CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY CHAPTER
NEWS
January 2007

WEBSITE ADDRESS: WWW.CRVC-EGA.ORG

Just a reminder...Let Lisa Green know at klg7641@comcast.net if you have a new email account.
 

Saturday, February 3rd (Snow date: Feb. 10th)

Our meeting this month will be a wonderful day with needlework judge Karen Duggan.  Her talk will be about how to improve our work.  From selecting ground material, threads, colors and stitches to framing, what are the right and wrong decisions we are making that will positively or negatively affect a judge's score.  She will bring a few pieces for demonstration and would like members to bring pieces for mock judging.  It is best if the pieces are NOT ones that are dear to your heart so that no feelings will be hurt if errors are found or negative comments presented.  Karen is very enthusiastic and encouraging, so this day should give us lots of ideas to produce better work.

The meeting will be in the Duncaster conference room.  On the registration coupon, please check if you wish to order a lunch ($10).  This will be a generous half sandwich, a cookie and a drink.  It is wonderful food, but the cost is higher than we charged for the October meeting.  You are welcome to bring your own lunch if you prefer.  As always, you are more than welcome to attend if you only wish to join us and stitch on your own project.

What to bring:  1. Show and tell -- something of interest to you, or a project you are working on

                            2. A piece you are willing to have judged, if possible.

Please fill in the registration form and send your check to Linda Berry by Tuesday, January 30th.

Schedule for the Day: 10 am to 3 pm

        10 AM to 12 noon            Morning program

        12 noon to 12:45 PM        Lunch, show and tell, and a short meeting

        12:45 PM to 3 PM             Afternoon program

Here are directions to Duncaster:  (Official address is 40 Loeffler Road, Bloomfield, CT, but we would like you to enter the building on the Mountain Avenue side)

84 Westbound from Manchester: 
Take Rt. 291, exit 61.  Follow Rt. 291 to Rt. 218 exit.  Take left onto Rt. 218.  Follow for about 3 miles.  Take right onto Rt. 189 and follow to the center of Bloomfield.  Take a left on Rt. 178.  Continue straight on Rt. 178 for 1.4 miles.  To use the new front entrance, turn right onto Mountain Avenue and continue approx. ½ mile to entrance on the left into Duncaster.  From the Loeffler Road entrance or the Mountain Avenue entrance, once on the campus, visitors should follow the signs to the Aquatics & Fitness Center Entrance

84 Eastbound from Farmington:
Take exit 41.  Go left on South Main St. [which becomes North Main St. at West Hartford Center] for 4.6 miles to Rt. 185.  Turn left on Rt. 185 for 1.8 miles.  Turn right on Rt. 178.  To use the new front entrance, after about ½ mile turn left onto Mountain Avenue and continue approx. ½ mile to entrance on the left into Duncaster.  From the Loeffler Road entrance or the Mountain Avenue entrance, once on the campus, visitors should follow the signs to the Aquatics & Fitness Center Entrance

91 [North or South]:
Take exit 36.  Go west on Rt. 178 for 4.5 miles to the center of Bloomfield.  At the traffic light continue straight on Rt. 178 for 1.4 miles.  To use new front entrance, turn right onto Mountain Avenue and continue approx. ½ mile to entrance on the left into Duncaster.  From the Loeffler Road entrance or the Mountain Avenue entrance, once on the campus, visitors should follow the signs to the Aquatics & Fitness Center Entrance.

 

Saturday, April 14th

This meeting will be a wonderful opportunity to work on a beautiful small piece of crewel embroidery.  Our extraordinary friend and teacher, Gerry Barbeau, will be coming to teach her piece entitled "Purple -- Is Fashionable Twice".  See the description and picture below:

PURPLE -- IS FASHIONABLE TWICE

Purple -- is fashionable twice --

This season of the year,

And when a soul perceives itself

To be an Emperor.

                                  Emily Dickinson

Length of Class:  One day

Proficiency Level:  Beginner/Intermediate

Class Description:  This delightful Keepsake Box will be decorated with a simple thistle design stitched in crewel threads on linen twill.  The royal purple and soft green palette is perfect for this interpretation.  Nine traditional crewel stitches will be taught, as well as how to make a twisted cord.  The fiberboard box will be painted in class by the student and directions for making a twisted cord and mounting the stitched piece will be included.

"Purple -- Is Fashionable Twice" by Gerry Barbeau

You may register for this class now by sending in the registration coupon at the end of this newsletter or signing up at the February meeting.  Gerry will need to know how many will be taking this class, so please let us know as soon as you can.  The class will be presented at Duncaster, and all you will need to bring is the usual stitching supplies plus a hoop.  The cost of the class is $25 with the box or $20 without.
 

Saturday, June 2nd

Catherine Jordan will be coming to our chapter from Virginia to teach a one-day workshop.  Her expertise in the use of hand-dyed threads is well known on the national level, so take advantage of this opportunity to learn from her.  The class description follows:

Exploring Color!

Come to this exciting and fun-filled class as we explore basic color principles to help you make more effective color choices. This class will cover tips for using over dyed threads to control color, so you can more confidently select and use color. Students will select two thread (2) palettes of beautiful, colorfast over dyed cotton floss from Catherine's extensive collection to work with. We will cover how to decide where to cut in the color changes, color repeats, the right end of the thread, maximizing blending and color separation through the use of stitches selected, and techniques such as sequencing, pooling, striping, and random effects. Learn what to look for when selecting over dyed threads in terms of monochromatic, analogous, and polychromatic skeins as well as how value influences your work.

Students will have a choice of designs from basic spot motifs (as shown in photo) or may creatively work a free form design. Counted, pulled and surface embroidery stitches will embellish the design as many of the motifs are worked over 1 thread. If you wish to finish this piece and mount it in a box, you may bring a box that you have and design your piece to fit it, or the boxes similar to those shown in the photo may be ordered in class. Class time will cover many needlework finishing options available using commercially available boxes. When you register for this class, please specify if you wish to work on 28, 30 or 32 count linen. Your color choices are white/antique white or tea-dyed fabric.

If you want to refine and perfect your shading as well as take control of color with over dyed threads, this is the class for you!

"Exploring Color!" with Catherine Jordan

Come to this exciting and fun-filled class as we explore basic color principles to help you make more effective color choices.  A registration coupon is at the end of this newsletter, but you may also register at the chapter meeting.  The cost of the class is $34 -- how can you beat that?!  The chapter is paying for the transportation and housing of the teacher, so you reap the benefits.
 

Saturday and Sunday, October 13th & 14th

Another wonderful opportunity!  We have been able to hire Margaret Vant Erve to come here for a two-day class.  She is an exciting teacher that Julia met at the National Seminar in Richmond.  Her background as an artist makes her approach to stitching more interesting because of her perspective.  Below is a picture of the class piece that will be offered and a description of the class:

Spring Garden by Margaret Vant Erve

2 day workshop - basic surface embroidery knowledge required

Project size - 8" x 6"

The spring garden is probably the most delightful vision for the Canadian gardener.  After a long winter it is wonderful to witness the profusion of colour that emerges from the ground.  This embroidered garden features some standard favourites; Siberian irises, tulips and daffodils nestle in front of bleeding hearts while scattered in the foreground are dandelions and forget-me-nots.  This class will teach the student how to use combinations of simple surface embroidery stitches to create each of the flowers in this dense garden.  DMC flosses are used on Habotai silk.

"Spring Garden" by Margaret Vant Erve

Registration is open now.  We are making all of our classes available to EGA members in other chapters so it is important to register early if you want to make sure you have a place in the class.  The cost of this class is $35.

FUTURE MEETING DATE
          Saturday, December 1, 2007    

FUTURE BOARD MEETINGS (All members are welcome)
          Tuesday, March 13th         Tuesday, May 8th


Stitching Getaways:  The following is the schedule for the West Side Day group.  They will meet in the months that we do not have a chapter meeting, and a focus for each meeting is listed below:

        March 13    Show and tell

        May 8         Show and tell

The West Side Day group will be meeting from 10 AM to 1:30 PM at Suzanne Newton's house in West Simsbury.  Bring along your lunch and a project you are working on and/or any project you would like to share.  Please email or phone Suzanne at sfnjsn@sbcglobal.net or 860-658-2037 if you plan to attend.

Pequot Colony - The New London Library has been undergoing major renovation that started in October of 2005.  Rather than trying to find another room where they can meet, they have decided to have their stitch-ins at various members' homes.  The schedule for January, February and March is as follows:

        January - Doris Boas'

        February - JoAnne Kolboski's

        March - Barbara Crum

Barb Crum's house will be back up for any month that the hostess named isn't available.  Doris will be a backup for Barb, especially in the winter.

If more information is needed, call Doris Boas at 860-572-8441, or email at ndboas@sbcglobal.net


SAVE THE DATES:  April 20, 21 and 22, 2007

Needles by the Lake

Registration closes on February 15th, so send your registration in as soon as possible. 

We encourage all of you to attend.  Rooms have been set aside for us, so don't worry about finding a roommate.  Julia and Lisa will make arrangements for someone to share a room with you, and we are happy to drive anyone who would like to carpool.  Just let us know if you want us to set up your room and/or give you a ride as soon as you can.

Look the offerings over carefully and register right away.


CRVC Program Registration Form -- February 3rd Meeting

Mail completed form to: Linda Berry, 203 Tunxis Rd., West Hartford, CT 06107-3201.  Make check payable to CRVC-EGAThe deadline for signing up for this meeting is January 30th.

______I have enclosed $10 to pay for my lunch.

Name:     ___________________________________________________
 
Phone:    __________________________  Email:______________________________________
 

CRVC Program Registration Form -- April 14th Meeting

Mail completed form to: Linda Berry, 203 Tunxis Rd., West Hartford, CT 06107-3201.  Make check payable to CRVC-EGAThe deadline for signing up for this class is March 17th.

                "Purple -- Is Fashionable Twice" with Gerry Barbeau

______Kit fee of $25 with the box or $20 without.

______I have enclosed $10 to pay for my lunch.

Name:     ___________________________________________________
 
Phone:    __________________________  Email:______________________________________
 

CRVC Program Registration Form -- June 2nd Meeting

Mail completed form to: Linda Berry, 203 Tunxis Rd., West Hartford, CT 06107-3201.  Make check payable to CRVC-EGA.  The deadline for signing up for this class is May 5th.

                "Exploring Color" with Catherine Jordan

______Kit fee of $34

______I have enclosed $10 to pay for my lunch.

Name:     ___________________________________________________
 
Phone:    __________________________  Email:______________________________________
 

CRVC Program Registration Form -- October 13 & 14th Meeting

Mail completed form to: Linda Berry, 203 Tunxis Rd., West Hartford, CT 06107-3201.  Make check payable to CRVC-EGAThe deadline for signing up for this class is September 15th.

                "Spring Garden" with Margaret Vant Erve

______Kit fee of $35

______I have enclosed $10 to pay for my lunch.

Name:     ___________________________________________________
 
Phone:    __________________________  Email:______________________________________
 

CRVC-EGA Membership

$47. Primary Membership
$15. Plural Membership (NER)
$18. Plural Membership (not NER)

For a membership card, please enclose a SASE.

Amt. Pd. ____________

Check #  ____________

Date Pd. ____________

CRVC-EGA Membership and Address Change Form

Mail your completed form to: Suzanne Newton, CRVC-EGA Membership, 14 Madison Lane, West Simsbury, CT 06092.  Make check payable to CRVC-EGA.  Enclose SASE for membership card.

          __ Address Change
          __ CRVC Primary Membership ($47)
          __ Plural Membership, Primary Chapter in New England Region ($15)
          __ Plural Membership, Primary Chapter not in New England Region ($18)

Name:            ____________________________________________________

Address:        ____________________________________________________

City, ST,ZIP  ____________________________________________________

Phone:           _______________________ Email:________________________

Primary Chapter:   ________________________________________________

Membership No.  _______________________   Total Enclosed $___________