We have moved . . .

This is the blog for the City of York branch of the Embroiderers Guild. The branch closed, but the people created a new group called York Embroiderers and Stitchers (YES). They have a new blog site here:- https://yorkembroiderersandstitchers.blogspot.com/

Do come and find us!

August Meeting - Our first as YES

Well, we made it and on Saturday, 14th August had a super start for YES at our first meeting and in our new venue. Thirty-one people attended with two visitors. Apologies were received from another ten who will be at the September meeting, consequently  we thought it best to postpone the choosing of the new logo until then.

It was lovely to see everyone again, including  those who are returning after a fairly long absence from the EG York branch. Though, thanks to Nicky, our Zoom meetings have been very good and kept us together nothing can quite compare with the real thing. We were also able to express our thanks properly to Sue, who on resigning after many years service stayed on the committee for another year during which her experience and inside knowledge were much appreciated.

The hall buzzed with talk and activity. Yes, there was activity as well as talk, and in the Show and Tell session we thoroughly enjoyed seeing a wide variety of extremely skilled and creative work. 

Just some of the items
 featured in the Show and Tell

The sale  of books from our library at the folk hall was very successful. Next month the regular sales table  will be back and we are grateful to Maggie and Angela who have offered to take responsibility for it.  Sally will be with us in September with books for borrowing and at this meeting Moira will be seeking volunteers for the tea rota.

After lunch members settled to stitch for an hour before refreshments were served and we said our goodbyes, looking forward to next time when we’ll have textile artist Justine Warner as guest speaker.

A new start - starting tomorrow!

After so many months, firstly not meeting at all, and then meeting via zoom, followed by the collapse of the Embroiderers' Guild branch network, we are about to start meeting as York Embroiderers and Stitchers. This is a message from Chris, our Chair: 

Nearly there! So just a few practical points about the meeting on 14th August. 

We start at 11am and finish at 4pm. After  a brief welcome we’ll have a Show and Tell of work members have done since we last met. (If you prefer just to display your work of course that’s fine.) After breaking  for lunch at 12.30 it’s stitch and chat so please bring some work with you. 

At this meeting you can complete enrolment, and you’ll receive copies of the group’s constitution, our programme, and a YES information sheet. Members will also see the entries for our YES logo competition and vote for their choice.

There will be a sales table but for this month it will be books only. These are from the library we had at the folk hall. From September there will also be the  remaining library books for members to borrow. 

Takeaway drinks can be bought from the cafes in Haxby but tea/coffee and biscuits will be provided at the end of the afternoon. If you would like to have your lunch in the garden we recommend that you bring a suitable chair as there is limited outdoor  seating. 

Though not mandatory, at this stage  the hall management has requested that masks are worn when  moving around the hall. The hall will have been thoroughly cleaned and sanitised appropriately.  

We are all looking forward very much to meeting again. 

Best wishes, and see you soon,

Chris

July meeting roundup

At our last Zoom meeting on Saturday, 3rd July, after a plenary session in which she explained the current arrangements for the new group, Nicky then organised small breakout groups for members to  discuss the matters raised in the survey she  had previously emailed to everyone. There were many  helpful comments and suggestions put forward in the feedback from the groups and these will be used  by the committee to inform future planning and organisation. Those who didn’t take part in this meeting have been invited to email their response to the survey to Nicky.

The timing and pattern of the day, the frequency and type of speakers we have, what kind of  input we could receive from our own members and the effective use of social media were amongst the topics considered.  With a healthy bank balance it might be possible to have some outings too. A programme of speakers and activities is in place for the remainder of the year (click here for the programme page) and the committee can now start planning for the whole of 2022 bearing in mind the members’ suggestions. We’re very much looking forward to meeting in person on 14th August in our new home.  Don’t forget your show and tell, or even just show, work and your entry for our YES logo competition.

July Meeting - Still on Zoom

Following the Government's announcement that lockdown wasn't going to be lifted on 21st June, we have had to change our plans. This is a message from our Chair. 

It’s very disappointing that we won’t after all be  meeting in person on 3rd July. We have all been looking forward to it very much. There will however be another Zoom meeting, but this time with a difference. We are keeping to the programme sent out in April, which means it’s your opportunity to think about what you hope to enjoy at future YES meetings and to share your ideas and suggestions with the other members in small groups. The results of these discussions will then be shared with the whole group. The topics for discussion  will now be sent to everyone via email before the meeting,  at which Nicky will explain the process and divide those attending into chat rooms for the discussion, to be followed by someone from each group in turn reporting its findings. I‘m afraid I can’t take part in what will no doubt be a very interesting and worthwhile meeting, but in any  case it would be Nicky who will be in control.

If you are already on our mailing list, you will soon be hearing from Nicky, who will send out the draft constitution for YES, and a list of the points for discussion for the July Zoom Meeting. 

A reminder that the August meeting will be on the 14th, and not on the first Saturday of the month which is Yorkshire Day and for which the hall was previously booked. Before lunch we’ll have Show and Tell beginning with Nicky. After lunch it’s stitch and chat, a book sale, enrolment, and formal copies of the programme and the constitution for everyone . Members will also be able to see the entries for a YES stitched logo and to vote for their favourite. Don’t forget to bring yours along! It’s going to be a busy day.

Very best wishes,

Chris

June Meeting - Elizabeth Almond

Well Saturday, 5th June was the last in our very successful series of Zoom meetings. Many thanks must go to Nicky whose skill and efficiency in organising these has been much appreciated by members and speakers alike.

Liz Almond  was our speaker and with plenty of helpful images she guided us through the process of creating a textured calico garden, though the techniques demonstrated  need not be limited to gardens. From gardens to elephants and abstract patterns, she showed how the use of a wide variety of threads and yarns in various  shades of one colour can  produce a striking image. And as she said, we will undoubtedly already have all the threads needed. A mixture of flat stitches, textured knots (in particular her favourite colonial knot)  traditional stitches and couching is used, allowing for a  more creative and individual approach from that of the traditional calico garden which thirty-five years ago Liz had to make as part of  her City  and Guilds course. Never again she said! But three years ago when she reluctantly agreed to run a day workshop on the very thing she decided to take a more contemporary approach, and is pleased she did so.

For those who couldn’t join us on Saturday Nicky has recorded the talk. A PDF showing everything required for a textured stitch project is available from Liz at £6.50. If you would like to have one just let Nicky know and she will give her your details.

One more thing. Don’t forget about the competition for a YES logo, to be chosen by the members at the August meeting.

No, there’s another thing. Do think about volunteering to run the sales table which is a great asset for the members and which provides a welcome addition to our funds. There would be help with this, including the storage of some of the stock.

May Meeting - Ann Pocklington

Our May meeting was a very lively Zoom presentation from Ann Pocklington.

Her talk was entitled Crinoline Ladies to Soldering Irons. The title didn't add that this was via a tale of the complete unravelling of her knitted dress when she was only little, a fiendish mathematical puzzle and a fascination with lichen. As you can imagine, this was a fun talk, which was also full of lots of information about techniques and possibilities.

Next month on 5th June, we have what will (hopefully) be our final Zoom meeting. This will be a talk from Elizabeth Almond. 

In July we will have our first 'in person' meeting as York Embroiderers and Stitchers at the Memorial Hall in Haxby, and in August we will be judging the competition for our new logo. The competition is open to all members. There are no limitations on size, the logo can be just YES or York Embroiderers and Stitchers. The only constraint is that stitch must be involved! So have a go!

The programme page has more details about all the forthcoming meetings - do have a look.