Stitchers in Residence

Last week The Wednesday Group de-camped to the summer house at Blue Ginger near Malvern for 5 days of laughter, stitch and, of course...cake! Here are some photos of all our jolly japes on the Thursday - our designated 'Group Challenge Day'.

Here's the summer house, complete with bunting inside and a very pretty tree by its doors.

After last year's Group exhibition we thought it would be fun to have a banner with our name on it, so over the last few months we've each been busily creating letters. This was the first time they'd all been put together and we were rather thrilled with the result!

There's a great deal of concentration during the letter hanging stage...

 ...before a few last minute tweaks!

Wednesday Groupers provide letter hanging support from the sidelines! (I've just had a thought...should everyone who came to see us at Blue Ginger be called 'Wednesday Groupies'?!)

All set up and ready to go...

Creations from the Applewood workshop of the fabulous Murgatroyd and Bean (aka The Wednesday Group's very own Kathleen!)

On the shelf are the results of last year's Group Challenge at Blue Ginger...the Consequential Critters. Underneath is Lindsay's rather excellent stitched creation, all about a group of her friends.

More from Murgatroyd and Bean.

Here's the hub of our Group Challenge Day...it wasn't too bad until the rain started!

 This year's Group Challenge was to make birds from all sorts of fabric scraps and bits and bobs...

 ...but before we started, we all thought it was a good idea to skip off for slice of cake. Lindsay was particularly excited at the prospect!

Cake eaten, it was time to get down to work. Once templates were chosen, we were off!

 Kathleen definitely wins the prize for the most impressive bundle of threads (which she calls 'The Beast'!)

With the wet weather came the slight hazard of 'chair sinkage'. Unfortunately, Lindsay was affected the most by this...

 ...and by the end of the day she was on a most haphazard angle!

Lois hard at work on her first feathery creation.

 It's heads down for Ann and Judi as they work away...

 ...and also for Lois, Alison and Lindsay.

 The seriousness couldn't last for long and it was soon giggles and tomfoolery all round!

Here's my little feathered creation, which I just managed to finish before the downpour that saw us all heading inside for a warming cuppa!