Over the years we have had many excellent speakers visit our meetings and 2009 was certainly no exception. Our year began with our good friend Ruby Porter with News from Sreepur Village,  Bangladesh, together with beautiful items made in the village for sale. Ruby has been involved with Sreepur for many years and is now a trustee. Photographs of Sreepur and the work being done there can be found on their website www.sreepurvillage.org and is well worth a look.  Ruby often has an Exhibition in Liverpool to raise funds for Sreepur and details of the next one will be put here when available.

Ruby showing a saree from Sreepur Village

In February we were able to see a Traditional Suitcase Collection- some inspiration for our forthcoming collection and a pleasure to see.

Just a couple of the Quilts in the Collection

In March another treat, with Dilys Fronks entitled ‘I feel a quilt coming on’. Dilys was also able to hold a Workshop the following day. Dilys has visited us before and we have always had   very enjoyable times.

Dilys Fronks at our March meeting

Prize winning quilt NEC 2003 and selected to hang in Houston

Visit www.dilysfronks.com to see a Gallery of Dilys’s work, with photos and commentary and patterns available. We saw most of these originals at this meeting so it is good to refresh our memories at just how beautiful they are.

April gave us a mini workshop afternoon where several small ‘taster’ workshops took place. This was very popular and successful as the photos show.

Our meeting in May had to be cancelled unexpectedly and June gave us a change of venue when, due to local elections our meeting with Sue Warburton was held in the Church!

Visit www.textile2quilt.com where you will find more about Sue’s work and interests together with plenty of   photos. Sue is hoping to bring a group down to visit our show.

July brought us our AGM together with plenty of   ‘Show and Tell’, much started in our workshops.

The weather was kind to us for yet another garden party with Joan and Alan in August and several quilts were shown and donated to various Charities.

This quilt with puppies in the patches was donated to Ruby Porter and will be raffled throughout 2010 raised funds for Sreepur even though it could have been sold several times over at her exhibition in August.

Gail Lawther came to us in September with her Stained glass patchwork and also held  a workshop the following day. Gail’s website is www.hbweb.co.uk where details of books, patterns and a Gallery of quilt photos can be seen.

Dot Sherlock, Quilter’s Needs, Wirral came with lots of her quilts to our October meeting and brought many fabrics for us to buy. Dot will also be at our Show.

Susan Briscoe came with her Japanese work in November. A visit to www.susanbriscoe.co.uk will give you much information about her books and work together with some photographs.

Our year ended with our usual CHRISTMAS LUNCH together with a ‘Show and Tell’, a chance to look back at our photos over the years and catch up with friends.

Our workshop days held by members have been both successful and popular throughout the year as always and the Carry on Patchwork and Quilting   days with Jean also, where members can come to carry on with projects, with plenty of table space to put a quilt together.

2010

Our New Year started with snow and most were unable to get to our   meeting with Jill Hutchinson. Jill has a tapestry hanging in the Children’s Chapel, The Metropolitan Cathedral, Liverpool. The workshop the following week, with Pat Williamson, was postponed for another week  as ice everywhere made travelling, especially on foot, so unsafe. About 20 attended and a good day was had by all— some of the Reversible Table Runners will be displayed   in our show in May.

Our February 4th meeting we welcomed Janet Keenan with ‘My Life in Quilts’. Janet is a Quilters Guild member and also a member of the Liverbirds (quilters) Liverpool.  Over 70 members were present and we had a most enjoyable afternoon seeing so much of Janet’s work. There was plenty of inspiration for us.  Janet will be launching a website in the near future. A selection of photos will be in the Gallery in the next few weeks.

The workshop on February 11th is to allow members to make items for our Show Sales Tables, with Pauline and Sue and is FREE.

The meeting on March 4th is with Maggie Relph, entitled ‘The Road to Patchwork’. More about Maggie and The Africa Fabric Shop can be found http://www.africanfabric.co.uk/ .

REMEMBER Return forms for our Celebration lunch no later than the March meeting to Joan, together with the cost.

Mary has organised a day trip to the Quilt Show at Trentham Gardens on Sunday, April 11th. Sign up at the March meeting or contact Mary.

Also, Mary has looked into the possibility of a trip to The Scottish Quilts Championships, to be held in Edinburgh, Friday 24th- Sunday 26th September, 2010,   if sufficient people are interested. This would be a Friday-Sunday trip, travelling with Holmeswood Coaches. The coach is available over the whole weekend. The cost will be £200 + £50 single room supplement. There has been quite favourable interest so far and more details can be had from Mary. The show is organised by Grosvenor Shows Ltd and more about   ‘what’s on’ can be found on the website www.grosvenorshows.co.uk

The first of two workshops ‘Crazy Log cabin’ with Gwyneth Wray will be on March 11th, the second will be on April 15^th.

As the weather hopefully improves and our gardens spring into growth remember our Plant Stall at the Show and pot up any spare plants you have. If not- stay in and start your suitcase quilt(s)!

Eleanor Burns’ ‘Quilt in a Day’ Show on Sky 279   ( Rural TV) is well worth a look. It is half hour show, on Friday 1pm, Friday 7pm and Sunday 11.00am. Most of the projects follow her books, some of which we have in our Library. It is good to see some patchwork and quilting on TV. Visit Eleanor’s website www.quiltinaday.com .

Also, a repeat of ‘Talking Threads’ on Sky 171(My Channel) at 6pm (Country Channel) is starting on Wednesday, February 10th at 6pm. This is a repeat shown last autumn and starts with Jill Kennedy, a silk painter, but there is mention of quilting in the series. Visit www.talkingthreads.co.uk or www.jillkennedy.com for more information

The Library books should be at the meeting on March 4th, but not at either of the April or May meetings.

If there is anything you would like included in the next Newsletter (early March) e-mail me  sue@martincs.co.uk or see me at the meeting.

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