Textile Jaunt

Seems a while since I posted about a Textile Jaunt then along come two in a row!

Last Monday I was privileged to make a visit to Gressenhall Museum of Rural Life and Workhouse,  www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk/visit_us/gressenhall_farm_and_workhousewith members of Jane-Ann's textile group. Nadine had contacted the museum to ask whether we might view the collection of rag rugs which are not normally on display, and we were warmly welcomed and given 'every facility' as they say.

Megan, who curates the collection, took us up to the archives and there were two tables set out for us, with printed sheets for us to make notes for ourselves, and to add to the museum's data base.

First we were able to view and examine some rugs which are out on display. We didn't see those which are in the 'houses', these are rugs which,shall we say, can stand up to being walked on and man-handled by the public.

Yvonne and I get to look closely at some of the rugs out on general display. This is a prodded rag rug onto rug canvas. Below you can see a close up of the detail. We spotted wool, tweed and many man-made fibres in the rags used.

Then we donned gloves and proceeded to look in detail at a selection of rugs which were not on display, some of which were so delicate they were falling to pieces.  For someone such as myself, who is a complete rug-hooking novice, the knowledge and expertise of some of the group members - notably Jane-Ann and Nadine - was astonishing and I learned so much. We were able to estimate roughly the decades in which the rugs were made, the materials used, and sometimes where they might have been used in the home.I know Megan was very pleased to be able to tap into their extensive knowledge, and has invited the group back to see more, and to help catalogue the archive. One small disappointment was the fact that most of the rugs we saw were prodded wool rugs, there were not many actual rag rugs, but I believe there may be in the archive.

This is a hooked rug, made with recycled clothes. You can see the reverse, very neat, where it has been turned back.

This is a wool rug, probably an early Redicut kit, in a typical sunburst pattern. Hooked into rug warp.

 This is another wool rug, probably from a kit. To me it looks typically 1940's geometric but that is just a guess.

Another wool prodded rug, in a chequerboard pattern, a detailed close up of the header photograph. It is Jane-Ann's favourite and mine too. That colour-scheme wouldn't be at odds with a contemporary quilt.

And here is a shot of the sort of storage system used by the museum. There are many more rugs hidden away waiting to be catalogued!

These photographs were taken by Jane-Ann as I had  - astoundingly - left my camera at home, for goodness' sake! Many thanks for sending them to me so that I could produce this post, Jane-Ann!

And thanks to Megan for all her help and enthusiasm, I know there will be more collaboration between the Museum and the group.

All in all a splendid few hours, fascinating to examine and investigate the rugs; also I might add, the museum is a jolly interesting day out if you live in or are visiting mid-Norfolk. Children are well accommodated and will love the exhibits too. And of course there is a great little cafe serving snacks and meals - what more could you want! I was there last year with the Ouse Washes Molly Dancers for Apple Day, and as well as performing some dances, we played for the Wassailing which was great fun.

My second Jaunt was to the Fenland village of Cottenham, to the College which each year hosts a textile exhibition of the work of the City and Guilds students, Textiles in Focus. To further entice you along, there is the Traders' Hall. All I can say is I am very proud of the fact that I did NOT buy any more books! To be fair, Yvonne and I decided that between us we probably had most of them, and could probably have written a few of the rest!

We enjoyed the 'professional' exhibition by The Material Girls, and I do have permission to take these photographs, but obviously they preferred that I didn't take detailed shots. Some really lovely work and the standard was very high.

I am told the person to contact is Chris Spencer at www.chrissythreads.com

We did treat ourselves to a wander round the traders hall, chatting to some old friends as we went.

We LOVED this stand:

There were two lovely girls manning this stand and we had a chat and a chuckle with them. We both walked away with some threads but I was very strong and did NOT purchase any of this mouthwatering merino yarn. Isn't it gorgeous?

A small sum was parted with at 21st Century Yarns - as usual, then we moved on to see very old friend Magie from the African Fabric Shop.

Managed to sneak up and catch her unawares! I have SO MUCH African fabric in my collection. If you get chance to hear Magie giving one of her talks do go, she is incredibly knowledgeable about the cloth she imports, having started out collecting it when she was cook for a Safari Holiday company (years ago!) and came upon the cloth in the villages they passed through. Magie takes her stand to all the big quilt and Knitting and Stitching shows and to local guilds and Regional days too.

Some of the smaller quilts made by Magie using these wonderful fabrics.

And some of the beautiful baskets she imports. I resisted this time, but I do have a couple. I find there is always room for another basket in the home!

So there you have it. Two jolly interesting days full of textile wonderfulness. I hope you've enjoyed the photographs and the stories too. Catch you next time - I AM trying not to leave such big gaps between posts!

Good Friday Goodies

When I came down to breakfast this morning it was snowing; the roofs and garden were white and it was drifting down quite heavily. By the time I'd finished breakfast, emails, checked my to-do list and written a couple of birthday cards the sun was shining and all the white stuff had disappeared! Feeling so much chirpier now!

I was just in the mood for baking and what could be better than Hot Cross Buns? As I was happily kneading away I spotted out of the widow a female blackbird collecting swathes of dried grasses for nest building, joined briefly by our resident robin. Drat! I couldn't un-dough my hands quickly enough to get a photo, but I did catch the resident squirrel making his way down the beech tree, across the garden and up and away over the garage roof.

On the Home Organisation Front, my new board is now in situ by the kitchen door, and is proving very handy, not least in sorting the freezer contents out.

Regular bread making is proving (oh come ON!) to be quite addictive, both in the doing and the eating! I'm enjoying ringing the changes with various flours and extras. This loaf is one of a pair I made with Einkorn flour - a bit like spelt, just as 'ancient', and tasty. I've thrown in a good handful of linseed and other ground seeds which have given it a wonderful colour and flavour.

We had the last of the freezer faggots - recipe care of Dc at Frugal in Norfolk - yesterday for dinner. They are so tasty, I shall certainly be making these again.

Right, back to the Hot Cross Buns. Erm ....... - well, I had no candied peel so I chopped some dried apricots very small, raisins I had, but no sultanas so I finely chopped some stoned dates (they were SO chilled out .......) and er ....I didn't have any milk powder so they were made with water not milk. And to be honest, as they are for private consumption only, I couldn't be faffed making the pastry crosses. So all in all, they turned out to be  ..... just Hot Buns (now there's an image to conjure with!) and blummim' gorgeous they are too.

Yes, they look more like scones, don't they, but they are definitely dough-ey. After lunch we both spent half an hour or so Jim at his fly-tying desk and me sorting my photos out. (oh the joys of retirement)

Next I popped into my sewing room and picked out the fabrics for my jacket. Some are from my friend Magie (one G) at The African Fabric Shop, and some I remember buying at a market stall in Caen on our way to the ferry home. Must be 12 years ago, blimey! Others I have picked up at various quilt fairs over the years.  I need to crack on and get started arranging the pieces onto the jacket.

Now we are both pottering about doing what we do, and what needs to be done. The sun is shining and  the day has a contented feel about itself. How have you spent Good Friday?

Festival of Quilts

                                                                     Story of the Earth

Yesterday Stitch&Bitch friend Lynne and I took the coach to the NEC to visit the Festival of Quilts. Lynne had a heck of an early start...she was running the dogs on Heacham beach about 5.30...and she is NOT a morning person! Jim drove us to the pick up point for 0700hours and we boarded a half empty coach; this was lovely for us all as we could spread out over two seats each, and have a good doze, but we wonder whether the company will be running the coach there next year, it can't have been worth their while financially.

We noticed fewer than usual cars and coaches - the recession is certainly biting. We decided to view the quilts together then split up to shop and meet up for lunch. Well, I don't know, unless we are both getting a bit jaded, or it is just that we've been around a long time looking at quilts, but we felt we had seen SO MANY of them before. Lots of lookey-likeys, and ....well, I'm not going to carp because I do think everyone should have an opportunity to exhibit and amateurs should be shown as well as the more prominent almost-pros and professionals. And correct me if I'm wrong, anyone who went also, but there didn't seem to be so many entries this year.

We thought this deserved more than Highly Commended. Lovely colour and design, and beautifully finished.

Now you know I like a bit of a basket, there were a few Baltimore-type quilts, but I wasn't terribly struck by most of them.

I must apologise here and now, as I have no idea who made each quilt. We decided against buying programmes at £6 just to be ale to put a name to each quilt. How mean are we?? Why can't they label the quilts? They put other information on them. I know the judges mustn't know the names but the labels could go up afterwards, or have a cover....or something. It's so annoying even when you DO have a programme, faffing about with your bag, your camera, your bags of stuff, your glasses...oh for goodness' sake!

                       Lovely wholecloth with stipple quilting.....only one of its kind.

             More hand stipple quilting.........oops, that's one of mine, how did that get there!!!

                                           Love the painterly effect of this one.

                                                              Juicy, juicy colours!

This was another Judges Choice, Vikings Beware, really lovely. Something to do with the sea holly thorns giving the Viking invaders sore feet. Or so I was told. They'd have thick foot-coverings on, surely? Anyway it was a great quilt.

                Masterful. Reminds me of C June Barnes  Dyeing to Quilt series.

                                                                     Impact! Precision!

                               

                      Simply.........

                            .............stunning.

                      I do find I am more and more drawn to the quite graphic designs these days.

                                                           Or outbursts of colour.

       I don't think this would have appealed to me 10 years ago. Ah well, you live and learn!

                                                           Just beautiful.

I stopped and spoke to a young lass called Sarah Stewart, who has just graduated from the University of Dundee, and was exhibiting in the Graduate Showcase....she was in fact the winner of the judges  Graduate Showcase Award. We liked her work best of all so were in full agreement! She has a blog:

intoaparalleluniverse.com  check it out. Wishing you all success in the future, Sarah. Here are some of her textiles.

           Beautiful colours, lovely linen; the embroidery reminded me of stitched collages.   

So, yes, I did take a few more photos but you have probably all dropped off to sleep and I'm getting mesmerised by the key board, so that will have to do! I stopped by to renew acquaintence with lovely Janet Bolton, she must have met a thousand people, all old students of hers, yet she always has time for a smile and a chat. I adore her work.

We found it quite pleasant being able to get to the stalls without fighting our way through several layers of other shoppers, but it doesn't bode well for the takings. We gave a nod and a wave to old friends, Magie at the African Fabric Shop, and Yvonne Brown and Annette Morgan, both members of Anglia Textile Works, old stitching pals, busy in their booths. 

We stopped for lunch at just after 1pm, and then sat and nattered til 3pm, quick look at Art VAn Go, which I had missed! first time round, then we went and got on the coach, we  were away by4pm and back in Kings Lynn by 6.30....very hot and tired out but having had a super day. And to make things even better, Jim had  bought an Indian takeaaway so no cooking!!!Yay!

Oh, and in case you wondered..........

This was what I bought! Yes, I know, how circumspect was I! Some hand-dyed felted wool from 21st Century Yarns, some variegated hand-dyed threads from Oliver Twists - lovely, lovely company, a few Kaffe Fasset fat quarters - just because - and some BEAUTIFUL journals. Can't wait to get into these. But they will have to wait as I am off tomorrow to Burwell in Cambridgeshire, to the annual Burwell Bash, a week of music, good food, late nights, music, laughter, more food, even later nights, more music and most of all more laughter. I'm meeting up with my 'other family'.  I will take LOADS od photos, and will see if I can blog while I'm there...though I seldom have time even to read a page of a book when I am there. I have to phone Jim before breakfast, because once the day starts ....it just goes and I never remember to ring after supper....no time....no time! I KNOW i am going to have just THE BEST time as usual.  Catch up with you soon.