Handcraft Judges Certificates Spring 2019
This is an appeal to ask if you can assist with providing items for the following Handcraft Judges Certificates which have been applied for. These will be held at SWI headquarters on 10th April 2019.
Beadwork, Coloured Embroidery, Contemporary Embroidery, Colour & Design, Dressmaking, Machine Patchwork.
If you can assist please contact the H&H Secretary as soon as is possible. The email address is - hand.house@theswi.org.uk or telephone 0131 285 7117/225 1724 to advise what items can be provided on loan and to make arrangements for these to be brought to or delivered to Headquarters office. If items need to be delivered then postage will be reimbursed.
Study Tour – North Wales - 18th – 22nd October 2019
Departing by coach on 18th October 2018 from pick-up points in Edinburgh and Glasgow, you will head to North Wales, stopping en-route at Sizergh Castle near Kendal.
After lunch you will continue your journey onto to the Celtic Royal Hotel in Caernarfon and check in for the next four nights, all bedrooms have en-suite facilities.
Over the next few days you will travel to Colwyn Bay, visit Bodnant Gardens, Conwy Castle, Portmeirion Village and Gardens. There will be a scenic drive south through the Vale of Conwy to Porthmadog. Once you arrive at Porthmadog train station, you will take a journey on the Welsh Highland Railway to Caernarfon. The study tour will continue with a visit to Caernarfon Castle.
On the journey home, you will stop at Dalemain House, Penrith.
Included in the price:
The booking form and further information is available from the E&I Committee Secretary at educ.int@theswi.org.uk or call directly on 0131 285 7116. The closing date is 29th March 2019.
Summer School 2019 will be held at Anderson High School, Lerwick, Shetland from Monday 22nd to Thursday 25th July. For those of you who have not been before, it is an excellent opportunity to meet other SWI members from all over Scotland as well as learning a new skill or perfecting one you have tried before. After welcome on the Monday evening, members spend a couple of hours becoming familiar with their chosen subject and classes continue on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
The accommodation will be in the Halls of Residence on site of the school.
Six classes will be offered:
Art – ‘Still Life in Watercolour’ – Tutor Linda Richardson – All levels of experience welcome.
Beadwork – Tutor Jane Pullen – details to follow.
Lace Knitting & Shawls – Anne Eunson & Kathleen Anderson – This class is for those with experience.
Out & About in Lerwick – ‘Walk through old Lerwick’ Guide - Douglas Sinclair and also ‘Walk to Clickiminn broch’, incorporating a visit to the ‘Up Helly A’ exhibition & Textile Museum – Guide -Linda Johnston. There will be walking tours taken in Lerwick itself. There will be a day trip also and the details of this tour are still to be confirmed.
Shetland on a Plate - Eileen Tait & Marian Armitage - There will be a baking class one full day and on the other two cooking with meat and also with fish, with a visit to local businesses taking place in the afternoon.
Unfortunately the class on Drystane Dyking has been cancelled. This will be replaced by another class, details will be announced once available.
If you would like more details and an application form, please either send a stamped self-addressed envelope to E & I Secretary 42 Heriot Row Edinburgh EH3 6ES or email educ.int@theswi.org.uk. The application form can be downloaded from the members' area of the website (under Events Info). You should return your application form as soon as possible. SWI reserve the right to cancel classes where there is insufficient numbers to make the class viable.
Gardening Scotland will be held at Ingliston on the 31st May 1st & 2nd of June 2019. Once again SWI has been offered an opportunity to have a stand at this event. Throughout the weekend a variety of crafts will be demonstrated.
The Federation competition is for A Decorated Flower Pot (max 8”). Federations organise their own eliminations – contact your Federation Secretary for more information.
The individual competition is for ‘3 Decorated Cupcakes’ and is open to all members of institutes. Any number of members per institute can enter. Contact your Institute Secretary for more information.
Window Boxes – for this competition they can be any size up to 60 cm in length – generally 20cm wide – plastic containers can be used for ease of transport. These can feature either ornamental or culinary plants. Window boxes will be judged from the front only.
Please note that all application forms should be sent to SWI and not Gardening Scotland.
The Window Box and 3 Cupcake application forms can be downloaded from the members area of the website (under Event Information/Gardening Scotland). The information has been sent to Federation Secretaries.
Forms are also available from the H&H Secretary at headquarters-email hand.house@theswi.org.uk or call: 0131 285 7117. The closing date is the 26th April 2019.
Stewards
We will need stewards throughout the show for these events and we would be grateful if members would volunteer to steward for two hours. The shifts are from 10 a.m. – 12noon, 12noon – 2pm, 2pm-4pm with the rest of the time available to enjoy the show. Stewards will be offered entry tickets but no travel expenses.
If you are willing to steward at either or both of these shows, please complete the form, which can be downloaded from the Members' Area, and return to Headquarters as soon as possible. You will be contacted directly by Headquarters nearer the time.
Important – Please note this information and registration forms for Federation Representatives and Visiting Members have been sent to all Federation Secretaries – please contact your Federation for more information.
Visiting Members forms are also available to download here: Visiting Member Form
The Theme is ‘Stepping Out’
This will be held at the Beach Ballroom in Aberdeenshire.
Exhibition - The dates for the Exhibition are the afternoon of Tuesday 10th September 2019 2 – 5pm and all day Wednesday11th September – 9 – 5pm.
It would be greatly appreciated, if you are able to steward for the exhibition or the Conference the forms are available to download here.
Or contact the H&H Secretary: hand.house@theswi.org.uk or 0131 225 1724
Conference - The conference itself will be held on the Wednesday 11th and Thursday 12th September. The Conference will be opened on Wednesday 11th September by Mr Barney Crockett, the Lord Provost of Aberdeen. Speakers - Gillian Paterson – Designer & maker of historic costumes & Story Teller. Louise Blanchfield - Nutritional Therapist, Jim Hume – ‘Support in Mind’ – Scotland’s National Rural Health Forum. “Hats by Marjory”–‘My Journey So Far’ – Marjory Tennant, Selkirkshire Federation. Thursday – Helen McCook, Royal School of Needlework. Deborah Leslie – Author, Prize-winning Doric Writer & After Dinner Speaker. Information regarding this will be published on the website and in the April magazine. Members should note that the Conference will open at 10.30 a.m. and close between 3 and 4 p.m. on the Wednesday and on the Thursday will open at 10.30 am and close at 1.00 p.m. The Prize giving of trophies will be held on Wednesday 11th September at 2.00 p.m. Further information will be given when available.
Evening Entertainment
Tuesday evening, Education & International National Competition winners.
Wednesday evening, Aberdeenshire Federation will provide the entertainment, this will be the ‘Longside Singers & Friends’.
Both evening’s entertainment will commence at 7.30pm. Tickets will be sold to members first who have registered for the conference, thereafter tickets can be purchased by contacting SWI headquarters.
Accommodation: We have sourced a preferential rate for a nearby hotel. For details of how to book, please login to the member’s area of the website (and then Committees/Handcrafts and Housewives Committee/H&H Conference) to find the link to book online, alternatively there is also a telephone number and booking code if you prefer to book by telephone.
Competitions - Notifications and application forms – information
The entry forms are now available please click on the links below to download.
Evelyn Baxter Trophy – please check your form has the specifications noted on this. For the Vaughan Nash – please check your form the deadline for the entry forms is 21st June . If not please download the form below or contact the H & H Secretary at Headquarters.
Please note due to a recent enquiry – The Vaughan Nash Competition – Theme – Oranges & Lemons – This is a general theme but other colours can be added if necessary. This is a Handcrafts competition.
Morgan Trophy – ‘A Recipe for a Starter for Food Intolerance’ as contained in the information link above. There is no entry form for this, recipes to be submitted to headquarters for the attention of the H&H Secretary. Email: hand.house@theswi.org.uk
2019 Playfair-Hannay Competition
The Blackwood Trophy for Embroidery 2019
Isobel Mackenzie Trophy for Flower Arrangement 2019 - A
Isobel Mackenzie Trophy for Flower Arrangement 2019 - B
The Lena Meiklejohn Trophy Competition 2019
The Mary Aitken Trophy for Preserving 2019
The North East Trophy Competition 2019
Vaughan Nash Community Competition 2019
The Whitecross Trophy for Knitting Competition 2019
The Whitecross Trophy for Sewing Competition 2019
Anne Wallace Sugar Sifter Trophy 2019
Aberdeenshire Host Federation Competition 2019 - This competition is restricted to Instiitutes in the Aberdeenshire Federation
The 2019 Choirs Competion Final will take place at Teviot Church, Hawick on Saturday 27th April 2019. Choirs from all areas are eligible to compete in next year's competition, which will be hosted by Roxburghshire Federation. The application form is available by logging into the members' area of the website (Committees/Education & International section) or by contacting educ.int@theswi.org.uk. The closing date for applications was Friday 25th January 2019, details of the choir(s) representing each federation on Part 2 were due by Friday 15th February 2019 and should be sent to the E&I Secretary as soon as possible.
The Theme is ‘Senses’
The 2019 Variations on a Theme competition will be hosted by the Ayrshire Federation at the Stewarton Area Centre on Saturday, 13 April, 2019.
It is open to Federations in the South, the closing date for Federation entries was 25 January 2019. The closing date for names of competing Institutes was 8 February 2019. The application form is available in the Member's Area of the website (under Committees/Education and International section).
For further information, please contact the Education and International Secretary email: educ.int@theswi.org.uk.
The Walking Weekend will take place on 10-12 May 2019 and is based at the New Lanark Mill Hotel. A walk of approximately 10 miles will take place on Saturday and a walk of approximately 5 miles on Sunday. The walks may include ascents and descents. The walks will be suitable for all levels of walkers. However, you should be physically capable of completing a 10 mile walk comfortably.
The application form and further information is available on the Member's Area of the website under (Committees/Education and International section). The closing date for application forms was Friday 11th January 2019, however, applications are still being accepted.
For further information, please contact the Education and International Secretary email: educ.int@theswi.org.uk
SWI offers members the opportunity to attend weekend schools, particularly in handcrafts and Scottish Country Dancing. These are held in suitable venues in various parts of the Scotland.
The 2019 Scottish Country Dance Weekend for SWI members will be held in Fisher’s Hotel, Pitlochry on 8, 9 and 10 March.
Applications have now closed for the weekend. For more information please contact the Education and International Secretary at SWI Headquarters, email: educ.int@theswi.org.uk.
The next handcrafts weekend school is scheduled to take place in the Spring of 2020. Details will follow nearer this time.
The Royal Highland Show is from 20 - 23 June 2019.
SWI is responsible for managing the Handcrafts Pavilion. In order to cover the pavilion, volunteer stewards are required for 2 hour shifts during the event. Further information and the stewards form are available in the members' area (event information section).
Handcraft Competitions – 2019
Please click on the link below to access the 2019 schedule and entry forms..
SWI organises national competitions in curling, stadium bowling, outdoor bowling and golf. Federations select a team(s), usually by competition, to represent them in the competition. Further information can be obtained from the Education and International Secretary - educ.int@theswi.org.uk
Due to issues with catering at previous sports competitions, all refreshments must be ordered and paid for in advance for players and spectators. Refreshment vouchers will be distributed on the day and these should be handed over for refreshments.
The dates of the next National Competitions are:
Outdoor Bowling Competition
The Outdoor Bowling Competition takes place at Maxwelltown Bowling Club on 5th August. The deadline for entries was 28 February.
Curling Bonspiel
19th March 2019 at Curl Aberdeen
Walking Weekend
The next Walking Weekend for SWI Members will take place at the New Lanark Mill Hotel from 10-12 May 2019.
Golf Competition 2019
27 August 2019, Shiskine Golf & Tennis Club, Arran Federation. The deadline for entries was 28 February.
Stadium Bowling Competition
15th April, Coatbridge Indoor Bowling Centre, Lanarkshire Federation
*Please click the side arrow to access the Guidelines relating to these events.
For federations who are hosting, or interested in hosting, SWI Sports Competitions, you can view our Guidelines for the following:
TOUR BY EVELYN BAXTER SCHOLARS – JANUARY to DECEMBER 2019
Subject – Basic Embroidery
(All correspondence has been sent to the Federations)
The 2019 tutors are Susan Finlayson – Roxburghshire and Anne Rodgie - Fife. Evelyn Baxter Scholars - having attended the course held at headquarters this spring – are both willing to give 2 day classes on this subject at federation level anywhere in Scotland between January and December 2019.
A school will last two consecutive days (four hours each day) and a maximum of 12 members can be accepted. Once classes are confirmed – information will be sent to the Federations regarding materials. i.e a pack may be provided with a note of the cost and/or a requirements list *In response to enquiries received – Please note the following: The federation does not pay any fees for pupils attending these classes to SWI headquarters. Evelyn Baxter classes are different to the handcrafts - two day school and craft classes.
H & H Secretaries are reminded that all arrangements for these classes (dates and times) should be made through headquarters. In the event of a Federation having to cancel the class, Headquarters and the Scholar must be notified, at least four weeks in advance.
Please can you submit the application form as soon as possible if you wish your class in the early part of 2019, please contact the H&H Secretary (hand.house@theswi.org.uk) for further information.
The subject chosen by the H & H Committee for the 2020 Evelyn Baxter Scholarship is Casalguidi. The three day Scholarship School was due to be held in SWI Headquarters from Tuesday 3rd to Friday 5th April.
Unfortunately due to a lack of applications the decision was taken for this not to go ahead and has therefore been cancelled.
Proficiency Certificate Schedule
Welcome to our Education & International Committee Proficiency Certificate Programme.
We are delighted that you are considering sitting a certificate.
The downloadable booklet will give you all the answers to any queries you may have.
Welcome to our National Proficiency Certificate Programme. We are delighted that you are considering sitting a Certificate.
New Proficiency Certificate Schedules
A new Handcrafts and also Housewives Proficiency Certificate schedule marked ‘Revised & Updated 2017’ has been compiled. If you wish to apply for a Certificate, please ensure that you have a copy of this. Both Proficiency Certificate Schedule ‘Rules for Candidates’ Booklets are available free of charge from Headquarters or please contact Pamela Black by email hand.house@theswi.org.uk
**Members please note these are for tests being applied for from 2018 onwards. Application forms and information for Autumn and Spring 2018 tests for the federations eligible have been sent out. If you wish to apply, please contact your Handcrafts & Housewives Secretary. All applications must go through your secretary. These then are forwarded to Headquarters. The deadline for Spring Certificates is the 1st of October for the following year and the deadline for Autumn Certificates is the 1st of March.
The downloadable booklets will give you all the answers to any queries you may have.
Hand Patchwork and Machine Patchwork Certificates
Please note this page has been amended, if you have a copy of the new schedule please download this page and attach it or alternatively download the amended booklet above.
- hand patch certificate
- machine patch certificate
SWI organises Study Tours, both abroad and to other parts of the UK, which include programmes of educational visits and meetings with members of our sister organisations.
For further information, please contact the Education and International Secretary email: educ.int@theswi.org.uk.