President’s Message
Seminar 2013, Winning by a Stitch, has ended. I’m looking forward to seeing Ina demonstrate the oyster stitch that she learned there! Have you started your planning for Seminar 2014, Legends and Dreams? I have. I put my early registration class request form into the mail on Saturday, October 12!
I seriously encourage everyone to get their early registration class selection and $100 deposit in by October 31, the end of the early registration period. I’m sure that once you see the class photos on-line you’ll find at least one class you NEED to take! There’s a wide variety of techniques to choose from, including Lois Kershner’s signature landscape scenes on canvas,
Michele Roberts’ goldwork phoenix design with British historical reference, two bird designs by Tanya Berlin, and blackwork classes from our blackwork experts, Carol Algie Higginbotham and Marion Scoular.
So, I flew up to San Mateo for Gary Clarke’s Buttons class on September 24. I’m sending Shelly a few pictures of my attempts at some of the patterns; you’ll possibly find them here in the newsletter. Largely, the designs are worked with a round template divided into 12 sections, with long stitches made from mark to mark, similar to Rhodes stitches.
We worked on lightweight muslin with an off-white cotton fiber similar to size 8 pearl cotton. After six or seven neutral colored patterns, I really wanted to try some other colors! I did one pattern over a square of a turquoise fabric. Since I’ve been home I’ve tried a couple of others with colored fibers and beads. There are a lot of ideas in the kit’s booklet.
I think we’re down to the final finishing touches on our November workshops with Gary. The rental fee for the Barracks has been paid, Gary has a place to stay, and the last two places in the Fantail class have been purchased. There are still four seats available for the Cockatoo class on Friday, November 8, so if your schedule can allow it at all, we’d love to have you there!
Ina and Jim G. will host a potluck reception/party for Gary after the Fantail class ends on November 10. I’ll have more information at the chapter meeting on October 21. Even if you can’t come to one of the classes, please come to the party to meet Gary and bring a dish to share.
Our October 21 meeting is an open stitching night, which I think are always nice because you can get a real sense of the range of all of our interests and talents. I hope to see everybody then! In the meantime, Happy Stitching!
Gini