We made an excellent start on our banner on Thursday (5 June) – although, probably as a result of too much chatting and not enough sewing, most of us ended up taking our squares home to complete. (One of our members, Ruth Dewynter, brought along a sewing box that had once belonged to her mother, containing among other things some fascinating old embroidery and crochet books – see picture below.)

We hope that any members who couldn’t make it to Thursday’s meeting will still want to design and add their square. (Actually, the squares aren’t squares at all – they’re 5″ x 6″.) Please allow for a hem too. They can be knitted, embroidered, machine- or hand-stitched or even a drawing on fabric. You can stitch on ribbons, buttons or trimmings, or make a picture or an abstract piece of art. It’s up to you. Please also add your name or initials. Amanda and Victoria will be organising some finish-the-banner workshops soon – details to follow. (Any questions, just email us at debeauvoirwi@hotmail.com)

Once the banner has been completed, we’ll use it for cake stalls, marches and so on.

Trips & events

Ruth Napolitano is taking bookings for ‘Upstairs at the Proms’ (1 September) and the Rosemary Branch Christmas panto (3 December). Email Ruth if you’re interested, more info on the DBWI Trips Out page.

Next meeting: Thursday 3 July

Local artist Annahita Hessami (www.cutglassstudio.co.uk), who designs and makes beautiful stained glass, will be talking to us about the history of this traditional craft, and will tell us how she mastered the art. She’ll also demonstrate some of the skills and techniques involved. She’s very passionate about her work, so this should make for an interesting and entertaining evening. As usual, of course, there will also be tea, cake, wine and good company. We hope to see you all there.

(And remember, we’re collecting for the Hackney Food Bank, which provides emergency supplies for people at times of crisis, so bring along a tin if you feel so inclined and add it to the pile.)