A visiting artist at HHCG.

This Thursday we had a visiting artist to our group, her name is Anushiya Sundaralingham and we are lucky to have her working with us for 5 weeks.
Anushiya has just held an exhibition at the Belfast PrintWorkshop and was able to show us her photos on the big screen. This photo below shows her at work on one of the pieces for her exhibition, 'Root'.
 It was inspiring to see all her art work.

Anushiya was looking for ideas on how she could best help us with our work

 - either on an individual basis, or working with us as a group.

 What can we achieve in only 2 hours each week? 

It was decided Anushiya could best help us with our group project for the annual exhibition, 

'Under the Sea'.

 Anushiya won't be with us next Thursday but the following week we've been asked to bring in bits and pieces relating to the sea. 

Photos, magazine cuttings, papers, shells, pebbles, threads, fabrics, lace, netting etc.
Hopefully it will give us some inspiration for our project.

Last October I went to a Halloween night in Wallace Park.
 Our group had been involved in a yarnbombing project, we were knitting strips to wrap around the tree trunks and I went to see how they looked.
This exhibit of little lacy dresses  above  was also in the park and I stopped and chatted to the artist, it was Anushiya.
 They did look lovely, all lit up.

We are having a Pot Luck Lunch next Thursday.

Serious sewing.

I missed last week at Harmony Hill. We're now into our fourth Thursday morning meet and September is almost over. Yesterday I could see that most of our members were back in attendance and some serious sewing was going on.

Judy brought in a basket of rosemary cuttings from her garden and Pamela immediately set about making a wreath.

                 I was reminded that I had something about the rosemary plant in a book at home.

*

              Judy was sketching trees, preparing for a silk painting demonstration this weekend.

Carolyn was crocheting the most exquisite little balls, it was very fine work.

Laura was embroidering little pictures, capturing the feel of the Mournes.

This embroidery in the hoop below is stitched on organza and then cut out with a heat tool.
Once the sheep are framed the little piece will be be placed outside of the frame.
Laura had a pile of these sheep pictures made and waiting to be framed and they were all lovely.

Here's one of the embroideries framed, showing how the little piece is positioned.

Mavis is working on some Indian embroidery samples. 

                                   There's a Banjara inspired quilt on Linda Kemshall's blog.

Anna is making a 'Lacy Heart' - a project taken from an old Stitch magazine.

These are Elizabeth's hexagons, nice Autumn colours and the pile is growing.

To make life easier she has been downloading and printing the hexagons ready for cutting out.

        You can take a look at the Patchwork Posse website here.

There's a nip in the air.

There's a nip in the air and it's beginning to feel like Autumn, and that means time to start back to Harmony Hill.
So last week saw a few more members returning after the summer break and it looked like Judy was already working towards our maritime themed exhibition next year, 'The World Is Your Oyster' and 'Under The Sea'.

Although, at the moment, there seems to be a patchwork bug going around!
Helen's paper-piecing has been inspiring others and everywhere I looked there were hexagons.

This is Elizabeth's work and she's making a small lap quilt.

These hexagons belong to Sharon.....

.....and she's also designed and made this handbag from a pair of denim jeans.

                                                                It's beautifully stitched.

*

Dorothy likes making cards and she's used 'friendly plastic' to create a mix of bright colours. 

There's a new card on the left.

         Today she was doodling with Sharpie pens and working on some new designs for her cards.

                                                                              *

The jumper shown below is now in Albania. Maureen sponsors a young boy who lives there and she knitted the jumper for him. Last Thursday she brought in a thank you letter to show us and some photos of him looking very pleased with his gift.

Worth all the effort to see the happy look on his face.

Back to craft.

Well it was back to craft group yesterday and I was reluctant to force myself out. With all the lovely weather over the summer break and a gorgeous sunny day for the first day back I wasn't surprised at the usual slow start. I counted only 14 out of 30 members. Where are they all hiding?!
Our Past, Past, Past Chairlady made the announcements.
Over the summer the committee have been busy planning the activities for the 2013/14 season and we will be receiving a diary very soon.

There has been a change to the subject of the Christmas competition and it will now be 'Stars'.

As this is our 30th year and a Pearl Anniversary the theme for the Annual Exhibition is,
 'The World Is Your Oyster',  accompanied by our group project 'Under The Sea'.

There was a bit of stitching going on today but mostly it was chat and we looked at this exhibition.

The Anna Cheyne Award Exhibition is on in the Island Arts Centre from 5th - 27th September and there are lots of entries this year from artists working in a variety of mediums. It's really worth seeing.

Christmas Competition.

With all the lovely hot weather I don't suppose anyone is thinking about Christmas!
However, at the recent summer committee meeting it was decided there would be a change to the subject for the Christmas Competition ( 'Deck The Halls' ).
We will be enlightened on the change, and given a new subject, when we return in September.
So, for all you members who are busy working on your Christmas project - stop now!!

Summer Break.

Yesterday was our last day at Harmony Hill before the Summer Break begins.
Already we are thinking about September as we move in to our 30th year and a Pearl Anniversary.
With that in mind our theme for the Annual Exhibition 2014 is,  'The World Is Your Oyster.'
The subject for the Christmas competition, 'Deck The Halls', was also chosen and is to be a decoration no bigger than a shoe box!

Although some of us are already on a break, some of us just keep on crafting.

                                                           There was silk painting.

Majella

***

                                                                  Knitting silk/ mohair.

Audrey

***

Construction and Bling.

Janet

***

Knitting cables.

Pamela

***

Knitting socks.

Mavis

***

                                                                       Knitting Aran.

Maureen

***

Laura brought in meringues with cream and fresh fruit. No time for photos as they were all gobbled up!


Some members of our group also belong to the NIEG held monthly at The Folk and Transport Museum, Cultra.
On Saturday 18th May Maggie Grey  (now don't get that confused with our own Maggie Gray!)  held a Talk- 'Surface and Stitch' and a Workshop - 'Dissolvable Delights'. The ladies that attended were impressed and came in the following Thursday 'buzzing' about it.

 Maggie Grey blogs about  her visit to NI here.

Harmony Hill Craft Group will be back on Thursday 5th September, 2013.

HHCG AGM 2013.

Whoever had the bright idea of having a Pot Luck Lunch after the AGM every year was onto a winner!
I think I'd be right in saying that the prospect of a delicious lunch ensures a good attendance.

It was a lovely sunny day, the summer clothes were out, and for some of us the heat was all too much!

The Cup was shining. The meeting commenced.

Apologies, Minutes, Matters Arising, Secretary's Report, Treasurer's Report, Librarian's Report.
Retiring Chairperson's Remarks, Any Other Business, Election of 2013/2014 Office Bearer's.

When is it time for the food?

Election of Committee, the new Chairperson's Remarks.
Talk of 'themes' for next year's exhibition, stewarding the exhibition, attendance, thanks to all who help throughout the year, the Christmas competition, the Outing.

But when is it time for the food?!  Not to mention Myrtle had a boat to catch.

Presentation of a cheque for £500 to Fibromyalgia Support NI.

Presentation of the 'Visitors' Choice' Cup to Mary Conn for her Fabric Book, 'If I Were A Butterfly'.
(Apologies to Mavis for a fuzzy photo - I had a fingerprint on the lens).

You can view Mary's book here.

Mary and Mavis

                                Now it  must be time for the food!   The table was groaning.

A well behaved queue formed.

There were some very colourful savoury dishes.

                                                   Followed by .... Delicious Desserts!

                                  Next Thursday 13th June is our last meeting before the Summer Break.