Textile Graffiti for International Women's day 2012

Wowee...

The afternoon of March 7th our planned action day was incredibly blustery, and i personally got blown off a pavement and soaked! I was anxious that the event would be a wash out, but karma was on our side, and the evening dried up and was mild enough that we could get cracking with our Textile Graffiti.

Every year since the Stoke Newington WI was formed, there has been some kind of action around Albion parade to celebrate International women's day. It began with giant knitting and the "Yarn-bombing" of one of the trees in Albion Parade. Last year's Pom Pom's even made it into the guardian, having been spotted by the journalist Suzanne Moore as she passed by on a bus!

This year had a more "fabric" themed action, so we renamed it "Textile Graffiti" Our February meeting was spent making over 35 fabric and upcycled plastic rings. And we also made 20 Suffragette Rosettes.

On March 7th, armed with a couple of ladders, and lots of enthusiasm, we strung up one of the trees on albion parade with our suffragette coloured rings.

Not only was there tree decorating, but we marked the occasion with some Suffragette songs too!

Thanks to all the lovely ladies that came along on the night, and thanks also to the ladies at february's meeting for put together all the fabulous wreaths and rosettes.

We were lucky enough to have 2 ladies visit from other North London WI groups. Amy from N1WI who kindly took all of these lovely pics, and Yvette from the very new Stroud Green WI group

Here's the Textile Graffiti Gang!

The liberty book of home Sewing- a review

The Liberty book of home sewing is a visual treat from the front cover to the back page.

Peppered throughout the book are pages of the iconic Liberty print cottons, which in themselves are a visual treat for fans of the delicious fabric

This book is aimed not just at new stitchers, but at the more advanced stitcher too. There is a project in this book for everyone, wether it's their simple but elegant cushion cover, the eco shopper bag or the gorgeous quilt.

 

The instructions for each project are very well drawn, beautiful clear diagrams. There is comprehensive text description alongside the diagrams too, making it nice and clear how to make up the projects.

At the beginning of the book is a nice section on  how to get started, again illustrated with gorgeous diagrams, and there's a useful kit list too. Most of the techniques you'll need to get a professional finish are covered well in this section. a good example is notching and clipping seams before turning through, and I think they've done a great job in this section.

Apart from being a great sewing handbook, this really is an aspirational book. The images of things you could make are just so beautifully shot. There are so many fabulous photos here that I can't see how anyone won't be inspired to get their sewing machine out and have a go! I'm a big fan of the corsage, and this is my favourite image from the book.

My only niggle about this book, would be that as with most  new sewing books, there aren't full sized patterns included. The book supplies diagrams, which you are required to scale up to a full sized pattern. I'm an impatient stitcher, and scaling up patterns is to me a bit like maths- Torture!  I believe the reason for this is that to print and publish books with full sized paper patterns is very expensive, and would make the book ridiculously costly.

I was given a copy of this book to review, however the opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Claire-Louise Hardie- Secretary SNWI

March is international Women's month- Here's how we can get involved

It's March, and it's international women's month. What does that mean for us 21st century women? We've got the vote, most of us are free to pursue the careers we choose, and marry whom we like. 

I recently met with Victoria, a representative from the charity Women for Refugee Women. It's a very small charity based out of Tindlemanor which is a fabulous and unique "women only" building that houses many female organisations. I was struck by how little I knew about the life of refugee women in the UK. I had always assumed that our welfare state would take care of them. After chatting with Victoria I was filled with how my life couldn't stay the same if I was "transplanted" from the UK to another county with no finances, no local language skills, and no access to family or support. All the things I take for granted as an educated middle class woman, would be meaningless. Without speaking the local language, I could no longer work in the industry in which I have extensive education and training. Essentially I'd become a different version of the woman I am here in London.

Here's a little about the charity, and how we as local WI members can help out

Women for Refugee Women challenges the injustices experienced by women who seek asylum in the UK. They work to empower women who have sought sanctuary here to speak out about their own experiences to the media, to policy-makers and at public events. They are particularly concerned about women fleeing gender-related persecution, such as rape, forced marriage, honour crimes, threats of female genital mutilation, and trafficking for forced prostitution. Many women who have fled such experiences are turned down for asylum on arriving here. If women are refused asylum they face destitution and detention in the UK, and deportation back to places where they feel they would be in danger.  They aim to give a voice to women who are all too often unheard and unseen.

Women for Refugee Women support the group Women Asylum Seekers Together (WAST) London. The WAST London meetings provide a safe welcoming space where these women can share their experiences, and find strength and solidarity in one another. Weekly English classes, advice sessions and lunch are provided to the group at Tindlemanor in Old Street. WAST London also meet on a Saturday each month.

They are currently looking for creative women who are happy to volunteer to share their arts and crafts experience with the group. If you are interested in meeting members of the inspiring WAST London over some sewing and knitting this spring just let us on the Stokey WI Committe know by  e mailing on stokenewingtonwi@gmail.com

Here's a couple of other things you can do during international Women's month-

3 March: Million Women rise march

8 March: On the Bridge march, Women for Women International

9-11 March: Women of the World Festival (WOW)

March meeting- A virtual tour of The WSPU exhibition of 1909

A virtual tour of the WSPU Exhibition of 1909

Nigel Shephard is an independent filmmaker and composer, based in Stoke Newington. He has been researching the Suffragettes for five years for a film Banners and Broad Arrows which is ready to go into production. He is started a campaign to raise funds for his film, and is hoping that every WI Member in the UK will donate £1 towards getting this british film on screen

Naomi Paxton is an actress and PhD student researching the Actresses Franchise League. 

Naomi and Nigel would like to take you on a virtual tour of the WSPU Exhibition at the Princes Skating Rink, Knightsbridge in 1909.

The exhibition was a showcase for the Suffrage cause and, using rare photographs and contemporary material they will give you a glimpse into the variety, colour, sights and sounds of this hugely popular and successful event. Featuring fortune tellers, brass bands, theatre performances, installations, some extraordinary models and the first ice-cream soda fountain in England - as well as stalls from societies across the United Kingdom-  the exhibition was a chance for Suffrage supporters to gather and celebrate as well as for curious visitors to explore and enjoy.

There will be a small fee of £3 for members to attend and £4 for visitors, remember to grab a drink from the bar on the way in.

Online Ticketing for March meeting- A virtual tour of the WSPU Exhibition of 1909 powered by Eventbrite

Fabulous February's Rings and Rosettes for International Women's day

Wowee.....

February's meeting was Monday 13th Feb at our regular meeting place upstairs at the Prince Pub. We had asked for ladies to bring old fabrics and carrier bags in the colours of the suffragette movement- Purple White and Green. The response was over whelming and joined by members of the Stroud WI and N1 WI we made over 25 wreath rings and 14 rosettes!

We started with a mount of bags, wire hangers and fabrics including old dyed sheets, unwearable clothes and scraps. We set upon the piles below with scissors and pliers and got to work.

So, as they say a picture tells a 1000 words...

The rings will be used for our annual International Women's day action in March. We'll be posting/e mailing about that event next week, so watch this space. 

This year's IWD event will now be called TEXTILE GRAFFITTI and we're hoping that the event will be a combined Mega-WI meeting with lots of other North London groups joining us

stokenewington@gmail.com

Fabulous February's "Yarn Bombing"

Fabulous February is  "Yarn bombing" creation month!

Since Stokey WI was formed, every year we have done some sort of a "Yarn Bombing" event to celebrate International Women's Day. This year we are planning a collaboration with other local london WI groups, and women's groups in our Area. We're still keeping what we'll make this year under wraps, but the theme is sustainability and the colours of the suffragette movement- Green, White and Purple.  Please start collecting carrier bags, in this colours, along with any other materials that we could use to make things to decorate Albion Parade.

These are a couple of pics from last year's event

     

   

International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, International Women's Day is a national holiday. 

The day honours the work of the Suffragettes, celebrates women's success, and reminds of some of the global inequities that still to be redressed. 

So let's all put our fingers to work on Feb 13th, and get creative for International women's day whilst sipping some lovely wine, and enjoying the company of our lovely group.

No charge for members to attend, just grab a drink from the bar on the way in.

Love your Libraries campaign Update

One of last year's national resolutions was a "Love your Libraries" campaign. It launched on Sept 16th, and here are a few reminders of how Stokey WI joined in

The campaign isn't over yet, so here's a few dates for the diary and more ideas for how to get involved:- 

National Libraries Day 4^th February 2011

All over the country plans are progressing for National Libraries Day on 4^th February. The day is a chance to celebrate our libraries, and to demonstrate how important they are to our communities. If you haven’t already organised an event, why not try one of these options?

• A ‘hug a library event’ - organise a human chain to form a ‘group hug’ around the library to demonstrate just how much it is valued
• A Love Libraries march to your public library or a rally – you might even want to dress as your favourite literary character
• Hold your WI meeting, or WI book group in your local library
• A library ‘read in’ event with local authors, or for children’s reading group

A website for the day has been launched where you can register your own event and find out what is going on around the country:

www.nationallibrariesday.org.uk

You can also find out more on Facebook here:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/National-Libraries-Day/323090687701341

Or follow on Twitter via @NatLibrariesDay

Join the Libraries Lobby Day on Tuesday 13^th March

The next stage of the Love Your Libraries campaign will be a lobby day in Parliament. Members are invited to come along on 13^th March to join a rally in support of libraries, and to meet with your local MP to explain why libraries are so important to you.

Full briefings will be provided, and there will be an opportunity to meet up with other WI members to share experiences. To find out more please contact Emma Lindsay in the Public Affairs Department on 020 7371 9300 (ext 213) or email e.lindsay@nfwi.org.uk.

Libraries Embroidery Project

“I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library” Jorge Luis Borges

WI members are invited to embroider their favourite literary quotation to illustrate the importance of libraries to our lives. The quotation can be taken from any work of literature or poetry, and any technique of hand or machine embroidery may be used.

The best submissions will be showcased at Denman College and the Autumn National Council meeting later in 2012.

Guidelines

To enter, you must embroider your favourite literary quotation onto material no larger than A3. Entries must be framed, but need not be glazed.

·   The quotation can be taken from any novel or poem.

·   The quotation should be embroidered on any type of fabric.

·   The entry should be no larger than A3 in size.

·   You may use any type of machine or hand embroidery.

·   Entries must be framed to enable hanging, but need not be glazed.

·   Entries must be clearly labelled with the competitor’s name, address, contact telephone number and WI.

·   Entries can either be posted or delivered by hand to the NFWI, 104 New King’s Road, London, SW6 4LY.

To enter the competition please e mail us for an entry form stokenewingtonwi@gmail.com

Prize

The winning entry will receive £50 of book tokens.

Timeline

Deadline for entry forms 1st March.

Deadline for completed entries: 31^st April 2012

Winners announced 14^th May 2012.

Best entries displayed at Denman College June-September 2012

Entries showcased at Autumn National Council meeting October 2012.

National federation resolutions-please vote asap

Vote now for the 2012 National Federation Resolutions

As members of a national organisation we get to vote every year on the resolutions the whole of the WI will focus on.
Please only vote if you haven't already posted the form in your last WI Life Magazine
You can only vote for one resolution, and the federation will choose the 2 most popular topics for this year

Voting closes soon...



Resolution Shortlist
 
1. Field study centres and outdoor education
At a time when understanding of the complexity of environmental issues is paramount, the WI opposes the closure of outdoor and field study centres, depriving future generations of schoolchildren of their recognised academic and social benefits.
 
2. Airborne litter
The NFWI urges Her Majesty's Government to legislate against the sale and release of sky (Chinese) lanterns and the mass release of balloons because of the damage that can be done to animals, crops and property.
 
3. Reducing fuel poverty
The NFWI urges Her Majesty's Government to address fuel poverty.
 
4. Employment of more midwives
There are chronic shortages of midwives. The NFWI calls on the Government to increase investment in the training, employment and retention of midwives in England and Wales to ensure services are adequately resourced and are able to deliver a high standard of care.
 
5. Achieving legal status for British Sign Language as an indigenous minority language in the UK The WI urges Her Majesty's Government to give British Sign Language (BSL) the same legal status and protection as other regional and minority languages (e.g. Welsh and Gaelic).
 
6. Helmets for cyclists
The NFWI urges Her Majesty's Government to make the wearing of helmets when cycling a legal requirement.
 


Vote now by clicking on the survey link in the e mail reminder you were sent last week,or filling out the form in the last WI Life Mag

Brilliant night of burlesque Life drawing at the Prince Pub

Any back to work blues us ladies may have felt, were swept away at January's Burlesque life drawing class. Over 30 ladies attended,  many of them new faces eager to get drawing and have some fun.

A big shout out to Gail, who teaches art at Stoke Newington School for leading the session. Another big thanks to the fabulous Mary, who generously collected and brought along all the loaned art materials from the school. They were heavy, and she kindly drove everything to the event. Finally a fabulous big thanks to our model for the night Honey Wilde aka Kirsty Gilmore who is a fabulous political burlesque performer, a life model and a sound engineer, and who brought a touch of glamour to the evening.

The evening started with some blind drawing techniques, and much laughter!
Kirsty was delicately laid across a table....

The second technique we learnt was using charcoal, and i regretted sitting between a professional costume designer, and a milliner, who both rendered some fabulous drawings.

Finally we worked with water soluble pens, and used washes of water to create shading and texture in our drawings. 

What amazing pics everyone did!

Kirsty our model regularly performs across london and the UK as a comic, political burlesque model. If you'd like to catch one of her shows you can check her schedule here http://www.honeywilde.co.uk/

We're super lucky that in Stoke Newington we have a couple of great places to take life drawing classes. So if you fancy having some fun drawing, or want to improve your skills in a super cool chilled bar with a cheeky cocktail, then check out the Baby Bath House candlelit class on Thursdays.

Beat The January blues with Burlesque Life drawing

January can be such a depressing month!

So to beat the blues, why not join us on Jan 9th for a night of fun and life drawing. You don't need to have done any drawing before, it's just a night of fun. There will be a small donation on the night of £3 for members and £5 for non members to cover the cost of materials,the model and art leader. Drinks can be purchased at the bar of the Prince pub

We have a truely fabulous Burlesque artist posing in costume for us,  Kirsty Gilmore. Here's a little about our talented model..

Kirsty Gillmore splits her life between two very different businesses which reflect a passion for creativity and the arts. Performing as Honey Wilde, "The Iron Lady of Burlesque" since 2008, she has won fans around the UK and across the Atlantic with her quirky comic burlesque performances, specialising in the revival and reinvention of unique characters. In 2010 she was named as one of the Top 100 Burlesque Performers worldwide and in 2011 she took her signature Margaret Thatcher act to the 9th Annual New York Burlesque Festival. See more of Honey at http://www.honeywilde.co.uk

Tom Mac Photography

Mat Ricardo Photography

As owner and operator of her second business, "Sounds Wilde", Kirsty works as a sound designer and sound engineer, providing creative sound services to creative people. In 2011 her projects included designing the sound for a show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, creating a soundtrack for a catwalk show for London Fashion Week and launching a portable voice reel service for actors and voice artists. There's more about Sounds Wilde at: http://soundswilde.com

We have a local art teacher who will be assisting us with our drawing skills, and she is kindly bringing along all the materials we'll need too!

So come along for an evening of creativity, fun and wine!

Jan 9th- 8 pm to 10 pm upstairs at the Prince pub on Kynaston Road

RSVP here so we know numbers

Members- please note that subs are now due, so bring along a cheque or cash of £31.50 on the night.