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 nikkiparmenteraerworks.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.

Christmas get together

 We all had a lovely time at the Christmas gathering showing off our work and examining the travelling books. 

There was a little bit of business to attend to then we enjoyed the wonderful food offerings.

We examined the accounts and as we had lost money this year we decided to raise the membership fee to £30 for the next year. Don’t worry the new year does not start until May.

We will also have to raise the cost of workshops to  £40 for members and £50 for visitors. 

Tea Rota 2025

 I’m posting this so you can easily see when you have agreed to make the tea without needing reminders.

Here’s hoping.

December social meeting

 The next meeting is on Tuesday 3rd December and will be a social event. Please bring a plate with some food to share. We want everyone to bring something stitched they have been working on over the last year. In particular we would like to see items produced at the Alsager Creative Stitchers workshops (even if they are not quite finished). If you like you can bring one Christmas card and put it in the mix then take one (not yours) when you leave. There is a raffle planned, if you have any suitable prizes please bring them.

If you have a name badge please wear it as we have quite a few new members.

Please bring the travelling books so we can all have a look at them as well as passing them on.

There may be a bit of business i.e. deciding on the membership fee for next year. Fees are not due until May.

The programme for 2025 looks very promising.

November meeting

 The November meeting was very well attended and we had to keep on putting out more chairs and tables. Thanks to Ruth and Yvonne for showing us their method of working to make folded flowers pictures. We all had a go with great success. 

Ruth also brought her cushion and showed some of us how she made the diamond shapes for the rosettes.