Last meeting of 2013........

Before reporting on this week's meeting I must thank Yvonne, Carol and Ann for keeping the blog going while I visited family back in the UK.  It was very much appreciated by me and those who like to see what our Group gets up to every Tuesday.

Jan has apparently held a secret dream of having an "English afternoon tea party" with the Group and this dream was realised at our last Group meeting of 2013 this week.

Jan rallied members to make sandwiches, quiches, flans and pastry delights, cakes and cheesecakes, suggesting  that members bring their own china tea cups and saucers and plates to help get in the spirit of the occasion.  One or two brought lovely cake stands and serving plates and several china teapots, and Pam and Ann provided a few flower table decorations too.  There were several varieties of teas available to complement the food, and part way through the event our Spanish member Maria joined us and brought along half a dozen bottles of Rioja! Maria has been unable to attend meetings for several months due to ill health, but it's good to hear she is on the road to recovery, although she can't join us yet as she is working again in the village.
Tricia made her signature iced and marzipaned fruit cake, this now seems to have become a yearly tradition. Thanks Tricia it was delicious with that addition of special brandy!  In fact all the food was lovely, and amazingly there was very little left at the end of the day, there seemed such a lot as the table was being prepared and at one stage Jan suggested we may need to put  a notice outside offering some to anyone passing by!  We did invite our friendly bread-man, who brings our lunch every Tuesday to come in and have a look and taste, which he happily did.

Twenty five regular members gathered for this last meeting of the year and despite the festive atmosphere, many still managed to do some stitching and knitting during the morning.

While Rozanne continues to hand quilt, Margaret and Gladys are knitting

The topsy-turvy Cinderella doll above and below has been made by Margaret

Lots going on at the table behind Margaret and Gladys

This trio of Santas, made by Gwen have now got their stuffing and will look great in her Xmas table display

Helen setting up her work area.  

Helen showed me the work she has been doing for the group, designing and drawing the butterfly blocks for the next charity quilt project which we will be starting work on in the New Year.  It´s our hope that any members who would like to, can take part in the project even if they are not usually patchworkers.  The designs will be fused to background blocks using the raw-edge technique, a stage which non stitchers can work on, then machine work to applique them can be done by others.  Those members who enjoy embroidery can do their bit by embellishing the blocks with embroidery and beadwork before they are joined together and finally quilted.

Louise and Sheila enjoying a chat

Jill, Helen and Ann doing hand stitching close to the heater to keep warm!

Jacqueline, Maureen and Sandy enjoying a cuppa and chat

Jan thanking everyone for their part in making such a lovely spread possible

Jenny and Yvonne..... and this was before the wine arrived!!

I´d like to end this last blog of the year by taking a moment to remember some of our friends and families no longer with us. To all our readers near and far, I send  you all Seasons Greetings and good wishes for a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year 2014.  Thank you for supporting us by reading our blog, we will be back in the New Year, after a break of three weeks or so. 

                                                                                               Rachel