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.
Well we had a very lovely time this Bank Holiday weekend – very hot weather on Saturday (thankfully cooler on Sunday and Monday as the boys were really melting in their armour!). About 3,000 people came to see us over the three days – thanks if you were one of them. I was doing my head-dress and embroidery talk again – this time in Lady Percy’s tent (as she is being the cook this season in the mornings) assisted by Lady Alice.
Here are some pics for you – starting off in the early morning when we are all getting ready for the public to arrive.
Lord Bardolph (aka Paul) setting up in the arenaLady Bardolph (aka (Lynn) ready for calligraphyLady Percy (aka Tracy) and Ellen and Jake in the kitchenThe Despenser's tentCameron (aka Keith) and Paddy setting up for the armour talkEsme tidying up the flags round the displaysLord De Bohun (aka Paul) putting on his armourLord Zouche (aka Luke) in his padded jack and coifMore of Lady Bardolph's embroidery on Lord Despencer's shirt
These pics from the afternoon show are all taken by my lovely friend Jan from her Facebook page (hope you don’t mind me using them Jan) – as I am not allowed a camera while in kit I have to ‘borrow’ other people’s pics to show you the action.
Lady Despencer (aka Bev) in her heraldic dressEllie giving water to Zouche during the tournament
Everyone wanted me to post this one as well as they loved the crazy look on my face – I am just happy that the season has started again and I am camping!
Me (as the nun) Ellie and Zouche
Virtually no crafting has gone on this week – at the weekend we were too busy with medieval stuff to do anything apart from me doing a bit of hand sewing of a coif during the day. I will have to crack on this week as my Spring Exchange piece needs to be mailed by the 1st May. I have had mine from my partner and it is lovely so will take some pics and post that at the weekend.
I am looking forward to the Royal Wedding on Friday – some friends are coming over for cupcakes and cava and then I am hoping for a nice weekend so I can be out in the garden, there may even be a bbq or two!
Hope that you have a nice week and thank you very much again for visiting.
You may remember some time ago I wrote about my talented friend Bucket and his 18th century embroidered waistcoat. Well here is a pic of it in its finished state – I hope Bucket does not mind me sharing this pic from his partner’s Facebook album. Look at the amazingness of this!
A master embroiderer indeed!
My wonderfully talented daughter Ellie has also been very busy – she had a very cute patchwork cushion kit from Madeline Millington for Xmas and her friend Gemma has given her a sewing machine so she has produced this very lovely cushion.
Ellie's patchwork cushion
Here it is on her bed.
Being looked after by her collection of frogs!
I have not got much to report myself this week – so it is a good job Facebook came to the rescue for me as I am still only halfway through Ellie’s hat – since it is knitted in black and the weather has been awful I don’t think I could have got a decent pic for you anyway. Would have made more progress but have had another very busy week. Did have a long train journey this week and took the knitting but sadly it was a crowded train and I didn’t want to poke the guy next to me with my needles so got little done – must learn to knit on circulars so I can knit more on trains!
I was hoping to do a bit of garden tidying this weekend – we had a couple of days with a bit of blue sky and I got all optimistic but then I remembered that I live in Yorkshire and it is only the first week of Feb! The poor garden looks so tatty – I am longing to be able to get out and restore it to prettiness – roll on summer!
The very, very good news is that full boiler function was restored on Weds – ohh the warmth – it is so fantastic and it did not mean having to have a new boiler thank goodness so we are all very happy and toasty once again.
I have just ordered a new book from Amazon as I am going to be participating in Crazy Aunt Purl’s book club on her blog. I have meant to join in before but have missed deadlines but this book looks particularly good as it is about immigration to the USA which is a subject I am really interested in. The book is called When We Were Strangers and looks like a very nice read. It may well be my holiday book as I am off in two weeks for a little bit of ‘blue skies and bougainvillea’ therapy in Spain again. Have also treated myself to another Laura Ingalls Wilder book as I love reading things from her life.
Well I hope that you are all having a lovely crafty weekend and are nice and warm and toasty – just listening to the rain lashing down makes me very glad to be inside – off to stir my beef stew now!
As you know I have very, very many talented friends and I just wanted to share with you some recent pics of their work that they have posted courtesy of their Facebook profiles – I do hope they don’t mind me sharing their skills with my blog readers.
The first is my lovely friend Kat who as you know does medieval re-enactment and I have posted before about her costumes and her business Kat’s Hats . Well she also does Tudor re-enactment and these costumes are even more wonderful than her others due to the level of detail and complexity in them. This pic was taken recently at an event at Buckland Abbey with her Tudor group.
Kat, her beautiful daughter Isabella and her granny
What amazes me about this pic is that it looks like a scene from the Tudors (love those series – have all on DVD) but all of these costumes were made by Kat.
I have also mentioned Bucket before but have never had any really close up pics of his embroidery to show you. Bucket is one of the rare men who embroider and he along with Kat does many different periods of re-enactment. Bucket’s partner (also called Cat!) recently posted this on Facebook which is his work in progress on an 18th century waistcoat – up to the moment the work has taken 245 hours and counting!
Bucket's embroidery
And here is the man himself with his work.
Here he is with a well earned beer
Fantastic work both of you – I am honoured to know you.
I am very lucky to have lots of lovely friends who do all sorts of crafts who I have met over the years of going to embroidery and knitting groups. Recently one of them , the very talented Barbara, came for lunch and a crafting session. Barbara was the person who inspired me to do crazy patchwork with her amazing tea cosies and I have shown you some of her work before. She is a very creative stitcher and is always trying out new things. She does not have a blog but I will find out where you can see more of her work on Flickr and post the link.
We had a lovely lunch and the got down to the serious business of exchanging fabric, ideas and having a little show and tell. Barbara has been participating in some private exchanges with some other crafters that she has met through her Flickr site and had brought this wonderful Victorian inspired crazy patchwork piece to show me. Apologies I have forgotten the maker’s name (it may be Maggie) but I know she lives in Australia.
Look at all that wonderful stitching and little charms!
Barbara has been working on these techniques herself including printing pictures on to fabric and look what she brought me!
Pressies for me!
The needlebook case on the left has gorgeous little rosebuds stitched after the picture and the little bag with me on is so clever! What I forgot to take a pic of was the bottom of the bag – she has lovely sparkly pink shoes all stitched in metallic thread and Barbara has written ‘girly shoes’ next to it – she is a fabulous machine stitcher and I am very, very pleased with my gifts. thank you again Barbara!
She also brought along a sample she has made using her new flower foot on her sewing machine.
The piece includes hand dyed silk carrier rods and hand stitching as well as machine
Aren’t the colours in this gorgeous – just what you need on all dull day – I told you she was clever!
Barbara made a little tree ornament while she was here and we exchanged some Xmas fabrics – I have been cracking on this weekend with my Xmas crafts , have finished putting together the quilt wall hanging – now I just need to quilt it. I was going to machine quilt most of it but don’t thick it will fit under the machine now the wadding is quite thick so will hand quilt in metallic thread instead.
A live trial - Barbara seeing if she can follow my tree making instructions
In the exchange I got some fabric with trees on so I have put it to good use and made some little bags for my craft fair stall – I also made 3 more with some robin fabric that I had in my stash – I have to get rid of some of the fabric to justify my expenditure at Harrogate you see!
Just got to add ribbon ties to all these
A couple of days later I got this lovely parcel in post from Barbara with even more fabric and some very cute charms which was very well received.
Flower fabric with sequinsNeed to think of somewhere to use these - look at the tea cups - very cute!
I have finished and posted my second Autumn exchange – this one to Oklahoma in the USA – will post pics of both when they have been received.
I managed to get to two of my knitting groups this week which was great – haven’t been for while to one during work and it wa so nice to see everyone again. All in all a wonderful week!
And I am off to Spain tomorrow – yipee! Am packing lots of knitting to take with me hoping to finish off a couple of the Xmas gifts while I am away. Will post when I get back.
I have just come back from a lovely afternoon at Oakwell – my evening knitting group had been invited as part of a Heritage Weekend where lots of properties are open for free across the country. Our task was to sit in the amazing Painted Chamber and knit and talk to the public about knitting – how hard!
The ‘painted’ title refers to the wood panelling – though the vertical and horizontals panels are real the rest of the 3D effects are painted on. The room reminded me very much of the bedrooms in Tatton Hall that we visit every June – with again beautiful bed hangings. It was such a privilege to be in that room – especially when we were told that was where the ladies of the house used to sit, embroider and gossip!
There were 5 of us there today – others will be there tomorrow – we had two tables with old patterns, examples of things that we had knitted and crocheted and modern examples of fun knitting patterns for the kids to look at. the really lovely thing was that so many people had owned and knitted the baby patterns we had on display, or talked about their Mums and Grannies knitting – there was a real wealth of social history that people wanted to share. We met a man who knew someone who had modelled for Patons knitting patterns in his youth, a women whose Mum was a test knitter for the same company, and someone whose Mum had knitted string vests for priests.
Apologies for the quality of these pics of our display – the light was not good!
Kath, Pauline, Pamela and Debbie demonstrating
Debbie's collection of vintage patterns - there were some lovely garments for men!
Pamela's beautiful baby shawl from an original 1930s pattern
Kath's detailed lace and ribbed socks - you can also see some of the crewel work embroidery that was displayed on the table in the chamber
These women are all very good knitters or crocheters – Kath’s speciality is socks, Pauline’s is crocheted jackets and scarves, Pamela’s is lace knitting and Debbie makes beautiful baby garments. I have learnt a lot from them in the year I have been going to the group. This year I have really improved on basic shaping and have learnt lace. Next year it is going to be double-pointed and circular needles so I can do my first pair of socks!
I did not get much chance to look round the rest of the Hall as we were so busy but did have a little peek in the room next door which had another wonderful set of bed hangings. These crewelwork reproductions were done by the Friends of Oakwell Broiderer’s group (another idea for if I ever have more time!). Pics again from the Friends of Oakwell website.
The Little Parlour Chamber
Detail of the bedcover
As well as all the crewelwork the Friends have also done lots of needlepoint cushions, chair seats etc so it is well worth a visit if you like textiles!
Hope that you are having a good weekend – thanks for visiting!
On one of my recent travels round the internet I was following a link from Constance’s lovely ‘Born in the Wrong Age’ blog (do go and visit she is an re-enactor in Australia who does fab needlework) and found this wonderful site full of members’ needlework projects from the West Kingdom of the Society of Creative Anachronism. The society operates worldwide though they seem to be most active in the US and their members produce the most wonderful examples of historical needlework.
To whet your appetite I hope they don’t mine but I have borrowed a few pics to show you the standard of work which is amazing. There are loads more on the site as well as lots of really good info and articles (click on the Articles link on the right hand menu on their site ) so do go and have a look.
Part of a goldwork collar by LetitiaA gorgeous whitework coif by EllaBlackwork by JulianaCouched goldwork by KatherineEmbroidery and silverwork by Letitia
All very,very talented ladies I’m sure you will agree.
I am having a quiet week at home doing lots of marking and listening to the rain! We are off this weekend to the wonderful Berkeley Castle where we have this as our view.
Not a bad view for a campsite!
If you are near South Glos do come and visit – this link gives you details of the event. That is my lovely friend Keith in the pic on the top right of the web site, he only looks like that on the battlefield (or if someone pinches his mead round the campfire!)
Even if you are not coming pray for fine weather for us please – last year this was our wettest pitch and even though we don’t mind a bit of damp as we are hardy campers it puts off the paying public and that is a real shame for us and all the people who give up all their time and effort to organise these events. As I have mentioned before most of the events rely on unpaid volunteers for the organising and the hard work of providing facilities and without paying visitors they will not happen (someone has to pay for the portaloos!) . So here’s hoping for very good weather this year!
After that event we are off for a week camping in the Forest of Dean with my sister Jacky (did I mention that I love camping!) and then it is straight on to Ashby de La Zouche castle in Leicestershire for another weekend of camping (I love, love, love camping!!!) where our group are doing another show.
So the blog will be very quiet for a bit while I paddle in mud (no hopefully bask in the sun!) in a field somewhere and enjoy some lovely campfires and BBQs ( I also love BBQs!).
I hope that you have been enjoying yourselves this weekend. I have had a really lovely time with lots of socialising. This is quite unusual as I do tend to hole up a bit over Winter and not do much except sit and knit or stitch with all my candles lit but I have been very busy.
It started on Friday night with a visit to my friend Cheryl’s house for a Jamie at home party (bit like a Tupperware party but for Jamie Oliver’s cooking stuff!). We had a very lovely time – Cheryl has recently moved to a gorgeous house built in 1907 with so many beautiful original features showcasing the best of the Arts and Crafts movement including some wonderful stained glass and plaster work. Pity I didn’t have my camera!
Cheryl is a friend from work and there were quite a few other work colleagues there with their partners so it was lovely to be able to socialise – we are so busy at work we don’t get a chance to do that much.
I also bought some very nice things – a set of terracotta tapas bowls, some storage jars and something I have been wanting for a long time – a mortar and pestle for grinding herbs and spices to add to my stock of lovely kitchen items so I am eagerly waiting for them all to arrive.
Saturday should have been a whole day in the garden but torrential rain stopped play – I did manage a trip to the garden centre to stock up on compost and bought some pretty Primulas and new herbs as all my old ones died out during the snow.
I used the thyme and rosemary today as we had friends round for a late lunch – I experimented with a new salad of butternut squash, puy lentils and pickled lemon that I got from my Sainsbury’s magazine which was very nice. Am trying to do at least one new recipe a week – Jake did not try the salad but the others liked it!
I realised that I did not post any pics of the textiles from our recent visit to Marrakesh (how remiss!) so here goes – these pics were taken in a museum behind glass so apologies for the quality. The first one used what appeared to be cross stitch on linen.
Three different pieces based on tile motifsBright flower motifs on a patterned ground
This one was embroidered in silk over a patterned background but the pattern was not used for the motifs which I thought was interesting.
Very fine cross stitch in mono colour on linen
This last picture looks very much like a lot of Middle Eastern and Eastern European embroidery that I have seen over the years. The standard of work was very good with exceptionally fine stitching.
Just up from where we stayed in the lovely Riad was an Aladdin’s Cave of textiles, ceramics etc in a government-run Artisan’s warehouse – could have quite cheerfully bought the entire store but limited myself to a beaded mat from this wonderful selection ….
So many pretty things.. so little time
….. a wonderful patchwork hanging for Ellie with lots of goldwork and sequins from this selection…
Patchwork - Marrakesh style
We also went to the souks (several times and got lost several times as you do and got out again in the end!). We found a fabulous lamp shop where I bought another lantern for the lounge – just look at all this stuff!
Pretty, pretty things!How much hand luggage are we allowed? Maybe I can just squeeze this one in!
So one lamp, several beaded items, one hanging, two tagines, one kaftan, one set of kebab skewers, lots of candles later …… really Marrakesh is shopper’s paradise – if you go take at least one empty case with you – we had three empty hand luggage cases but it was a tight squeeze on the way back!
I hope you have had a very nice weekend as well.Things are going to be a little quieter here thankfully for the next couple of weeks as we have finished teaching for Easter – I have a huge pile of marking to do but am looking forward to a holiday in a week or so when we are off to Spain.
We have had a very nice weekend away visiting Ellen in Worcester. As you may recall she is doing a degree in Heritage, History and Archeology so she has been getting to know all the historic sites in the area and took us on a little tour on Saturday. She has signed up to be a volunteer at a National Trust property in the centre of Worcester, The Greyfriars, a Tudor house so we went there first.
The central part of the houseMy sister Jacky with Jake and Ellie in the garden
As well as being a beautiful property dating from 1480 it was full of embroidery as the last owner (whose name I forgot to write down and Ellie has the guide book!) was an avid embroiderer and collector and there was a wealth of stitched work – particularly crewel work. It was difficult to take pics as the light was not good but it is well worth a visit if you are in the area.
These are just a few of the treasures.
Crewel work pelmets - there were also matching wall hangings Detail from a crewel work picture stitched by the house ownerA sampler labelled Hannah Smith 1851 - the colours were really bright given its ageAn over mantel flower piece designed especially for the main hallThe main hall still as it was left in 1985 when the last occupant died
We then went up the road to the Tudor House Museum which had displays of local life throughout the ages where I found these lovely old knitting patterns …
Lovely 1950s garments!and some for baby as well .....
There was also a display of replica wartime postcards for sale – sadly they had run out of stock of this one so pics will have to suffice.
Knitting for the RAF - what fun!
I have also been busy here at home (and on the train) with the last of the knitting for the teddy gift set. I have enjoyed the dresses so much am now on the third one. Just have the matching hairbands to knit and all the ribbons and bows to attach. Ellie is most impressed and wants one of her own complete with wardrobe.
Two completed dress and knicker sets plus a WIP in pink
I am particularly pleased with the lacy pattern on the purple dress – this pattern comes from Val Pierce’s 20 To make – Knitted Tiny Bears book which I recently bought from Amazon.
Look I can now knit lacy things as well as scarves!
Am expecting to be very busy in the next few days but hoping to have it all completed by the end of the weekend – this will be my Mother’s Day sit and knit project!
Hope you all have a good week – thanks for visiting.
We have had a lovely day today – three of my friends from my medieval group came to do some embroidery and we had a very nice time, researching, chatting and stitching – oh and having very nice food including spice cake – forgot to take a pic of that before we ate it!
Here are Kerry and Lynn deciding on which projects to work on.
Knew all those books would come in handy
Tracey looking very studious.
It's the glasses sweetie - make you look very serious!
Kerry and Lynn decided to do goldwork and Tracey needlepoint. This was Kerry’s first attempt at goldwork and she decided to do a little flower – a borage – in couched thread on a white silk background.
First step was to trace the flower outline onto the silk then couch the threadKerry with her goldwork - look at the lovely sunshine we had!
She did a brilliant job and by the end of the day had completed all of the couching and beads – she just has the silk shading on the petals to do.
The couched and beaded flower
Lynn did two projects – the first was based on a Bess of Hardwick piece – this is the outline of a goldwork project.
Goldwork design with initials
The second was a flower motif taken from one of the books which Lynn is couching onto red silk.
The part completed flower
Tracey’s piece is a complex picture of herself and her husband drawn onto linen and stitched using tent stitch. This is her progress so far …
A huge project to complete here !
We had a lovely time and hope to arrange another day soon to do some blackwork.
I will leave you with some pics of the girls all dressed up in kit at our events.
Lynn, Jane, Kerry and Ellie at Bolsover Castle
Tracey and her lovely husband Pete - aka Lord and Lady Percy at Cosmeston Medieval Village
Do hope you have had a nice weekend – thanks for visiting.
I have had a very busy and very enjoyable weekend – I have been teaching, gardening, socialising and doing what I could to help with our Embroiderer’s Guild exhibition.
I went on Friday after work to help set up (and deliver the muffins!) and took all the pics below then. Went back on Sat to collect everything. they had a very successful day with lots of visitors and everyone was very impressed by the standard of the work. You can see why.
The loveliest little mice at the bottom of a box
The lid of the box
A cushion with embroidery and beadingA corner of a silk shaded tableclothCrazy patchwork tea cosies made at one of the day schoolsA traditional sampler in cross stitch
As it is 30 years since the group was founded we created a special exhibit made up of 8 inch squares in all the colours of the rainbow. The brief was to stitch your square with any sort of technique in mainly that colour and the finished effect was excellent. This collection has now gone to be exhibited at our local museum.
Part of the rainbow exhibit
Below are two of my favourites squares – both from the violet section.
These fairy shoes are amazing!Cute little dresses and shoes!
As you can see we have some amazing talent in our group!
Dashed back from that to go and see Isabelle my next door neighbours’ granddaughter who was having her first birthday party. Here she is looking a bit sleepy after opening all her pressies with her Auntie Naomi.
Happy birthday Isabelle!
Ellie has had great first week at Uni – lots of going out making friends and has had a couple of lectures including one with skeletons!
I spent part of today doing my homework for Creative Textiles class tomorrow – I am working on a piece inspired by pics I took of some of the clematis growing in my garden this summer. We are doing transfer printing tomorrow so will post some pics of what we do later.
