Five on Friday - August

It is difficult to believe it is September already and time for Five on Friday with Amy at Love Made My Home. Looking back over August it has been a quiet, gentle month with no drama's (thank goodness!). There has been time to relax with a few days out here and there but mostly peaceful days at home enjoying the garden, spending time with my mother and lots of knitting and stitching. 

The month began with
1. Amazing skies

2.  A Visit to Stowe Gardens

The vistas across the landscape never fail to delight. 

Stowe House looking majestic across the lake.

The deep rich green of the trees at this time of year are a wonderful sight.

The Temples create focal points.

Capability Brown must have had remarkable vision when he planned the landscapes of the gardens in the many historic country houses he worked on. To be able to see how the trees would work when they were fully mature is extraordinary. It must have looked very different when they were first planted and I often wonder what people thought of it then. 

It is the 300th Anniversary of the birth of Capability Brown this year and several National Trust properties including Stowe have collaborated with the Embroiderers' Guild to create exhibitions inspired by his landscapes. The exhibition at Stowe, 'Capability Found' is in the Temple of Concord and Victory. This is a lovely Temple with a view across the Grecian Valley but sadly the exhibition does not have disabled access. Although some of my work is in the exhibition we did not go to that area of the garden as it is a bit frustrating when you cannot get in!

3.Garden Flowers

The garden was in full bloom during August

Lots of daisies with Day Lilies popping up

The pots and hanging baskets were full of colour too. They needed regular watering as it has been quite dry here in Buckinghamshire. My mother likes to have lots of pots in her garden too, so there were two gardens to water. It was easily solved with a routine of watering my pots and baskets in the early morning and my mother's in the evening. We would then sit in the fading light enjoying the garden and spending time together. 

The Fuchsias have done really well this year

Apparently, this is a Comma Butterfly and is an endangered British species. I was surprised when I looked it up and felt privileged it came to visit my garden.

4.Ascott Gardens

Friends and I went to Ascott Gardens one day, which I had never heard of before, although it is only a short distance from home. Ascott House is a half timbered Jacobean farmhouse, transformed by the the de Rothschilds towards the end of the 19th Century. The house and gardens are now cared for by the National Trust although I understand the family still use the house at certain times of the year. It is a wonderful place with great views across Aylesbury Vale. 

Aylesbury Vale

The gardens are divided up into 'rooms' with different styles of planting.

The Venus Fountain

The Eros Fountain in the Formal Gardens

The planting in the Formal Garden was very beautiful.

Fairy Grotto

The Grotto had been roped off because a wasp colony had taken up residence and built their nest in there. I can imagine fairies living in the grotto, flitting about the flowers when no one is watching.

5. Knitting and Stitching

There was plenty of time for stitching and knitting during the lazy days of August.

As mentioned in a previous post I was determined to make a pair of socks for the Yarndale Sockline. The lovely Christine (Winwick Mum) organises this at the Yarndale Festival in Skipton each September. The socks are used as decorative bunting and then donated to a number of charities for people who need some warm footwear. You can read all about it here. 

Even though I am very slow at knitting socks I was delighted to post a parcel yesterday containing three pairs, yes, three pairs of socks. Okay, so one pair was baby sized but I am still very chuffed.

The baby pair was an experiment as they needed to be made on the dreaded DPN's. There are probably lots of people who find DPN's a breeze but I seem to tie myself in knots with them. Apparently I pull very strange faces when knitting with them.

I am very pleased with the result and might, just might consider making more with leftover oddments of yarn. If they keep a little person's toes warm it will be worth the stress.

Some stitching has been going on too, creating a new range of notebook covers

This one was shared in my last post.

There appears to have been an invasion of sheep. I so enjoyed making Shirley the Sheep and her friends back in July it has started to influence my stitching. 

This one was a special request from a friend - Sew Happy and a sheep - 

 which resulted in a stitching sheep - what else?!

This Herdwick and her friend were made as gifts.

Looking back, August was a happy month. I hope you had a good August too and like me are looking forward to what September will bring. If it was not so great for you hopefully September bring better things.

Magazine Gifts (Part 2) Homemaker

As I mentioned in my last post I was gifted a subscription to Homemaker magazine last Christmas. There seem to be a great many craft, stitch, knit, home magazines on the market now and I was introduced to Homemaker magazine by a friend. It has brought a lot of pleasure this year as it dropped through the letterbox each month. This month it had a small pack of fabric attached in bright colours.

There was also a leaflet with ideas and instructions of how the fabric could be used. This included hexagon bunting, lavender bags, camera strap and other fun suggestions.

Last year I began to create covers and panels for notebooks and journals, which I sold at craft fairs along with other crafty handmade gifts. 

AnnieOBTextiles Felted Panel Journals

For a variety of reasons I have not attended any craft fairs this year, but recently decided  to build up my stock again and maybe do a few fairs in the run up to Christmas. 

AnnieOBTextiles Linen Notebook Covers

The bright and bold fabric of the magazine gift suggested notebook cover to me immediately. There was approximately an eighth of a yard of each fabric so together with some cotton and linen fabric I like to use, it worked out well. The cotton and linen gives some body to the cover and works as a good base for applique decoration.

I used the bright yellow fabric as edging and cut out sections of the blue pattern to create flowers on the cover and the page marker.

The inside is lined in the blue fabric and a piece of the yellow makes a good pocket for little notes or bits and pieces.

As luck would have it there was a toning blue ribbon in my stash for the page marker and book ties. 

I am really pleased with how it has turned out. The fabric is much bolder and brighter than the ditsy cotton fabrics I usually choose but I love it. Maybe I need to be braver in my fabric choices.

The free machine stitched slogan of 'Sew Happy' really sums up my mood. I shall be looking for more bright, cheery fabrics in the future 

(or is that just a good excuse to go fabric shopping!).

 

Magazine Gifts (Part 1) Mollie Makes

Magazines have always been a treat. Since I was a child and allowed to walk to the newsagents for a Bunty comic, a new magazine has always held excitement. I am not sure if it is the crisp new paper or the anticipation of new ideas, but I still get pleasure from opening a brand new magazine. Long ago if the Bunty comic had a dress-up doll to cut out on the back page it was extra special. The tabs to hold the clothes on the cardboard doll never worked but that did not matter. It was the process of cutting out and making that was important and I often designed my own clothes from scraps of paper and colouring pencils for the bendy, wobbly doll.

Many (many!) years later I still feel the same thrill of a new magazine and if there is a free gift attached, even better. I was given a subscription to Homemaker last Christmas and it is always a surprise when it pops through the letter box each month. Recently I took out a subscription to Mollie Makes, mainly because it was an excellent offer that included the latest Great British Sewing Bee Book for free. I had planned to buy the book and the magazine offer was cheaper than the price of the book so it would have been crazy not to. (That is my excuse and I'm sticking to it!)

Last week my first Mollie Makes magazine came through the door and it had a free crochet gift attached. Inside the envelope was a card with five brightly coloured yarns and a small plastic hook and inside the magazine were instructions for making a Flower Garland designed by Hannah Cross.
 
As soon as my chores were finished I took it out into the garden, wound the wool into balls and had a go at creating some of the flowers. The fact that I have several "works in progress" including socks for Yarndale, a knitted shawl and a crochet blanket, to name just a few, that all need attention, I had to try out the "free kit". This probably indicates I have never grown up properly and quickly revert to the child cutting out the dress-up doll.

There did not appear to be very much yarn, not unsurprisingly as it fitted into an envelope, and I was doubtful about how many flowers could be created. So it was great to find there was enough for each of the flowers and leaves illustrated and spare yarn to make some extras. I used a metal hook rather than the plastic one provided.

Garlands are not really my thing so decided to make a small summer wreath instead.

There were enough flowers and leaves, when set out, to add to a hoop.

A 6 inch embroidery hoop was just about right and I used the same method as the Attic 24 Mouse Bower I had completed earlier in the year.

The Mouse Bower was a plastic hoop frame with a hanger but as I did not have one I opted for a wooden embroidery hoop. I seem to have a stack of these acquired over the years. 

Strips of cotton bound round the edge gave it enough padding for the crocheted sleeve.

The yarn for the crochet sleeve was left over from my ripple blanket as the colour blended with the cheerful flowers quite well. Sorry about the rubbish photos but they were taken in the late evening.

After some thought and messing about, I was happy with the placement of the flowers with the help of some pins and stitching began.

Stitching the flowers on was rather fiddly but not as difficult as getting the mice to sit on the bower had been!

Here is the finished wreath complete with a crocheted loop to hang it up. It looks very cheerful on my workroom wall and fits in well with the felted poppies.

Now I really must get back to those Yarndale socks........

Festival of Quilts 2016

This week has flown by and it is hard to believe it is a week since I visited the Festival of Quilts (FOQ) at the NEC Birmingham last Friday. Normally I visit this exhibition with friends each year but this year owing to holidays and other factors I went alone. So that I could share the experience with friends I took lots and lots of photos and was astonished when I got home and downloaded them. There were 205 images! Far too many to share here so I have picked out a few of favourites. 

A section of the winning Group Quilt

The wonderful thing about the FOQ is the exhibition combines amateur and professional exhibitors. The range of styles and techniques is breath taking and includes anyone who has the skill, talent and enthusiasm to take part. The picture above shows some of the detail of the winning group quilt. I was unable to discover the makers as so many people, unsurprisingly, were clustered around looking at the fine detail.  

Children are encouraged to take part too either individually or as a group.

Under the Tropical Sea by Matilda Tate

This super colourful quilt was from the Age 5 - 8 category.

That's The Way to Do It by Holly Neeve

This cheerful beach scene was from the Age 9 - 11 category.

The ideas and skill from such young people is just amazing. One can only imagine what they will be producing in 10 to 15 years time. 

Lobster Pots by Shenley Brook End Primary School

This lovely underwater scene came from my local Primary school, which was a lovely surprise. I did a double take when I saw the label and wondered if any of them would like to join JETS?!

Unfortunately I did not record the maker of this wonderful traditional quilt.

Other Places by Sandra Newton 

This was a miniature quilt and the detail was amazing. The quote stitched into it also attracted me:

take me

to the places on the earth

that teach you how to dance

Memories of Times Past by Ann Beare

This art quilt by Ann Beare was very evocative of places in my past too.

Part of the Medieval Quilts created by the Magna Carta Quilters Group

 This is part of the Medieval Quilts created by the 26 members of the Magna Carta Quilters Group as part of the celebrations in 2015 of the 800th Anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta at Runnymeade. There were four Medieval Quilts telling the story of how the Magna Carta came to be, and four Legacy Quilts, celebrating key figures who represent aspects of Human Rights over the centuries. 

The detail depicted in applique and embroidery was exquisite.

There are a number of Galleries within the FOQ showing the work of international textile artists and groups. Information about all the different groups can be found here.

The one that drew me most this year was Art Textiles: Made in Britain: Concealed.

I am probably biased because it featured work of some of my favourite Textile Artists. 

I love the sketch-like quality Hilary Beatties stitchwork.  

Hilary Beattie

Hilary Beattie

Hilary Beattie

The combination of plant images and graffiti in the  landscape having their own beauty captured by Louise Baldwin.

Louise Baldwin

Louise Baldwin

Louise Baldwin

 Rosie James work: The hidden threads that join us, was very thought provoking.

Rosie James

Rosie James

Rosie James

The depth of Cas Holmes work always captures me, particularly the focus on hidden meanings and emotions expressed in her work. 

Cas Holmes

Cas Holmes

Cas Holmes

Cas Holmes

Cas Holmes

This is only a tiny selection of the wonderful FOQ exhibition. I have been attending the event for a number of years now but this year seemed to be exceptional. 

A great day, a great experience and many happy memories (and photos) to reflect on.