AGM followed by Making Printing Blocks - Fran Walker September Meeting 2023

 Members were in a cheery mood as they arrived after their Summer break, ready to sort out our coming year and then settle down to some making and sewing.

The AGM, with the election of a new committee, took place in the morning, followed by the beginnings of an exciting new programme for the following year.

In the afternoon Fran, our new Chair, led the workshop on making printing blocks from funky foam. Other members had brought their own work to do.

Fran had made lots of interesting samples and used them to print with showing members what could be achieved. See below.

Funky Foam is a very useful sticky-back foam which can be drawn on, cut out and then stuck onto card to make a quick printing stamp for  embroidery.

Fran demonstrated how to trace a motif and then transfer to the foam cutting out the shape and attaching to card.

Members started by drawing or tracing a shape and then transferring it to the paper side of the foam.

Members then cut out the foam and stuck it to the card and the stamp was ready for printing.

Extra lines could be inscribed on the foam [to add texture] by drawing and pressing with a pencil or using a scalpel.

Some delightful stamps were produced and tried out on scraps of paper. They were then used on fabric producing patterns and pictures.

The patterns and pictures can be used as backgrounds or embroidered into as a central motif. The options are endless!

A big thank you to Fran for setting up and leading the workshop which members thoroughly enjoyed.

Members who brought their own work to do took the opportunity to embroider sharing what they were doing with like-minded friends.

It was a busy and productive day and our Best Wishes for another successful year go to the new Chair, Fran Walker and the new committee.