June/July 2002 - Beading Together by Chayna

All around the country there are groups of people getting together to bead. Regular meetings provide an ideal opportunity to learn, share and inspire each other to try something new. Just like the 'Backroom Beaders' in Southampton......

Backroom Beaders and UFO Days at Colbury, Southampton, England.

I belong to the above group of beaders, who meet on the 2nd Monday of each month for a beady couple of hours and also for a UFO (unfinished object) day once a month.

Monday nights are organised by Sue and Jackie and are often 'help each other' , nights, when we solve problems, show things we've done and, of course, do some beading.

There are often 30-40 beaders at UFO days, some travelling quite a way to get there. We all have a good chat, talking and working beads most of the day. New books and magazines do the rounds, with lots of ooohs and aaahs at the eye candy in them and names being written down of which to buy at the next Bead Fair. Mary, who organises these days, has a good supply of beads from the Bead Merchant and Stitch'n'Craft, together with findings, storage boxes, crochet cotton etc that we may need to buy; and if she's not got what we want, she always tries to find out where she can get it. She also shows us a new stitch/design after lunch in our affectionately named 'Torture Hour', which is really the rest of the afternoon. Some of the ladies prefer to carry on with their own projects, but we all love to see what Mary has in store for us.

We recently held a Beady Sleepover, when we hired the hall for Saturday and Sunday and beaded until teatime, when we were supplied with a fish and chip supper and bottles of wine (kindly delivered by Mary's husband Den). More beading followed, (accompanied by the sound of a brass band concert in the main hall), until our eyes were too tired to carry on. Silly games made up the rest of the evening, with much laughter involved, as we finished off the wine. A lot of the ladies went home to their comfy beds, but a small, brave band stayed on with our sleeping bags and pillows. We rounded off the evening in our night attire with a Bailey's drink and nibbles, as we finished the last game, finally climbing into our bags at 1 am! The next morning we were awake at 7.15 am and ready for champagne and warm croissants for breakfast! One lady, Liz, went home the previous night to feed her cats and was back for breakfast, an hour and a half journey each way - now that's dedication for you! By 9.30 am others were joining us for another day's beading, which ended at 4 pm, with the request to Mary of 'When's the next one?'

Jackie and Sue also organise 2 full day beading events each year. The 3rd Bead and Stitch Day was held in April, when the large hall was packed with beaders from across the south of England, together with bead suppliers selling beads, books, findings etc, who overflowed into the small room nearby. In the afternoon we had a wonderful slide show and talk by Jacqui Carey about beading through the ages. Jacqui also had her beautiful Kumihimo work on display. There was a competition of Where in the World (a piece of beadwork influenced by any culture) with the prizes for the winners chosen by Jacqui Carey and voted for by the beaders in attendance. The next Beading Mad Day is 19th October 2002 when there will be bead suppliers in attendance and the hall will be packed once more with friendly, happy beaders.

Chayna

Are you a member of a beading group? Do you know of any beady events planned in your area? Why not tell other readers about what you get up to? Or advertise your group/event in the next issue of The BeadMouse News.