Surprise, Surprise

The postman arrived this morning, and as I heard the thump on the mat, I assumed it would be the usual selection of unwanted catalogues and circulars. Ok, so maybe one day I WILL need a hearing aid, due to the noisy gigs, but I'm ok for the moment thank you.  And I have no wish to go on a cruise, nor do I wish to buy into an exorbitant timeshare scheme, allowing me to spend one or two weeks a year (probably in the rain) in a Country House, with a golf course, so stop writing to tell me how I could miss out if I don't respond  immediately.

While I'm about it, I don't eat kebabs, or pizzas, or curry - and even if I did I wouldn't want them delivered to my door.  I'm not planning to sell my property, even if there ARE lots of eager buyers waiting for a home just like mine, and I am quite happy with all my current tv/telephone/broadband arrangements, thank you.

Oh, and, if the man from Acorn is reading this, my parents DO NOT WANT A B****Y STAIRLIFT!!

Anyway, having got all that off my chest, in fact, the post was the most lovely surprise - two fat quarters of the most wonderful fabric sent completely unexpectedly but the lovely Angela

Aren't they beautiful?  She said that as soon as the new fabric arrived she immediately thought of me and sent them to me.  This isn't an advert, and it certainly isn't why she sent them, but I thought I'd put a link to her shop here in case you are as taken with them as I am and might want to order some.  Thanks Angela!

Talking of lovely fabric, I bought some of this a few months ago .....

and, thanks to the lousy weather, it finally got made up into a skirt - the pattern is Burda 8176 which I've used a couple of times, and plan to use again.  It's really quick and simple to make, although I add a lining that the pattern doesn't have.  (It's actually from the Burda Young Fashion section - but I won't tell them if you don't)

I've also made a couple more needlecases from vintage fabric.  

And finally, as this is a post of odds and ends, I thought anyone with a rusting treadle sewing machine table might be inspired by this. My friend Jane has had this table in her garden for years, awaiting the right project.  

She got her husband to make a wooden box into which a compost bag fits perfectly, and has planted it up with various salad leaves and herbs.  The best of it, is that slugs don't seem to be able to climb up that far. 

Now I suppose I'm going to be searching on ebay for a treadle.

Surprise Surprise - John Lennon

God Save The Queen

Great gig at Hertford Corn Exchange last night - The Sex Pistols Experience, who were brilliant.  I saw them last year over the Royal Wedding weekend, and their return visit to Hertford was timed to coincide with the Jubilee weekend.  They not only sound great - but they really look the part too - Johnny Rotter has got John Lydon off to an absolute T.  It wasn't a huge audience, but all those who WERE there, clearly thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
In fact, to such an extent that 'Kid' Vicious, who usually snarls throughout the performance, seemed to be trying (and mostly failing) to suppress a grin most of the time.  I guess a couple of dozen geezers in their mid-fifties, pogo-ing like their lives depended on it, is bound to bring a smile to your face.  

At least with maturity the enthusiastic audience seemed to have learned to appreciate the value of money, so thankfully the amount of beer thrown was negligible.

Bit of a mistake to stand quite so close to the speaker, I am officially deaf this morning, but then, that always was the sign of a great night out. 

Plus excellent raucous support from The Blissetts, with Hertford's finest guitar tutor, Ed Brown, on bass.

That should be good for a free lesson.

God Save The Queen - The Sex Pistols

Jubilee

Sorry, yet another long blog absence - but I have been busy.  I have been to see this - twice!

The story behind the Great Bed of Ware is fascinating - it started off in the 1500's, apparently as a bit of an 'advertising campaign' for one of the Inns.  It was on the route that pilgrims took from London to Walsingham in Norfolk, and presumably was one of the stopping off points.  Over the course of its long stay in Ware the Bed moved around between five inns, The White Hart, The George, The Crown, The Bull and the Saracen’s Head from which it was sold in 1870.  Henry Teale took it to Rye House, Hoddesdon, as a visitor attraction. It's mentioned in various literary works, including Twelfth Night. And, since 1931 it's been at the V&A, but for this year only, it's in the Ware Museum.

Although you are not even allowed to TOUCH the bed now, if you look closely, you can see graffiti dating back hundreds of years where various occupants have carved their names. 

Apart, from that, I've been a bit productive, I've knitted necklaces, and I've made some more books, since I finished my book making course - this one is made with watercolour paper and covered with part of a carrier bag from Desigual

and this patriotic one is again made of watercolour paper, and covered with some card making paper, and finished with a book mark.  (Don't tell anyone, but the book mark started life as a  tag from some red white and blue underwear I bought in M&S!)

I've also visited the Mall Galleries to see the Prism exhibition, which was fabulous.  I got there at 12.30 and didn't manage to drag myself away until after 4.30pm.  There was SO much to see, and such inspirational work.  I think it's brilliant when you leave an exhibition and are bursting to go home and sketch and stitch - which is just what this exhibition did for me.  Such talented and innovative artists, it was a brilliant day.  I bought a photographic licence, and took lots of pictures, but you're not supposed to publish any of them, so you'll have to take my word for it.  However, Gina said I was welcome to show a photo of her work, so here it is, her brilliant full size machine embroidery of figures speaking on their mobile phones, hung in a telephone kiosk

Yesterday, along with a million other people, I went up to see the Jubilee Pageant, with my friend Angie and her son Jacques.  

I even made myself a Jubilee T shirt,

although, due to the standard British weather, it was covered in several layers of clothing so I needn't have bothered!

We had a good position near Tower Bridge, but as that was at the end of the Pageant, we had to stand there quite a long time, and consequently we got very cold, and very very wet.   It was quite a relief when the first of the boats appeared ...

and we did get to see the Queen.

Yeah, I know I could have stayed at home and watched it on the television, but I'm glad I went, and I  still got to watch the highlights when I got home and turned the central heating on.

I haven't forgotten that I am due to post about the course I did in May - to follow .................

Jubilee - Blur

About Your Dress

Sorry, bit of a blog break - I've been away in Shropshire on a fantastic course with Ruth Issett and Bobby Britnell - but I'll have to tell you all about that in another post - blogger is too slow this evening and I'm too impatient to sit here.

But I did want to recommend that if you are at all interested in such things - do try and visit the V&A for their new exhibition, opening tomorrow.  I went to the Members Preview Day today, with my friends Gina and Jill

The exhibition is to celebrate the opening of the newly renovated Fashion galleries, and there are dozens of beautiful ballgowns and evening dresses displayed.

 It's a fantastic exhibition, and provoked lots of discussion about which ones we liked best.  Some of the more outrageous dresses appear to be more a case of the designer 'showing off' than trying to make the wearer look fab, and I think the general consensus is that the simple dresses look more stunning.  Although Gina was frighteningly drawn to a full length rubber evening dress. 

If I was to offer any construction criticism, I'd like to make two suggestions. Firstly, it would have been good to see more (and bigger) photographs of the dresses being worn by their owners - they always looked better on real women than they did on the mannequins. 

And my second suggestion?  A grown up dressing up box!  (But no rubber, thanks very much.)

About Your Dress - The Maccabees

Last Chance Saloon

You might remember that a few weeks ago, my fellow knitters and I had a somewhat below-par restaurant experience in one of our local eateries.  You'd think, given the level of (non) service we received, that we'd have met somewhere else this week. But no, we decided to give it one last chance. Not least because the Manager was so apologetic last time, that he said he'd treat us to complimentary Bucks Fizz's the next time we went in. I have to say, I was a bit doubtful as to whether they'd materialise, but one amongst us was convinced he'd stand by his offer.  I hate to say "I told you so" ..... 

Not only did we not get Bucks Fizz, but they still couldn't manage to get the order right - and there were only three of us this time.  I won't bore you with the details, but the orders were wrong on several counts, when they did bring our food we had to wait a good five minutes for cutlery to arrive, and then to cap it all, they tried to overcharge us. We DEFINITELY won't be going there again.

That's it, whinge over, now on a much lovelier note, this week I received my fantastic one-off piece of artwork from my lovely friend Gina.  She is making 50 tiny books - to find out why, read here .  She has made over 30 so far, and they are all beautiful and so different (but mine's the best)

A unique little book of tattoo'd hearts, all bound in it's own fringed leather jacket.  I'm absolutely delighted with it!

I'm currently doing a 6 week course on bookmaking with Gina, and so yesterday, inspired by the course and not least, my precious heart book, I spent several hours having a go at making some myself.  NOT to Gina's standards, obviously, but I'm still learning ....

A blizzard book - with some slightly imprefect folding, so don't look TOO closely ..

A couple of triangle books

(slightly 'iffy ribbon, but it was all I had in my shed/studio and I couldn't be bothered to walk back up into the house, change my shoes and sort through my indoor supplies to find proper ribbon.

A concertina book (more unsuitable ribbon)

And finally a book, that probably isn't really a book - it's got folded up square 'compartments' rather than pages

All covered with handpainted and printed paper.  I can't believe how long ago I painted some of it - one sheet had my previous surname on the reverse, which I left behind over 15 years ago!  No wonder I've got so much 'stuff', I seem to save it all for best.

I should really have been doing my Spectrum homework, but I had a lovely time making books instead!

Last Chance Saloon - The Happy Refugees

A Little Piece of Leather

Watch closely, this is the probably the nearest I'll ever get to posting an online tutorial!

It's not for anything exciting, I'm afraid, and the only reason I'm doing it,  is for the benefit of anyone else like me who finds it impossible to sew with a thimble.  I've tried various types, and different sizes over the years,  but I've never really got to grips with them.  Then a few weeks ago, a very kind lady lent me one that stayed on my finger, and didn't impede my stitching. Unfortunately, she had bought it  from an unknown location in the States, and I didn't really think the purchase of a thimble justified the air fare.

But then I looked at the original, and realise it didn't exactly push my resourceful skills to the limit, to make my own. 

Firstly I cut out a piece of leather ...

Then laid a piece of wide elastic across the leather, folded the top section of leather over the elastic, and stitched it.

I find it easier to stitch first, then trim the elastic to size.  I have stitched in white because I couldn't be a***ed to change the thread in my machine wanted to make it easier for you to see.

Then, just trim the leather and elastic close to the stitching line

Not exactly a thing of beauty, but it does the job.  And, of course, if you haven't got any leather in your sewing box, everyone's got an old pair of leather trousers in the wardrobe that they'll never wear again, even if they DID fit.  Oh, just me, then.

If you want a slightly prettier thimble, use pink leather, and pink elastic with sparkly silver hearts.

I might make loads, to keep my fingers warm in my fingerless gloves.

If I knew how to put patterns on here, I would.  But I don't so you're on your own, I'm afraid.

A Little Piece of Leather - Donnie Elbert

Living In the Material World

This is post is going to be mostly pictures - I've had a busy couple of days surrounded by fabric, dyes and thread, and my little brain is worn out, but I wanted to post pictures of what I've been doing.

I've had a fantastic weekend at Belstead House, near Ipswich on a textile weekend with the girls from Romford Embroiderers Guild.  Although I'm no longer a member of that Branch, I was for many years, and they very kindly invited me to join them.   I chose to do the class led by Libby Smith, entitled Mixed Media Landscapes.  The first pictures are of Libby's beautiful examples, made with hand dyed fabrics, distressed papers, print and stitch 

Our pieces are very much 'works in progress'  but hopefully they will all be finished in the days/weeks/months ahead!  I'm not going to say who did each piece, in case I get any names mixed up, but here they are ...

I CAN tell you that the bottom one in the picture above is mine - not my usual colours or style at all! I think it looks a bit drab, but there will be a lot more stitching on it and hopefully that will brighten it up.

Some of the girls made 'Fertility Dolls' - although they agreed that they weren't hoping that they actually worked!

The girls in the other class, led by Katie Harrowven,  worked with metal shims, foils, friendly plastic, and gold leaf, and when we went to see what they had been doing - their classroom was a riot of colour ..

And finally, Libby issued a two-fabric landscape challenge.  Now, I'm the only person who actually took up the challenge, and I have to say I returned to my usual colourful and sparkly (some say, tacky) style, using a couple of hand dyed babywipes that I had previously used to clean up paint palettes, and which I knew would come in useful one day.

A lovely weekend with great company, good food lots of stitching and not enough sleep.  

Can I go to bed now please?

Living In The Material World - George Harrison