Meetings and Workshops
From October 2020 our meetings will take place monthly on Saturday afternoons at:
St Paul’s Parish Rooms
Reading Road
Wokingham
RG41 1EH
Although we usually welcome visitors to our meetings, whilst we have to be socially distanced, our meetings are for members only. Members have to pre-book their place at each monthly meeting to ensure we can restrict the numbers to the legal limit and have space to social distance.
Saturday workshops take place between 10.00 am and 4.00 pm at St Paul’s Parish Rooms.
Workshop places must be booked and paid for in advance.
To check workshop availability and to book places please contact Jo at johet35@gmail.com
Workshop cost for members is £40. Visitors are welcome if space allows; workshop cost for visitors is £45
October 2020 Meeting
‘From art to stitch – the making of a book’ by Janet Edmonds is on Saturday 31st October at 2.30 pm
This is our first monthly meeting in person to take place since February and remember, it will be at St Paul’s Parish Rooms.
The talk describes the making and content of the book and shows the work made in response to seven different artists.
Janet creates amazing textile pieces inspired by the artists Chuck Close, Van Gogh, Kandinsky, Matisse, Hundertwasser, John Piper and Giorgio Morandi. She outlines each artist’s work, sharing what inspires her, then creates a series of artistic projects using various media and techniques, exploring this inspiration.
Each piece of work leads to a stitching project. This is a practical workbook for artists as well as a rich source of inspiration and ideas.
This meeting is for members who have pre-booked their place. To do this please email Maggs Carver at maggs@carver74.plus.com
November 2020 Workshop
‘Inspired by Hundertwasser’ by Angie Hughes is on Saturday 7th November
Google Hundertwasser! This wonderful workshop includes collage, transfoils and machine embroidery on cotton velvet using Angie’s unique foiling technique.
Whilst a student Angie won the prestigious Charles Henry Foyle Trust Award for Stitched Textiles with her piece ‘Unfolding Word’ and had ‘Shroud’ accepted for Art of the Stitch. She carried on her studies at Gloscat with Liz Harding after which she discovered a talent for teaching. Her artwork is inspired by many themes but particularly poetry or text and the natural world, particularly plant forms.
Check workshop availability with Jo at johet35@gmail.com
December 2020 Meeting
‘Beaded Christmas Decoration to hang on your Christmas Tree’ by Jenny Buttle is on Saturday 5th December at 3.30 pm
Jenny Buttle will show us how to make a Christmas decoration. Festive and fun!
There will be a good opportunity to replenish your stocks at the sales table at the meeting.
January 2021 Meeting
‘New directions in Goldwork’ by Georgina Bellamy is on Saturday 30th January at 2.30 pm
Georgina Bellamy graduated from the London College of Fashion with a BA in surface textiles. She has created embroidery for various fashion designers and her work has been featured on TV and in magazines.
Georgina’s work featuring reindeer, frogs, pandas and more will amaze you. Her three- dimensional intricate goldwork sculptures are exquisite. Her aim is to bring new life to the age-old tradition of goldwork embroidery back to life.
www.thatembroiderygirl.com
February 2021 Meeting
'Gilding the Lace' by Jo Mabbutt is on Saturday 27th February at 2.30 pm
Jo has developed various techniques for gilding onto lace, crochet and tatting and also uses different metallic media. She also prints with lace which results in delicate gilded designs.
She produces framed gilded antique lace and prints, jewellery, fashion accessories, interior items (gilded glass, wood & ceramics) and Christmas decorations & cards. She also collaborates with other designers.
Jo talks about her journey through experimental surface design and the development of her work over the last 6 years.
https://jmdecorativeart.co.uk/
Future 2021 Meeting and Workshop Dates
Listed below are the new times and dates for our meetings for your diary. The programme will be confirmed in due course.
March 2021 Workshop
‘In Stitch You’ with Harriet Riddell’ is on Saturday 20th March
Observational drawings using a sewing machine.
https://www.harrietriddell.com/
March 2021 meeting
‘Members’ Meeting’ is on Saturday 20th March at 4.00 pm
There will be a ‘show and tell’ by members.
There may be a sales table at the meeting, good opportunity to buy and try new threads, maybe buy books etc?
If you are feeling lucky, why not enter our raffle?
April 2021 meeting
‘How does your garden grow?’ by Hilary Jenkins is on Saturday 24th April at 2.30 pm
Themed workshop based on the garden as inspiration for stitch.
After a brief introduction, you will be able to work on a provided background (about 1 inch square) using principally straight stitch variations. It should be possible to complete this patch of flower/leaves during the meeting; it could be used on a card, to decorate a book cover, make a brooch or small panel. All materials will be provided.
May 2021 Workshop
‘Metallics for textiles’ with Jo Mabbutt is on Saturday 15th May
Gilding a variety of textiles with real metal leaf and metallic transfer foil
May 2021 meeting
‘A History of British Embroidery’ by Anne Hellyer is on Saturday 29th May at 2.30 pm
An overview of ten centuries of embroidery
June 2021 meeting is taking place in July on Saturday 3rd July at 2.30pm
July 2021 meeting
‘Experimental Textiles’ by Nikki Parmenter is on Saturday 24th July at 2.30 pm Zoom Meeting!
August 2021, this is an extra meeting and is on Saturday 28th August at 2.30pm
September 2021 meeting
‘Stitching the Forest Floor’ with Amanda Corbett is on Saturday 25th September at 2.30 pm
Using thread, paper and silks to create 3D sculptures of fungi, moss, lichen and bark
October 2021 meeting is on Saturday 30th October at 2.30pm
November 2021 meeting is on Saturday 27th November at 2.30pm
Stitching in Wokingham Library
Whilst we have not been able to meet in the library, we have been meeting in Howard Palmer Gardens to stitch and chat whilst being socially distanced. The Rule of Six means this activity is cancelled until further notice.
Travelling Books
Wokingham Embroiderers has been running a Travelling Books project for several years and many members participate. It is a ’round robin’ with A5 sketch books circulating around contributing members.
Each member begins with their own sketch book, creating a page and a cover for the book. Some members even make a bag for their travelling book. It is then passed onto another person in the group until each member of the group has completed a page.
Then our travelling books continue to circulate until eventually all pages contain work by our textile artists. At this point they are returned to their owners and if they wish the member starts a new travelling book.
