2009 
Special Guests
and
Feature Displays
include

Read on 
to learn a
 "little something" 
about these amazing people
and feature displays

Maggie is currently the editor of Workshop on the Web, an internet-based magazine and was previously editor The World of Embroidery magazine.  This will be her first visit to Perth where you can meet her at the Show on the Thread Studio Stand.

Maggie's is a prolific author of many fabulous textile books the very latest "Stitches Straps & Layers" only released at the beginning of July 2009.  Previous titles include "Textile Translations" and "Embellish and Stitch".  The abovementioned books offer free online classes to those who purchase the books.

An earlier publication for BT Batsford from "Image to Stitch" examines easy ways to transfer computer designs to fabrics.

Maggie's work features both hand and machine embroidery, including the use of computer controlled machines.  The embellishing machines is a great new addition to her work.  She works with mixed media techniques which include burning, moulding and melting.  New materials are of a great interest.  Her current obsessions include research on icons, mosaics and rain forests.  Maggie's sketchbooks are important to her and she scans drawings into the computer to work them up into designs.  She is particularly drawn to distressed surfaces and her first instinct on being presented with a new material is to don a respirator and set fire to it.

Helen Gray is a member of the Canberra based textile group tACTile whose members include Jenny Bowker, Dianne Firth, Beth Miller and Beth and Trevor Reid.  We are once again fortunate to one of the members of this very talented group in Perth for this year's show.  Helen is bringing with her another wonderful collection of quilts from the tACTile group known as the "Collections Exhibition" and looks forward to sharing these fabulous quilts with visitors to the show.

Helen Gray, who will be accompanying the exhibition, moved from Tasmania to Canberra in the 1970's  to pursue a career in health and fitness. Stitching was a constant alternative activity.  Her early family life was rich in textiles and a natural continuation has lead to today's interest and passion for making textile art.  The rich environments of city, coastal and inland Australia have all provided the stimulation for Helen's work. 

Just a tease of the stunning works from the "Collections Exhibition"

We are all collectors of something, look around and see how many collections surround you, it may be shoes, plants in the garden, books, buttons, rusty bottle tops, nails or a collection of interesting shapes, when two or more like objects are grouped together a collection begins

In keeping with previous exhibitions the group has also produced collaborative pieces.  Here a book was made by each artist using textile pages collected from each of the other artists.  The five books travel with the exhibitions and visitors are invited to turn the pages with the gloves provided.

Helen will be doing a daily walking tour of the Collections Exhibition which is not to be missed.  Learn all about the inspiration and techniques that have gone into these fabulous creations.

Margaret is a very accomplished teacher and skilful 'cross crafter' who is back with us again by popular demand.  Margaret's repertoire  includes knitting, crochet, pom poms, felting (including her own easy process of felting in the washing machine) along with a raft of other craft abilities.  Margaret is a generous teacher and happy to share with you her methods for creating all of her wonderful craft creations.

Bring along your creations from last year's show to share with Margaret ~ nothing gives her greater pleasure than to share the joy and see where her inspiration has led you.

Through the Eye
of a Needle
40th Anniversary Exhibition

The Embroiderers' Guild of WA

An exhibition celebrating the history of the Guild from its foundation to the present.

On July 15^th 1969 Mrs Rusty Walkley, a recent migrant from the UK, chaired a meeting of 30 to 40 women interested in forming a West Australian branch of the London-based Embroiderers’ Guild. As a result of that meeting the Embroiderers’ Guild of WA was formed to teach and promote the art of embroidery. The Guild’s 500 plus members are now celebrating its 40^th Anniversary with an exhibition of needleart from 1969 to the present. 

Each of the Guild’s 22 embroidery groups has created a group exhibit to honour this anniversary. These works incorporate hundreds of individual embroideries inspired by members’ memories, stories, love, laughter and tears. The exhibition features hand and machine embroidery and lace, representing a wide range of traditional and contemporary techniques.

As well as presenting four workshops daily throughout the show covering "Embroidery Around the World", "Fundamentals of Cross Stitches" "Stretching the Boundaries of Buttonhole Stitch" and  "Caring for your Embroidery and Lace" Guild members will be available to answer your various questions about the numerous pieces on display.

Just a SMALL sample of the types of work this Exhibition has to offer.

WA Quilt Expo
The Southern Country Quilters

Silver Jubilee Pavilion

• Annual Quilt Exhibition hundreds of superb quilts on show

• The Longarm Quilters Exhibition
  (Stunning addition to this year's quilt display)

Sponsors of Peoples Choice Award 
for the WA Quilt Expo is
Cockburn Sewing Centre and BROTHER

Other Sponsors for the WA Quilt Expo include
Logan's Patchwork

Art to Wear Exhibition
by Textile Artists from all over Australia

Best in Show in the Student Category is
Sponsored by
Wendy Gager's Janome Sewing Centres
located in Balcatta, Joondalup and Nedlands

Some of last year's eye-catching entries from the show

Look for our above Special Guests participating
in the Workshop program at the show.