Meetings are continuing to be virtual and not at the Rugby Club.
If you are not already a member of the Grassington District Embroiderers' Guild Branch and would like to watch our Zoom Speaker Meetings you are now able to do so. For or an annual fee of £20, you will be sent the link to the Talks which take place on the first Wednesday of each month. If you are interested contact the secretary:
GrassingtonDistrictSec@embroiderersguild.co.uk
December 16th
This was our last meeting of 2020, a virtual Christmas celebration with a sewing quiz. Below I will keep updating our programme for 2021. Our first discussion topic for 2021 will be "Twin and triple needles" ! Please have your samples ready to show if you are familiar with these, or be ready to take on board a whole new meaning to machine stitching.
The year has ended with some excellent news. Kathleen Carlisle has been the recipient of the National Embroiderers' Guild Trustee Award.
The first records we have of the Grassington & District Branch of the Embroiderers’ Guild begin in 1980. A group of ladies met in a house in Arncliffe.
In 1983, Kathleen joined this Branch of the National Embroiderers’ Guild in Arncliffe. She saw the group relocate to Grassington Town Hall, Grassington Church House and finally to Threshfield Rugby Club. She has now embraced modern technology and despite hearing loss is an active member of our zoom meetings.
For thirty-eight years she has been steadfast and committed to this group of needleworkers. Her hand embroidery work is exceptional and inspirational to all those who see it. She has spread the word of the Guild through her talk “My Journey as an Embroiderer” and through her Needlework success, every year, at the prestigious Kilnsey Horticultural show.
Kathleen is a quiet but valued member of our Branch, but she is always willing to share her expertise, ideas, and knowledge with others. She is an extremely competent needlewoman and produces outstanding work.
As Secretary to the Branch, I thought a good Covid activity was to sort, and file electronically, all the old records I had inherited with the job. I came across the original Branch registers and realised that Kathleen was our most long-standing member and her contribution for all those years to the National Embroiderers’ Guild and to our Branch activities, should be commemorated in some way.
What I had not discovered in our old records, was that Kathleen had been a member of the National Guild for far longer than 38 years. Prior to joining our Branch, she had been an active member of the Skipton Branch for at least 5 years.
It was Kathleen who argued very strongly for the case of re-joining all our members to the National Guild in September and supported you in a way you would never have heard about. This is the sort of honourable woman she is.
She has been a wonderful mentor for me, and without her, I know that our Grassington Branch would not be the friendly cohesive group that we are today. Her long-standing experience has always quietly steered the committee in a positive direction. She has not been on the committee herself, but her quiet advice has been invaluable.
Congratulations Kathleeen and we hope that you will continue to enjoy many more years with our Branch.
Dec 2nd
Zara Day was our speaker for our first meeting in December, with a talk: "It is never to late to be what you might have been", followed with a workshop: Stitching and embellishing a lettering sample.
After studying a BA (hons) in textile and fashion design, Zara freelanced for several printed textiles companies before training as a teacher. She taught textiles, art, and design in secondary and further education establishments for over sixteen years, delivering GCSE, A-level, International Baccalaureate and HND courses.
She is now the founder and creative director of Rosemaryrose, bespoke embroidered textiles which specialises in the embellishment of fabrics for luxury residential and commercial properties.
Whilst running Rosemaryrose and during this Covid period, Zara has continued to share her love of embroidery and teaching, by offering Zoom embroidery courses and talks. Her Zoom talk and workshop with the Grassington Embroiderers' Guild this month was a thrill to be part of, and our members thoroughly enjoyed two very stimulating and interesting hours. Her beautiful and innovative free flow design work work was illustrated with a Powerpoint presentation and we were able to see her wonderful ideas and techniques.
