Happy New Year

The Committee of ERTF wish all our members and readers of this blog a Happy and Healthy New Year.

Just a reminder that there is lots of information for members on the ERTF website. I have just posted the 2011 programme for Broadlands Art Centre under the Norfolk section, so keep checking in as there will be lots more information for members posted on the website during 2011.............

best wishes

Merry Christmas to everyone.

Wishing us all sharp needles for 2011

Suffolk exhibition until 21st December

Here are some images from Twisted Chain's first exhibition at the Upstairs Gallery, town centre Beccles []free parking till Xmas]

Open Tuesday till Saturday for one more week.

details see below

SPINNING WHEEL FOR SALE

An ERTF member has asked us to tell you about a Spinning Wheel for sale. For all the details see ERTF members site London Region - News from the membership.

Cambridge Area Meetings January & February 2011

There will be two regional meetings early next year in the Cambridge Region, the main focus being to discuss the membership challenge and to get a plan of action!

Our local meetings will be on Friday 7th January, 10-2.30. We are planning a shared lunch, so please bring a dish. This meeting will be at a members house in the Royston area. The second meeting is on Saturday 5th February, 10-12 in Godmanchester. ERTF members can find all the detail of these meetings on the members website - Cambridge Events and Workshops.

If you are not a member but live in the Cambridge area and are interested in finding out more contact - cambsrep1@ertf.org.uk for further details.

Stitch and Creative Craft Show

I have just spoken to the organisers of the above who organise shows (like the Knit and Stitch but more craft based) throughout the UK and have done so successfully for a number of years. They are coming to Braintree in February and have asked me to let our members know that this is the first time they will be visiting Braintree. There has been several remarks made to me and the organisers about a "terrible" show in the past at Braintree, so please remember this is a brand new show to Braintree.

Details from www.stitchandcreativecrafts.co.uk

Natural Dyeing Workshop

You are invited to a Natural Dyeing Workshop on Saturday 12th Feb 2011 10-4 in Borehamwood Hertfordshire. We will be dyeing fabric  blue, yellow and red and over dyeing to create various subtle shades of green and purple.

Come and experiment with the subtle colours and organic patterns that can be made with natural dyes.
For more information see the members section of ERTF web site or contact Jenny email jennyleslie@hotmail.com.

Essex Event at Fairkytes, Hornchurch (27 Nov 2010)

Although only a small group met on Saturday for the first, of what we hope will be a series of Essex based meetings, we seemed to have a good afternoon. The theme for the day was sketchbooks and members brought sketchbooks they made and participated in a exercise designed to be a starting point, but also showing how something can be made from almost nothing.

Fairkytes was an excellent venue - very light and warm (paticularly useful on a very cold winter day), and with easy parking.

Our next date is planned for March 2011, hopefully avoiding any bad weather at the early part of the year. Hopefully a few more members will be able to attend at that time.

The photo above shows some of those present working on their sketchbooks - as you can see deep in thought.

This exhibition at the Upstairs Gallery in Beccles is the first by the new Suffolk Textile Group - Twisted Chain.

SAY HELLO TO CATHY

Pop along and say hello to ERTF member Cathy Unwin, and buy a few Christmas Prezzies.........

Sketchbook day - Members Event

ERTF is running a sketchbook day for members, based in the Essex region on Saturday 27th November 2010; 2pm until 4pm.

Hopefully this will be the first of other regular Essex based events. We have booked the Fairkytes Arts Centre, Hornchurch and chose sketchbooks as a theme as it covers all textile disciplines. We will have a small activity to participate in (optional) and hopefully members will bring their sketchbooks (or inspiration books, notebooks, ideas books) as a starting point for discussion. Also there will be some ideas on how to make books.

The cost of the afternoon will be £3 to cover the hire of the room, but will include tea and coffee.

Sorry - members only, but of course you don't have to be an Essex member to come to this Essex based day. Contact the ERTF Essex Rep for more information -
essexrep1@ertf.org.uk

Essex Members - Christmas Dinner

Essex members are having a Christmas Dinner, this will be a great opportunity for networking. For more information see the members website.

Concepts and Meanings Exhibition

The details and forms are now on the ERTF website for the Second Juried Exhibition.

A really stimulating well attended conference yesterday at Dragon Hall, Norwich, exploring Concept and Meaning.

To get a flavour of the content, for those that could not get there, have a look at the websites for Debbie Lyddon and Les Bicknell.

A lovely venue, good food, an excellent preview for our exhibition there in September 2011.

E17 Designer Market - 26 and 27 November 2010

Costal Inspirations exhibition - Colcheter

For information on workshops - visit the Members area of the ERTF website.

Bungay exhibition

Christina and friends studied for an MA in textiles at UEA.

They have stayed together as a stitching group, and after their successful exhibition in Diss in October now have this event for your delectation

Lace

Do you have any snippets of lace?

Lace with a memory or story attached?

Would you be willing to part with just a little piece?

ERTF member Gina Ferrari is currently working on a project using scraps of lace. If you would like to be part of this project and think you can help by sending Gina some lace, please visit her blog here for more details and drop her an email. Thank you!

Craft Market - 30 Oct 2010 at Brentwood Road, Romford, Essex

Weekend art and crafts in South Suffolk

This is our annual Arts and Crafts exhibition on the Shotley peninsula, six miles from Ipswich.

I have a couple of pieces in, but also there is an interesting mix of makers from patchworkers to wooden bowls, and lots of smaller items - excellent for Xmas presents

Threads of Feeling - 14 Oct 2010 to 6 March 2011

Never before seen textiles left at the Foundling Hospital in the mid 18th century with the children will be on display at the London Foundling Museum until 6 March 2011. Sixty billets showing a wide variety of textiles including lace, embroidery, patchwork, weaving, and of course all dyed naturally.

Not only but also - a display of ribbons, courtesy of VV Rouleaux decorating the stair well and building. Exhibition catalogue also well worth obtaining.

If you are interested in historic needlework this is an exhibition not to be missed. It is hoped that an ERTF visit/event will be arranged in the new year - further details will follow once arranged.

Jersey Textile Showcase

The ads for Jersey Textile Showcase state that ERTF is exhibiting there in 2011. This is not correct. There has been a misunderstanding with the organiser and she will remove us from future advertising but unfortunately several ads have already been placed.

So just to reiterate we are not exhibiting in Jersey and Pat, the organiser, gives her apologies for the mistake.

ERTF are not offering a package to Jersey again in 2011 as some you have asked. One of the groups exhibiting is Material Girls from Essex; some of their members are members of ERTF so perhaps a reason to think about going if you haven't been before.

Knit and Stitch

If you can get to the Knit and Stitch don't forget to visit the ERTF stand.

Owen Jones Deadline

Completely random images of some of the work delivered.

Delivery deadline for the exhibition pieces was this weekend and amongst the delivery options was Sunday morning breakfast - being Essex it had to involve cakes!


The early arrivals got the pick of the pastries.

Another Suffolk show

The Big Draw

The Big Draw is a national initiative held annually in October to try to encourage everyone, young and old to enjoy drawing. In 2010 the theme is mark making.

Check out the Big Draw website for activities in your own area - http://www.campaignfordrawing.org/, or if you are near Braintree in Essex, come to the Braintree District Museum on Saturday 9 October when EAST (East Anglian Stitch Textiles) will be running a workshop in the Learning for Life Centre for young and old (11am to 3pm). No stitching is involved but they will be using stitch like marks as inspiration.

EAST's Talking Textile exhibition continues in the main museum.

SPINNING YARNS- ERTF MEMBER JENNY LANGLEY

Suffolk group

We met together at Nowton Village Hall this week.

Ten members were able to make the meeting, altho one poor mother had to leave again before we had even started thanks to a call from little daughter's school reporting she had been sick.

Fortunately it proved to be just a tummy bug that improved once her mum returned.

We had a good time discussing our on-going work and shared some valuable tips re new techniques.

Crystal in felt by Frances Barker

Shibori cuff by Heidi McEvoy-Swift

Next meeting probably 1st Nov. contact Suffolk rep. for more info.

Suffolk show

The exhibition continues until November 13th. For further details email info@spiral-gallery.co.uk or ring 01728 861699.

Basildon Stitching Club exhibition - 24 Sept to 10 Oct 2010

A display of work by Basildon Stitching Club will take pride of place in the Gallery at Craft Arena, Barleylands Craft Village in Billericay, Essex. The work is a result of the members first competition and features different stitching techniques. The winning entry is an exquisite stitched daisy by member Diane Roberts.

For more information see the ERTF website (members section) or contact Craft Arena at www.craftarena.co.uk.

Tea and Textiles in Essex

Today, ERTF member Julie opened her beautiful home and garden in the village of Goldhanger, Essex for a day of tea and textiles. As well as ERTF members plenty of friends and family dropped by as well and by the end of the day we had made over £140 for the group funds. The weekend before Goldhanger had had its own celebrations so Julie's front room had been turned into an old bakery (apparently the house had been the local bakery in the past). So for the first time, I expect, Denise of Craft Arena, Barleylands had to share a shop with loaves of bread.

As well as Denise's shop there were lots of textiles items around the house, cakes (real and textile), our own "bits and pieces" shop and a swap area - people could bring something and take something else home. Of course, like always, I was so busy talking I didn't get around to taking many photos, but I hope those that are here give a flavour of the day.

Thanks must go to all the members who came or contributed, and non-members who came/helped out today (especially Julie's friend Jo who seemed to have her hands in the washing up bowl for a lot of time), Julie's husband, who not only makes a really good ginger cake but (dressed as a baker) drew the raffle and generally made himself very useful, Denise for bringing her shop, but especially to Julie.

Here's to the next one!

17th September TEA AND TEXTILES in ESSEX

DON'T FORGET THIS EVENT- HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

TEA AND TEXTILES 10am-4pm with ERTF member Julie Chellingsworth in a pretty riverside Essex village. NON MEMBERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND TO MEET US AND FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ERTF. A Drop in day with lots of planned activities, including a small shop so you can purchase those bits you need from Craft Arena. If you want to stay for lunch there is a lovely country pub just across the road which does really good food!

Come along and meet other members of ERTF in your region, you never know you may even win one of the raffle prizes!

Full details of this event are on the members page of the website under Essex- Events and Workshops.

Non members that would like to attend please email essexrep1@ertf.org.uk for further information, you will be made very welcome.

BLOOMIN MARVELLOUS- I SHOULD SAY SEW

I made my 4th visit to this exhibition today! This is a post I made sometime in August but thought that it would be worth re posting as the exhibition finishes this week so there are only a few days left to see it.........

The weather forecast for today was rain, but despite that as I couldn't get to the private view I decided today was the day for a visit to O2 Exhibition at RHS Hyde Hall .

Eileen Beales- Snowy Day

Chris Bojan - Twitter

Chris Bonnet - Avocet- Norfolk

Zoe Cox - Portrait of a Poppy III

As usual I wasn't disappointed their work is inspiring and as 9 of the 14 members belong to ERTF I thought you might like to share some of their work here. The images do not do the beautiful work justice, so if you can, get along and see for yourself!

Wendy Greene -Tea in the Garden & strawberries Sugar & Cream

Rita Johnson - Poppy Heads

The exhibition is there until 16th September Hyde Hall is a lovely garden with a really good shop and 2 restaurants, if you do not belong to the RHS please don't be put off by the entrance fee, there is lots to see apart from the O2 exhibition, it is easy to spend the day wandering in the gardens.

Tabatha Mitchel-Simons - Wild and Carefree

Elizabeth Nicholls - Too Many Pieces

Dot Reed - Autumn Jacket

This is a very small sample of the work!
(please note that if any other ertf member is having an exhibition we are always happy to promote it on this blog and the website - email me my details are on the ertf website under committee contacts- website)

September - Essex Art Trails

As well as art trails in Chelmsford (11 to 26 September), there are also art trails in Basildon District (16-20 September) and Maldon (18-26 September) happening in Essex this month.

www.visitessex.com or visit ERTF members area for more information

Revealing Evidence - 15 Sept-23 Oct 2010

An exhibition by textile artist Shelly Goldsmith and photographer Sarah Pickering, at PM Gallery and House, Walpole Park, Mattock Lane, Ealing, SW5 5EQ.

For opening times and more information see Members area of the ERTF website.

Herts Open Studios

Herts Open Studios starts on Saturday and continues until 3rd Oct.

There will be many different Arts and Crafts.

ERTF member Catherina Petit Van-Hoey offers MIXED MEDIA 2D TEXTILES

Catherina has a wide range of colourful textiles and mixed media creations inspired by symblism, philosohy, meditation, and poetry. Commissions welcome.for opening times see www.hvaf.org.uk/Open-Studios-2010/Dacorum

ERTF member Jenny Leslie Offers Naturally Dyed textiles inspired by nature, embroidred and quilted. Community projects. Come and try natural dyeing.

Jenny is sharing her garden with Valerie Boon who sculpts animals in copper and chicken wire. Valerie will also have drawings and paintings for you to see.

For opening times see www.hvaf.org.uk/open-studios-2010Watford&ThreeRivers