REMAINING PROGRAMME FOR 2012

AS YOU WILL SEE, THERE ARE ONLY A FEW DATES LEFT ON THE COSBY QUILTERS CALENDAR FOR THIS YEAR
THERE ARE POSSIBLY ONE OR TWO PLACES REMAINING FOR THE 27 OCTOBER WORKSHOP WITH OUR OWN, VERY TALENTED VIV DENSCOMBE.
YOU REALLY DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY OF JOINING HER CLASS

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED:-
CONTACT PAT SCREATON ....  0116 2867581   OR   MOBILE:07860 106999



COSBY QUILTERS PROGRAMME TO YEAR END

	THESE	Oct 27	Workshop – Viv Denscombe- Captured Memories
	ARE THE	Nov 7	Speaker: Angie Hughes – Myself and my work
	REMAINING	Nov 8	Workshop – Mixed Media Book Covers
	EVENTS	Dec 5	CHRISTMAS PARTY
	FOR 2012		Speaker: Jennifer Almond – Chatterbox Quilter                     Who Travels

DOORS OPEN JUST BEFORE  7PM

VISITORS MOST WELCOME.........CURRENT OFFER........... NO CHARGE FOR FIRST VISIT

DRAWING WITH NATURE - JANET CLARE

We feel very privileged to have had Janet Clare visit Cosby Quilters.
She arrived on Wednesday to give us a talk, and show her work.
It is always interesting to hear how a person became involved with sewing and quilting, and Janet's story was no exception,despite her youth.
Following her talk, we were invited to examine her work ......touch it and take a close look.
In fact the ladies making the refreshments wondered what had happened. Instead  of the usual rush for tea and biscuits, our members spent a long time looking at Janet's work.
The workshop on Thursday  proved to be a great success.
Janet explained her techniques and demonstrated, and then it was out turn.....
'write your name ' was the first challenge, and as we were using sewing machines, this was not as easy as we imagined.
Oh to have a name such as Fi -Fi . That would be so easy!
We progressed to faces, penguins, camels, and houses and trees.  Thinking each would definitely be easier.  How wrong can you be ?
It was amazing how the day evolved and how each person found a style of work which became personal to them, not quite like Janet's, but still fun and quirky.
At the end of the day, there was a very varied display of work, but most importantly it had been a fun day.

Show and Tell Time

Quite a variety of ideas

The theme was 'Working with Nature'
and we all had our own interpretation!

And we were still smiling to the end...

Thank you Janet Clare!

THE ALISON HOLT FAN CLUB

How to spend 4 wonderful days in good company, playing with silk, paints and lots of stitching!

Several of our members, together with people from various guilds and stitching groups have formed the 'unofficial Alison Holt fanclub'. We meet to further indulge ourselves with masterclasses given by Alison. This year marked our fourth such occasion.The sessions were held in September at Ashby Magna Village Hall. (Note - excellent venue) 

To anyone who hasn't seen Alison's work - take a peep at her website (www.alisonholt.com) to see her wonderful pictures, all of which are stitched on a simple sewing machine.

Our masterclasses follow the same format each time - discussion on the specific topic, followed by everyone selecting an image to work from. Starting with tracing the image with a purple pen, we get an outline onto our silk. Then, in my opinion, the scary bit - we fill in the background details with silk paints. Now this is something that Alison obviously will help us all with, but no matter how hard I try, I haven't yet been able to feel I have mastered this bit. Luckily it doesn't seem to matter too much as the colours are there to help when it comes to the stitching.

Throughout each two day course Alison will gather us all around and demonstrate how to achieve the desired effect, starting first with how to portray the background, then step by step how to add the detail. This is really interesting and I am still amazed at how differently one can use just  a straight stitch or a zigzag to create different effects.

This year, the group had chosen to study rivers and waterfalls on the Thursday and Friday, followed immediately, for the very dedicated members of the Fan Club, by a study of snowy landscapes over the weekend. 

Although those of us who had chosen to do all four days were tired at the end, we had all passed a most enjoyable time and achieved good results - even if our masterpieces weren't quite finished! Some of our group had chosen to do just one of the courses, but hopefully we have  inspired a few more folk to want to sign up for more fun!

If you want any info on next year's courses with Alison, contact Pat Screaton (patscreaton@dsl.pipex.com  or Sylvia Winn (sjwinn@sky.com)   

Written by Sylvia Winn

A Sample of Alison's work

THE FAMOUS COLMAR QUILT

Here is a photo of the Colmar quilt made by:-

 Leila, Janet, Dagmar, Val, Rosemary, Lorna, Viv, Pat, Lois, Helen, Hazel and Sue

A prize is being offered if you can guess who is behind the quilt

together with a story of how it came about, written by Sue Wilson....
ODE TO OUR QUILT

A group of 12 friends are we

we meet once a week regularly

To Bradmore we go

to supposedly sew

and eat cake and drink coffee and tea,

A quilt made by all, was the cry,

A decision was made by and by,

A photo was “rent”

into equal segment

a piece given to all for a try !!

A few rules were needed we thought,

The colours to be represent

The edges to be

like the photo we see

making joining together less fraught.

Like all groups, whatever you do,

The quick ones, there are just a few !!

Took it away

 and were finished next day

while the rest stitched till the deadline was due.

Janet, the brave, took the bits

to link all together 16 “kits”

She sewed by the mile

with always a smile

But I am sure that it got on her T—s  -nerves.

When we saw it together at last

we stood open mouthed aghast!!

It’s good enough to show-

to Uttoxeter must go

So parcelled up and sent rather fast.

Well we won 1^st prize at the event

so “geed up “ to Malvern we sent

a second in show

to the NEC it could go

Highly Commended, came back the comment.

To Cosby Quilts, 5 of us belong

so we thought we would take it along,

To show and to tell

on the blog now as well

This ode took me almost as long.

Have I been missed?

Just returned from a holiday in sunny Spain, where it was not totally wall to wall sunshine.
Last Friday, we had non stop rain for several hours which culminated in very severe floods.  The volume of water was such that it totally devastated the bridge in our little pueblo (village), and several other bridges in villages nearby. It was total devastation and very very scary.  
Lives were lost, humans and livestock.  Houses were wrecked, fields swamped, cars floated away, roads just broke apart.
Our casa withstood the conditions (glad to report)
We were without water - and when we returned yesterday it still had not been re-connected.
Not exactly Cosby Quilter News, but what I am coming to, is.....
So, what do we do when the rain comes?
Why, we get out the hexagons.....

Take a handful of hexagons

Jiggle them about

Then slowly but surely, it starts to grow

I made quite a lot of progress

Have more news to add, keep checking

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS WITH INTER CARE

The Committee have agreed with the Chairman's request to re-instate the Chairman's Charity.
Most of you will have realised that Inter Care is very close to my heart, since I feel that the work they have been doing since 1974 has been so valuable, but maybe unknown to so many people.
Therefore I have nominated Inter Care to be our charity, and hopefully I will have the support of the members of Cosby Quilters.
The response to the quilt appeal has been phenomenal....the quilts are still appearing, as if by magic.
So, it has been all the more rewarding to hear of the latest developments from Inter Care.
A member of their staff is visiting Malawi in three weeks time and taking some of our quilts.
Not only that, but the camera crew from the BBC programme Inside Out, are accompanying her (also with a stash of quilts) - and they are all packed up and ready to go.
Diane Hardy of Inter Care is hoping that the handing over of our quilts will be televised, but of course they have no control over this.  At the moment we do not have a date for this programme, but I will try to get more precise information.
Well, what do you think?
Its all down to you industrious ladies of Cosby Quilters, Village Quilters, Countesthorpe Piecemakers, and many people who don't belong to any of the above groups.
A BIG THANK YOU FROM ME AND YOUR COMMITTEE
AND
A BIG THANK YOU FROM INTER CARE
AND
THE MANY RECIPIENTS IN REMOTE PARTS OF AFRICA

PS  I have heard tell that some ladies have made as many as 15 quilts.  Can this be true?
Who are they, please reveal yourselves.....

I NEED HELP WITH THIS…

You may recall at our last meeting, we asked if members needed help or assistance with different techniques. There were quite a few requests, and to that end we hope to arrange a day in February 2013, to have this self help day.  It will be on a Saturday, and hopefully at Ashby Magna Village Hall.  More details later..

POST CHRISTMAS MEAL

By way of a change, we are planning a lunch on January 16th 2013.  This will be at Ashfields in Earl Shilton. More  information later.

2013 -  YEAR OF CELEBRATIONS

Next year the village of Cosby will have their Open Gardens Weekend – 6 & 7 July.

Also, in September Cosby Quilters will celebrate 25 years of sewing, quilting and friendship.

We could not let this pass without a celebration, and so, we hope to participate in the Open Garden weekend by holding a quilting exhibition in the Cosby Community Church.

We also plan to mark the 25 years of Cosby Quilting in some form.

So, we will be asking for help…

VACANCY FOR COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Sadly we have lost one of our committee members, Theresa Swann is now unable to work with us due to other commitments.  We are grateful for her help in the past, and hope to see her at our meetings in the future when she has more free time.

The Committee feel we need more help with the running of the group.  We have quite a few forthcoming events in place, and this takes time and energy to organise.

Is there anyone who can spare some time working with us, as a group?

Ideally we would like two extra committee members, and usually meet once a month to discuss future plans, etc.

If you would just like to discuss this, please speak to  me, or any of the committee members here.