A couple of weeks ago I finally made a start on a long-planned piece of work. In fact it was started some time ago, as many of the pieces were just waiting to be stitched on, and with some of them it was a case of finding them, having been tucked away in a variety of folders. The main one was the “bubbles” piece, which was returned to me after the Lincolnshire Textiles exhibition at the Chapter House in Lincoln Cathedral at the end of August. It was / is to be the focal point on the back of the jacket.
I’d envisioned it before it was even finished stitching last year. Once I had it back, I’d had it pinned on the back of the jacket on my tailor’s dummy, but I tried it on and got somebody to take a photo at “In the stitch zone” a couple of weeks ago. I felt it needed moving a little higher or even…..
….. putting across the back yoke. But it isn’t symmetrical in shape and not unsymmetrical enough to look intentional. It just didn’t look balanced. The bottom piece was done years ago – a workshop with Mary on Kantha work, which I’d never heard of at the time, but I loved the effect. Ironically I’d decided I should make a whole jacket in it, but it hasn’t got any further since! It may end up on this jacket, or maybe another project, who knows?
I also tried other pieces on the front. I thought the cream one would be more likely to get grubby near the bottom, so stitched the brown and orange one down over the pocket, making sure not to stitch through the front as well, so that the pocket is usable.
I rotated it ninety degrees anti-clockwise as well, and extended the stitching on to the jacket using the same variegated thread. I was so excited about it, that I wore it with just this piece on.
I then added the bubbles to the back, slightly higher than the top photo, using tiny ladder stitches and turning the excess under as I went.
By the end of the second session, I’d got a couple of inches left to do, and again wore it with a few threads dangling – it was the easiest way to carry it, rather than it being crumpled up in my bag. It’s all stiched on now.
I’ve found some more pieces for the front, and have made a start on adding more stitches to the orange crazy patchwork butterfly piece. There’s still a long way to go, but it will evolve as I go along and I can at least wear it while it’s a WIP.
I’d planned on taking this charity shop find (from long, long ago) to work on at the Bargello sessions at Alex’s “In the stitch zone”, but as I wrote in last week’s blog post I managed to leave the frame on the settee at home.
It was already stretched on a frame and started when I found it. I thought it would cover the piano stool, but it ‘s not quite big enough. It could be extended by adding more canvas, but on looking at the piano stool the cover is perfectly fine as it is. The other alternative was to cover what was my Nanna’s foot stool but, on looking that out, again it’s not quite big enough; and the only thing wrong with it is that the edge needs a new trim.
So I’ve decided to make it into a big cushion, with the Bargello just in the middle of the top like the big canvas work cushion that I did several years ago (2014) (Finished canvas work cushion). It would seem the other later one that I did was when I wasn’t blogging. Another charity shop find?
The centre was done in honeycomb stitch, but I had always intended to do variations of Bargello to finish it.
I did a little reading about the technique and looked at a few books, and then decided rather than follow a pattern I would use the basic principles of zig zags but make it up as I went along. I did this pattern in pairs of stiches, but varied the length of the stitches on each row.
This one is one stitch wide (except where I’ve done two together by mistake, but for some reason the left hand edge is right!). Again I’ve varied the length of stitches on some of the rows.
And this one is three stitches wide with stitches of varying length in the green wool, and two wide on the caramel coloured stitches.
I’ve now done about as much as the centre hexagons that were done when I bought it. We have a catch up / own project week coming up, so I may continue with it then, but it’s easy to pick up when the light is not good, and I feel as if I should make use of the good light that we have at the moment.
We have a few new folk in the group, and it’s been suggested that we take some of the things we have finished or are WIP’s for them to see the sort of things that can be done. Plans are being considered for next term.
Alex has sent us all a list of things that we have done since the group stated pre-lockdown; some I had forgotten about, so once I sort them out they’ll pull me in several directions!
It’s many years since we last went to Northumberland, in the days of the campervan, teenage son and black labrador. We managed to replicate many of the best bits of those earlier holidays this time. The loose plans, this time only three airb&b’s booked, rather than a few campsites before we left home, and only two definite destinations planned. We’d got the National Trust and English Heritage books with us so could plan other trips later.
The first to visit en route was Mount Grace Priory, House and Gardens near Northallerton, and we were later getting there than I’d hoped. As always we were later leaving home than I’d planned, but no real rush. Then I rather stupidly managed to miss the exit from the M62 motorway after the Ouse Bridge due to lane closures: not a good start on the navigating, but it did mean we went a more scenic route and it was a glorious warm, sunny day with beautiful scenery and less traffic.
This beautiful carpet of cyclamen was the first photo of 800+ that I took during the week.
The mansion at Mount Grace is Arts and Crafts, and I don’t recall ever seeing this obviously William Morris honeysuckle wallpaper before, certainly not on walls.
The model of the Monk’s cell garden looked somewhat reminiscent of my stitched garden from my last post Down the garden path – part 2.
The Carthusian Monks were semi-hermits, living in individual cottage-style cells, with their own garden, living and work space. The mock-up one had a spinning wheel and a loom, table and chair upstairs.
There were also some lovely storage pieces.
The bed looked rather small, but with a few mod cons, like heating and an inside bathroom and some cooking facilities, it looked a very nice place to live….. although I couldn’t cope with the not talking for 18 hours a day.
We then headed on to the first airb&b, above the River Tees amongst the tree tops not far from Barnard Castle. Unfortunately, the temperature had dropped and it started to drizzle so we didn’t get to sit out on the terrace, but this was the view from lying in bed.
At Belsay we both had empty bookshelf envy. Between us we have far too many books to fit on the many book shelves we have in every room at home (so of course they’re “shelved” on the floor).
We couldn’t believe our eyes to find that this room labelled “library” was actually so bookless.
The house is having major works done, and is covered in scaffolding. Apparently there had been a huge slide from the top, but it had gone when we were there – shame, it would have been fun.
The wallpaper here had been damaged in many areas by silver fish, but had some lovely designs…..
……and beautiful cornices.
There are wonderful walks through the gardens, which we didn’t have time to see properly; just a quick walk seeing as much as possible and taking photos for me, while Colin had a short stroll taking in more of the detail. Certainly another one to go back to, and we didn’t even see the castle.
There were some wonderful trees, including this autumn flowering magnolia, which I didn’t know about. I’ve always fancied one, but so often the frost browns the spring flowering ones: something to look into.
I think these are the buds, not the finished flowers. It’s altogether a very attractive tree / shrub.
We were the last out, but the staff were still happy to tell us more as we went out through the shop. They all enjoyed their jobs and were appreciative of their beautiful surroundings every day.
The next day (pre-planned) we went to Amble to go to The Fish Shack, recommended by The Hairy Bikers, and by Alex and family. It was lovely, the food excellent, but without the recommendations we probably would have walked past. It was about midday when we got there, and a bit cool outside. It didn’t seem very busy, and we were lucky to get a table as it was fully booked inside and within about 10 minutes all the tables were taken.
I had the half lobster, and Colin had the hake and mussels, which just about left room for a dessert each, the chocolate delice and the raspberry and pistachio tart, but we shared them so we could try them both.
We had a table close to the window, and watched not seagulls that came scavenging the food from people eating outside, but starlings!
The lobster pots were stacked along the harbour wall.
We then went to Warkworth Castle and Hermitage, again with barely enough time to see it all before closing time. Well, I did, again taking photos so Colin could see the inside, where he wasn’t happy about the steps and uneven surfaces under foot.
There were great views from the castle “windows”.
We then drove back down the coast road and had a stop near Cresswell so I could have a quick walk on the beach. Lots of seaweed……
…….. and interesting textures and colours.
There were very few shells, but I couldn’t resist this photo opportunity.
This has taken us half the week, seeing a few little towns, pottering round the charity shops, having some good food, and mainly good weather. We’ve seen lots, but it was also relaxing going at our own pace, and deciding where to go and what to do day by day.
debbidipity 