May saw the return of textile artist and “wobble-gob” Anne Brooke, who came to talk to us about recent times when she lost her mojo, the pandemic, and how she came out the other side. Her new work reflects the holes in life caused by losses and upheavals, and shows how these can be re-filled to become complete again in a new normal. She brought along examples of her work, which were based on wooden embroidery hoops, using smaller projects to fill the holes, which reflected her journey and made the work deeply personal.

April’s speaker was Melanie Grange, who came to talk to us about Felting. Melanie gave a talk full of warmth, insights and technical advice. She outlined how she tried needle felting and how her skills developed. She gave advice on types of wool, tools and needles. She commented on tools she found she does not use. She gave useful advice on avoiding cheap kits and on useful cheap alternative kit, such as using a foam sponge to use as a working mat, so techniques can be tried without great outlay. She brought a great range of 3-D felted animals, and animal heads, and answered questions with great generosity.

Our speaker for March was Karen Quickfall, who came to speak to us about Ruskin Lace. She took us through the history of this textile, and how John Ruskin’s housekeeper, Marion Twelves, started a cottage industry based on Sicilian and Greek embroidery, developing the form of linen embroidery that Ruskin lends his name to. Karen explained the techniques of making the lace, which is worked within the fabric rather than as an edging, and uses a set of basic designs which are worked into larger projects. This was accompanied by several examples of the lace for the members to take a closer look at.

Zac Girdlestone was welcomed and spoke on ‘Fashion Design. Fashioning Landscapes’. He spoke about how his career and creative thoughts had developed from a degree at Lincoln in fashion, creating commercial garments and bespoke pieces, then investigating how landscapes affect emotions and how this can be depicted in design. He explored using calico strips to draw in 3-D and creating series of tote bags with free motion embroidery detail. He brought examples of his garments and his free motion embroidery designs.

The January meeting saw a collection of quilts presented in a trunk, hired from the Quilter’s Guild, and presented by our members Val Wright, Hilary Goldsmith and Helen Mott. The 11 items in the trunk were all made in the last 40 years, and give examples of the changes, developments, styles and fabrics that have been a key part of patchwork and quilting history.

The pieces were a mix of traditional and modern techniques, showcasing experimentation with designs and fabrics, with inspiration taken from different places to produce pieces that reflect the makers’ lives and the world around them.