Saturday 21 October 2017

November Speaker - Linda Chevell

Our speaker for November is Linda Chevell with her talk "From Rag Dolls to Slipper Stiches"
Linda has been quilting since 1991, when she joined Market Bosworth Quilters to learn what to do with a panel of hand-sewn patchwork.  She was very quickly addicted.  She learned mostly through making specific patterns at workshops and retreats, but might have progressed quicker with a more structured course.
Her background is Art and Design but she taught English until she retired in 2007.  Since she retired she has taught classes at Bramble Patch and Quilteez at Ratby.  Her classes are designed to help beginners and more experienced quilters to gain skills in a structured way and she enjoys helping new quilters to 'get hooked' and watching their pride and confidence grow.

Monday 16 October 2017

October Meeting

Numerous examples of exciting techniques were handed round by Angie Hughes to illustrate her talk at our October meeting.

Angie is a textile artist who works with mixed media incorporating creative embroidery.  She explained the use of coloured foils and layered organza.  The colours achieved were beautiful.  Many samples, including innovative uses of bonding materials, were new to most of us an opened up many possibilities.

Those who attended her workshop the following day were impressed with her friendly and supportive help.

Kathy Francis


Friday 29 September 2017

Viv's workshop

It’s a whole set of layering techniques (some hopefully you wont have tried before) with yummy fabrics, yarns, machine & hand stitch…and not a book cover in sight…. (yet)!





Wednesday 20 September 2017

Speaker for October

Our speaker for October is Angie Hughes with her talk entitled "Materials and Technics"

Angie is a textile artist and tutor, who lives and works in Ledbury, Herefordshire. She has been interested in textiles since she left school although only discovered creative embroidery in 1994 when she began studying City & Guilds at Malvern Hills College. While a student she won the prestigious Charles Henry Foyle Trust Award for Stitched Textiles with her piece 'Unfolding Word' and had 'Shroud' accepted for Art of the Stitch. She carried on her studies at Gloscat with Liz Harding after which she discovered a talent for teaching. 

Her artwork is inspired by many themes but particularly poetry or text and the natural world, particularly plant forms. 

Angie has recently enjoyed developing work that focuses on gardens that were once tamed but struggle and often succeed in becoming wild. She enjoys the juxtaposition of randomly ‘placed’ plants alongside the order the gardener tries to contain. Imagining these gardens in shadowy moonlit illumination, her colours have become almost monochromatic, silvers and blacks and those hard to name colours when light has faded. From drawings and photography Angie has developed her visual ideas through embroidery inventing simplified botanical forms. This recent work has seen her explore discharged and painted velvets, use heat transferred foils and layered organza which becomes intensely machine embroidered.

Examples of her work



We would like to thank Jackie Durber for stepping in as our speaker last month as Lucy Harding was unable to attend.








Saturday 19 August 2017

Speaker for September

The speaker for September is Lucy Harding with her talk entitled "Milkman's Daughter to Textile Artist"

She is a graduate of a Contemporary Crafts BA Hons course at Manchester Metropolitan University. specialising in Ceramics and Textiles.  

Don't forget there is a workshop with Angie Hughes "Exploring Velvet" on the 5th October 2017. Contact Pat Screaton if you are interested.  Details on the workshop page.

Thursday 13 July 2017

Stitchgirls

Heya, Big Thank-You to all who supported us today - we managed it without melting AND knitted quite a few 'sweets' as we walked.  We didn't break any records (or drop any needles!) but think we have raised quite a bit of dosh.... there is still time to make a donation if you wish or, come to The Big Textile Show in Oadby  https://thebigtextileshow.co.uk/ and buy raffle tickets to win our fab prizes - all our proceeds to Cancer Research.  

 AND a HUGE thank-you to all the Stitchgirls of 2017!! xx



July Meeting



At  our July meeting Katie Chaplin from Japan Crafts treated us to a very informative talk on Japanese Textiles. Details of their construction especially weaving and dying  techniques were carefully explained.
Numerous examples of weaves and richly decorated fabrics were handed round as the talk progressed. We were amazed at their detail and fine threads.
Katie is a regular visitor to Japan and was able to relate fabrics to their origins as well as present day use. Beautiful Japanese fabrics and kits were available to tempt us to buy.

We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting in September.













Wednesday 21 June 2017

July Speaker

On Wednesday 5th July we Katie Chaplin from Japan Crafts located in Yorkshire.  Her Talk is "Traditional Japanese Textiles".  She will also be bringing some items for sale from her Japan Craft shop.  There will be a workshop on Thursday morning details in the post on the 6th June.



Katie is a textile artist specialising in Japanese arts, crafts and culture. Her paintings on silk are in the style of Japanese woodblock prints, but with a unique, modern twist. She also produces jewellery using vintage and modern kimono fabrics to a traditional Japanese design, and her hand dyed silk scarves are always popular.
Her business, Japan Crafts, is a source of authentic papers, fabrics, glues etc and she has also produced a range of craft kits with easy to follow instructions in English.
She regularly give talks and workshops throughout the UK to groups such as WIs, Embroiderers' Guilds, Luncheon Clubs and art groups; these are a perfect opportunity to learn something new about another culture.

Thursday 15 June 2017

June Meeting

The speaker at our June meeting struck a chord with the audience with her talk entitled "How I got Here".

Carolyn Forster used many of her quilts to illustrate her "quilting journey".  Like many of us, her love of sewing developed from childhood stitching.  She explained the development of her own methods with the help of humerously described examples on her early quilts. 

Carolyn was approachable, practical and entertaining.


She moved on to her textile training, teaching and writing books and was particularly enthusiastic about Utility/Big Stitch quilting - her books are well worth a look.


It was good to hear that she makes what she enjoys, not producing work for sale or competition.  Surely this rings true with many of us as well!

Kathy Frances

Saturday 3 June 2017

Rice Bag Workshop 6th July 2017

Make a square-bottomed Rice Bag from gorgeous, pre-cut Japanese charm squares. Rice Bags, or komebukuro, were traditionally used in Japan to hold offerings of uncooked rice at temples and shrines.

This reversible, drawstring bag is hand-sewn, using just a simple running stitch (please bring a thimble if you need one). Perfect for holding your threads, fabric scraps etc.

A kit can be bought from Katie Chaplin on the day so there is no need to hunt round for fabrics.

Monday 22 May 2017

June Speaker

On the 7th June our speaker will be Carolyn Forster.  Her talk is entitled "How I got here today"





Over the years her work has been featured in various British and International quilting magazines. Her quilts have appeared on the television; both here and in the US, and she has contributed to books published by New Holland and The Patchwork Place. Since self-publishing her first book, Quilting-on-the-Go, she has written books for Landauer Publishing in the US, and Search Press in the UK. She teaches widely both here and abroad. She lives in Tunbridge Wells, Kent with her husband Craig and their son, who is not short of quilts on a chilly winter’s night!

Carolyn will be taking a workshop on the 8th June entitled
Utility and Big Stitch Quilting
Tired of fine hand quilting but not comfortable with machine quilting? Then you are ready to try Big Stitch Quilting and its variations. These are quick ways to quilt your tops by hand using such stitches as Crows foot and Mennonite Tacks along with buttoning and tying.
On a pre-made top (pattern supplied) you will stitch all the different stitches and try your hand at Amish wave or elbow quilting. We will also look at how women in years past quilted quilts quickly with utility type quilting designs. Hand work.

Please contact Pat Screaton if you wish to come on the workshop.  Details on the workshop page.




Friday 12 May 2017

May Meeting

Wednesday 3rd May brought our annual "practical" evening.  It provided an opportunity for a small hand-stitched project, making name badges/brooches while chatting with friends.

Alongside our regular raffle, "show and tell" and charity sales table it proved to be a very pleasant and relaxing evening.

We look forward to seeing you all at the next meeting.


A selection of the finished brooches

Monday 10 April 2017

April Meeting

At our April meeting we welcomed back (for the 4th time!) the dynamic Philippa Naylor.  With her usual energy and enthusiasm she presented slides and quilts to illustrate her talk entitled "The Book, the Quilt, the Scarf.

She told us of her life with her family in Yorkshire involving not only design, quilting and teaching but also her love for flower and food gardening, at home and on her allotment.  She loves cooking and is knowledgeable on healthy eating.

All of these pursuits reflected her boundless energy in creating items for all sorts of occasions, eating wholesome food alongside her exquisite piecing and quilting projects.  In addition she has written a book, travels to teach and produces intricate competition items.

 

















Philippa with her quilt and the book

Jean Waterfield's beautiful charity bears











Monday 20 March 2017

5th April 2017 - Philippa Naylor

Phillippa Naylor talk is entitled "The Book, the Quilt, the Scarf.  Philippa has won many awards for her quilts in the UK and America and has written several books. www.philippanaylor.com

Philippa with her family

She will be doing a workshop on the Thursday entitled "Precision Piecing".












A practical workshop to help you achieve prize winning accuracy.  Masses of techniques, information and advice on every stage of the piecing process.  Fabric selection, using the correct rotary cutting methods, sewing accurate seems, matching points and pressing are examined in details with extensive demonstrations.  Make a perfectly sized 'no points lost' block.  Learn about borders and how to produce really neat corners.  Add double borders to your block choosing either mitred or square cut corners for a perfect finish.  Suitable for beginners and experienced quilters.


Wednesday 8 March 2017

Big Textile Challenge


We thought it would be fun this year for members of Cosby Q’s to take part in a display of our work at the Big Textile Show. The theme is ‘Sweeties’ and we would like members to make a 12” square (finished) piece of work – any media e.g. quilt, stitch, knit, paint etc. depicting any type of sweet AND a 3D ‘Sweet’.
If you’re stuck for an idea, or, fancy coming along to join in a ‘making day’ come along to the ‘Messy Playday’ on Sat May 27th at Ashby (it doesn’t have to be messy!). Just think of all those delicious sweeties – humbugs, liquorice allsorts, jelly babies …. all in fabric/stitch/thread etc.!!

Monday 6 March 2017

March Meeting

What an eye catching display of batik fabrics were brought to our March meeting by Roxane of Hannah's Room!

Roxane explained the evolution of her present shop in Ibstock:  originating in South Yorkshire via Coalville and her sourcing of responsibly produced, good quality batik fabrics.

Her enthusiasm was infectious and generated an interesting variety of questions from the audience.  Visits to her website and shop are recommended.



www.hannahsroom.co.uk

Hannah's Room, High Street, Ibstock.

Friday 10 February 2017

February Meeting

A belated Happy New Year!  Our first meeting of 2017 was our AGM on 1st February.  The 2015/16 minutes and the chairman's report on 2016 reminded us of the variety of speakers and topics we have enjoyed.  There were two committee changes for the coming year:  Jacquie Durber stood down as chairman and also Elaine Capewell.  We thanks them both for all their hard work.  Fortunately Gina Cooke has agreed to take over as chairman.  Our treasurer reported quite a healthy financial situation but there will be a slight increase in the annual subscription and workshop costs in line with the rising costs of speakers/travelling expenses.

The "business part" of the meeting was followed by a most inspiring "suitcase collection" of small quilts from the Quilters Guild Traditional Quilt Group.  It gave a fascinating glimpse of different interpretations of "Traditions".  They illustrated so many designs and techniques coupled with skilled workmanship which was enjoyed by both new and established quilters.

Examples of the quilts in the suitcase collection




Tuesday 31 January 2017

Change of Speaker

We have had to change our March meeting when we were having Lynn Edwards, who has had some devastating news yesterday, her son Tom aged 41 suffered heart failure and died while touring Canada with his band.
Lynn understandably feels unable to commit to anything for the next few months and has given us plenty of notice.   We have managed to get Roxana from Hannah’s Room  she is coming to give us a talk  on how she and her mother started, she will also bring some of her lovely batik material for sale.

Tuesday 17 January 2017

February 2017

On Wednesday 1st February it is our AGM, which will be followed by a collection of small quilts from the Traditional Quilt Group of the Quilters Guild.  This new suitcase collection is entitled Celebrating Traditions.

Visitors are most welcome and free for your first meeting and you do not have to be a Quilter to come.  We meet at the Cosby Community Church, Croft Road at 7.30 pm doors open 6.45.

The speakers and workshop pages have been updated for 2017.

We have  a workshop on Wednesday the 1st of March taken by Lynne Edwards. The workshop is entitled "Roll back the Corners"
 

 













Create this starry block using an origami-type technique, where folded pieces of fabric are layered on a background and the folded bias edges rolled back and stitched into a gentle curve, either by hand or by machine.  The technique can also be used to enrich regular patchwork blocks in a quilt or to create curves and soften the straight outlines of pieced designs.  Several extra designs will be offered, including two nine patch blocks that can be combined in a quilt design, ideas for borders  and curved-edge birds and cats. 

Then on 6th April we will have workshop with Philippa Naylor entitled "Precision Piecing".  A practical workshop to help you achieve prize winning accuracy. Masses of techniques, information and advice on every stage of the piecing process. Fabric selection, using the correct rotary cutting methods, sewing accurate seams, matching points and pressing are examined in detail with extensive demonstrations. Make a perfectly sized, ‘no points lost’ block. Learn about borders and how to produce really neat corners. Add double borders to your block choosing either mitred or square cut corners for a perfect finish!

If you would like to attend either of these workshops please contact Pat Screaton.  Further details about workshops and contact details for Pat are on the workshop page.