I’m sorry but this is a shorter newsletter this month. The partial lifting of Lockdown and staycation bookings have meant that many people are away or out more, so there is little news to pass on this month. Last month we had lots of contributions, which was fun. I enjoyed reading about what other members were up to. I must confess that the end of July has caught me by surprise. I’m off to Bude in Cornwall for a week and have been thinking and planning for that, so I’ve only just realised that it is time to compile this newsletter!
The relaxing of some COVID restrictions has meant that I have finally had a haircut, Hurrah! Fringe trimming and root retouching is finally over and today I had a pedicure to sort my neglected feet. What a luxury! I’ve not been shopping in town, down to the pub or out for a meal yet, but I have managed to see family in bubbles and groups, and met friends in a very socially distanced way in a café. Lockdown has meant we are much more in touch with our neighbours and this has led to some pleasant evenings in the garden with them, sharing wine, beer and nibbles. Friendships forged through adversity…
All those hours of making masks are finally paying off and all of us who stitch have suddenly become very popular! I invested in some of those aluminium nose strips and soft elastic and made dozens of masks for family and friends. I’ve had fun delving into my stash and making reversible ones with spots and stripes, Kaffe Fassett fabrics and novelty ones. My husband prefers bandanas – he rather fancies himself as a noble highwayman – so I have sacrificed several of my favourite Fat Quarters of quilting fabrics to the cause.
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Living Threads member Jennie Riley has been turning her mind to keeping us amused. She has set us an anagram challenge:
1 QUIN GUILT. 2 MY ROBE RIDE
3 THE SLUT. 4 BELT HIM.
5 HANGS VILE DIRT. 6 COIN CHUG.
7 PORK SHOW. 8 BOH NIX TIE IS
9 DOTED CANTS TORN. 10 TEENS PLATE DRYER
Answers next month, but to get you started, the answer to No 1 is QUILTING.
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Another Living Threads member, Greta Fitchett, recommends something she has only just discovered, in Derby – the National Collection of Hydrangeas.
The collection is in Darley Park and well worth a visit, there are about 800 bushes! This will fit in with the garden theme for the next Living Threads exhibition.
The park is extensive, there is a cafe and loos, and lots of seats if you want to take a picnic. Google Darley Park for more information.
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I’ve no further news on future LTG workshops at the moment. Venues are struggling to work out how to deal with the restrictions. All my workshop classes around the country have been cancelled till the end of the year, and I was going on two quilting retreats, one to France and one in Northampton, but they have sadly been cancelled too.
I work at Coles Sewing Centre in Nottingham and we are going to cautiously start some half day classes again in September, but who knows how it will work out, with threats of second waves, etc.
The Festival of Quilts, my favourite event of a normal year, has been cancelled, but they are going to run a virtual version over the original days, Thursday 30th July – 2nd August, so you can still go online and see quilts, exhibitions, do some workshops and visit the online retailers. I shall be in Cornwall, but that won’t stop me checking it out!
I do miss handling fabrics and browsing for threads and stuff, but it will all come back and our craft and quilt shops have done a brilliant job of making it easy for us to shop well online.
The Knitting and Stitching Show is going to go ahead live, in a limited way, in October at Alexandra Palace. There will be fewer tickets, morning or afternoon slots, no galleries, but plenty of retailers and workshops. I think that will be the first planned event that will be live, not online.
The textile group Nolitex (of whom several are also LTG members) are sharing their latest exhibition virtually – as all their booked venues are currently closed.
Continuation of their virtual exhibition of ‘Rooted in the Wood’ commences Wednesday 5th August 2020, on Facebook and Instagram.”
Don’t forget to check our website at: www.livingthreadstextileartists.com or email us at: livingthreadsgroup@gmail.com or check us out on Facebook.
We wish you all a speedy recovery if you or family have been unwell or had Covid-19, and that the rest of us manage to avoid it.
Everyone please stay safe and keep creating. We will get through this and come out the other side.
Until September!
Cheers
Gilli Theokritoff, Newsletter Editor
The Living Threads Group 