October 2015

 Our October meeting at Guild HQ was a busy day with people coming and going all day due to the Guild's AGM. Consequently, there was lots of chatting with old friends and acquaintances who were continually dropping by. Show and tell was a big part of the day, showing our finished pieces to these friendly drop-ins.

First up we have Robyn's Reclining Box. A covered box, with lid, made from patched fabrics and Robyn's reclining lady.

This is a view from the top of the box, showing the reclining lady on the lid, while the pic below is a view of the whole finished box.

Jenny had been continuing with her filet samples, this time playing with multiple colours to create light and shade.

There were also other samples playing with hems. As the filet mesh is made by withdrawing threads from a fabric, experiments were required to make sure the edges were strong and would stay together, without fraying or falling apart. All these samples are in preparation for a major piece in the future.

Robyn had finished her "Walkabout" bag. This has been made from the panel that she had been working on over the last year.

Annette had been working on her Reticella Hussif. Shown above are the end pieces, and part of the body of the hussif, which will take some time to finish.

Donna had participated in  a play day some time ago with calico, silk and eco dyes. The dyes had come from the bark of a river red gum tree  from Shepparton, Victoria. The apple design is a vintage folk design, which Donna has used to stitch onto her dyed calico and silks.

These flowers in a vase were also stitched by Donna, continuing on with her personal running stitch challenge. In this piece Donna is trying to develop perspective with simple lines.

Sheila had been continuing on with her on-line course with Pavi from Peony and Parakeet, with the two gorgeous pages above.

These two pages are from Sheila's personal journey to draw every day.

Annette had been knitting socks with Canadian yarn. The yarn was supplied by her daughter while she was in Canada in early 2015. The sock is a basic cuff to toe pattern knitted in two colours.

Robyn was working on this colourful piece of hardanger that she started in a workshop with Helen Harvey.

Susan was continuing on a project to use up "stuff" that she has had for a long time. 

"Broken Cup" is a machine embroidered appliqué work  which was started some years ago and never finished. It has now been cut up, and will be completed with trellis laid work.

"Garden" is another piece that Susan started and stopped many years ago. Featuring layers of net, over polyester, the piece has now been appliquéd with stamped leaves and abstract flowers. The flowers were cut from another unfinished embroidery.

If you have enjoyed seeing our work, you may also enjoy a visit to our Guild Headquarters this month, where our group's work is all on display.

September 2015

There were six of at our meeting for September, one lady travelling all the way from Victoria to be present.

We were all getting ready  for our room display at Guid HQ, with pieces from our own personal challenges being worked on as well as some great show and tell.

Jenny had made progress on her shawl, with more increases happening and a few more rows until finished. Currently there are 749 stitches on the needle.

This wavy lacy scarf is by Susan. Made in spring green knitting cotton, Susan has used a lacy crochet stitch from the Harmony Stitch Guide, teamed with a 'flower drop' fringe from the book " Around the Corner Crochet Borders'

Robyn's "Walkabout" embroidery is finally finished. The above pic is only one section of the finished piece, the whole finished piece will be on display at Guild HQ in Concord West in November.

Sheila had started an on-line course with Paivi's site Peony and Parakeet. The above page is lesson one complete.

Sheila is still attempting to draw every day and these two above are examples from her book.

Next month we will all be getting for our room display at Guild HQ, Concord West. So come back for  a sneak peak and more great show and tell.

August 2015

There were only a few of us present for our August meeting, and the show and tell was still fabulous.

The faces above were Sheila's results from her stitching while travelling. Ultimately these faces will be made into a quilt.

Wendy has been using Colour Streams Silks, doing just this and that as she feels.

This needlelace is Annette's work in progress. Inspired by an exhibition seen in Melbourne - "Colour Sensation, the works of Melinda Harper". The intended use of the piece will be a see through bag, with areas of the piece not being stitched.

Annette had also been experimenting with Zen Tangle drawings. Using a 1992 diary to collect her drawings, Annette can see these drawings being transformed into blackwork pieces. Thanks also go out to Robyn for introducing Annette to Zen Tangle, and Sheila for the idea of reusing the beautiful diaries that normally get thrown away.

Sheila is continuing on her personal journey to draw every day, well mostly every day.

Our next meeting will be in September. I wonder what will transpire between now and then.

July 2015

 Our July meeting brought five members and one visitor on our day. There was also our usual show and tell.

  First up there was Susan's "Sunshine and Shadows", an improvised canvas embroidery in yellows and mauves. The work is a mixture of wools, cottons, plain and variegated yarns in a number of different canvas work stitches.

Wendy was continuing on with her cretan stitch "Lines In The Landscape".

Donna was continuing to work on her apples and running stitch. The first one above features appliqué and running stitch, while the second one  features fly stitch and running stitch. Donna had also joined TAST, an ongoing stitch project being run by Sharon Boggon of Pintangle.

Jenny had made a scarf using leftover donated fabric and matching thread from her stash. The fabric is embroidered cotton voile, which has been hemmed, edged with a simple crochet edge, then fringed with crochet flowers, joined on with a chain stitch.

Susan's "Micrographia" is an explanation of the graphic qualities of stitch. It uses cross, long tailed chain, and fly stitches on Aida cloth.

Robyn was continuing on with her walkabout bag panel which she is hoping to finish this month.

Jenny was knitting Lupin Lace socks, a pattern purchased from The Wool Inn.  The socks were being knitted  in Schoppel Wolle Crazy Zauberball 4ply, a 75% wool 25% nylon yarn from Germany.

Wendy was joining knitted squares for a Lifehouse rug.

Susan had finished a small bag, a scarf, and a solid granny square, all in crochet. The bag is worked in the round in single crochet, with flowers for decoration, while the scarf has been made by mixing yarns together.

Our next meeting will be in August. I wonder what gorgeous show and tell will be on offer.

June 2015

Our meeting this month brought only four members, with a few away manning stalls at the Sydney Craft and Quilt Fair.

Show and tell is always on the list though, and even with only four of us there was still lots  to see.

Robyn had been continuing to go "walkabout" on her bag panel, stitching with split stitch. The spiral has been stitched with back stitch.

Annette and Jenny had both been knitting. Annette had been knitting baby things for the new arrival, Poppy Bella Kell, who arrived on June 5th. First up was this beautiful shawl in 3ply pure merino wool, completed in time for Poppy's birth.

Next was this cute matinee jacket also in 3ply pure merino wool.

Then there were the baby socks made from left over sock yarn. Do we think Baby Poppy will be warm this winter? 

Jenny had made herself a pair of fingerless gloves. Never wanting a pair, Jenny had found sewing in her sewing room in winter was giving her cold hands. So a pair of fingerless gloves made in pure wool 4 ply was the answer. Her hands could stay warm while she still sewed and worked in her sewing room.

Jenny's shawl was also growing. It had taken on a mind of it's own and was becoming more 3/4 circle rather than the 1/2 circle that was originally planned.

Sheila was continuing on he "drawing a day" journey. The intention is to work in watercolour in her new diary/daybook.

Our next meeting will be in July. Come back and visit again to see what we get up to over the next few weeks