Saturday, December 8, 2007

Guildford Club Christmas meeting and party





On the second Saturday of December we got together for the last meeting of the year to make a cute character Christmas tree and have a Christmas afternoon tea. Everyone finished the project made from stacked and stuffed Suffolk Puffs and added googly eyes and a nose, arms and a santa hat with a bell to their tree. Thankyou to the nannas and mums who helped with threading needles and assembling the project, we always appreciate you. It was good to see the students reading the directions in their newsheet too, I try to make them as simple as possible with a few diagrams as well. Everyone stopped briefly for a bite to eat, but then continued on with their work surrounded by drinks and food, which is normally not allowed at a meeting, but they really wanted to finish this project before they went home.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Golden Treasure Bags at the Festival



One student made a Treasure Bag at the Festival and he was so enthusiastic! We were very pleased to see him enjoy his project so much. Lots of these kits were sold too, but I think there might be a couple still for sale at the Guild, see previous posts for details. The tutors were all very pleased with the standard of work produced by all the kids who took part, and we hope that next time we offer workshops even more kids will come along and enjoy working with fibre and thread.

Creative Scarecrow at the Festival



A single student made the Scarecrow, and several kits were sold. If you'd like to make your own version, phone Chris at Guild Headquarters to buy a complete kit. All you have to add is a pair of scissors: all the fabrics, threads and even the correct needle are included for only $10 cost plus postage, or you can collect from Concord West.

Colourful Bird Workshop at the Festival




These students really enjoyed making their bird puppets, and posed proudly with them for a photograph. There are still a few kits left at the Guild to buy if you'd like to make one too. Just phone Chris at Headquarters for details.

Chirpy Chick workshop at the Festival







Well, it sure looked like these kids had fun making the 3D magnet Chirpy Chicks. Don't the boys look like they are concentrating really hard to make their stitches just right ? The helpers were there whenever someone needed a little encouragement or help to thread a needle. Many thanks to Fay Grant for her excellent design and inspiring words on the day. At the end of the session the students popped the Chicks up on the metal column for the photograph, and some took extra kits home too. Well done to everyone!

Jellyfish workshop at the 50th Anniversary Festival and Exhibition





It certainly looked like everyone enjoyed making the 3D Jellyfish at the Festival, didn't it? Many thanks to our tutor Wendy Fuller for her wonderful design and her patience on the day. And also a big thankyou to all the other tutors who helped, and the parents and guardians who stayed to help too. Many hands make threading needles light work!

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Welcome!!


Well, 2007 is nearly over, and we're sure everyone is looking forward to summer holidays. Your last newsletter for the year will be sent out shortly, full of lots of great projects and ideas to keep help you entertained especially while the weather is too hot for outdoor activities.

How did you find this site? Did you click on the new link on the YTFG page on the Embroiderers' Guild website, or did you type in the address after seeing it listed somewhere? Of course there are also "hotlinks" after some of the club leaders' email signatures and links from a couple of other blogs as well. Which ever way you found this blog, remember that anyone can "comment" to a post, just by clicking on the "comments" link at the bottom of each post. That will open a small window where you just follow the prompts. You may be asked to sign in with your email, if you have one, or you can post "anonomously". In any case, if you are a member please finish your comment with your first name, age and club name please so we can see who is using the blog. The comments are all moderated, which means the editor has to see and approve each one before it will appear. Alternatively, if you'd like to have a comment on the blog and don't have easy computer access, write your comment down, hand it to your club leader and they will post it for you, or mail it to the editors of the Newsletter and they will post it for you. We'd love to make this a fun, interactive site for you, and from time to time we might post coloured photos of finished projects from the newsletter (like this dolly peg angel)or even some exclusive projects not found in your newsletter!!

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Guildford Club update




Our last meeting fell in the middle of the school holidays, and just before the 50th Anniversary Exhibition. As a result only 4 of our regular members attended, but we made up for small numbers with our BIG enthusiasm for the project of the month. Finger knitting was a new technique to all the kids, and some of the parents as well. I found a tutorial on the internet and taught myself over a couple of days, so you can imagine my delight when all the kids managed to make several items in our 3 hour session. I brought along some of the fluffy, knobbly and hairy knitting yarns that are around at the moment as well as a couple of plainer ones. Some of the kids worked with 2 yarns together and had great results. I hope you like our pictures. Look for some instructions in the next Newsletter !
Christine, leader Guildford Club.

Monday, October 15, 2007

Exhibition workshops- colourful bird puppet


4 students made a colourful bird puppet on Sunday. Terry, Caitlin, Eleanor and Louise chose their kits and then measured and sewed hair, stitched eyes, beak and body together over the next 1 1/2 hours. By the end of the session, everyone had finished their puppet and posed for photos. I'll post the individual photos when I can match each name to the photo I took in the next week or so. The other workshop photos were taken by another Committee member, so I'll post those too when I can get them. We also sold lots of kits to people not able to do the workshop on site, so if you'd like to buy one (see my older posts on this blog for photos of the workshops) contact the Guild and we'll see if one is available.

50th Anniversary Exhibition display



A BIG THANKYOU to everyone who sent along work to be included in the YTFG display at the Exhibition, as you can see we had a fabulous dislay and lots of visitors were full of praise for the work done by all the kids. Our banner turned out really well too, we had a name patch for every active group and some groups also did sample patches to go with their names. The YTFG Committee members sewed the banner together. It will now be displayed in the Roma Field Room at the Guild and at Craft shows where the Guild exhibits, and may even travel around NSW to some regional exhibitions in the future too. Well done, everyone !!

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Guildford Club news


At the September meeting we all made a little biscornu (pronounced by-corn-you) using Aida or evenweave linen and eyelet stitches. This can be used as a pincushion or a decoration with a ribbon or cord hanger. Our club now has 10 members on our roll, and we average 8 each meeting. We are a happy co-operative group, sharing our equipment and encouraging each other as we work. Some of us did some eyelets on a sample patch to go on the YTFG combined banner to be shown at the October exhibition. We hope to see some of you there.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

3 WEEKS TILL THE 50th ANNIVERSRY EXHIBITION

Yes, in just 3 weeks time the wonderful exhibition at the Sydney Showgrounds will have started. There are still some vacancies in some of the YTFG workshops, which are being held in the 2nd week of the School Holidays. Jelly Fish and Chirpy Chick are fully booked, but Scarecrow, Bird Puppet and Treasure Bags are still available. You will have to phone the Guild Headquarters to book as soon as possible. There will be some additional kits for sale for most of the workshops, so if you miss out you may still be able to buy a kit to do at home. Everything is included in the kit except scissors, which most people can find at home. At just $10 they are great value, but they are only available at the Show. Remember, children under 16 accompanied by an adult get free entry to the Show. There are traders selling embroidery supplies, the exhibition and embroidery competition, lectures and workshops and demonstrators stitching projects. Lots to see and do, so try to get along to the Show sometime over the 5 days October 10th to 14th, Southee Pavilion, Sydney Showgrounds, Homebush Bay. Hours are 9.30am till 4.30pm daily except Sunday when we close at 4 p.m. Come and say Hi! at the YTFG display, I'll be the one in the crazy hat !

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

YTFG at Stitches and Craft Show August 2007


Here is the left hand wall of the Guild stand at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse at the Stitches and Craft Show. The Farm Challenge panels, some Distance Course posters, the new "Starting To Stitch" book (have you got one yet?) and the samples for the October Exhibition workshops are all included. The bookings have started for the workshops, but there are still a few vacancies. We hope that visitors will love the samples on display and book in by phone or in person at Guild Headquarters. I think the workshops will be a fun October school holiday activity, don't you?

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Distance Club News

With Nola's permission, here are a few excerpts from her recent article in the July Record about her travels with her husband Laurie, promoting "Fun with Stitches" and meeting current and possible new students.

"Laurie and I travelled to far West NSW in April... at White Cliffs and Wanaaring. The highlight of our trip...for me was meeting two of our Distance Club students at Wanaaring and being priveledged to spend a couple of hours with them, their younger sister and mother. I was able to show Sigrid and Erin how to make two of the braids ...Judith Langdon had taught the YTFG leaders at the ALM.. with kits Judith sent for them. They quickly picked up the technique and by the time I left each of the girls had made two different braids.

I was also shown the school room where the girls do their Distance Ed lesson from Cobar school and heard them both play the keyboard. The lessons for this they have via the telephone! (their mother) Anya, a non-embroiderer, has always wanted the girls to learn to sew and had tried to teach them from books and magazines. However, she is finding the task much simpler as she told me the "Fun with Stitches" instructions are very clear and easy to follow. She also mentioned how excited the girls are when they see their work on the Guild website.

We met a lady who lives 50km from Louth and is the casual teacher for both Louth and Wanaaring schools. She spends two days a week at each of the one teacher / eight pupil schools, travelling many kilometres on unsealed roads to assist the teachers. White Cliffs also has a small school, one teacher and nine pupils. It is very rewarding to meet the people in the far-off towns of our state and especially to meet Distance Club students. We are always excited to have new students for "Fun with Stitches" so if you know of a young person between the ages of 8 and 18, please let us know."

STOP PRESS We have just enrolled our first overseas student, in Singapore! More details later.

Monday, June 18, 2007

Corrections to YTFG Workshop listings in Exhibition Booklet

There have been some typographical errors on the back page of the Exhibition Workshops Booklet which some Members may have seen. The YTFG workshops will all be for one and a half hours EXCEPT Wendy Fuller's Jellyfish to be held on the Wednesday. The correct times and descriptions are below so please scroll down to see them. I'm sure you will all agree that they are excellent value at only $10 for the tutor and a kit with instructions. There may also be some extra kits for sale, but to avoid dissapointment you should book by phone or call in to Guild Headquarters at Concord West SOON. We are really looking forward to seeing some of you at the workshops !!

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Wagga Wagga YTFG

Hi! I'm Fay & am the leader of the Wagga Wagga YTFG. We meet every 3rd Sunday of the month 10.0 -2.0 (except January & December). I am also the co-editor of the Newsletter you receive from Sydney 3 times a year. Last Meeting we made the Tissues Holder using HUCK EMBROIDERY from the 50th Anniversary Magazine that you should have received recently. Every one was happy with their results & found it pretty easy to do - some even made up their own patterns. This is the first time ever of posting a Blog - will try to put in a photo next time. Fay

Friday, June 8, 2007

Hello from the Guildford Club


Our club meets at an historic house called "Linnwood" at Guildford on the 2nd Saturday of every month except January. At the moment we are looking for some new members because a few of our regulars have left us due to sports, dancing and other activities which clash with our meetings. Our friend Jeremy was with us for 4 years until his high school life got too busy to continue club meetings. We'll miss his lateral thinking as he could always think of an unusual way to use the materials provided for a project. Look at the great Aussie windmill Jeremy made on the Farm Challenge panel above. Our newest member Tom made a great fabric postcard for the Postcard Challenge which the Guild will display at the October exhibition with all the other postcards being made by the Guild members. Well done boys, good luck for the future Jeremy, and keep up the great work Tom.

Monday, April 16, 2007

A warm welcome to all Members!

Please scroll down and enjoy the pictures of the wonderful workshops we are running during the Guild's October exhibition at the Southee Pavilion, Sydney Showgrounds Homebush Bay. We hope to use this blog to keep all our Members, children and leaders alike, up to date with the latest news about the YTFG. Leaders will be able to post up news and photos from their groups, children will be able to view them and post comments (moderated by the Editor of course). The wider community will be able to see what we do at our Clubs or with the Distance Course. And potential new members will be able to see what great fun we have while learning all about stitching, fibre and textiles. The Editor will issue invitations to Club Leaders to become contributing Editors very soon. This blog will not replace the regular Newsletter, but will be an additional place to share information, and of course feature coloured photos!!

Workshop Schedule, October Exhibition.

Here is the schedule for the YTFG workshops at the Guild's major exhibition in October at the Southee Pavilion, Sydney Showgrounds, Homebush Bay.
Wed 10/10/07 10.30am - 12.30pm "Jelly Fish" with Wendy Fuller
Thurs 11/10/07 10.30am - 12noon "Chirpy Chick" with Fay Grant
Fri 12/10/07 10.30am - 12noon "Creative Scarecrow" with Judith Langdon
Sat 13/10/07 10.30am - 12noon "Golden Treasure Bags" with Julie Wicks
Sun 14/10/07 10.30am - 12 noon "Colourful Bird Puppet" with Fay Grant

Workshops run for one and 1/2 hours except for "Jelly Fish", and all will cost just $10-00 including kit of materials. We think they're really good value and hope to see lots of Members there.

How Creative is this Scarecrow?


Have you ever wanted to have a try at making a really great scarecrow? I'm not sure if this happy looking fellow would scare many birds away though, he looks like he'd make friends with them instead. What do you think?

A very "Chirpy Chick" indeed!


This chirpy fellow is sure to liven up your fridge, because he is a "note minder", with a magnetic strip on the back. He's another of the workshops running in October at our major exhibition at the Sydney Showgrounds, Olympic Park Homebush Bay. You could give him as a gift too, he's sure to make everyone smile! Left click on the photo to see him in more detail.

A dazzling "Jellyfish" workshop in October


How would you like this dazzling Jellyfish hanging in your bedroom or in another special place? This is another one of the fabulous workshops you can book during the October exhibition at the Southee Pavilion at the Sydney Showgrounds at Homebush Bay. How about joining the workshop to make one, then making a couple more at home to make a funky sea-themed mobile? Left click on the picture to see the gorgeous details!

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

A really colourful bird !


Here is another sneak preview of one of the YTFG workshops at the Guild's 50th Anniversary Exhibition in October. This one is called "Colourful Bird Puppet" and I think she looks just gorgeous ! More details will be available a little later in the year, but I'm really looking forward to this one, looks like GREAT FUN. What do you think?

Monday, March 26, 2007

"Fun with Stitches" Distance Course


Young people who are without easy access to a YTFG club or who would like to have "Fun with Stitches" at home, in their own time, can learn by correspondence. The 2 year course consists of 6 kits, 3 per year each with a different focus. Each kit contains fabrics, threads, needles and a complete set of instructions with photos. For more information, left click on the link at the side bar.

Welcome to our new blog!


Here is a sneak preview of one of the fabulous workshops you can attend at the Guild's major exhibition in October at the Southee Pavilion, Sydney Showgrounds at Homebush Bay. These are called "Golden Treasure Bags" in celebration of our 50th birthday in 2007. I can think of lots of little treasures to put in one of these, can't you? Left click on the picture to see the work in detail.