From Joan Steel
Bucks County Crafts was the subject of an interesting talk by Mrs Janet Dineen who outlined the history of local crafts including chair seating made with caning and reeding, straw work for millinary and the traditional lacemaking. We were shown samples of each craft, with reeding and canning shown on miniture chairs. Mrs Dineen had wonderful hats showing every type of straw plaiting, and told us of the Strawplaiting and Lacemaking schools. Children from 3 years upwards were crowded into small cottage rooms with no heating. They were only allowed to go home when they had finished their work. The conditions were deplorable. Also in Mrs Dineen’s collection were a huge range of lace designs and samples from coarse thread work to very fine highest quality Buckinghamshire Lace. Lace Making was brought to Britain by the Huguenots (about late 17th century) and it spread rapidly in Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire. Pay was very poor and the lacemakers were tied to a dealer who sold them thread, then they had to sell the lace back to him. Conditions changed in 1850 when machine lace came in. Unemployed lacemakers then started making Maltese lace which could not be copied on machine. Many bobbins are needed for lacemaking and they are a craft in themselves, the South Bucks “thumpers” being made in different coloured woods, whereas bobbins made in other areas have beads of different colours. Bone is also used to make bobbins. They are arranged on a large cushion and small pins hold the lace during making. Victorian ladies did tambour beading and in 1910 frogging became popular. We were shown samples of these crafts too which were also very skillful and beautiful. Janet (Clarke) proposed the vote of thanks saying that we would now look more carefully at all the craftwork we see.
On October we have our A.G.M and 46th Anniversary Party. Please bring plates, cutlery and a glass, also a £4 wrapped present.

From Joan Steel. Margaret chaired the July meeting and introduced Sarah Mordount, our speaker on the “One Can Trust” a project that started in May 20011 at Saint Andrews Church in Hatters Lane,with the aim of facilitating charities by setting up food banks for people in need in the High Wycombe area. A food bag is provided containing non perishable items as a short term emergency food supply in a crisis, for a family or individual. Each bag contains a menu card and a variety of nutritious food that forms a complete meal .This is all done through the generosity of donors who give eg. dried foods eg pasta, rice or, canned foods eg meats fish, soups ,stews milk puddings fruit,also coffee ,tea etc. “Changing Lives for the Better ” is the Logo. Support is given by indiviuals,churches,schools brownies, scouts,etc and every person attending one of Sarah’s talks is asked to bring a can of food. Donations can be made directly to the food bank at the Big Yellow Storage in London road where a store cupboard is provided free by the company. Sarah was thanked warmly for coming to talk to us about this charity that is so easy to contribute to, and needs much support in these times of austerity.

In August we enjoyed a Pot Luck Supper and a time to chat!

On September 7th Janet Duneen is our speaker on “Bucks County Crafts”. All welcome..

From Joan Steel
Kate Miller was our guest speaker on Himalayan Singing Bowls. She told us of their history in Nepal, Tibet and other Buddhist countries, and of how they have been used for hundreds of years in monasteries as both artifacts and in rituals.

Kate spoke of her many visits to Nepal and how she came to love and understand the properties of the bowls. When the bowls are gonged or stirred, they give out a beautifully haunting sound which is first of all strange, but then very relaxing. We not only heard the sound of the bowls, but felt the very strong vibrations given off when they are stirred. It is this vibrational energy that is so effective in meditation, relaxation and energy balancing. Kate explained how each bowl resonates with different energy centres in the body, chakras, and how the bowls can balanced this energy for wellbeing.

We were all able to experience how to play the bowls by gonging or stirring round the rim with a velvet covered wooden mallet, and we finished the session by participating in making our own harmonies.