Sunday 19 January 2014

Green Shoots.




There was a discussion this morning on the radio about 'the green shoots of recovery' , all about the supposed economic recovery which we ought to be celebrating, according to some politicians. I'm not going into a political rant, don't worry, although I would say that there are very many UK families who are a long way off feeling the fiscal benefits of the period of austerity we have been experiencing.

No the green shoots I am pondering on are the literal and the symbolic in my own life.

Our garden is bustling with green shoots at the moment, the grape hyacinths, crocus, and chives are well on their way. Much as I am thrilled to see them, I worry that we will be getting some hard frosts and possibly snow and ice which will at best, stunt the growth of this brave young greenery.


CHIVES


GRAPE HYACINTH


CROCUS


DAFFODILS!

More symbolic green shoots are the direction my stitching is taking me. The last six months of 2013 saw me abandoning fabric for wool and wool felt in the sewing room, and moving away from quilts towards smaller items such as the pin cushions and bangles. I am having so much fun making these items, and they seem to be finding favour with quite a few people.




Staying with the wool, I'm working on this throw which may end up having some kind of quilting stitchery on it, but it isn't really a quilt, and won't have wadding ....probably.



Another new direction is Open Studios which I am dipping a tentative toe into with Yvonne when she opens her home in May when Open Studios begins. I've no idea how successful  will be..it all depends who walks through the door, doesn't it? But I know it will be enjoyable and I'm thrilled to bits to have the opportunity to join in . Big thanks, Yvonne!

Musical green shoots is the development of the Red Cat Sessions, the traditional music session which began round my kitchen table last year and has now moved to our local pub. It is a very tender young shoot at the moment, we have a small number of us, and if two or three folks don't turn up we feel the loss quite acutely, but we make a decent noise and the paying punters seems to enjoy our being there. We are learning new tunes each time, sharing our own favourites and discovering new ones. I hope we encourage other players to come and that we grow and evolve over time.

Sometimes green shoots develop at the expense of other things dying off. Sadly, for a multitude of reasons, I have resigned from Ouse Washes Molly Dancers; I shall no longer be playing fiddle for them. I will of course be following their progress through the year, but won't be there with them. It's been a lovely two years and last year in particular was filled with fun and festivals and I will miss all that. Happily, my lovely fellow Mollies have said that I must never say never, and consider it as having a sabbatical, which other people have done on occasion.



So there we have it, are there green shoots appearing on your own horizon?

30 comments:

  1. Open Studio - I'll be there. Regarding your music, you know what they say, as one doors closes etc!! Lots of green shoots in our garden also, but like you say, am worried what they will think when/if the snow comes. Re the sewing of your felt, are you using embroidery thread, fine wool or something else. I love its multi-coloured look.

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    1. I'll make sure to advertise it properly in good time, Dc and of course there are the usual flyers etc put about by OS themselves. It is strange, we were promised heavy snow from November onwards, weren't we? I can't believe it hasn't arrived. Yet. Re the applique and embroidery on the wool/felt - I use a mixture; fine variegated wool of which ever type I can get my hands on. I use perle coton no. 5 and 8 a lot, also Steph Francis and Oliver Twist hand-dyed medium and perle cotton. Seldom embroidery floss unless I haven't got a particular shade. Anything goes, basically!

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  2. My garden has it's fair share of green shoots, I have hundreds of bulbs scattered throughout, I am leaving the covering of leaves and wind strewn plant debris in hope that they will get some frost protection. The pots of bulbs have a swathe of fleece around them that can be tugged over them in case of a frosty night. My personal green shoot has to be my vow to sew for charity this year, I am going to make 4 quilts and then some pet beds for a rehoming charity, an idea from the US. It can help an adopted pet settle in quicker if it,s bed goes to the new home with it.

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    1. Yes, covering up is the way to go, mulch and all that too. Lovely idea to make re-homing quilts. I have done similar for special care babies in the past.

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  3. Funnily enough I had the same conversation with my hubby today when he said about the life going on in the garden. I hope we don't get too bad a winter otherwise the buds and shoots will suffer. The Molly dancers made me smile. Have you seen bystargooseandhanglands.blogspot.co.uk? He has a couple of posts on Molly dancers. Have a wonderful week xx

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    1. Winter is late this year, and the poor old growing things get all out of sync. No, I must check him out, thanks Chel, and you too! Lxx

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  4. Lovely positive post Lynne. I have just discovered lots of daffodils in bloom along the roadside near here and the garden is also pushing forth many green shoots. I love your crafts those bracelets are stunning as well as the quilt and pincushions too. It obviously works to go where the muse takes you!

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  5. What? Daffodils IN BLOOM already? My goodness that is early isn't it? Thanks, I am having lots of fun with the wool. But I'm sure I haven't given up on the fabric! Lx

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  6. Nice to see green shoots Lynne although I think there may be some colder weather coming our way. Sounds like exciting times ahead for 2014, good luck with all your projects.

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    1. Yes, worrying that when it does arrive it'll be here until April! Hope the year is good for you and the family, Jay.Lx

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  7. Right Lynne off to the garden to spot green shoots, brr it's cold here! Great stitching, I'm sure the open studios will be fab :) x

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    1. Hi Ada, yes another pretty good day here again, weather-wise, sunshiny afternoon and a great sunset. I'm even surprised to see the daffs shooting, don't expect to see them start till the crocus' are nearly up. Yes, looking forward to May for the experience as much as anything.Lx

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  8. Oh let me know if you do open studios and i'll be one of your visitors. I will probably get one of your bangles as well.
    Gillx

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    1. Gill I will certainly be giving lots of notice on the blog - ad of course there is a fair amount of advertising going on locally - you may like to pick up a brochure/flier when they come out and work out a little 'trail' so the journey feels like it has a point to it. It would be lovely to meet you - bangle purchase or not! Am certainly doing the OS,- having paid my fee! and Yvonne's home is in North Creake which lies between Fakenham and the Burnhams - hope this is doable for you. (We have at least one day out where we go from one stitch Open Studio to the next ...as you will have read on the posts of the last 2 years for end of May!) Meanwhile.....lots to make! Lxx

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  9. you've got me intrigued - is open studio's a bit like an art trail? will you be displaying and selling on a certain date from home? really wish i lived closer to you .......... everything ok here - busy doing nothing it seems - too much social life at the moment - i would like a few quiet days to do catch up on work!!!! thank you for adding me to your circle - although i don't really understand what that means!!!! have a good week xx

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    1. Hi Lynne, yes, it is almost the same as art trails. Each region produces a booklet which lists the various artists, a glimpse and description of their work, and how to find them. You can then have a nice little day out, along the route you have worked out - we mainly visit the textile artists naturally. I've done a couple of posts in the archive about Open Studios. I will be at Yvonne's house - she does OS each year. Now then CIRCLES I have NO IDEA what that is all about. I don't have circles, but the only way I could follow you was to join your circle - what is it all about???? I can't access my circle because ...I didn't even know I HAD a circle! Totally bemused! I will try and find out. I love that you have too much social life!! Go with it, this is not a rehearsal it is our one chance so enjoy it all while you can! Lx

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  10. Surprised to hear about the Mollies, I know how much you loved it so do hope that the only reason you've stopped is down to wanting more time for other things and not to do with your recent health issues? You'll miss it, but I am sure you will carry on with your melodeon and playing music for your own pleasure - and Jim's too! Not to mention the happy campers!
    I love all your wool work and you have been an inspiration to me I posted a picture a while ago on my blog (www.teatemsplace.blogspot.co.uk) of a cushion cover almost finished inspired by you.... I have squares of felt/wool embellished with a single flower and embroidery, but haven't a clue what to do with them. They are only about six inches diameter, I did think about joining them somehow to make a hanging? Who knows....

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    1. Hi Edwina, first, thanks for visiting, and commenting, and also for the lovely mention you made on your blog; and I LOVE you wool cushion! I THINK I am following but not sure - it queried my email so who knows.....
      Anyway, yes, well it was lots to do with the difficulty of leaving my mum for weekends to go to the festivals - Jim is brilliant but he has time away too and if it coincided it is difficult..also I need someone to be on call for her care-line and that is a lot to ask of people...it just was getting really difficult, and it means I can't really throw myself into the whole thing if you can't do the dance outs. Plus, yes I had such a long break with my face, which is now ok ... oh things just pile up don't they? I play melodeon in folk clubs and sessions so plenty to do on the music front. You'll have to let me know where you are in Norfolk, we are just outside Kings Lynn. Lx

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  11. I'm watching the shoots here, not as far on as yours
    Love your bangles, unusual. I have a tube of felt from a workshop similar but not joined up.

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    1. Hi Lynne, come on, let's see what you did with that felt tube!! Lx

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  12. Hi Lynne, Happy New Year to you and yours! My own long-awaited little shoots are finally going to flower this Spring after much angst and nurturing, so watch this space! Hope the Open Studios goes well for you. It's always a good idea to share these things, rather than go solo. I did it way back when - a good experience. xCathy

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    1. Oooh Cathy I am all agog now! Details ASAP! Yep, I don't think I'd have done it on my own, so eternally grateful to Yvonne. Lxxx

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  13. Olá amiga,vim retribuir sua carinhosa visita ao meu cantinho.
    Obrigada,volte sempre, será uma alegria!!!
    Beijos Marie.

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  14. Lovely post Lynne. Sorry about your leaving the Mollies but as your friends say, never say never. Sometimes in life we have to put aside some things in favour of others. Lots of shoots around here now and it looks like Spring is on its way. Funnily enough my post tomorrow is of a similar vein. I like the sound of Open Studios - it sounds a great idea. If we are up your way in our campervan maybe I could pop along. Look forward to hearing more about it. x

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    1. Hi Patricia, yes, there are times when you have to just cut back on what you are doing, and I do have the option of going back whenever I wish. I promise I will give god notice of Open Studios, it will be end of May - early June, it would be lovely to meet up with you. Lxx

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  15. Second time lucky with my comment Lynne so here goes ...
    A lovely post Lynne ~ what happens in our gardens is always such an inspiration isn't it. We are in the middle of our summer heat here Downunder, though not overly hot where I live in the high country thank goodness, so my thoughts turn more to the autumn ahead. I love your textile work, especially those pincushions ~ just beautiful! It's been years since I have done any craft work. I was very prolific when my daughter was at school making little felt animals and other crafts ... always lots to make for school fetes and fairs. It was loads of fun. Did you get the painted T-Shirt fad in the UK some twenty years back? I really enjoyed that one! I'm more of a painter than a sewer, and one day, if I keep being inspired by work like yours, I might just get back to it. Cheers, Inara :)

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    1. Hurrah! Inara - there you are! Lovely to see your post, and thank you. You know I wan't really into crafts when the boys were younger - sa bit of cross-stitch and obviously the things you make for them for school, but since discovering quilts about 20 years ago I have been madly into textiles. it keeps me same I guess! Lxxx

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  16. I do agree about the risk to the literal green shoots that the prospect of ice and snow yet to come poses, it's been worrying me too. But your woolly green shoots are looking wonderful Lynne ... those bangles are highly covetable!

    My own horizon is looking a bit foggy at the moment ... I'm just waiting for the mists to clear :)

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    1. Thanks Annie, And I know you will be single -minded about what you want to do....and do it! Lx

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