At the final Market Harborough WI Craft Club session for 2024 the members learned about Furoshiki – the Japanese way of wrapping items in fabric.

The class started with an overview and some time learning the correct way to tie the Mamusubi square knot – at bit like a reef knot. Not as easy as it sounds, but really important if the recipients of the gifts are to stand any chance of undoing the wrapping.

After wrapping simple rectangular boxes with the basic knot we went through some alternatives that not only look great, but are also convenient solutions should the furoshiki wrap be either slightly too large or slightly too small for the item to be covered. And the final part of the session dealt with the usual suspects causing trouble in the grift wrapping department at Christmas – round tins and bottles. 

The results speak for themselves! Furoshiki wrapping is easy to learn, sustainable and creative and (as one participant noted happily) without a single bit of sticky tape in sight… 

The next Craft Club session will be a planning meeting on the 9th January where we will decide on the crafting sessions for 2025. If you are not yet a member of the MHWI Craft Club and would like to join please send an email to marketharboroughwi@gmail.com and we’ll add you to the WhatsApp group. 

It has been a great crafting year – thank you to all those who worked hard to make the sessions happen. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

And if you are interested in what the Market Harborough WI is up to, keep an eye on the website for the latest news. Or you can subscribe by entering your email address below and you will be send the latest news automatically:

You have been sent this message because you are following the website of the Market Harborough Womens Institute. If you no longer wish to do so, please click here to unsubscribe.

… before the Market Harborough WI Christmas Party on Wednesday, 11th!

We hope you’ll all join us for the December monthly meeting – we are planning an evening packed with seasonal fun: 

Charlie Fit will be teaching us a bit of Bradway Dancing with some dances from her Easy Steps Class before choreographing a fun routine invJolving top hats. Don’t ask – you’ll see!

As always we will be having a dutch supper, so please bring a plate of food for the buffet. We’ll provide a glass of free prosecco to help you recover from the dancing…

And just so that there will be gifts a-plenty for everyone there will be an extra special raffle (Tickets £2,-) which will include some super prizes and a Secret Santa – please bring a gift of no more than £ 5,- in value for Santa’s bag. 

So get those Christmas outfits ready, put your dancing shoes on and join us on Wednesday!

And if you feel like an extra dose of Christmas celebration to get you into the mood why not come to the Carol Concert at the Church in Fairfield road on Monday evening at 7pm? We’d love to see you there.

If you are interested in what the Market Harborough WI is up to, keep an eye on the website for the latest news. Or you can subscribe by entering your email address below and you will be send the latest news automatically:

You have been sent this message because you are following the website of the Market Harborough Womens Institute. If you no longer wish to do so, please click here to unsubscribe.

We will be welcoming members of our neighbouring WIs to the Carol Service of the Welland Valley Group on the 9th December at 7pm at the Church of Our Lady of Victories in Fairfield Road in Market Harborough.

After the service everyone is invited to the church hall for seasonal refreshments and a good natter. We hope you’ll join us to meet fellow members and celebrate the season and what makes the WI so special.

And if you are interested in what the Market Harborough WI is up to, keep an eye on the website for the latest news. Or you can subscribe by entering your email address below and you will be send the latest news automatically:

You have been sent this message because you are following the website of the Market Harborough Womens Institute. If you no longer wish to do so, please click here to unsubscribe.

The Market Harborough WI November meeting offered the members a fun session making Santa Christmas Cards.

This friendly fella has a tummy that opens up for a message, but can also happily brighten your room sitting on a shelf as a decoration.

The session was led by Clare and the members had a lovely time crafting, chatting and spending a couple of hours away from the rush outside.

If you are interested in what the Market Harborough WI is up to, keep an eye on the website for the latest news. Or you can subscribe by entering your email address below and you will be send the latest news automatically:

You have been sent this message because you are following the website of the Market Harborough Womens Institute. If you no longer wish to do so, please click here to unsubscribe.

The Christmas Season is upon us filled with the smell of freshly baked cookies and the rustle of shopping bags. Hopefully you will all have a bit of space left in your diaries for this month’s MHWI activities:

* * * D e c e m b e r * * *

Allotment – In Hibernation

The Gardening Girls have now closed down the allotment until spring next year. There will be a few planning meetings (involving a decent amount of cake and tea for sure) in the next few months before meetings start again in spring every Monday (weather permitting) from 2pm (until we run out of steam…). If you would like to join in next season please contact Julie at Jusellars1960@gmail.com 

Eco Village – 1st December

The Eco Village are having a Christmas Fair from 10am to 3pm selling plants and Christmas Crafts. Why not pop along and see if there are any gifts you may fancy?

Book Club – 4th December

The Book Angels Book Club will be meeting at Turkish Delight at 1pm. The book of the month is Middlemarch by George Eliot which will be continued through to January.

Please contact Valerie at vhitchcox50@hotmail.com if you would like to join.

Craft Club – 5th December

The Craft Club will be spending an evening learning about Furoshiki, the Japanese Art of wrapping items in fabric.

It is a sustainable way of using up left over materials and offers a myriad of different ways to dress up a present. Details will be posted on the Craft Club WhatsApp Group – please email Fiona at fegraham1@gmail.com if you are not yet a group member.

Walking Group – Christmas Lunch 8th December

The Walking Group has completed their programme of walks for this year. The next meeting will be for their Christmas lunch on the 8th December.  Details will be posted on the Walking Group WhatsApp group closer to the date – please contact Fiona at f_tomlin@sky.com if you would like to join.

WI Carol Concert – 9th December

This year it is our turn to organise the Christmas Carol Concert for the Welland Valley Group of neighbouring WIs. The service will be at the Church of our Lady of Victories in Fairfield Road at 7pm followed by tea/coffees, mince pies and yule log in the Church Hall. Please email marketharboroughwi@gmail.com if you’ll join us so we can make sure that there is enough cake to go round…

MHWI Christmas Meeting – 11th December

Our annual Christmas meeting will see out the year with fun, a dutch supper, a raffle, secret Santa and a session with Charlie Fit who will teach us a basic broadway dance routine. Dress for the season – Hope to see you all there!

* * * * * *

And that’s it for 2024. Thank you to the committee members and club leaders for organising such a varied programme of meetings and activities for us this year. And thank you to all of you for taking part – the Market Harborough WI would not exist without you. Wishing you and yours a lovely festive season and see you all in the New Year!

We’ll be updating the ‘Dates for the Diary’ post on a regular basis, so keep an eye on the website for the latest news. Or you can subscribe by entering your email address below and you will be send the latest news automatically:

You have been sent this message because you are following the website of the Market Harborough Womens Institute. If you no longer wish to do so, please click here to unsubscribe.

Just a quick reminder, that our monthly meeting is coming up on Wednesday, 20th November. This is a change to our normal meeting week and just an exception!

Join us at the Church Hall in Fairfield Road from 7.30pm for an evening of Christmas Crafting with Clare and a chance to catch up, sign up for the Ghost Walk social on the 27th November and the Carol Service on the 9th December.

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday!

If you are interested in what the Market Harborough WI is up to, keep an eye on the website for the latest news. Or you can subscribe by entering your email address below and you will be send the latest news automatically:

You have been sent this message because you are following the website of the Market Harborough Womens Institute. If you no longer wish to do so, please click here to unsubscribe.

It is 42 Days to Christmas Panic Day (23rd December), so the members of the Market Harborough Craft Club met last week to kick off the season with an evening of making felt jumpers for Christmas tree decoration.

Oodles of opportunity for creative designs using beads, buttons, ribbons and braid – and even twinkly lights. Fiddly at times, but great fun. And the results speak for themselves – not bad for a chatty evening’s work!

Next month’s Craft Club will be all about Furushiki, the Japanese art of wrapping gifts in fabric. Watch out for more information on the WhatsApp group or get in touch at marketharboroughwi@gmail.com if you would like to join in.

And if you are interested in what the Market Harborough WI is up to, keep an eye on the website for the latest news. Or you can subscribe by entering your email address below and you will be send the latest news automatically:

You have been sent this message because you are following the website of the Market Harborough Womens Institute. If you no longer wish to do so, please click here to unsubscribe.

The MHWI Social Event this week saw a group of members travel by community bus to the Golden Mile in Leicester.

We first visited Anokhi House of Sarees and had a peruse around their lovely shop. They told us about the history of sarees, when they are worn and showed us the different types. We even got the chance to try some of them on!

Our next stop was Vama jewellers. They showed us around the shop and explained some of the different styles of Indian jewellery and also some of the Indian traditions when the more elaborate jewellery is worn.

After all that we obviously had to have a good mooch around the shops before going to Bobbys restaurant for some delicious Indian food.

Many thanks to Ranju @anokhihouseofsarees, Nilesh of @vamacollectionsuk, the team at Bobby’s and of course a big Thank You to the community bus!

If you are interested in what the Market Harborough WI is up to, keep an eye on the website for the latest news. Or you can subscribe by entering your email address below and you will be send the latest news automatically:

You have been sent this message because you are following the website of the Market Harborough Womens Institute. If you no longer wish to do so, please click here to unsubscribe.

We hope you have enjoyed our programme so far this year – here is what is planned for November:

* * * N o v e m b e r * * *

Allotment – Going into Hibernation

The Gardening Girls are closing the allotment down after a great growing season. There will be a few planning meetings (involving a decent amount of cake and tea for sure) in the next few months before meetings start again every Monday (weather permitting) from 2pm (until we run out of steam…). If you would like to join in next season please contact Julie at Jusellars1960@gmail.com 

Social Event: Visit to the Golden Mile – 6th November

For the November social event we are organising a trip to the Golden Mile in Leicestershire. We’ll be visiting a sari shop, a jewellers and have a meal afterwards. An opportunity to stock up on some fabrics if you are going to attend the Furoshiki Sustainable Wrapping session of the Craft Club in December! Watch the website blog for more details. Sign up by email to marketharboroughwi@gmail.com

Craft Club – 7th November

The Craft Club will be meeting at the Congregational Church to make Christmas Jumper Tree Decorations this month.

Materials will be provided at a cost of £3,- per jumper set. This includes the felt, hanger, ribbon and thread. Participants should bring some pins, a pair of embroidery scissors, needle and any of their own decorative items such as beads, embroidery thread or additional ribbons. 

Please subscribe via the WhatsApp group or email Fiona at fegraham1@gmail.com if you would like to join in.

Walking Group – Hibernating until Spring

The Walking Group has completed their programme of walks for this year. The next meeting will be for their Christmas lunch in December.  Details will be posted on the Walking Group WhatsApp group closer to the date – please contact Fiona at f_tomlin@sky.com if you would like to join.

Book Angels – 20th November

The Book Angels Book Club will be meeting at the Three Swans at 2.30pm. This month’s book is Heartburn by Nora Ephron.

Please contact Valerie at vhitchcox50@hotmail.com if you would like to join.

MHWI Monthly Meeting – 20th November 

Staying with the Christmas Theme we will have an evening of crafting with Clare.  And this is also a chance to sign up for any of our clubs and social events coming up!

Social Event – Ghost Walk 27th November

We’ll be starting at 7pm from the Old Grammar School on a Walk around town to discover the ghostly goings on and find out about ghosts, ghouls and poltergeist that haunt the historic buildings. Sign up at the next monthly meeting or send an email to marketharboroughwi@gmail.com

Eco Village Garden Reminder

The Eco Village garden is always looking for donations of seeds, seedlings, plants and compost for the garden and to raise funds. Please speak to Leslie if you have anything that may be useful. 

Preview: Carol Concert on 9th December

It is the MHWI’s turn to organise the Carol Concert for the Nene Valley WI Group. We will hold this at the Church Hall in Fairfield Road at 7pm on 9th December. Keep the date – More details to follow

* * * * * *

We’ll be updating the ‘Dates for the Diary’ post on a regular basis, so keep an eye on the website for the latest news. Or you can subscribe by entering your email address below and you will be send the latest news automatically:

You have been sent this message because you are following the website of the Market Harborough Womens Institute. If you no longer wish to do so, please click here to unsubscribe.

Just a quick reminder, that our monthly meeting is coming up next Wednesday.

Join us at the Church Hall in Fairfield Road from 7.30pm for a talk by the Leicestershire and Rutland Blood Bikers. This group of volunteers provide a free, “out of hours” courier service to public health bodies in Leicestershire & Rutland – often helping them save lives through their timely support.

If you are coming to the meeting also look out for the sign up sheets for our social events coming up: We are off to the Golden Mile in Leicester on the 6th November and there is a Ghost Walk on the 27th November!

We look forward to seeing you next Wednesday.

If you are interested in what the Market Harborough WI is up to, keep an eye on the website for the latest news. Or you can subscribe by entering your email address below and you will be send the latest news automatically:

You have been sent this message because you are following the website of the Market Harborough Womens Institute. If you no longer wish to do so, please click here to unsubscribe.