I have created this blog to share my interest in all forms of stitching, quilting, sewing, knitting, medieval re-enactment and costume making – particularly my love of historical embroidery. I also love travelling,especially when it also involves any of my other interests.
I know the children think I am a bit barmy for taking pics of food but I think I can be forgiven when on holiday and the food is a little more exotic than usual.
We had some really nice meals while in Marrakesh – there is plenty of choice and a couple of nights Jake had pizza but he did try lots of other things as well – and we avoided the Pizza Hut, KFC and McDonalds that we came across – though we were intrigued by the advert for the ‘McArabia’!
The food was very cheap (about £15 for 3 of us with soft drinks or coffee) in most places, lovely bread was served as standard with all meals and the quality was excellent in both cheap and expensive places. Breakfast in the lovely hotel was particularly nice with a selection of different breads and pastries every day.
As expected we had a wonderful time in Marrakesh – it was warm and sunny most of the time (which made the return to Yorkshire snow all the more surprising) , exciting and interesting as well as (according to Jake) a bit terrifying – he accorded that label to a couple of bits such as getting lost in the Souks (well you have to don’t you!) and the menu prices at one of the posh hotels we visited whilst sampling the glamorous side of the city.
I have many pics to share with you but thought I would start with some of our hotel. I have rediscovered how to do slide shows to insert into my posts so have put together one to show you the luxury that was our riad in the Kasbah. I wanted to stay somewhere which would give us a real flavour of Marrakesh rather than one of the impersonal big hotels and found this bargain though Hotelopia. It cost us £28 per double room including bed and breakfast which was brilliant value considering the luxury we got. The place is called Riad Schanez – from the outside in the little street at the bottom of the Kasbah it looks nothing special …
The street where we stayed 'Derb Tadla'
But inside was wonderful – this impressed Jake no end! It was a textile lovers’ paradise and me and Mum spent lots of time taking pics of the furnishings like sad tourists!
Will update again later with more pics – no time now as have to get tea done!
I had hoped to have pics of a completed bear to show you but though I have been hard at work on her today she is not quite ready. I have sewn together all body parts (the head has turned out very well thankfully!) but I think the arms are too big. So I have left it for tonight as I will have to take them off then unravel an inch or so which needs much concentration.
I do hope that you have had a lovely weekend – I have after a very busy week at work. I travelled to Leeds on Friday for work and wandered around a bit after – with camera this time – as I had some things I wanted to do.
Leeds is a very beautiful city with some amazing architecture – particularly the ironwork in the arcades and the terracotta buildings. The picture below shows the lovely roof of the Leeds City Market which is well worth a visit for a real old traditional market.
The market roof - not a very bright day but it does let a lot of light in
While I was wandering round I found this lovely fabric in the remnants bin of one of the stalls – looks very much like blackwork so it had to come home to be part of my stash!
Only £2.50 for a metre - bargain!
I also bought these very cute cupcake cases ….
Am thinking choc chip and strawberry maybe....
Then wandered through Victoria Quarter where all the very expensive shop are – Harvey Nichols, Vivienne Westwood etc.
Another beautiful glass roofThe top of the arcade has a wonderful orange motif all along it
The shops in this arcade have the most wonderful window displays like this one from The White Company.
Look at this for cute!
One of the reasons for wandering was to go and visit the University of Leeds Textile Archive (ULITA) which I have been meaning to do for a while now. My inspiration for going this week was that they had a small Embroiderers’ Guild exhibition from the Leeds branch on – unfortunately I was not able to take any pics but there was some nice stitching there. As well as that exhibition there was a selection of the Textile Archives on display with the theme of Natural Fibres.
You can go and look at the thousands of things they have in archive via this link and find info on visiting the collection at the ULITA Wiki – I hope that they do not mind that I have used a couple of pics from there to show you what sort of things they have.
A blackwork bag An embroidered purse
My favourite pics in their digital archive come from the Louisa Pesel Collection. Louisa was the first President of the Embroiderers’ Guild and collected embroidery from around the world. There are some lovely examples here.
Will probably not be posting again for a while (unless I make great progress on the bear in the next couple of days) as we are off on a holiday (hurrah!) at the end of the week. My Mum arrives from Spain tomorrow and we are off later in the week to Marrakesh! I am very excited – have been reading my guide book and am really, really looking forward to seeing the wonderful architecture, gardens and markets – I may feel the need to purchase textiles – you just never know!
Sorry but could not resist the post title – am getting on very well with the components of the bear – not got a finished item yet but here are the parts.
Well it looks a bit like a bear ....... with a strange shaped head!
I am about half way through the gorgeous little dress and have decided that making small knitted animals may well become addictive. Am planning to make another dress to go with this bear and then I remembered that many moons ago when obviously my enthusiasm for buying knitting books far outweighed my prowess in actually knitting anything I bought this book.
Too cute!
The book Knitted Bears by Claire Garland contains patterns for bears but more importantly clothing for said animals – who could resist this dress …..
A little frilly knitted dress
and these are just the cutest little shoes ……..
Little baby bear boots!
A very, very long time ago I knitted and stitched a wardrobe for Barbie (they were great pieces to do – took no time at all) which Ellie really loved. So I may well have to devote some time to toy production – especially since we have more snow here this week which severely lessens my enthusiasm for being in the garden!
Look at these little faces – don’t you just love them all?
They all look so cute!
I have also today just got my Valentine exchange pice from Maggee in the USA. Look at the detail on this wonderful heart ornie.
Such neat stitching
It is now hanging on my conservatory door and looks so pretty. It is stitched on 32 count Bone Lugana and I think the design is called Tugtika from HDF. Anyway it is very, very pretty and thank you very much Maggee.
Maggee's heart ornament
Have today finished stitching a gift which I will be able to reveal next week and have been finishing off another scissor keep – pics of that will have to be posted at some time in the future when I have given it to the recipient.
Hope that you are having a happy time with textiles – thanks for visiting!
I have just been and checked the ASOE web site and was delighted to find that my Valentine exchange for Maggee in the USA has been delivered – very good considering I posted it on the 29th Jan.
The front of the ornament - stitched on evenweave with DMC thread, seed beads and heart ribbon
The pattern was an old one that I have had in my pattern collection since the late 1990s from a cross stitch mag and was originally designed as an Xmas ornie in red and green.
One of my usual little charms on the back - love this gingham - reminds me of primary school summer dresses!
Maggee really likes pink so I decided to stitch it in pink and green and try out a new finish with this little bordered cushion with the pink gingham. The little charm was from my stash – not certain where I got it from – may have been my LNS some time ago.
It was very simple to finish and generally quite a good stitch – not very quick as there is a lot of evenweave to be covered with the check background and it is very tiny! However I interspersed this project with knitting to give my old eyes a rest!
I am pleased that Maggee likes it and eagerly await getting my ornie from her.
Stitches of Time 