We usually only meet casually in January anyway as our normal meeting space is full of Summer School participants. Our January meeting is typically a look at what's on exhibition at Guild HQ, checking out what's happening at Summer school, a chat with old friends who are participating in Summer school, then out for lunch somewhere.
This year we met at The Art Gallery of NSW. Only three of us attended, meeting in the park opposite the Gallery, then proceeding to the coffee shop inside the Gallery for morning tea.
Jenny began show and tell with a new piece she had begun as part of 'A Year In Stitches'. 2017 was going to be the year of finishing UFO's for Jenny, however it doesn't take much inspiration for her to start something new.
The challenge had come from two of her internet friends to participate. This piece was begun on January 1st, by first searching for some suitable fabric. A piece of Danish Linen was quickly spied in her stash, complete with some Waterlilies silk thread. Other complimentary threads were soon found in her stash to add to the mix. They included both DMC Perle threads and DMC stranded threads.
Jenny had always wanted to try coloured needle weaving, so a border of three colours was first, followed by re-enforced corners and ends another border found in an old leaflet of Lagartera Embroidery from the 1970's, then a black-work pattern worked in blended threads. It will be interesting to watch this piece evolve.
Sheila had attended an Embroiderers' Guild summer school course with Carolyn Sullivan called 'Ideas Development in Collage'. Carolyn taught a number of different techniques for creating collages. The class began the first day by working through a number of exercises using drawn grids and progressed to collaged grids, and expanding ideas from either personal drawings or created collages. Painted papers were combined and added with highlights, then worked from the back to create serendipity collages. On the second day, black and white papers were combined with added colour and oil pastels, and washed with water based mediums. Selected areas were then found using a moving window shape. Finally, students were let go to create a number of collages based on a theme.
As an interlude, Carolyn presented an overwhelming number of samples and journals and discussed her methods of working. There was a brief discussion on adding embroidery to the paper based works and using the collages as inspiration for a textile work. Carolyn was generous in sharing her works and ideas with her students. It was a truly inspirational class.
Carolyn's work can be found at: http://www.carolynsullivan.com.au
During the break, Jenny had been knitting. This is the front of the new jumper she is making for her Hubby. Knitted in 'Savanna - Harbour Blue', a 70% wool, 30% alpaca yarn from Bendigo Woolen Mills. The pattern is Sirdar 9248 purchased from Patternfish. The back, front, and one sleeve have already been completed. It will be finished shortly, ready for our Australian winter in a few months time.
Annette, although not being able to join us on the day, had been busy stitching.
This canvas work robin was worked by Annette. Inspired by a Christmas card 'Robyn' by Richard Spare 2005, a hand coloured dry point print. Worked on 14 count canvas with tapestry wools using a variety of canvas stitches. The background has been worked in pattern darning.
This little monkey is Annette's attempt to crochet after a break of 40+ years. A soft toy worked in double crochet using 4 ply cottons and wools. He is stuffed with fiber fil and stand approx 30cm tall.
As you can all see, although we may be spread far and wide, have transport issues, personal issues, and for the moment a varied meeting place, we can all still create with fiber, fabric, thread, yarn, paper, paint, or whatever else may take our fancy. So come visit us again in February to see what we will get up to next.
Then there was the challenge that Sheila gave us for the year using these fun glasses, from a "Creative Hands Mega Camp Kit". 
We welcomed Wendy to our group, who showed us her "doodle cloth" of cretan stitch. I might add that this is only a very small section of this cloth.
Donna had been making a postcard,
and Susan had made this "Pay Mistress" paper collage from time sheets, paper clips, photocopied bull dog clips, and other bits found in her office.