school will be rescheduled. Maggie will be contacting everyone regarding this, and also with details of the new programme when it is available.

It's very sad we won't see each other for some months probably, at least til we hopefully resume on 9th September, so do stay in touch by phone and email. At least we all have things to occupy ourselves with during any long periods at home, so our stashes should be much depleted by September!

Please all look after yourselves and your loved ones, and hopefully we will all come through this safely and meet together again in September.

COVID-19 and Day School

NOTICE TO ALL OIR MEMBERS AND VISITORS

In view of the current situation and bearing in mind that quite a few of our members are in at risk groups, a decision has been made to cancel our Stitch and Chat meeting on  Wednesday 18th March, in order to protect our members. The situation regarding the remaining meetings during March and April will he kept under review, and everyone will he notified of any developments.

WATCH THIS SPACE FOR FURTHER UPDATES!

it's very sad we'll miss our lovely gatherings, but we want everyone to stay safe and take care of themselves and their families.  Forget the loo rolls, make sure you have plenty of chocolate and wine 🤗

DAY SCHOOL WITH JEAN CURRIE - TEXTURES OF FLOWERS IN RAISED WORK

An enjoyable day school was held by Jean Currie where members learned some techniques to produce raised work flowers. They look quite intricate, with stuffing and needlelace. A very relaxing day for the last session.

Talk by Vicky Coull, “Fabric and Paintings Do Go Together

Work in progress

Today we had an interesting talk by Vicky, who showed us her mixed media paintings.

Vicky's schoolgirl ambition was for a career in drawing, and she took an apprenticeship in technical drawing and illustration rather than going to art college. She worked for many years producing intricate and precise drawings for manufacturing, architecture and engineering, spending weeks over pen and ink diagrams before the days of computers took the drudgery out of it. It was when she retired and joined an art club that imagination was given free rein, and she has been experimenting with paint and fabric ever since.

Vicky started with watercolours and used natural materials like leaves to produce impressions in the paint. She then moved on to acrylics, and was able to add fabrics, threads and beads to the paint as they will stick in acrylics. Gold threads and lace add sparkle. Glued tissue paper makes a background, with the additions making an fairly abstract mixed media painting.

It is so interesting to see the diverse path that textiles can go down, and Vicky certainly gives us ideas for imaginations and experimentation.

 

'Quirky Birds' - day school with Angela Neilson

Today we had a day of fun and frivolity making these gorgeous little birds. Angela sent us a list of materials, but she had brought kits and so much of her own stuff we were spoiled for choice and could let our imaginations run riot. We received a packet with the cardboard templates already cut out, plus beads, braid and wire, which saved a lot of time. We chose our fabric, and following Angela's detailed instructions, cut out and stitched the birds on our sewing machines. The real fun came with decorating the stuffed birds with embroidery and embellishments, letting their own personalities take wing. People chose feathers, lace, beads, sequins, and even bells, to decorate the birds.

It was quite an intense day. I thought because the birds were small we would finish them quickly, but there were quite a few steps and many different techniques, and not all of us had finished by the end of the session. The more elaborate the decoration the more time required. However, I'm sure there won't be any 'UFOs', as everyone enjoyed making them so much. Angela was generous with her time and her materials, and is such an enthusiastic and entertaining teacher. We had lots of giggles, fuelled with homemade cake (thanks, Nancy 👍), and hope we see more of Angela in the future.

There will be some more photos of birds when they are finished.

One of Angela's birds

Stuffing the bird

Works in progress

Dolly Mixtures - talk by Angela Neilson

We were really happy to welcome Angela back to give us another talk, this time on the wonderful dolls she makes, and she had brought along a huge family of quirky characters for us to marvel at. Angela gave us a slide show about her research into dolls in history, their roles in society, art and religion, which was extremely interesting, and pictures of Barbie, and paper dolls from comics brought back many memories.

Angela described her journey from making her first doll with no moveable joints and a flat face, through to making more complicated jointed dolls and sculpting faces to give features and expression, making them more realistic. It has been quite a learning curve and the dolls have evolved into unique characters with their own stories. A lot of the clothes are from the lovely scraps of fabric we all hoard, or finds in charity shops, such as leather hot pants being turned into boots, and bits of jewellery. Imagination is the only limit of what you can do, and I'm sure a lot of us are inspired to give it a go.

Angela also teaches, mostly adults but made us laugh with descriptions of a term teaching school children, letting their imaginations run away with them. She is such a lively speaker, we could have listened for hours, and we are looking forward to her day school next week when we are going to make quirky birds.

Angela can be found at www.facebook.com/ondineisnotofthisrealm
Or on her Pinterest page
https://pin.it/nmrutf6fjsd6yp

Click on the pictures below to enlarge.