It's nearly........CHRISTMAS !!!!!!!!!!!

On behalf of the ERTF Committee I would like to wish all the members and readers of this blog

A Very Happy Christmas,
And

A Wonderful New Year !

This year I think ERTF can say was a success! We held our First Major Exhibition in Cambridge, there were lots of networking events held throughout the regions and of course the AGM in April and The Conference in November.

2010 promises to be even more exciting, ERTF will be at Textiles in Focus Cottenham in February for the first time. Some members of ERTF will be travelling to Jersey in March to join in with the Textiles Showcase. We are also privileged to have been offered a chance to have a stand at the Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexander Palace in October. We will also be exhibiting our work at the Warner Archive during the summer to celebrate the centenary of Owen Jones.These are just a few of the events that are planned, so WATCH THIS SPACE! We are taking textiles forward...........

Hertfordshire Get Together

Hertfordshire members next get together will be in North Herts on Wednesday 27th January at 10.30 a.m. A new member has offered to hold the meeting at her home, this is an excellent opportunity to network. For more information please go to the members website, you'll find all the information you'll need to attend under Hertfordshire, Events and Workshops.

Members from all regions are very welcome to attend.

Textiles in Focus

ERTF will have a small stand to promote ourselves at Textiles in Focus at Cottenham Village College - Friday 19th - Sunday 20th February 2010
Details about the 2010 show will be appearing soon on the Textiles in Focus website: http://www.textilesinfocus.com/

There will be a display of members work and leaflets to give out. It is a busy event with lots of interested visitors, so it is a really good place to advertise ERTF. Cambridge member Jenny Langley is offering to co-ordinate our stand but she will need plenty of help from other members - at least two people for each morning and afternoon session to steward the stand and another couple of people to help with setting it up and taking it down.

On Friday and Saturday the show runs from 10am to 5pm, and on Sunday from 10am to 4.30pm. Setting up is on Thursday the 18th from about 9am. If you are helping on a stand, you get into the event free (entry is £4) - so if you come for the day, and do a half day slot - 9.45am to 1.30 or 1.30 - 5pm, you would also get a chance to look around/ do a workshop etc. Sunday is the quietest day

If you think you can help please send a message via the Cambridge rep. Thank you!

ERTF AT KNIT AND STITCH 2010

Some excellent news for us all, we have been given free space at the Knit and Stitch Ally Pally next year. So keep 6th to 11th October 2010 (show dates 7th to 10th) free as it will be all hands to the pump. See on the web site under Members Section, Committee News as to how you can help and get involved.

Exhibition with warm cafe attached

Once the New Year celebrations are over, and the decorations have come down, do something for yourself!

Come and see our exhibition in Mistley [Essex - Suffolk border] behind the Swan Pond, opposite the Thorne [excellent pub food].

Three Forum members - plus two former members and one stray lace maker will be very pleased to welcome you.

contact glen for further info.

Christmas Dinner

A small but select group enjoyed the ERTF Christmas Dinner at Tewinbury Farm restaurant last night.

Wonderful food and excellent company!

Thank you Marian (hiding behind the decorations!) for organising it!

If you subscribe to Workshop on the Web... a reminder to check out the latest edition which has an article by your Cambridgeshire rep!

Word to the wise

IMO Two nice things happened this week.
Workshop on the Web [http://www.workshopontheweb.com/ £15 annual fee I think, edited by Maggie Grey] produced a particularly interesting edition this month
and
FiberArts magazine [Jan/Feb edition] to which I also subscribe [ http://www.fiberarts.com/ for info] has some equally interesting stuff, including a section on Felt maker Lisa Klakulak.
We need something to sustain us in this festive month.

Autumn Newsletter!

Glenda has put together another really good and informative newsletter! So please don't miss out log onto the members ERTF web site and take a look!

A Great Evening in Norwich

Good news, Stephanie Potts has agreed to be our rep in Norfolk, she is Manager of Dragons Hall in Norwich and is completing her MA in Textile Culture at Norwich. She will shortly be putting details of the next meeting meeting on the web site and you can contact her via the Committee Members section of the web site. It is Monday 18th January in the evening so put in your diary now.

We had a fantastic networking evening in Norwich at the splendid medieval Dragons Hall, so our venue for November 2010 conference is spectacular and a very apt setting for Concepts and Meanings.

We had a lot of interest in ERTF with representatives from Norwich Cathedral, amazing ecclesiastical textiles of course, and the Costume and Textile Society based at Carrow House. Several students on the MA course at Norwich have joined as members and I feel that Norfolk is going to be a very vibrant and active group. They have already arranged their next meeting, January 18th, to start taking things forward.

I forgot to take my camera, as ever, so no nice pics but I would like to say a big thank you to the Norfolk members that drove long distances on a wet November evening and to Stephanie for volunteering and providing the wonderful setting for the meeting and to Caroline McNarama for organising the evening.

CONFIRMED DATE FOR OWEN JONES VISIT TO V&A

There is now a confirmed date in December for another OWEN JONES study day with ERTF at the V&A. For more information check out the members pages on the website, you'll find all the information under Committee organised events. This is a great opportunity to get up close to original work and to become involved in what promises to be a very exciting project!!!!

REMINDER OF NETWORKING EVENT IN NORWICH

We have arranged a free ERTF networking event for Wednesday 25th November between 6 and 8pm at Dragons Hall, King Street, Norwich. We are very pleased that Dragons Hall is keen to offer its services and facilities to ERTF and to provide us with an Area Rep for Norfolk. This is fantastic news as we can now begin to make ERTF in Norfolk an active and vibrant group.

So please come along and meet members of the ERTF committee, including myself, hear what Dragons Hall can offer us and help plan for the future events that you want. You are we encouraged!, to bring as many friends as possible so that we can being to grow the Norfolk membership.
I appreciate that you are a large county and it might involve a bit of traveling for some of you but can I please encourage you to do your best to attend this event as you will not get activities started in your own areas unless you all meet up and begin talking. We are also bringing the November 2010 conference to Norwich, which is going to be a very special event looking at Concepts and Meanings within various art disciplines and own work and this will be the launching pad for our juried 2011 exhibition.

It would be helpful if you could let us know how many people you will be bringing with you on 25th.

So come and join us for a glass (or cup) or something and a mince pie and let's see what we can generate in Norfolk...........

Information and booking to chairman1@ertf.org.uk

EXHIBITION OF CITY AND GUILDS STITCHED TEXTILES

E 17 Designers Market

Member Cathy Unwin will be selling her felt accessories at this event from 7 ’til 10pm on 27th November. A Friday evening shopping opportunity to buy quality arts and crafts from local makers with a drink and a mince pie too.
The venue is just a short walk from Walthamstow Central at the Asian Centre, Orford Road, Walthamstow E17.

Norwich Networking Event November 25th 6pm to 8pm

We have arranged a free ERTF networking event for Wednesday 25^th November between 6 and 8pm at Dragons Hall, King Street, Norwich. We are very pleased that Dragons Hall is keen to offer its services and facilities to ERTF and to provide us with an Area Rep for Norfolk. This is fantastic news as we can now begin to make ERTF in Norfolk an active and vibrant group.

So please come along and meet members of the ERTF committee, including myself, hear what Dragons Hall can offer us and help plan for the future events that you want. You are we encouraged!, to bring as many friends as possible so that we can being to grow the Norfolk membership.

I appreciate that you are a large county and it might involve a bit of traveling for some of you but can I please encourage you to do your best to attend this event as you will not get activities started in your own areas unless you all meet up and begin talking. We are also bringing the November 2010 conference to Norwich, which is going to be a very special event looking at Concepts and Meanings within various art disciplines and own work and this will be the launching pad for our juried 2011 exhibition.

It would be helpful if you could let us know how many people you will be bringing with you on 25^th.

So come and join us for a glass (or cup) or something and a mince pie and let's see what we can generate in Norfolk...........

Information and booking to chairman1@ertf.org.uk

Felt Making Working - Essex University 21-22 November ‘09

Textile artist, Jane Barry,(ERTF MEMBER) will be leading a felt making workshop on the theme of journeys at the Hexagon, Square 4, on the weekend of 21 - 22 November 2009 from 10am to 4pm.

Places are £90 for both days. Materials (and drinks) provided. For further information or to book contact Sophie Levoi on 01206 874568 or email sophiel@essex.ac.uk.

MESCH - exhibition at ART VAN GO until 21st November'09

Some members belong to ERTF

ERTF newsletter November 2009

Would love to hear from you now with thoughts on recent exhibitions, the conference and anything else that springs, in stitcherly fashion, to mind.

For new members -please see previous newsletters on the website if you haven't seen one as yet .

We aim to connect, support and stimulate, words and pictures to me in by 22nd November please.

To contact the newsletter editor see details on the website.

{Textile art by Catherina Petit-van-Hoey}

Letchworth Conference

Just thought I would write a quick update of yesterday's very successful ERTF conference at Letchworth. After the usual tea, coffee, and welcome we were introduced to Clare Hunt who gave a talk about Southend's Costume collection and about textile conservation - a reminder also of how we should think about our own contemporary work, especially when choosing which materials to use.

This was followed by the Membership Spotlight, when Liz Holliday talked about her work - it was a real "whirlwind tour" but very interesting and enjoyable. I think one point which particularly stuck in my mind is how we should all strive to be "true to ourselves".

The talks were followed with information about the Owen Jones Exhibition 2010, Jersey 2010 and the new membership challenge, and of course lunch; which gave members a chance to talk about the morning. Info on all these will go on the ERTF website, if not already there.

And then to round the afternoon off we were introduced to speed networking; which ended up being a really good way of talking to people who you may previously not have spoken to, finding out what inspired them and really learning a lot about the diversity of the membership. At the end we had a chance to see the work of those we did not have time to "formally" network with.

I know some people took photos on the day, so hopefully these will get posted on the blog or in the member's newsletter, but I think I can honestly say ERTF achieved another success over the weekend - well done to all who helped with the organisation and running of the event.

OWEN JONES STUDY DAY

There is provisional new date in December for another OWEN JONES study day with ERTF at the V&A. For more information check out the members pages on the website, you'll find all the information under Committee organised events.

This is a great opportunity to get up close to original work and to become involved in what promises to be a very exciting project!!!!

Christmas Dinner at Tewinbury Farm

Join members for an evening to celebrate Christmas at Tewinbury Farm

£28.00 to include 3 courses and a glass of wine

For more information go to the members website and look under committee organised events

Two more exhibitions in Suffolk

Some of Suffolk group also went to the "Make and Mending"

exhibition in Bury St Edmund's and then the "Out of the Fold" textile exhibition just round the corner and over the road at Cavern 4 in Whiting St.

Both exhibitions end on 31st October.[I asked permission to share pics with other artists in this way, some of the Fold ones are copyrighted - so I was just able to take a general shot, so please don't pass it on, ].

The exhibitions were so different and stimulating I hope to explore reactions in an article in the December issue of the ERTF newsletter, so if you saw the shows and have thoughts to add please do send them to me by the end of November. [preferably sooner or you might forget].

peninsula crafts exhibition in Suffolk

Thanks to the Suffolk members that exhibited, attended, sold and bartered their work. I would include photos of the variety and quality of said work but - I knocked the focus button out of focus.

You will just have to believe me that the empty rooms soon filled with work and people

and bizarre bird tables - which certainly stimulate one to think outside the box.

A Grand Day Out

Today ten ERTF members met at the Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery for the Cambs region outing to visit the Making and Mending exhibition. Although only a small exhibition there were several interesting pieces on display

Armchair Politico by Stephen Dixon and Alison Welsh

After browsing the exhibition we felt in need of some light refreshment...

and then feeling fortified, we then went in search of Wibbling Wools (at the request of our chairperson!) and several purchases were made.

This was then followed by an excellent lunch at the Scandanavia Coffee House.

We all agreed that the best part of the day was just getting together to chat and exchange views with like minded people. All in all a Grand Day Out!

Exhibition visits

Some of Suffolk Group will be at the Bury St Edmund's exhibition - Making and Mending - on Tuesday, 27th October. If anyone else would like to join us they are most welcome. Exhibition closes on 31st October. Contact glen gerrard.

also

Peninsula Crafts reminder. Exhibition at Ipswich High School, Woolverstone, Shotley road, Suffolk. 24th -25 October, [10 am- 4pm]. Display of Textile Art.

Suffolk rep stewarding on Saturday afternoon.

7th November Conference Cut Off Date and Postal Strike

We have to advise catering numbers to the venue on 2nd November so this is the cut off date for receiving bookings. If you have sent booking and not had an email from Martine, our Treasurer by 2nd Nov, please go to web site, Members Section, Committee News or Conference to find out what to do.

REMINDER- TRIP TO BURY ST EDMUNDS This WEEK!

The ERTF Cambridgeshire Area rep is organising a trip to Bury St Edmunds, all ERTF members are welcome to join them, for more information go to the website- Cambridge- Events and Workshops

Committee Meeting Update Held on 17/10

Lorraine has posted details of the last committee meeting on the members website.There is also an update on the Membership Challenge post. Check it out to see whats going on!

NORFOLK NETWORKING

This is an advance notice to inform any Norfolk members of ERTF that we will be holding an open networking event in Norwich the last week in November, Wednesday 25th.

We have now got the opportunity for the use of a base within Norwich and an offer for a new Norfolk rep. This will be a great opportunity for the Norfolk region to get to know each other and to plan a local programme. We will be encouraging you to bring ‘a friend or two’ and to be spreading the word.

Keep an eye on the website for further details……………………

RADIO 4 EMBROIDERY AS ART

Go to last Friday's edition of Woman's Hour on IPlayer as there is a feature on Embroidery as Art, just over 1/2 way along on the slide bar. Louise Gardiner's work that she did on the programme is on the BBC web site. Interesting..................

Knitting and Stitch Show '09

I paid a visit to the K&S show at Alexandra Palace yesterday(Sunday) it was great to see so many ERTF members on their stands. I thought you might like to see a few images. Carole and Janette on the East Stand as you can see it was a very busy stand. Their exhibition was inspiring and I hope to catch it again when it moves to Warners Archive next Autumn, but in the mean time if you missed them and you are going to the K&S in Harrogate you'll be able to see them there!
Below is a photo of Cathy Unwin an ERTF member on the International Felt Makers Association stand with Sue Pearl, their stand was very busy and they said they had lots of new members join the association, myself included!
New member of ERTF Mary Cozens - Walker and Jane Barry had their work in the exhibition Art of the Stitch. There were other members there as well on many other stands and I'm sorry if I've not mentioned them.
Who knows next year you may be able to visit a stand and say Hello to ERTF, I hope so!

Members Sales at Moving Forward

Payment update has been put on web site, members section under Committee News and also Exhibitions

News From ERTF updated 7/10

As ERTF Essex members know Janette sends out a regular newsletter to us which is full of valuable and interesting information and I thought it might be nice to share some of it with you! I've been a bit naughty and copied and pasted most of this straight from Janette's newsletter, but she's very nice and she wont mind!!!!!

There is an interesting radio programme on BBC Radio 4 - "A History of Private Life" written and presented by Prof Amanda Vickery. It started last week and is on Mondays to Fridays at 3.45pm, with an omnibus repeat edition on Fridays at 9pm for six weeks. If you've missed it you should be able to "Listen Again" through the BBC website, (www.bbc.co.uk/radio4). It is all about the lives of ordinary people from Tudor times and there is a textile link to this - this Thursday the programme is all about sewing and needlework.
In case October is still not exciting enough for you, I have information on another new venture that may be of interest - Sky is launching a 10 part series called "Talking Threads" due to start mid-October. It will be on Sky channel 171 but if you don't have Sky you can view on line at www.CountryChannel.tv or buy the whole series on DVD. Visit www.talkingthreads.co.uk for a sneak preview - it goes without saying that the more of us who watch it, the more Sky will know it is worth commissioning more episodes and perhaps other "textile TV".

Also while your at the Knitting and Stitching show this weekend dont forget to look out for some of ERTF members, they will be happy to see you so stop by and say hello! They will be dotted around on various stands, so keep your eyes open for familiar faces from EAST at stand TGH1 - they are exhibiting all new work based on the Essex Warner Textile Archive in Braintree.

Another member Lynda Monk, has her co-authored book for sale "Stitching the Textured Surface" at will be on Maggie Grey's stand at the show.
You will find another of our members Cathy on the International Feltmakers Association stand RCE7 in the Panorama Room. Cathy's friend Lizzie Houghton is at TGA9 with her new book on sale too. Sounds like it's going to be a good show this year!

LET'S CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS

Herts members have organised this year's ERTF Christmas dinner (remember we were in Essex last year) on 4th December at Tetwin Bury Farm in Herts. We need to confirm numbers by 3rd November (although a few late comers can be accommodated) so please go the web site for details and to book. So come and eat and be merry! I look forward to see you there.

CHRISTMAS DINNER AT TEWINBURY FARM

Join members for an evening to celebrate Christmas at Tewinbury Farm

£28.00 to include 3 courses and a glass of wine

For more information go to the members website and look under committee organised events

Peninsula Crafts Exhibition

Peninsula people are holding their annual exhibition at Woolverstone [village] in Ipswich School for Girls. Wide variety of arts and crafts at excellent prices so very useful for high status Xmas presents!

For more information take a look at the web site, Suffolk - Current Exhibitions

Trip to Bury St Edmunds

The ERTF Cambridgeshire Area rep is organising a trip to Bury St Edmunds, all ERTF members are welcome to join them, for more information go to the website- Cambridge- Events and Workshops

Owen Jones at The V and A

A group of 6 ERTF members made a visit today to the V&A, I'm sure that they will all agree that Caroline arranged a very well organised day. We met at 11 then spent an hour and a half looking at the two rooms which contained some of his works, this gave us all a chance to get a feel of what was to come! After lunch we had two hours in a room of our own where we were presented with books and boxes of Owen Jones designs, there were also 4 designs that were sold at auction by the Warners Archive in the 1970's, the fabrics from these designs are still held by Warners. Photography was allowed, but sadly I cant put these images up as they are only for my own use. It was a very inspiring day, I came away with lots of ideas for future projects, I'm sure that the rest of the group did too! There will be more opportunities to study Owen Jones either at the V&A or at Warners Archive. Register your interest by going on the website all the details are under Committee Organised Miscellaneous events!

Jersey Showcase

Now the first ERTF exhibition is over it's time to think about what else we have in our programme for the future. 2010 promises to be a busy year with a trip to Jersey being a prime example of what we have to look forward to. I thought I'd bring it back to the top of the blog, just a reminder................



ERTF has put together in partnership with Art in the Frame a private programme to include events specially for ERTF members as a group in order to have time to network and enjoy each others company along with plenty of opportunities of getting to know other textile artists from the Channel Isles, France and the UK and some time off to do your own thing!
For more information go to the ERTF members site and see all the information about this exciting opportunity in the committee organised event section.
The spaces for this event are very limited so book early.

Outside Eastern Region

There is another interesting post on the website by Janet Whiteman it's in the Outside the Eastern region section of the members site, check it out especially if your a Coco Chanel or a Michelle Obama fan!

Dont Miss It!

I popped into The Shop today, another work has been sold, a lovely felt piece by Cathy Unwin. Tomorrow is the last chance to see this exhibition, so if your in the Cambridge area I would call, in if I were you. It would be such a shame to miss it!

Contacting Chairman

My personal email is sending messages back saying "returned automatically without being read" or words to that effect and some people think they have sent me an email as they haven't had a notice that it hasn't got to me. Since Friday I have not received any mail (as I normally get around 30 a day I know something is wrong but unfortunately Virgin do not know what!) so if you think you have sent me something since Sat 19th Sep on my personal email I haven't got it. You can contact me through the web site so please use this until futher notice, for those that have my hotmail address, this is still working. Many thanks, Lorraine

Special Mention

Well done Isabel, age 8, who spent time with Sue and made this wonderful leaf - your leaf and small prize is in the post!

Strange Creatures in Cambridge!

Special mention goes to Glen Gerrard for her wonderful insect (got this round the right way on this post!!)

Sue Blackburn spent a weekend at The Shop running leaf making workshops but it seems everyone's imagination run away with them.....

Leaf Competition in Cambride

These are the winning leaves in the Glamourous, Funky and Autumnal categories - well done Marian Murphy, Pat Brunsdon and Sue Blackburn - see web site Members Section, Membership Challenges for more information.

Secret Cemeteries

Why not join Jenny on this community textile project? for more information, check the members website, look at the Hertfordshire or London section under workshops.

Fee Earning Opportunity for Members

Speakers are required - see in members section of website under Opportunities for Members

The Lion in Cambridge!

This absolutely amazing piece of work by Sue Blackburn sold last week and Sue has received a commission for another piece. Well done Sue. This striking piece of art work is the most commented on in the visitors' book - he seems to draw a lot of people to him.............

Funky Leaf Making in Cambridge

ERTF members Pat and Suzanne spent the weekend teaching young and not so young lace main with thick threads - please see picture left of my first ever attempt - no comments please. When I arrived on Sunday this young girl was waiting outside and keen to start - I think she made she made a funky lace leaf in about an hour - mine took me all day but I did talk to a lot of visitors as well!

Last weekend ERTF Sue spent the weekend making Funky Foliage with visitors and obviously imaginations run wild - insects and wrapped conkers were added to the window display....

What a great way of keeping updated

I have just added a blog entry to the EAST website, and thought I should also add something here. And I just wanted to say - what a great way of keeping in touch with what is going on in Cambridge. I couldn't get to the lunch or the opening day but seeing the photos and videos and hearing what is going on is really such an excellent way of keeping up to date with it all.

Well done to the bloggers who are keeping the rest of us informed.

ART STUDENTS AT CAMBRIDGE EXHIBITION

I spent another interesting day stewarding on Wednesday. Since opening the exhibition has been very well attended, slow days are about 30, over the weekend just under 200 came through and on Wednesday we had 60!!! S0me of the number was due to Cambridge Regional College sending its art foundation students to sketch at the exhibition - fantastic - it was great to see young students sitting around sketching and asking questions - they spent a good couple of hours with us and there was definately a few budding textile artists amongst them.

Great that the exhibition was noticed by the college and even better that the students came - I am bursting with pride at our achievements..................