this weekend

If it stops raining - and I think it will - you might want to go along to one of the free events at the Greenwich and Docklands Festival that starts this weekend.  More information here.

Whatever you're up to, have fun.

don't forget...

Calendula

Just to remind you that our next evening meeting will be on 21st June at St Margaret’s House, Old Ford Road , E2, 7.30 for 8pm start.  We’ll be treating to ourselves to a bit of crafty goodness with Sarah from Violet Iris who will show us how to make lip balm.  All you have to do is to bring a small pot/ jar to take home your finished product.  So come along, bring a friend (£3 suggested donation for non- members), share a cake, whatever.  We’re looking forward to celebrating the solstice with you!

We’re trying out a new establishment for this month's coffee morning on 24th June. The Larder in Globe Road , E2 (just around the corner from St Margaret’s House, and opposite Prick Your Finger Haberdashery)  is a new cafe-cum- deli.  You can see a review here.  We’ll be meeting there at 10.30am.  Would be lovely to see you there.

eyes down

We had a great time trying out our hand again with some more life drawing last week, this time with charcoal and collage.  But poor Estelle... she got a bit chilly posing for us even though we were concentrating really hard to get our collages done quickly.  Our collective thanks go to the ever patient Kate Hardy for her guidance and encouragement, and to Estelle for sitting for us with such fortitude (we'll make sure it's warmer next time).

Thanks too to everyone who baked and bought cakes for the Cake Break from MS.  There was an opportunity for second helpings at our Friday coffee morning at the Create Place, just a few doors along from our evening home at St Margaret's House.  What a lovely morning.  A warm welcome, a cosy atmosphere, lots of chat and laughter between cups of tea and some truly delicious cakes.  (Jackie - I need that recipe for the delicious orange and almond cake, please!).

We also had a chance to see what the Create Place has to offer - lots of handmade goodness for sale, and a sewing class in progress upstairs with Amanda.

If you fancy it, you too can drop in on Friday mornings to the Create Place Sewing Cafe (machines for hire at £7 per hour).  Other courses are listed on the website.

More news soon on what we have lined up for you at our next meeting on 21st June.

Happy holiday weekend!

the women's library needs you!

The Women's Library in Aldgate, home to the archive of the NFWI, is looking for a small band of volunteers adept with a needle for a one-day project.  On Tuesday 21st June they will be labelling (sewn labels), packaging and hanging (on padded hangers which we will make) the costumes used in a 1969 WI production called 'The Brilliant and The Dark', performed at the Royal Albert Hall. This promises to be a sociable, fun day.   

The library also needs someone in the next two or three weeks to write descriptions of the costumes. The volunteer needs to be able to work with good attention to detai - measuring, describing and typing up. There are 20-25 items in total, so it's not a huge task but it will require a day or two. 

If you are interested and can help, please contact Colleen or leave a comment on this post.

Edited to add - yet again :   The Women's Library have confirmed that the date should be 7th June from 10am - 4pm,  If you plan to come, or can no longer make it, please let Colleen know by leaving a message.  Cheers!

maytime: a bit of life, craft and cake

Hope you all had a lovely Easter and are ready for our next adventure.  This month the multi-talented artist Kate Hardy will be joining us on 17th May to lead another of her brilliant life drawing classes.  Kate has visited us a couple of times before and we normally find that we have a full house, so do try to come along early.  We will also be mandating our delegate - this year someone from N1 WI - to put forward our votes on motions to the NFWI AGM.  We'll be at the usual place, usual time - 7.30 for 8pm start at St Margaret's House, Old Ford Road, E2.  All materials will be supplied.  Free for members, suggested donation of £3 for non-members.  We'll also be raising money for Cake Break for MS, so if you are a baker, novice or otherwise, do please bring along some home-made cakes for us to sell, and some spare change to but something!

We hope to raise more for the charity at our coffee morning at 10.30am on 20th May.  This time we'll be visiting the wonderful Create Place (just a few doors down from St Margaret's House) where we'll be able to buy tea and coffee, look at the merchandise and see what they goes on in this craft-y venture.  So more cakes for sale would be welcome there too!

Just to get your appetite whetted, here's a wee sample here of what our faithful bakers made when they generously turned up to support the Mile End Cemetery event last Sunday.  Well done all, especially Clare who co-ordinated our team - and, according to my John, made the very best fruit cake.

And if you didn't make it to our last meeting, just a little taster of what you missed...

Our thanks go to Theresa from Kitchen Buddy for demonstrating how to make delicious raw food salads and for sharing her healthy chocolate - and to Veronika for setting up the event and being such a diligent sous chef.  Look out Masterchef...

Fast Fashion Swish Event

If you enjoyed the EEWI swish in January, you might be interested in the NFWI’s Swish on 21st May to launch the next stage of NFWI's Fast Fashion campaign which aims to raise awareness of unfair wages and working conditions for garment workers and the environmental impact of clothing.  

The Swishing event is in London at St Bride's Foundation, Fleet Street, EC4Y 8EQ and costs £5 entry. (Drop items off at 1.30, swishing starts at 2.30).  You'll be able to spend a Saturday afternoon swapping clothes, shoes and accessories with WI members and friends from across London, while enjoying tea and cupcakes and finding out more about the Fast Fashion campaign.  Sewing tutors from Traid will be on hand to help you adapt and alter your swish finds, as well as stalls to browse and a film screening.

You need to take along up to five items to swish – these can include clothing, accessories and shoes. You will then be issued with a voucher for each item that can then be exchanged for your swish finds.

Places are available on a first come first served basis, but early registration by emailing e.lindsay(at)nfwi.org.uk is essential.

april treats

Erm, I'm not quite sure this particular cake counts as a Healthy Easter Treat -in fact I'm pretty sure it doesn't - but will be able to have my suspicions confirmed on Tuesday 19th April when teacher and chef Theresa Webb, founder of Kitchen Buddy, will be visiting us to tell us - and let us taste - more.   We'll be at our usual venue, St Margaret's House, 7.30 for 8pm.  Visitors welcome ( £3 suggested donation).  Do feel free to bring along some refreshments to share.

We don't have a coffee morning this month because of the Easter break, but we do have a stall at the St George's Day event at the Museum of Childhood on 23rd April from 11.30 - 4pm.   We had a lovely time last year; this time round we won't be selling cakes, but we are planning to have some of our own merchandise as well as good things made by our members.  And there will be a fun bunting workshop
too led by our own Jo Cass. (Donations of bunting accessories or fabric most welcome).

Enjoy the spring sunshine till then.