Workshop September School Holidays 2014

We don't have a photo of the finished piece, but Peggy Molchanoff and Sue James will be running a school holidays workshop on Thursday October 2nd from 10 am till 2 pm at Guild headquarters at Concord West, NSW. Students will be making a Christmas Gift Bag, based on "Don't do Cutwork" by Susan Barker. It sounds difficult, but there is a secret to this work and it really is magical !! Come along and have a go, YTFG members pay $20 for the session which includes all materials. Non-members can attend for $25, all everyone needs to bring is enthusiasm and food and drink. Limited places are available so please phone asap to book your place, Chris or Janet on 9743 2501 in Sydney

Sydney Royal Easter Show workshop 2014

Wow, what a triumph we had at the Sydney RES ! We had planned a small workshop making this shooting star in felt and glitter scrapbooking card. Christine bought 10 felt craft squares and 2 large pieces of glitter card from the scrapbooking aisle at Lincraft. Some threads, beads and tinsel pipe cleaners were the final pieces to pull from the stash at home. On the day 3 ladies turned out to offer the kids a taste of stitching fun. We began at 11am on our Guild display in the Arts and Crafts hall. At first we thought we were in a poor location, but this soon changed as the day got warmer and people started coming into the air-conditioned pavilion for respite from the heat. We were just near the flower section so mums were bringing the kids in to see the flowers and soon we had a full table. With only 8 seats available we had to send some kids away for half an hour till a chair was free. By 2 pm we had used up all our supplies and all our energy too ! Some 30 plus children had made a shooting star out of felt and most had attempted a few stitches on them too. We gained a new member for Concord West on the spot and gave out lots of information about YTFG and the Guild in general. Diane Edwards also ran an adults activity on a frame where visitors were asked to add a stitch or two to a "garden" of flowers on hessian. A very successful day all around, will try to repeat next year ! Christine

We are still very active..

It's been quite a while since our last posting, so sorry to any visitors who were disappointed that we weren't more up to date. Our small Committee has been very busy lately with too many jobs needing our attention and not enough people to go around. In the next week we plan to update the site with information about our July 2014 school holidays workshop for kids, and details of the Convenor's Challenge which is running at the moment. The main Guild website, see sidebar, has more information. Please visit again soon !!

Spring Magazine

The Spring magazine left Sydney on Wednesday 24th October, 2012 so I hope they are all delivered by now or nearly there. It contains mainly news and photos and a project. That project was the Einstein Owl which was so successful at the Sydney Royal Easter Show, and Guild Exhibition in July. We'll have some completed ones for sale at Guild Market Day on Saturday November 24th at 76 Queen Street Concord West as well as some kits for giving as gifts at Christmas to crafty kids! We had a very successful October 2012 school holidays with Yvonne Chapman. 8 kids made colourful mixed media tote bags under Yvonne's guidance. Fluorescent fabrics and bright markers and paints set the trend, then appliqued and collaged fabrics were further embellished with beads, buttons and sequins and a few embroidery stitches. Finally Yvonne showed everyone how to make a twisted cord with 5 different threads stretched across the workroom, and eventually they all had a cord handle attached to a stitched up bag to take home.

students from Concord West Club proudly show their work

Workshops for kids at Guild Exhibition 2012

October School Holiday Workshop announcement

Come along and make a little needlebook
to keep your needles safe. Your initial on the front
or make one as a gift

Thursday 6th October, 10am - 2 pm

“NIFTY NEEDLEBOOK” with Dianne Magro



Cost $20 for YTFG Members, $25 for non-Members

All materials provided, bring your own food and drink and sewing kit if you have one



Bookings at Guild on 9743 2501 Chris or Janet
Limit 10 students, waiting list may apply

Distance Club News August 2011

YTFG DISTANCE CLUB NEWS
by Wendy Fuller

The Club has now enrolled 158 students. We’re so pleased that children are still accessing “Fun with Stitches” lessons and learning to express their creativity with needles, threads and fabrics. Presently lessons are being sent to five students in Year 1 and ten students in Year 2.
Several of these children are able to enjoy “Fun with Stitches” because of the sponsorships generously offered by various of our NSW Guild Groups. Thank you so much for this practical support.

Sophie, 11 years, comes from Wellington, situated between Dubbo and Mudgee and on the Mitchell Highway. The Macquarie River flows through the area and as I write this in early July, morning frosts would be crisping up the morning air and the grass underfoot. Sophie is mentored by her Grandmother and they enjoy “sewing days” together. Sophie’s Mum echoes an oft read sentiment: “My daughter is learning skills which I never did”. Interestingly, Lesson 4, Huckaback, introduced both grandmother and Sophie to Huck stitching, which they each enjoyed. “It was fun and I found it quite easy to do”, says Sophie. We’re all happy!



Victoria lives on a farm near Merriwa, which is west of Muswellbrook. Her membership to YTFG Distance Club was a gift from her aunt, and she has just returned her first lesson, a lovely bag. “My name is Victoria. I am 13 years old. I live on a farm with horses, cows, goats and a few sheep. When I make things I like using buttons. Some of my favourite things are reading, drawing, riding my horse and going to the beach”. From her mother: “These projects are good as it allows Victoria to learn something that I don’t particularly do or have time to do as a mother of four children.”



Samantha lives at Nowra Hill, which is semi rural and a few kms south west of Nowra. She really enjoys her embroidery, particularly counted thread and beading. Sam is really comfortable reading cross stitch patterns and transferring them to fabric. When beading can be added she’s even happier. We’ve become used to seeing really interesting buttons on her finished embroideries. Soon, this ten year old will be commencing Lesson 6, Canvas Work, and when this is finished she will be another happy graduate of “Fun with Stitches”, having extended her skills and her creativity.

We’re always excited to enrol new students to the YTFG Distance Club course “Fun with Stitches”. Spread the word…. Check the web page for examples of children’s work and tell others about this course. Who knows? We may be up to 200 enrolments by this time next year and many more children will have put “wow” factors into their designing and stitching. We can then admire their growing self confidence and their beautiful pieces of work. If you know a young person between 8 and 18 who would enjoy sewing, please contact Guild Headquarters.

Re-published with permission from The Record, Embroiderers’ Guild NSW Inc August 2011