February social meeting

CETG Social Meeting on Saturday 25th February 2023

We had a great turnout for our first in-person meeting of the new year, with just under 30 members and one visitor. Many thanks to the generous people who brought in fabrics, books, and other items for sale, to raise funds for CETG and other charities.

Terry very kindly offered to run the activity for us. She showed us how to make little purses, giving clear instructions on how to prepare our fabric before the session, so we were ready to embroider them at the meeting.

Almost everyone joined in the workshop and there were some really gorgeous pieces of fabric being sewn. I don't think anyone actually finished the purse, as there was a lot more talking being done than sewing! I’m sure we will be asked to bring in our completed purses to show everyone at a future meeting.

Before we all got started, Heather told us about the “stonegami” wrapped stone workshop she had enjoyed with a number of other members and explained how these intriguing fabric stones were made, in case we wanted to create one ourselves. One of these would make a beautiful present for a textile-loving friend.

As this was the first meeting since the AGM in October, we were asked to bring in some of the work we had been working on over the winter. Personally I didn't bring in any work as I couldn't remember what I had been doing that wasn’t shown at the AGM!

There were some wonderful pieces of work brought in, including a printed and stitched piece by Ros Cooper, our April speaker. Janet Edmonds did a course with Gwen Hedley through Textile Artist.org where she made a mixed media ‘roll’ which she brought in to show us. Janet also went to hear a talk by Diana Springall which was held in the Oxo building in London. The inside walls of the building were covered with peeling paint and rusting metal work. Janet took dozens of photos of the walls and then painted a whole sketchbook of images from the photos. She brought in the sketch book to show us.

Michaela showed a large hoop she had made on an Anne Brooke course. Judith Mc had been very busy, she brought in two large pieces which must have taken her ages to do. Liz W had taken a Zara Day online workshop called ‘Mending Matters’ where she made a Japanese knot bag and also showed us a piece re-using techniques from Anne Brooke’s 2021 weekly tag challenge.

We all had a lovely time stitching and chatting and catching up with all the news since we last met in October. We’re looking forward to the next in-person meeting in April, when Ros will be telling us about her lovely work.

Words © Liz Smith & Liz Wilmott/CETG 2023

Chiltern Embroidery and Textile Group