Stitching, and a Studio Jaunt

Hello hello hello! Late again! Busy with all sorts of things but especially preparing stuff for the Shipdham Church Craft Fair this coming Saturday. I seem to have become a cushion maker - I did do a few more bangles, a photo-type Christmas wreath, and a felt wall plaque which I like but don't know whether anyone else will! Where did my plans to be making Christmas cards, perhaps a quilt, go? Ah well, you can only do so much. I have been doing some doodling and designing, here are a few pages from my sketch book - and I warn you I am no artist!

Above and below, some try-outs for wings and leaves - I seem to applique these shapes a lot!

This is my intitial design for the bird and stem felt plaque. I enjoyed making this, we'll see how it goes.

And this was my first idea for my Three Folk Birds cushion, with a couple of plaque ideas above.

After meeting Debbie Osborn at the Castle Acre Craft Fair last month, I was keen to visit her Open Day at her Art House Textiles studio just outside Fakenham, so Yvonne and I toddled over there on the way to Jane Anne's at Swanton Novers for a day of stitching.

We arrived just after opening time and there was already a crowd. Debbie and husband Keith made it a very welcoming experience, both sharing the chatting and coffee/tea pouring which made for a lovely visit.

Debbie is a fan of the Slow Cloth Movement, using eco-txtiles and natural plant dyes, often using re-cycled fabrics. She uses her own original designs which she hand cuts into print blocks to print lengths of fabric which she then makes up into cushions, bags, napkins, coasters and so on.

                                Here's Debbie describing the printing process to a visitor.

As well as textiles, Debbie works with mixed media and especially paper. I LOVE all of her notebooks and calendars, I did make a few Christmas purchases!

Here's just a few of her paper products. I'm looking forward to going back and spending some time with Debbie, drawing perhaps, painting - who knows? I do know it will be fun.

And now I must away, but before I go I must include an old photo of Jim and I taken on our Engagement day in 1970. I posted this on face book and it caused a bit of a stir, I've never had so many comments or views - well, you don't normally pay much attention do you, to how many people read your posts, only to answer comments if needed. We were quite astounded. Even got a 'like' from Andy Cutting! So there!

Love's Young Dream, eh? Taken on my 19th birthday. Who knew we'd still be cuddlin' 44 years later!

A gig and more stitching

So it was off to Colchester last Monday, via my friend Jane's home in Newmarket, and another Burwell  Bash friend Jean, to see Andy Cutting, Nancy Kerr and Martin Simpson, at the Arts Centre. It poured down but we had a great time, meeting up with another Burwell Basher Tim. At the end we were standing around waiting for the crush to depart when Andy came down to chat to us, which was lovely. In February 2015 he will be back there with his new band Leveret, with Rob Harbron and Sam Sweeney (and a new cd out soon after) So hopefully we shall be there in strength with other Burwell Bashers.

Apart from a little bit of music I have mostly been stitching! Oh, apart from my birthday which was lovely. We are now into count-down mode for the Craft Fair , three weeks only to go. Here are some photos of the last blue cushion and the panel which I finished mid-week.

There has been quite a lot of interest on facebook about the Folk Flowers cushion, so I think people like it; I enjoyed stitching into this lovely felted wool. I really enjoyed stitching the panel as well, it turned out just the way I had wanted, but I'm not sure it is as saleable as the cushion. It is to hang on the wall, like a bas-relief carving, or a picture, but lots of people have asked what it is "for"! So maybe no one will have it. 

I love the frame, it just makes it different form everything else. But there you are, if you don't try these things out you never move on do you? Still not happy with the felt wreath I did the other week. But now I need to concentrate on some more bangles ...... and I was intending to make some cards too, but I think that may not happen! 

I've been reading so many blogs about bottling and otherwise preserving this year's harvest, I feel quite inadequate. Maybe next year......... Anyway, we seem to be hurtling into Autumn - it felt quite chilly today and overcast. Surely there is still some sunshine left?

Post-Burwell Post

Well here it is, very very late. I just could not get my thoughts together to write this post. Also I haven't been able to lay my hands on many of the other photographs I know were taken so there are fewer than last year. Starting from the top - the new Melodeon Class Tutor, Andy Cutting, taken at stupid o'clock in the morning, by the lovely CAroline Creasey, whistle player and One Night Stand Band Leader. Thanks for the photo, Caroline.I had a great time learning melodeon, instead of fiddle tunes. I think we brought so much away from the workshops it will take time to sort out just what little nuggets of gold, as well as the tunes, we were given. We were all chuffed to hear from Stephen that the melodeon class is back next year and "Mr Cutting has it in his diary" !

Of course, it was strange not being in the fiddle class - and I did get some "good natured " flack from Jock and Tola (above) . Fortunately Stephen had allocated me to Jock's Mixed Band so I did get to spend time being tutored -after a fashion- by the lovely Mr Tyldsley. The photo below is our Mixed Band about to perform, the night of the Tutors' Concert.

On Monday, coffee break saw the presentation of a lovely cake by the Burwell Staff for Emily's 21st birthday, and here we are, after Gina (Emily's mum) gave her the bag I had made as an 'extra' birthday present. When Gina commissioned this I was a bit worried as you never really know how things will be received unless they have chosen it themselves, but Em seemed very pleased, so PHEW all round!

On Tuesday we had Games Night, which began out in the garden with silly games like rolling a tennis ball down very long plastic piping. Sadly the Blindfolded Sheepherding was not on the agenda this year - poor new students, al 21 of them, have missed a treat! When it got dark, Games Night moved indoors and the  Team Ceilidhs began. Below is one team, with the obligatory photo of "Clive Dancing" (There has to be one each year, along with one of "Stephen Sleeping".

Another obligatory shot is one of Ellie and Dave. This year I have relented and not published the "Sleazy Shot" to save their blushes. (It wasn't really, honestly, Burwell isn't like that.)

Another theme this year was the logo tee-shirts. Here is Nicky demonstrating his feminist streak - and good for him!

Dom, AKA "Rear of the Year" displaying his personal mantra on his manly chest.

"Seldom......" Ah now, you had to be there. Andy is here giving his Maiden Speech, or actually, giving his tutor's critique of Clive's One Night Stand Band. He began with the word "Seldom...." and paused. It had been a side-splitting performance, and really, that pause said it all. He then launched into a brilliant spiel which had us all nearly in tears of laughter.

Brian Finnegan pausing before launching into his Mixed Band performance. It was a very special Burwell this year, Brian's 20th, and we celebrated in style, and a wonderful video show created by Ellie, depicting 20 years worth of Brian photographs and accomplishments. It is true to say that without Brian's ongoing efforts and support, Burwell Bash would not be happening today. It was a wonderful and emotional evening, which later included the Tutors' concert.

I have to explain this photograph, Jock and I are NOT the worse for wear, honestly. We are preparing to play for our Team Ceilidh, and the photographer caught one of those split seconds when your face is all over the place! Our team took as the theme of the dance The Commonwealth Games - which were running concurrently. We had  barn dancing in the style of synchronised swimming, dancing  in the style of discus throwing, in the style of tandem bike racing, and probably others which I have forgotten. I know Jock and I played The Oyster Girl on repeat for about eight minutes. It was gloriously funny, and Stephen did say it was the best ceilidh he had ever seen. Ironic? Stephen? Anyway, great fun.

The next few photos are of our One Night Stand Band. We played the 'given tune' to our own arrangement, then Blanche led us with a new version of the Kinks' song Lola - now renamed - TOLA.

Impossible to play melodeon throughout the entire song so I abandoned my box and took up the shaky eggs, channeling the spirit of my lovely Burwell friend Debs who couldn't join us this year. Debs is an expert eggs shaker, and I hope I did her justice!

Below, Tola as the realisation struck him. The audience, needless to say, were well ahead of him, and it was priceless watching his face as we swung into T..o..l..a  TOLA!

So, a very different Burwell this year, 21 new students, and some 'old stalwarts' who couldn't join us this year which was sad, a new instrument class and new tutor ..... but the Burwell Bash is bigger than the sum of its parts, and, as I say every year, this was the best Burwell Bash ever! I know there are lots more photos out there, but I simply couldn't put all of mine on and there are some I haven't even seen yet. Oh, and a few excellent unofficial videos happened this year too. One of which is on Jock's phone ...... allegedly .......

Pre- Burwell Post!

A quick post, just to fill you in on this week's events, as we hurtle headlong into Burwell Bash week. (The mood on the BB facbook page is verging on the hysterical!)

It has been a beautiful week weatherwise, here in West Norfolk; we've had temperatures in excess of 28 degrees several times. The herd in the nursery field next door has been glad of the shade afforded them by our wall and the large beech tree. There are a couple of suckling calves there now, and Jim took some shots for me.

The veggie garden is doing nicely, green beans, broad beans and courgettes are romping away, and we are enjoying them by the plateful.

Those of you who remembered the awful pain and infection I suffered last winter in my jaw - first identified as a dental problem, then a sinus problem, finally a specialist dental surgeon diagnosed a split tooth which required extraction as it had grown another root, and then I needed a replacement. I've just had the final stage of the implant completed, and can now smile widely again!Hurrah, just in time for Burwell! The dentist actually timed the 2nd and 3rd stages so as to be complete before Burwell, honestly! What a guy!

I've been stitching furiously this week , mainly for the Craft Fair at Back to the Garden in August (tell you more about that later) and also to finish this commission for a shoulder bag. Again, the green colour doesn't show too well.

I

I do hope the recipient likes it! It is messenger bag size, with a pocket on the back and one on the inside.

Now I have got out of sync with The Year in Books, I'm afraid, but I have been reading - about four detective novels so far this month, and also I am tandem-reading this mighty tome with Jim.

It is a very large book, and we are both reading it, using individual book marks to prevent confusion. We don't fight over who gets to read it. If you enjoy a bit of non-fiction and enjoy history, and most of all WORDS, you could not do better than to try this. It isn't a book to whizz through at great pace,  but it is fascinating, covering such topics as English writing, mythology, religion, symbolism, the Anglo-Saxons - obviously! A book to totally immerse yourself in. If it takes me a month to read it I don't care. Oh, I might just add - though why I should feel the need is a sad indictment on the age - I should stress that the book has absolutely NOTHING to do with jingoism, Far Right politics, or plug-ugly skin-heads wearing bovver boots and fascist slogans.

And speaking of books, I have such a pleasant little tale to tell you. I had been searching for a book of small embroidery patterns, and eventually found one on Amazon second hand. The seller was a lady in North Wales, who answered my query about delivery dates with a lovely personal message - to which I replied. (I know, I know, you just DON'T do that normally do you?) My book arrived promptly and inside the package was this envelope:

And inside, this:

With another lovely personal message inside. Now that's what I call good service! Thank you so much Dr. Dorothy Griffiths, the book and your gesture has been much appreciated. 

I expect many of you will be enjoying watching the Commonwealth Games. I can't ay that sporting events figure largely on my list of favourite things, but JIm likes to watch, so I sit and sew with it all going on in the background. (When we come indoors to cool down!) But next week there will be radio, tv, and newspaper silence, as ever at Burwell. We cut ourselves off - apart from the occasional phone home - and leave the rest of the world to carry on while we exist on Burwell Time! This year I am forsaking the fiddle class - though I will take my fiddle for the sessions - because I shall be part of the brand new MELODEON CLASS and as I have intimated previously, our tutor will be ANDY CUTTING!!!!!! Forgive the excess of capitals and exclamation marks, but I am just thrilled to bits. I'll tell you all about it next time. 

Meanwhile enjoy this lovely suns and heat, you Brits, and to my Antipodean readers/friends/relations I hope it isn't too wintery for you down there! 

I know it's late .......

I know! I've done it again.... so sorry, 'stuff' just gets in the way, and believe me, you non-bloggers, once you get out of the daily habit of checking out the blogs and thinking about your own, the days pass amazingly quickly with nothing written, no photos taken, and people saying 'where is your latest blog post??' Which is very nice in one respect, but then it's a mad dash to put something together if you haven't got something planned. Which I do, sometimes, honest!

So......   right, here are some tiny blooms in the pot next to the back door; and here are some larger ones neath the beech tree .....

NOT my favourite flowers AT ALL, those awful massive great leaves floppin' about all over the place, but Jim likes them so, hey, he does the gardening.

And on the subject of flowers, here are the lovely daffs - I don't know why but I want to call them Jonquils - but then I know nothing about flowers really. They just look beautiful in my Siennese jug, and they come as usual, from Victoria: many thanks Victoria.

Not a great day to be taking photographs but the splash of colour is welcome, isn't it? (Oooops, have just noticed the bedraggled basil plant dying gracefully on the right there .... sorry about that!)

What else have I been doing? Quite a bit of music playing as it happens. I am in a frenzy of learning a new and somewhat difficult tune, so lots of teeth gritting and a few mild expletives when it doesn't sound right, also getting some tunes together to send to Stephen who organises the Burwell Bash each year . HURRAH!!! Have just booked my place and this year I will be in the new MELODEON class so it is bye-bye to the fiddle group and 'HELLO ANDY CUTTING!' Yessssss! There is a smidgeon of mild hysteria going about at the moment on that score but I'm sure we will all settle down soon and start behaving like adults. We need some tunes which melodeon players like to play, so the fiddles and guitars will be ok with them, the flutes and whistles might find some of them a bit awkward. But it is give and take - a lot of whistle tunes will be impossible for the DG melodeons, wrong key.But this is just in the evening sessions, and they are always a bit of a free-for-all. So I am having a bit of a re-cap on tunes I should really already know, but have slipped off the playing agenda of late.

I have been kept up to the mark in the stitching department, as I need to have more completed items for May's Open Studios and time passes quickly. Here is what I've been working on the last couple of weeks.

The wool throw is becoming more appliqué- filled, though it has a long way to go yet.

And this cushion cover is nearly there .....

Apart from pincushions and bangles, I don't enjoy making more than one or two of anything, but this cushion "One Bird Upon a Hill Beneath a Star" is quite popular, I have sold three, and funnily enough I do love stitching it. I make tiny changes each time I make it so actually they are not identical.

I promise to have a one or maybe two posts at the end of the weekend, very textile related, so I hope to get back in your good books!

And speaking of books, how are you getting on with your A Year in Books book? I have read two and need another to get me to the end of the month when I can begin March's book. I must say, it is never a hardship finding time to read. I hope the week is going right for you all and the weather is as kind as we can expect it to be in Winter.