Workshop Saturday 8th March “Natural Collections “ with Liz Cooksey

        Natural Collections 

Workshops are held at the United Reformed Church Hall, Brookhouse Road, Alsager, ST7 2PA.

The cost for members is £40

Taking observations from nature Liz will explore and experiment with an eclectic mix of media, materials and techniques. Using wrapping and binding with fine hand dyed threads and fabrics, hand stitching for embellishment along with fragments of paper and print she will show you how to combine with wire to give structure, form and shape.

Liz provides a kit with threads , fabrics, prepared wire stems and a print out.

You need to bring small sharp scissors, any thread or fabric you might like to include (only tiny snippets) and your lunch.

Tuesday 4th March - Sarah Thursfield “Wrought Linens”

 The next meeting is a talk by Sarah Thursfield entitled Wrought Linens.

Sarah studies and teaches the cut and construction of clothing from wrapped cloth to fitted pattern and from bone needle to sewing machine.

Her research field is late prehistoric and medieval dress, also the development of linen garments into the nineteenth century.

She is the author of ‘The Medieval Tailor’s Assistant, Common Garments 1100 - 1480’ 

Sarah has been supplying clothing for re-enactment for many years. A professional craftsman and an amateur historian she uses archaeological and historical sources to reconstruct clothing technology from prehistory onwards. She regularly teaches lecturers, heritage professionals and re-enactors, and contributes to costume publications. 

 

We meet regularly on the first Tuesday of the month upstairs in Alsager Library.

We try to arrive at 1.45 so we are ready for a prompt 2pm start. We generally have a sales table and details of the next workshop. Workshops are held on a Saturday in the United Reformed Church Hall, Alsager, 10am to 4pm.

Small Worlds workshop with Nikki Parmenter

 Really good workshop with lots of fantastic fabric to choose from. Nikki’s instructions were great and her work a real inspiration. We nearly all managed to have our creatures almost finished and on a wire frame by the end of the session. 

Work in progress 

Ready to take

home

Nikki Parmenter talk

 Fascinating talk about fantastic animals made with an incredible mixture of fabrics and plastics. As well as the talk and accompanying slide show Nikki brought many examples of her work. We were truly inspired ready for the workshop on Saturday.

Nikki Parmenter Workshop - Small Worlds

 Nikki Parmenter will be holding a workshop entitled Small Worlds on Saturday 8th February.

Workshops are held in the United Reformed Church Hall, Brookhouse Road, Alsager, ST7 2AP from 10am to 4pm and cost for members is £40.

Details of Nikki’s work can be seen on nikkiparmenterartworks.com

List of requirements:

Wool to wrap around the wire rings which Nikki will bring

Padding/wadding

Sewing machine with free embroidery foot

Sewing kit and a range of threads

Strips of 2cm wide patterned fabrics to wrap around the wire rings

12 inch square piece of fabric to back the piece

Embellishments such as beads, sequins, etc 

Travels with Textiles - Nikki Parmenter

 Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 4th February with a talk by Nikki Parmenter entitled “Travels with Textiles”

Nikki is a Cheshire based artist who specialises in mixed media, textile based pieces. During her talks she explains the development of her work from paper pieces to lager mixed media images. She brings a wide range of examples to discuss the techniques used as well as the inspiration behind each piece.

We meet upstairs in Alsager on the first Tuesday of the month at 1.45 for a prompt 2pm start. Visitors welcome.

New Year’s Resolution - Sort out your Stash

 The meeting on 7th January will be slightly different as we are going to have a fabric swap. Each member pays £5 entry fee and gets 10 tickets. Visitors pay £7 entry fee and get 10 tickets (or can join on the day). People have a clear-out and bring in any fabrics, threads, beads, buttons, haberdashery or old napery (table linen) in small bags or bundles. Try to make each item worth at least 50 pence so it can be paid for with one ticket. Everyone can do the rounds and “buy” up their 10 tickets worth and even buy more tickets. This will generate funds for ACS, plus for the members it will enable them to vary their stash without necessarily increasing it, to reduce their stash, or obtain something for a current or new project.

Be aware when bagging, bundling or cutting that each item will cost one ticket so make it not too large or too small but Goldilocks size and so good value for money.

So get going! Raid your loft, spare room, craft cupboard, or wherever you  hoard your crafting items and bring in your excess (or donate it if you are unable to come to the meeting on 7th January) and revel in the delight of obtaining new goodies without the show prices. And, of course, feel proud and righteous that you have parted with some!!! Anything left at the end will be held over for the Sales Table at the February meeting.