BROWN OWLS MELBOURNE 3000 CBD: JUNE MEET!

My latest project! (albeit on an angle!)

Hello Lovely ladies,

Melbourne Brown Owls is on again! After speaking to the wonderful Miss Pearls, the lovely Parlour at Madame Brussels will again be ours one Tuesday night a month, starting in June!

I thought I would keep it simple for my first night out and just have a BYO session, which is a little unexciting; however I am hoping to come up with something a bit more adventurous for our next meet (and would welcome any suggestions!)

Details are:

Date:                     Tuesday 25^th June

Time:                    6.30pm (usually run til about 9pm)

Location:              The Parlour @ Madame Brussels

                             Level 3, 59-63 Bourke St Melbourne 3000

Bring:                   Craft Project of your choice

Cost:                     No fee for attendance, but you may like to sample the delicious food and drinks on offer as a thank you for the great space

RSVP:                  In the comments section below

Looking forward to seeing both the regulars and any new comers, and anyone in between! Don’t worry if you are a little rusty at your craft, there are plenty of very talented ladies to help out and even teach you some new tricks!

Some other dates for your diaries:

Tuesday 23^rd July

Tuesday 27^th August

Tuesday 24^th September

Very much looking forward to more regular meets and seeing all my fellow crafters!

Lee

Brisbane: Knitting and crochet for charity

We'll be knitting and crocheting up a storm of squares for Handmade High Street to stitch into blankets for charity! This is a great meet up to do your bit for a good cause and for beginners to learn some basic crochet.

Anyone can create squares of any size for the campaign, more details coming soon!

When: Sunday 9 June, 10:30am-12:30pm

Where: Indooroopilly Library, Indooroopilly Shopping Centre, Level 4, 322 Moggill Road, Indooroopilly

What to bring:
Yarn (acrylic or superwash)
Hook or knitting needles (to suit your yarn - check the label for size)
Scissors

NB: If you are learning crochet it's best to start with 8ply yarn and a 4.5 hook.

RSVP: ASAP by emailing brisbanebrownowls@gmail.com! As always meet ups book up quickly!

See you then!

Brown Owls Melbourne 3000 CBD - regular meets once more

this is Lee!

FABULOUS NEWS!

I am very pleased to announce that Brown Owls Melbourne 3000 CBD group have a new Conveynor - hoorah I hear you all roar.

Lovely Lee Turnley will be taking the reins and ensuring that the group can run regularly again at the marvelous Madame Brussels (what would we do without our monthly dose of chablis and toasted chicken sandwiches). What a relief. Thanks Lee for putting your hand up. You're a star.

I will still be attending as many meets as possible, as a participant and will still be around to give Lee the occasional hand if she so needs.

Very look forward to seeing you at the next gathering!

Sue x

Brisbane: screen printing with cat&vee

cat&vee cushions

Brisbane Owls! It's the one we've all been waiting for!


Bring your designs to life through the magic of screen printing! Once you have learned the basic principles of simple design and screen-printing, your home, family and friends can look forward to awesome gifts completely made by you - designed, printed and sewn up with love.

This three-hour class will be conducted by Catherine and Vanita of www.catandvee.com. We will start with drawing your designs onto A4 paper, then cut them out ready for the screens. We will then show you how to prepare your screens for printing, and start printing!

cat&vee Finn McTrickster cushion

When: Sunday 23 June, 10:30am-1:30pm

Where: Imogen's Art Space, 9 Morgan Terrace, Bardon

Cost: $90

Your $90 class fee will include:
* screen (that will be yours to keep!!)
* squeegee (also yours to keep!!)
* four canvas panels for you to print your designs onto and take home
* use of all cat&vee supplies needed for screen printing - inks, paper, tape.
* information sheet with cat&vee tips, ideas and also local contact info for buying your own additional printing supplies
* contribution to room hire

Please note that Catherine and Vanita are very kindly donating their time to Brown Owls to keep costs so low for us! Thank you ladies :)

How to pay: You can pay by PayPal or direct deposit. Payment must be made by Friday 7 June to secure your spot. This will be a popular meet up with only ten spots available so RSVP as soon as possible by emailing brisbanebrownowls@gmail.com. Payment details will be provided when you RSVP.

What to bring:

* small cutting mat
* craft-knife
* design ideas - simple ideas are best - think circles, lines, basic shapes. You will get so much more out of the class if you come prepared with a design idea or two.
* an apron would be a great idea
* hair dryer if you have one - to cut down on waiting times using shared dryers!
* lead pencil + black fine point marker (eg 0.5 point)

Screen-printing is a lot of fun, and it's really awesome to see your designs leap from your head and into reality. You will leave the class with the skills and confidence to continue printing at home. We are looking forward to meeting you and having a fun afternoon!

Canberra :: Knitting

 

Hi Canberra owls!
May is nearly over, which means it is time for our next get together!!

The cooler weather, and maybe the yarn fumes from the Old Bus Depot Market Celebration of Wool day yesterday, has us obsessed with all things wooly - so this month we'll be offering a learn to knit workshop!

If you'd like to join in all you need to do is let us know in the comments, and bring along your own knitting needles and wool. For beginners about size 4mm needles, and a nice smooth (not fuzzy) 8ply (sometimes called DK) in a colour other than black is best - but if you have something else at home already that will be fine too. If you don't have any supplies but want to try it out just let us know and we'll try to arrange for extras.

Of course, if knitting isn't your thing that's ok too! Just bring along whatever you happen to be working on and join us for a chat and a cup of tea!

We will be meeting on Saturday May 25, 2pm at the Downer Community Centre 

Please also remember to bring $5 for room hire, and something to share for arvo tea if you would like!

It would be wonderful if you could RSVP in the comments below so that we know how many owls to expect - dont forget to tell us if you'd like us to bring spare needles/wool!

Please let us know if you have any questions!

Brisbane: Crochet Edges

 

Ok Brisbane, it's time to get your crochet on those edges! Gather up your tea towels, wash clothes, blankets, cute postcards, upcycle old greeting cards or add sweet edging to your shirts and skirts! We'll begin the meet up by learning the absolute basics of crocheting edges on fabric then move on up to cardboard and different designs. 

If you've never picked up a crochet hook it might be good to watch a few YouTube videos and have a little practice beforehand to get the general idea, this video is quite clear but there are loads more. If you're not sure just email me at brisbanebrownowls@gmail.com for a chat.

When: Saturday 25 May, 10:30am-12:30pm

Where: Ashgrove Library, 87 Amarina Avenue, Ashgrove

What to bring:

1. Your fabric item of choice (eg wash cloth, tea towel, etc)

2. 4 ply yarn (either crochet cotton or baby yarns/wool are often 4 ply)

3. Crochet hook - I work with a size 2.5, if this seems too small bring what is comfortable for you to work with, this meet up is more about learning rather than finishing a perfect item.

4. Darning or wool needle (the eye of the needle needs to be large enough to fit your yarn through) 

5. Fabric pen or pencil (a lead pencil is ok)

6. Scissors 

7. A ruler

8. Your cardboard item of choice, this could be a postcard, old greeting card or anything else you would like to crochet edges on. I still used my 4ply yarn for the card above which is about the size of a postcard but I had a slightly smaller hook, a size 2 or 2.25 works nicely but see what you have at home.

RSVP: Essential! Email brisbanebrownowls@gmail.com

See you then! 

Mitcham Brown Owls - UFO (Unfinished Objects) SWAP meet!

Our Logo, designed and drawn by Jo Schofield




Hi Owlies,


Do you have pieces of work hanging around that seemed like a good idea when you started them, but either you've lost interest, or they've gotten too hard and they've been annoying you?

Bring them along, and swap them with someone Else's UFO! Here's your chance to try something completely different and have some fun at the same time!

Looking forward to seeing you!

The details:

Where:  Gallery One, 1 Torrens Road, Mitcham ph: Lianne  0431 297 258

When:  Saturday 25th May 1.30 to 4.00 pm

Cost:  Room hire $7. per person.

Brisbane: Lino Printing

Card-making using lino printing 

Join us for a fun informal class and learn (or revisit) the skills of lino printing to make personalised cards with Pierina Curties!

In this 2 hour class we’ll make a design, cut it into the lino and print at least one card – but probably many more. Bring your creative eye and throw your perfectionism out the window because print-making is an inexact science – and that’s half the fun. Your friends and family will know that your cards are hand-made and that’s what they’ll really appreciate.
 
Pierina Curties is a trainee Art Teacher with a degree in Visual Arts from QCA (Griffith). She has been studying print-making for the last few years at the Brisbane Institute of Art and was lucky enough to do a short course in wood block and lino printing in New York.



When: Sunday 26 May, 10:30am-12:30pm

Where: Imogen's Art Space, 9 Morgan Terrace, Bardon

Cost: $30

What to bring: all materials supplied. Tea and coffee will be provided. Feel free to show off your baking skills and bring something along for morning tea. 

Tools: available for purchase after the class if you would like to try your new skills at home.

RSVP: Essential! By emailing brisbanebrownowls@gmail.com

Come make a RECYCLED RAG RUG with Jo and the Brunswick Brown Owls 22.5.13

Come to Brunswick and recycle and make rag rugs!

Brunswick Brown Owls love recycling! What about you? 

The talented Jo of Many A Muse  will be sharing her skills to assist us in making a recycled rag rug. 

No matter what your skill level you are welcome to join us and learn (or assist). It’ll be fun!

Come and join us, 

Wednesday 22nd May at 7pm at 

the Sporting Club, Weston St, Brunswick, Vic. 

for a recycled rag rug tutorial.

All photos from Jo of Many A Muse

You'll need to bring:

•  a couple of jersey T-shirts or similar fabric
• sharp scissors
• a large blunt needle or bodkin

Put it into your diary, or your digital calendar thingy. 

We meet every fortnight. Set an alarm! 

It's fun to be organised!

• 
  

• Feel free to bring your own project if rag rugs are not your bag, 

• there will be lots happening in the fine Ladies Lounge. 

Come and say HIDEE HI to the Brunswick Brown Owls! If you can’t make it, we’ll pop up photos of the evening on our Brunswick Brown Owls Facebook page so you can join in the fun too.  We have OVER 160 members, and you can be a part of our crafty community too! Come along and learn some new skills with us! No need to RSVP. No probs if you're early or late. No dress code either!

The Sporting Club still has delicious tapas and cocktails. Tasty. 

Bring your friends, we’re a friendly bunch!

Winter is coming...

St George and Sutherland Brown Owls THIS SUNDAY!! YAY!!

The table has been booked and I am dusting off my craft bag!

Sunday 19th May 2013 2pm - 5pm

Edmonds and Greer, Oatley

See you there for a long over-due craft, coffee and catch up!

Preston Brown Owls May Meeting

Dear Owls,
It is our sewing machine month! So grab your machine or someone elses and hurry over to GJs Discount Fabrics on

Saturday 18 May

12.30pm - 3.45pm

GJs Discount Fabrics Upstairs Room

443 Lygon Street, Brunswick

Cost: $5.00 payable to the ladies downstairs

The room is lovely, bright and airy.  There are cutting tables and ironing boards, tea/coffee and toilets and lots of fabric downstairs.

Bring your own project to work on or find a pattern downstairs and get to it.

See you there,

PS To Lizzy, my upgrade ate your details so please email me at rebecca@needleandspindle.com

Brisbane: Fabric Brooches

Guess what, I'm giving away my brooch making secrets at this meet up!

Re-discover the traditional craft of 17th century covered button making to create fabric brooches or buttons. The technique used is definitely for lovers of 100% handmade, no glues or quick-assemble tools allowed at this meet up, it’s all about slowing down and valuing the time and skills of completely hand-stitching your brooch.

After you've mastered the basic technique you can go on to create more with embroidered designs or embellishments! Bring along some little designs if you'd like to include embroidery.

When: Sunday 19 May, 10:30am-12:30pm OR 12:30-2:30pm

Venue: Brisbane Square Library, 266 George Street, Brisbane CBD

RSVP: Essential! Even though there are now 2 meet ups for this craft they are almost at capacity! Email brisbanebrownowls@gmail.com asap to reserve your spot.

What to bring:
1. Fabric scraps
2. Felt scraps
3. Embroidery thread
4. Needle
5. Scissors
6. Brooch pins (available at most craft stores and beading shops)
7. A light weight ring the size you would like your brooch to be (bring a few if you'd like to make more than one). For example in the old days bone rings were used to make buttons using this technique. Light weight rings could be plastic (for example I have some curtain rings which work well), wood or anything that is light enough to wear as a brooch. You could also use oval ring shapes. Check out Reverse Garbage for possible options. Bring along anything you think may be suitable. I will also have a small supply of curtain rings for use on the day.
8. Embellishments (optional, for example little beads could be stitched on) 
9. A thimble (optional - I don't use one but my fingers may have built up a resistance over the years)

It’s always better to bring your own materials and tools so you can make exactly what you want however if you are having trouble finding any of these things I will have extra on the day. Email brisbanebrownowls@gmail.com so I can put some aside for you.

If there is a specific embellishment or embroidery you would like to add please shoot me an email and let me know so I can have a think about the best way to approach it.

 See you then!

Brisbane: Crochet Basics

RSVP now for crochet basics at Ministry of Handmade!

Julie from Ministry of Handmade has very generously offered to host another Brown Owls meet up! The perfect opportunity for those who previously missed out on crochet basics or who would like to brush up on their hooking skills!

Julie has a wealth of experience and knowledge teaching a variety of crafts so bring along your own craft and any burning crafty questions. It's also a great opportunity to check out her fabulous space!

Granny Squares from Ministry of Handmade

When: Friday 24 May, 10:30am-12:30pm

Where: Ministry of Handmade, 11 Eclipse Street, Bridgeman Downs

What to bring:
1. Your own craft or if you'd like to learn crochet basics a 4.5 or 5mm crochet hook, some 8ply yarn and scissors.
2. A plate to share for morning tea (tea and coffee will be provided)

RSVP: As soon as possible by emailing brisbanebrownowls@gmail.com

See you there!

Brisbane: Recycled t-shirt craft

 

Gather up your old t-shirts for this super fun meet up as part of BrisStyle's Saviours of the Lost Arts! Quickly whip up some t-shirt yarn to be used for anything you can crochet, knit, macrame weave or plait OR use your old t-shirts to make sweet little rosettes in a matter of minutes OR create a fabulous new infinity scarf! The options for re-purposing your old t-shirts are only limited by your imagination!

Meet up details 

When: Thursday 16 May, 6-8pm

Where: Indooroopilly Library, Indooroopilly Shopping Centre, Level 4, 322 Moggill Road, Indooroopilly

What to bring:
1. Old t-shirts: The more the merrier! Note that if making t-shirt yarn or infinity scarves printed t-shirts don't work as well as un-printed, the ink on printed sections don't curl up to make a nice tube.
2. Scissors or even better a rotary cutter
3. Needle and thread, fabric glue and fabric scraps: If making rosettes
4. Cutting board
5. If crochet is your thing a hook size 10-12 is best.

If you don't have some of these things we will have some extras available on the day for you to use (other than t-shirts, definitely bring at least one of those).

RSVP: As soon as possible by emailing brisbanebrownowls@gmail.com. This meet up is booking up quickly!

See you then!

Canberra Brown Owls blog

logo by Mikaela @ Danvers Creative

Hi Owls
Just a quick message today to let everyone know about Canberra Brown Owls' brand shiny new blog!
Details of all our meetings will still appear here, but we're planning to blog a little more often with all the latest on the Canberra crafty scene.
We hope you'll pop in to visit!
xo

Southside Owls ~ Thu 9th May - Get your granny on at Miss Jackson!

Hello lovely ladies!!

It's time to get the open fire roaring at Miss Jackson! And whenever the weather starts to get colder, I always start thinking about playing with yarn. I've whipped out a granny square crochet blanket that I've been getting re-acquainted with over the past few weeks. What could be better than curling up on the couch under the blanket you are making when it's cold!

I *may* have bought this crochet blanket along to our very first Southside owls meet in March 2011...it might get finished this year!

Date: Thursday 9th May

Time: 7:30pm onwards

Venue: Miss Jackson, 2/19 Grey Street St. Kilda (through the big rusty gate)

Close to the #16, #96 and #112 trams, and nearby parking below

Craft: Crochet!! Get your granny on with granny squares or whatever crochet you like! Of course BYO is always welcome if you're not a hooker!

The lovely Pip from Meet Me At Mikes has a series of awesome tutorials for granny square beginners here

And I have a shared crochet pinterest board with oodles of inspiration here ~ let me know if you would like to contribute any pins!!

And I'm a leftie, so don't fear if you are too, I can help! And we'll have rightie crocheters on hand too!

          
Goodies: We will have tea and baked goodies, please feel free to bring something along if you would like to show off your baking skills!

RSVP: Leave a comment here, on facebook, email me or tweet me!

See you all next week! Looking forward to it. Get your granny on!!

Shan x