Our library.

* Next Thursday, 14th March, Margaret G. will be doing a demo with the 'Big Shot.'
She hopes to have 3 'Big Shots' with her. Not to be missed!
Bring along any card, fancy papers or thin materials suitable for cutting into shapes.
Mavis has requested that we bring in our birds, bees or butterflies next Thursday to assess what will be        needed to display them at the exhibition*.
                                       
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There was something going on up at 'Library Corner' today. Margaret was busy with books. Usually she's busy beading or stitching.
We have an extensive range of books to keep track of and Margaret has been running our library with great efficiency for quite a few years!

Most of our books are old as they've been collected over many years, but they all remain very useful.
Stitches and methods haven't changed that much and sometimes the older books are the best.

We keep knitting patterns, embroidery transfers and stencils too.

What we really could do with is more cupboard space to store them all.

It's always the same complaint from those of us who do craft.....however much storage space we have - well we always need more!

Margaret was working her way through a pile of books putting the official Harmony Hill stamp on them.
As well as books we also have a selection of magazines and our group subscribes to the Stitch and Workbox magazine.

More recently a 'Networking' file was introduced for our members to use. It contains websites, blogs, names and addresses of suppliers, tutors, workshops etc. It has become a useful addition to the library.

*****

When we come to the Arts Centre on a Thursday we get the added bonus of seeing all the exhibitions that are on. 

'Connections - Landscape, Power and Emotion' had just opened the night before, 6th March.

 I  had a look around with Judy, we hadn't heard of Sybil Moses but just looking at the paintings we both thought the artist must have a textile background as there were, what looked like, pieces of muslin, card, tissue paper and stitch incorporated in her work.

We thought the works of Sybil and Paul, although very different, complimented each other well.

Have a look at Sybil Moses web page.

Almost forgot..... Patsy's Duster bird finally got it's tail!!

Member's Stories.

Three of our member's took a trip down memory lane yesterday and gave a short chat about how they first became interested in sewing and craft and, as a consequence, became members of Harmony Hill.
I think most of us started sewing as children, either learning through our mothers or other family members - and progressed to studying Domestic Science in school.
Those of us who liked craft just kept on going and found our niche.

Patsy was the first up to speak.  I didn't know that it was Janet that introduced Patsy to the group and the Embroidery Guild - I always thought it was the other way round. You learn something new every day.

The Duster bird was keeping an eye on Patsy and looking slightly embarrassed.

"When's Patsy going to stop talking and finish my tail!"

*

Yvonne was next up and began by telling us she didn't come from here!

In fact, she comes from Wales. Below is a village scene Yvonne has been working on. I think this whole piece is stitched in needle weaving and you can see the threads being laid down at the top of the hoop. Yvonne was an art teacher until retirement but she's still keeping her hand in. 

If you look here you can see what she's been up to just lately.

The village of 'Abertysswg' where Yvonne used to live.

*

Last, but not least, it was the turn of Margaret G.

When Margaret's not at Harmony Hill she's attending Crafters Anonymous and her 'claim to fame' is, that at the age of 12, she made a pair of satin French knickers and a camisole top!

What she really excels at is knitting and she's also pretty good at handling the money.

The wool, with added pom-poms, makes a child's hat.

*

Maureen brought her photo album in.  I'm not sure when this photo was taken. Most of these ladies are past members.... but can you spot Judy and Anna who are still faithful members?!

It's good to look back and also to be reminded of how lucky we are to be members of the HHCG.

Janet's Teapot.

                   * Next week, Thursday 28th February, we have 'Members' Stories'. *
                                                               
                                                             .......................

Funny how things happen - I was looking through a book Patsy brought in yesterday by Lynda Monk, a mixed-media textile artist. Have a look at Lynda's blog (under the name of Purple Missus).

 I thought that the fly in Lynda's book looked just like this fly (below).
 It was on the lid of Janet's shoe box that she'd brought in.            
 I wondered if Lynda Monk had traced her design from a box the same as this as they were so alike.

Janet was wearing the boots she'd bought in FLY.

There's a fly embossed in the leather.

Look what's in the shoe box now!

A quirky teapot.

There's a nice paper lining in the box and the tissue paper is printed all over with flys'. 

 I can see a compass, Big Ben, a  London bus, The Shard, The London Eye, The Houses of Parliament and Tower Bridge.

There's inspiration for design everywhere - you just have to open your eyes and look around you. 

This is the third fantastic teapot Janet has made and now she's thinking about making another one to add to her collection!

Morning coffee.

After last weeks tea party and cake sale it was a quiet morning yesterday.
Well that's not quite right - Harmony Hill ladies are never quiet!
It was noisy in the kitchen where we make our mug of tea or coffee.
We usually bring in our own mugs and look how colourful they are.
Lovely bright patterns and clever designs.

There's always a queue in the kitchen and plenty of chat.

Don't get the wrong idea though.

We don't just sit around drinking tea on a Thursday morning.






We're busy as bees, knitting and stitching.

Today we were reminded it's time to think about making a bird, bee or butterfly (or a ladybird) for our exhibition in May.

Our theme this year is "Flights of Fancy'.



I looked up the definition. ...
 'an idea which shows a lot of imagination but which is not practical or useful in real situations'.

Don't panic.
Traditionally, we can interpret our themes whatever way we like!

                        No need to be sheepish.







 I'll tell you what I think.

 Flights of Fancy = Things with Wings.

Mavis's Tea Party.

The Harmony Hill ladies have been busy baking for Mavis's Tea Party, you'd have thought it was the 'Great British Bake Off ' yesterday.

There was a great variety of cakes, or is it bakes?  As Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood were otherwise engaged we had to judge our own baking.

We taste tested it all, along with our morning coffee, before the cake sale took place.

It's not the first time we've made cakes.
We did have an 'Afternoon Tea' here, but you couldn't eat it!

Our cake sale raised £77 for Fybromyalgia Support NI.

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Not everyone was eating cake! Sylvia was stitching...

Sylvia's embroidery

Sharon was being creative...

Sharon's bird

                     ...and Patsy's pink bird has now been identified as a 'Duster' bird .
                     I hope he won't be confined to a cupboard until visitors are coming!

                   During his short life he's undergone a few changes - it's 'Work In Progress.'

               
                                                       
                                                   

Cake Sale.

There was a change of date for 'Mavis's Tea Party' and it is now being held this Thursday 7th.
It's a Cake Sale and fundraiser so hope everyone will be busy baking cakes, biscuits or tray bakes!
If you like, you can bring your recipe too.
It's £1 for your morning coffee and cake - and money raised goes towards our charity for this year Fibromyalgia Support NI.

Felting demo.

Our group mostly do our own demonstrations. Some of us take to it like ducks to water and for others it can be quite daunting.
Today it was Elizabeth's turn to be nervous! We all gathered round to see how she was going to make a felt bowl.

 Things you need: towels, bubble wrap,  merino wool, soapy water, a bamboo mat and notes.

    Well, Pamela took the notes and I took the photographs, while Elizabeth was busy making the bowl.
       
 

a circle 'resist' using packaging material

adding in another colour of wool

spraying on the soapy suds before lots of gentle rubbing

and rolling 

Vivienne wondered if this was a special rolling pin for felting?
Her background as a Domestic Science teacher didn't allow for pastry with ridges!

Well, Elizabeth needn't have worried about her demonstration as her bowl was a success -  and here are  some more bowls she has made (some being turned into hats for her dolls).

There was also a lovely felted bag and purse for us to look at.

If you want to find out more about felt making and makers there was this lovely book 'Profiles In Felt'.

 You can find out about Feltmakers Ireland here.