Saturday 12 December 2015

Well now it is December....

Well it is now December....where did the year go?
2015 has whizzed by, but then we have been very busy; 
We had our first meeting in February, followed by the "Nuno Felt Bead Meditation Workshop" with Nancy Ballesteros. In April we had a fashion parade and market stall at the Balingup Fair and the following day a market stall at the Stirling Street Arts Centre's Autumn Fair. May saw Sue Smorthwaite and Kerry Gelmi (who won the overall show prize) in the finals of the STRETCH Common Threads Wearable Art Competition in Mandurah, followed by a 3 day "Mosaic Bag Workshop" with Pam De Groot. In June, Lorraine McArthur won a prize for her felt Beanie at the Alice Springs Beanie festival. The new committee was voted in at the June AGM and in July we had our annual exhibition at Caf Fez in Bunbury. September saw us exhibiting STRETCH garments, dyed silk banners and other felt pieces at the Stirling Street Arts Centre's Fire, Fibre and Fine Art Exhibition and Camp in Augusta was another successful event. In November we had a 3 day "Shadow Felting" workshop with Fiona Duthie. This month we have had the Stirling Street Arts Centre Christmas Fair and our Christmas lunch party, kindly hosted by Denise Read. We are now finished for the year, but are busy working behind the scenes on next years exciting calendar of events.

I would like to thank all last years committee members, Kerry Gelmi (Vice Chair), Kim Pearce (Treasurer), Penny Elliott (Secretary), Jane Fied (Buyer), Colleen Castledine (Librarian), Kayleen O'Laughlin and Margaret Murphy for all their hard work and for supporting me as the Group Leader and welcome the new committee members; Colleen Castledine (Group Leader), Penny Elliott (Secretary), Kayleen O'Laughlin (Treasurer) Jane Field (Buyer), Ren Devery (Librarian), Sue Smorthwaite (Media), Margaret Murphy and Maureen Foss.

All that remains is to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year where ever you are and we look forward to sharing next year with you all.

Sue Smorthwaite

Friday 11 December 2015

Christmas Party 27th November

Denise kindly opened up her house for our Christmas lunch, and in usual BFG fashion everyone chipped in and produced an amazing array of dishes for lunch.
This years gift exchange was tape measures.

Our host Denise

Colleen and Kayleen

Kim and Lorraine

Margaret and Maureen

Kerry and Penny

Ren and Sue#1

Sue#2 and Carole

 Any idea what a group of tape measures are called? 




Our finished Shadow Felt garments


Modelling our finished garments that we made with Fiona Duthie earlier this month in Augusta.


Carole

Colleen

Jean

Kerry

Kim

Penny

Ren

Sue#2




Shadow Felting Workshop with Fiona Duthie. 13th - 15th November.

We chose the hottest weekend so far this year to host the well known felt artist Fiona Duthie for a three day Shadow felting workshop in Augusta.
Fiona was a fantastic tutor, very generous with her knowledge and time and a lovely person to be around. We all worked very hard for the three days and produced some fabulous garments.


Busy laying out the base wool and Sue S. adding her silk pieces

All hard at work

Ren and Penny

We certainly didn't go hungry.....

Maureen and Jane

Kerry and Kim

Jean working on her poncho

Colleen and Carole

Brenda

Fiona showing Sue#2 where to do a little more shrinking

Fiona keeping a watchful eye on our progress



Our Instructor insisted we had a break......(It was about 30+ oC that day!)
some went for a swim, others just dipped their toes in the sea.

L - R; Carole, Ren, Jane, Sue S, Sue#2 Fiona, Kim,Penny, Jean, Brenda and Kerry.
Maureen and Colleen in the front.

Photos of the finished garments will be posted soon.