Warkworth WI, Meeting

Our local WI guests came from Lesbury, Amble, Widdrington and Stobswood, and Broomhill. Marion drew attention to the hanging, which was on display for everyone to see. It was made by members of the craft group to commemorate the centenary of the WI movement. It will be returned to the temporary exhibition about rag ruging at the Bailiffgate Museum where it has been greatly admired.

Caroline Stamp won the birthday flowers. The competition for a piece of vintage fabric was won by Gillian Bell with a delicate christening gown embroidered on the underskirt with the names of previous generations who had worn it and second was Judy Townshend.

Marion introduced Julia Soares-McCormack, a speaker we have met before. Julia trained as a theatre costumier and she expertly demonstrated and talked about mostly women’s fashion, but on this occasion she told us about fashion during the Regency Period around the turn of the 18th century.

She had brought four dressed mannequins illustrating the fashions of the era and talked about the intricate sewing of the garments, including the very important under garments that created the all-important look necessary at the time.

Julia’s husband modelled a typical man’s clothing and he interspersed her talk with comic anecdotes and cartoon drawings. The evening concluded with a delicious and generous pooled supper.

The next meeting will be on Tuesday, November 1, with Dr Christine Harrison demonstrating paper making.