7.45pm for an 8pm start

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We hold monthly meetings at 7.45pm (for an 8pm start) on the second Tuesday of the month (except for August).  We have a range of exciting, entertaining and informative speakers on a wide range of textile subjects.
 

• January to March 2024 only - meetings are being held via Zoom

• April to December 2024 (excluding August) actual meetings and from July 2024 will take place at:
  
  Reigate Park Church - Park Room
  Park Lane East
  Reigate, Surrey, RH2 8BD.            Click here for map                        
   

Meetings are free to members and visitors are welcome at a fee of £5.  If you are interested in coming along, please contact Heidi Dennis at 
heididennis22@outlook.com

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If you give textile related talks, we would be interested in receiving details from you for consideration when we arrange the programme for future years.  Please email details to Heidi at heididennis22@outlook.com

Modern Crewel Embroidery - speaker Jo Avery

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A lifetime of playing with fabric and yarn has culminated in a career as a teacher, entrepreneur and designer. Jo’s natural affinity with colour and detail informs all  her quilts as well as a love of intricate techniques such as needle-turn applique and embroidery.  Straddling both modern and traditional quilting, she enjoys inspiring others through her workshops and retreats.  For more information about Jo and her recent book 'Modern Crewel Embroidery' join our Zoom meeting and in the meantime, you can read more on her website: 
www.stitchgathering.co.uk

Textile Adventures - speaker Melanie Missin 
 

Melanie is a British Textile Artist and Tutor and has been working with textiles for over forty five years.  In the last fifteen years or so she has been teaching textile and mixed media workshops for beginners and advanced.  In 2015 she opened her own studio in Cambridgeshire and has never looked back.  She has a passion for all things floral and fauna as well as old arts and crafts such as Indian Block Printing.  Stitching has taken her all over the world and she has been fortunate enough to visit India twice in 2019 and again in January 2023, where there was so much inspiration that it is now influencing her present work.  

Melanie will also be teaching an Eco dyeing workshop on Thursday,13 June via Zoom - for details please see the workshops page.  For more information about Melanie, please see her website:  www.mellymadedesigns.com

Members' evening

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Unfortunately, our planned speaker, Cheshire based artist Nikki Parmenter, is unable to join us. 

 

However, Claire Callanan, one of our members (and also a Commitee member and our newsletter editor) has kindly stepped in and will give a presentation of her students' textile work. 

 

We will also provide more information about our 'In Harmony Exhibition' in May along with details of our new venue whilst Holy Trinity is being refurbished.  There will be a lot going on!​

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The House of Embroidered Paper - The Regency Wardrobe
Speaker - Stephanie Smart

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Stephanie Smart is a fine artist who makes life-sized garments entirely from paper and thread.  They are created using free machine embroidery, hand-stitching, drawing and applied decoration.  Every piece is accompanied by detailed research and is inspired by historical fashion and social and national history from different eras as well as the stories and memories of individuals.  Her most recent collection The Regency Wardrobe was shown at Firle Place in the autumn of 2021, at The Royal Pavillion Brighton in the summer of 2022 and at Chertsey and Worthing Museums where it was seen by over 100,000 people. Stephanie's ambition for every piece of work is that it be aesthetically beautiful, technically ambitious and intellectually interesting.  In this talk, Stephanie will describe the background to her work with paper textiles and her establishment of The House of Embroidered Paper; which she describes as part fashion house, part fine art studio.  She will show images of particular pieces from The Regency Wardrobe and describe their inspiration and her working practice.  For images of Stephanie's work, please see our Gallery page.

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More information can be found on Stephanie's website:

www.stephaniesmart.net/thehouseofembroideredpaper-home

AGM 

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Our Annual General meeting, after which Carol Hicks, one of our members and Secretary, will share slides and talk about Jacqui Parkinson's very colourful textile exhibitions at Guildford Cathedral (Threads through Revelation and Threads through Creation).

Photographic Inspiration - speaker Diana McKinnon

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Diana manipulates and deconstructs fabric which she then works on to create a variety of pictures from the English countryside to London scenes.  Her work is built up of layers of fabric and silk paper.  Machine threads are used like an artist's palette to create colour and texture and bring out the detail of the scene.  

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Diana's new work uses vintage, embroidered cloth that is cut and stitched into a new piece that she can then use to paint on and stitch.

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Diana is a London based textile artist, working primarily in free motion embroidery.  Coming from a teaching background, Diana continued to study at Adult Education Classes, and gained C&G qualifications in ceramics and creative embroidery.  She is a member of the Society of Designer Craftsmen and has exhibited with them in London exhibitions.  She exhibits at Skylark Galleries, 5 Gabriel's Wharf, 56 Upper Ground,  London, SE1 9PP.

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Diana's website is:   www.dmckinnon.co.uk

Instagram:                  @mckinnondiana

Members' evening 

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This will be our first meeting in our new location and there will be an opportunity to stitch name badges or postcards or please bring along your own sewing.  We look forward to seeing you in our new hall.

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Garden Party 

For members only - details are in our newsletter and please book beforehand.  If you wish to come along, please email Heidi (heididennis22@outlook.com). Please bring your sewing kit and something you are working on or there will be a project to join in on the day.

Embroidering the Forest Floor - speaker Amanda Cobbett

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Amanda trained as a printed textile designer at the Chelsea College of Art (UAL).  She went on to work in the design industry for over 12 years before a move to the country and a gift of an old Bernina sewing machine enabled her to finally realise her dream - to work from home as a professional artist.  In this talk Amanda will discuss the basis of her inspiration, which comes from the countryside and the forest surrounding her home in the Surrey Hills.  She will outline her working process and discuss the materials used to create her sculptures, which she does using free machine embroidery and a selection threads, papers and silks. 

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More information can be found on Amanda's website:

www.amandacobbett.com

A Trip Around the World - speaker Gail Lawther

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Gail Lawther is an award-winning quilter and teacher and is the author of many crafting books.  She began working full time in fabric and thread about 20 years ago, and cannot imagine a better way to earn her living!  She designs and stitches quilts for books and patterns and also creates larger pieces on commission.

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For more information about Gail and her work, go to:

www.gaillawther.co.uk

Sew the Scene - speaker Sophie Levi-Kallin

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Sophie sews scenes of (mainly) London from used/scrap fabrics and sewing machine embroidery. Sophie will describe her inspiration and method behind her art.  This will include how she chooses which scenes to sew, her compositions, collecting and selecting fabrics, using the sewing machine stitch/embroidery to attach the pieces and add depth, definition and details.  

 

For more information, Sophie's website is:

www.sewthescene.co.uk

Christmas Party

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More details to follow