Before we begin with the embroidery business of this month, I’m sure we all want to wish our other centenarian, Helen Bird, hearty congratulations on reaching this awesome milestone earlier in April. You are an inspiration to us all, and we are privileged to know you. We all wish you well for the future.
Meeting again
Very Exciting – we are going to start meeting again this week – this coming Tuesday the 4th at 09h00, and this coming Saturday the 8th at 14h00. It will be wonderful to start again. However, some of us are still being very careful, and that is totally acceptable and quite understandable. If you feel safer staying away until vaccines are further down the track and the weather is warmer, by all means. You are still a valued member of the Guild. However, Ina, Danny and the committee have been very intentional about making sure everything is well within the Covid regulations, so we can safely welcome everyone who wants to attend. If we are all sensible and considerate of one another, there is no reason why a very pleasant time will not be had by all. Agness has asked that since the library was always held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, that we NOT hold library this week, and it will also give us time to work out the logistics of how safely to borrow books. You can however bring back books previously borrowed. I am sure Diane will be on track with the library by Saturday. I also presume those who wish to buy embroidery things from Janis have already been in touch, and that is all organised.
If any of you Tuesday ladies are prepared to come a little early this week to help with the sanitizing, the temperature taking etc, please WhatsApp or sms Danny and find out if anything from you will be needed.
The Committee
Some of you have asked who the committee for this year is – last year’s AGM took place in another era, but the committee then is as it is now:
- Chair — Danny Wimpey
- Secretary — Hettie Moller
- Treasurer — Helen O’ Hanrahan
- Library — Agness van Rensburg (Tuesday) Diane Walker (Saturday)
- Tea — Sue Sylvester (in abeyance)
- Sales table — Jenny Henning (in abeyance)
- Workshops — Carol Robinson (Tuesday) Jenni Langford (Saturday) (both in abeyance)
- Communications — Margaret Place (co-opted)
Resources
It has been suggested that we get a list of resources for embroidery things – cloth, threads, haberdashery, and also good framers. Janis will keep us supplied with the essentials, but sometimes we need something not readily available. We want not only walk-in shops (and where they are located) but also online suppliers – with their online locations too. We live in different times, and a lot of things have changed. Please help us to help you keep up to date. You can email the Guild address, let any of the committee people know, or else post it on one of the WhatsApp groups.
“Eye of the Needle” Covid project – made easier
We are in the last two months before the closing date for “the Eye of the Needle”. Covid project needs to be handed in. Some lovely things have been submitted but it’s still a little bit slow. We know that some of you are at a bit of a loss as to what to do, and to that end, Carol Robinson has made a very helpful suggestion. She says:
If choosing something to do for the frieze is too much of a challenge, we have some printed cotton fabric that lends itself to stitching and embellishing (Leek embroidery). As the fabric is printed, creating a background, only a portion needs to be worked to have an effect.
- Perle No. 8 and normal embroidery thread work well
- No backing fabric needed
- Work out where the seams will be to ensure work done in the correct space
- Use hoop to keep stitching and tension right
- All kinds of stitches work fine on this fabric (stem, satin, blanket, French knots etc.)
- No two pieces of fabric exactly the same design so all will be unique
- Simple redwork (outline stitching) an option
- Beads, lace, braids can be added
Jenni Langford has the squares at a cost of R10 per square. (see example in the picture)
All squares need to be handed in at one of the meetings by the third week of June
That’s all for this month. Have a wonderful time, and we look forward to seeing some of you this coming week.
