My history map

A long time ago, in that other country, The Past, a small girl lived with her mummy and daddy in a compact sixties semi in a quiet close of similar modest homes. 

Their home was just one corner of a busy market town, tucked beside the Downs in Hampshire, with Butser Hill an ever present, but distant marker in the background of their lives. The house sat beside a plentiful thicket of brambles and wild ground, perfect for playing with The Gang and gathering blackberries. A very small stream ran along the bottom of all the back gardens, and the main road was far enough away to be no danger.

At the front of their collected houses was a wide green, bordered by two rows of "houses for elderly folk". Sometimes the little girl scavenged blackberries, or scrambled in the undergrowth with The Gang; playing hide and seek, surprising a slow worm, or trying to climb the scrubby trees growing on the land; sometimes she dressed as a fairy princess and floated about on the green outside, chaperoned by her trusted feline assistant, Kandy, watched by mummy from the window of her sun filled kitchen.

Sadly, the little girl's daddy and her grandad died within a year of each other, the year she became eight, and their life together there was over. She and her mummy had to travel all the way along the A272, she doing the map reading while Mummy drove, to live with her granny, known and loved as "Ganna". Mummy had to go back out to work full time, while Ganna, at the age of 70, became the mother of the house in all ways. 

with Ganna and Grandad in happier times

That little girl was, of course, me. I look back on that time, not as something remembered, but as part of the myth of the past by which, to some extent, we all live; those things we understand happened to us, but which evoke no sense of lived reality. As an adult, I think of my poor Mum, coping with the loss of so very much, relinquishing her parenthood and going back to being a daughter in the house. I think of eight year old me, trying to adjust to such a huge change of living. I was lucky, in that Ganna was the most wonderful second parent, and my life was enriched by her presence, but still it was a big disruption.

In Sussex Stitchers this year, we have a project where we are each encouraged to create an embroidery centered around a map of some sort. I have chosen this, my most momentous journey, as the story behind my map. Transferring various images onto printable organza, I layered them over another, printed onto silk: this layer is backed by white cotton sateen to give substance to stitch into. The imagery I have used includes some photos from above, but also clips from my mother's diary of the time; entries from February, when he died, and November when we left all we knew to move back to Ganna's house. I used MistyFuse to attach those organza layers, and have quietly stitched into the fabric with simple couching, running and seed stitch, using some metallics, silk and stranded cotton. I am toying, now, with bordering the piece with some vintage lace edging. This reflects that remembered sense of having stepped back into an earlier time, that of my grandmother's world, rather than the sixties in which, in theory, I grew up.

Behind all this past detail is a faded out version of an oil pastel sketch I created on a return visit to the area around 30 plus years ago. I was exploring the top of Butser Hill as evening approached; sketching a hawthorn tree, the layers of the downs and the curve of the A3 winding through them on its way to Portsmouth. As evening approached there were wonderful layers of clouds to catch the dying light, it was a magical experience. 

I am hoping these fleeting glimpses once finished, will create some sense of that lost life which sits, in its own little flickering, glowing space, inside my inner mind. There is more to do, but I am content with the outcome so far. I hope you like it.

Christmas "gods"

For the past several Christmases I have done a small bit of seasonal appropriate hand stitching.

This is the latest to join the throng 

which includes: a slightly plaintive looking Santa

and a jolly Christmas tree

A bit kitsch I know. They are all part of a printed sheet of fabric ready to cut out and stitch together; Memories of Christmas Past, produced by Cranston Print Works. These were acquired from a Canadian quilting shop in 1986 when I was pregnant with my lovely girl. They have a right to be kitsch, they've waited a long time to come into being!!

They are joined by this little fabric angel; rather modest, slightly dumpy but with a spark of mischief in that curl of hair above her forehead. She comes from Aunt Cecil, and epitomises that dear little soul, boldly carrying her star into life.

You'll gather we don't "restyle" Christmas every year, just add to its history. They are folk hovering close by, linked by little pieces of the past which bring that soul to life in a special way at this time of year. 

I was listening to the Carols From Kings on Christmas eve and ruminating on how, in my youth and teenagehood, I sat on the floor while Mum and Ganna sat in our two sitting room chairs. Together we enjoyed those same words and gloriously resonant voices soaring in that same historic space. They have been singing in my heart for all those years. 

Seasonal music and textiles, linking loved souls in time and memory. All part of the theme of the dying and resurrection of the year each Solstice, the human need for hope expressed long before the advent of Christmas.

Quilt Planning

I am having a bit if fun planning the next quilt for my husband's next great grandson. His sister has given him a name, we're not sure it has parental approval! I won't publish it here.

I'd assembled some fabrics, including at least two from his sisters quilt, and two from their cousin's; I like to feel they have that link, even if the various parents never notice, it pleases me. 

So, blocks chosen, a design on graph paper, just the outlines, scanned into the computer

Copy and paste fills in the gaps for a printable graphic

which can then be coloured in, to plan where each fabric will be used

It's a story about a mouse on an island in a lake surrounded by woods where bears are camping. Tractors are working on the autumn harvest, and there are autumn woodlands to explore

This mockup was done by scanning in my fabrics and using the image of each to fill the shapes of each block. It gives me a better idea of how the colours will work together. Of course the real thing will be much more lively as the various fabrics respond to each other.

And here is the mouse, friend of fox, owl, rabbit and hedgehog on the other two quilts. Perhaps they will all play with each other again one day.

Absent but busy

 It really has been rather a long time since I posted, but I am still here, just been rather busy.

A dear aunt of mine, the last of my paternal aunts, died in April and, as one of two executors, but the one closest to her both geographically and emotionally, I have been dealing with her estate, which is taking some considerable time. I have still been stitching, just not had the energy to post here about what I was doing. I did have a break from this in June when I went with Stitchtopia to Indonesia for two weeks; a fascinating tour, rather spoilt by going down with Covid as soon as I got back. I am still contemplating what I thought of the trip, but will try and post in the other place once my ruminations are done.

My priorities have been twofold; first getting the stitching finished for my part in the lovely book we made to celebrate the life of Christine Chester. This was entered into the Quilt Creations Gallery at FOQ this year, where it garnered much enthusiasm and comment, including from the delightful John J Cole-Morgan of IQuilt Studio who featured it in his live feed on Facebook, calling it “one of the most stunning pieces at Festival”. Liz did us proud in talking about it, having been caught completely on the hop! You'll see a couple of brief glimpses of my finished piece, Moonflowers, as they flick through the book, but also so many of the other lovely artworks which our Studio11+ group created in Christine's memory. I also had the honour of stewarding at Christine’s retrospective gallery. It was such a pleasure to talk to folk about her work, and see how many visitors were deeply touched by the message behind her pieces. One of my favourites is this beautiful sheer image of her Dad using English Paper Piecing and fabrics she created herself using voile and paper lamination (here demonstrated by Claire Benn from whom I suspect Christine learnt the technique she made her own). Don't you just love those echoing shadows on the wall?

My second priority has been making a small floor quilt to welcome the latest great grandchild in my husband’s family. He was born on June 1st and I have just completed the finishing touches. Summer suns and little creatures to greet a summer baby, a couple drawn from his cousin's quilt to create a family link, along with a rabbit and fox to talk to, some mad cats dancing with the birds, and lions and tigers contemplating the fluttering butterflies. It will be given to his parents in late September when we are all meeting up during our annual pilgrimage to the Lakes. 

By then I will hopefully have a third quilt almost finished for his next cousin, who is due in October. What fun "senior cousin" will have with two boys to boss about; she will be just three when her brother is born. This will be the fourth in the series which started back in 2019 with a little girl who is now about to start school! How time flies.

I hope your summer has been productive too

Project completed

Over the past year, there has been a slow moving project happening in stops and starts in my workshop space, in between other things. 

In August last year, my clever son in law built a box window seat in the bay window of their flat. Foam seating blocks were measured, cut and delivered to me with a request for covers. I suggested it might be nice to use the same design that I had used on the ring pillow for their wedding, the Triskele symbol, here on silk velvet.

Approval for this granted, there followed a period of testing and trialing colours and techniques. I used plain calico and wanted to achieve a mottled effect, and for there to be none of the undyed fabric visible. Their sitting room is green, so I had to get the green right, hence many pieces of fabric with many different layers of colour.

Once colour and technique were approved, my first task was to use long stitches to mark out the shape of the cushions, so I knew where my parameters lay. Then I stitched the spiral patterns which would be drawn up shibori style to create a resist once the dye was applied. To ensure there was no ground colour remaining I washed in colour to the areas where the spirals would sit, having soda soaked the fabric first, as this fixes the Procion dyes. Stage one complete.

Stage two was to pull up the shibori stitching, then crumple the fabric into a shallow tray and dribble in the first layer of colour, predominately a variety of soft greens. There was also some magenta, but this became rather pale once the fabric was washed out and the stitching removed. You can see below the piece which would become two side cushions. I didn't want the magenta as strong as in the trial pieces, but here it has turned into a tentative hint which would be swamped by the next layer

Next the stitching was reapplied in the same place and more magenta painted in as they both rather liked the contrast this produced. I did this on wet soda soaked fabric so the colour ran in patterns across the cloth.

Once again the stitching was pulled up as tight as possible (you need good strong thread). 

The fabric was carefully crumpled into shallow trays for the next layer of dye, a strong petrol green which, as before, would pool in the hollows, creating a variety of intensity in the final layer of colour.

I was very happy with the way the magenta highlighted the shibori circles, not too glaring, but enough to delight. You can see here the deeper colours which result from the crumpled fabric. Much more interesting than a plain overall green and the colours applied in previous stages, I hope, give life and variety to it all.

There followed, of course, all sorts of YouTube investigations on how to sew a box cushion, and how to mange zipper strips and the zipper pulls to achieve the long opening at the back: this was my first attempt at upholstery. I was helped greatly by two YouTube feeds, one from The Funky Little Chair, a wonderfully useful set of how to videos if you ever want to try your own upholstery. The other was an invaluable tutorial from Sew Sweetness addressing the thorny question of how you get the zipper tab onto that long strip of zipper tape - you simply need a fork! 

So, many lessons learnt, Dacron and stockinette applied to the foam blocks (absolutely vital) and covers completed, the final stage was to see if they fit. I think you'll agree they came out rather well, though I say so myself. I was thrilled to discover I seemed to have got it all right, and one of their three cats gave it all the seal of approval.

He, the cat, asked me to tell you that it made for a very comfortable resting place for the entire following day, and also to note that he doesn't usually look this disheveled. This is his summer clipped look, rather than his princely winter Maine Coon coat. 

The humans were pretty pleased too.

Foxy Loxy Boxy

It was darling daughter's 35th birthday last Wednesday. How on earth has she managed to get that grown up? I'm sure it's only a few years since she was this size!

We had a very enjoyable afternoon tea in a lovely café in Hastings. As one of her presents I had been hoping to finish this little box for her, and just about managed it in time. 

The little fox on the lid was begun during a beadwork tutorial that Steph did for Sussex Stitchers back in November 2019. There was finishing to be done for that to start with!

Then at our last meeting she gave us a morning tutorial in making little boxes - Steph is a woman of many talents. As I had the little fox, and had some foxy material from the quilt I made for our new arrival, I though this might be appropriate for my box.

As you can see, I managed to get the little foxes pretty well lined up, from bottom to lid, all around the box, much to my amazement. It was a slightly stretchy fabric in all directions, so a lot of pinning, re-pinning, pricked fingers and expletives deleted were involved. Fortunately no blood was transferred to the fabric.

I found the box construction really interesting from a technical point of view, and am eager to make another one (we have a second workshop in January). The hardest part was using the curved needle to attach inside to outside and lid to top. They work incredibly well for this task, and come highly recommended, in particular by Sarah Homfray, as you ca see in her excellent video tutorial on how to use them, but ohhhhhhh I found it difficult. The needle kept slipping and sliding in my fingers at critical moments and the point sometimes refused to pierce the fabric. At least when dropped on the floor they are easier to find than straight ones! Have you ever tried using them? Did they get your vote?

I'm please to say Jen was very happy with her gift, and the little pot of nice face cream and extra soft socks hidden inside. After all one shouldn't give an empty box as a gift should one?

another new arrival

The second of the next generation of children in my husband's family has arrived recently. Another earlier than expected event, she entered the world on his birthday. Very fortuitous, since she is his first great grandchild. He was, as you might imagine, overwhelmed with delight. 

I had been working on a quilt for her, and took my trusty old Bernina and other necessaries on our Lakes pilgrimage at the end of September. We knew she was a she, and we knew she was an autumn baby so I thought autumn stars would be appropriate and, on the advice of a quilting friend, chose a square format, making a floor quilt for her to roll about on. The quilt is backed with a lovely soft brushed cotton which I have brought to the front using the self binding method.

There are a selection of little animals for her to tell herself stories about; a deer and her fawn in the autumn woods, some butterflies, a hedgehog and friend, and a pair of lovebirds which also appeared on "Flopsy's" quilt. 

Then there are a mother fox and her cub snuggled in their den and a very vibrant cat

Another pair of cats (we do have two after all) and a wise old owl

And a proud dog fox with his mates. We had five youngsters in the garden this year!

This was the block which started it all, one I made pre lockdown when I was doing a second patchwork course with Naomi (remember that hand made one from 2018?). For the rest I assembled some autumnal fabrics and was given a very valuable lesson by Christine on which ones of the great selection to choose, and how to check whether I had enough of each colour to make the blocks. There is a huge amount of calculating and counting when doing this, so I was deeply grateful for her wise advice. The majority of creatures are from great grandad's garden. We are a little too urban for deer though and, with badgers, there are never going to be any hedgehogs here, but I couldn't find any suitable badger fabric.

Great grandad is travelling up to Yorkshire to meet his great granddaughter at the beginning of December, so has volunteered to be the quilt courier. I do hope that her parents like it and that, in time, it will be a source of pleasure to her and will feed her imagination. I have so enjoyed making it.

With apologies for my long absence, I am still here, honest!

Such treasure

This is Ganna's chair.  

It was always called "The Bergere Chair", and she sat and pondered in it every day. It lived in her ground floor bedroom, just beside the window which looked out over Alexandra Park. It proved a difficult object to negotiate in the middle of the night when, creeping back in, having forgotten my key, I was glad to find her window unlocked, but dismayed to find that the back of the chair was hooked over the brass handle, with which one pulled up old fashioned Victorian sash windows. It added somewhat to the weight I had to lift, and made waking my grandmother, at 1am, far more likely. 

When she sat in her chair, she always had a cushion at her back, stitched by her. It was one of the things which drew me to embroidery. To my dismay, it disappeared from our trove of "household objects" at some stage, and I have, over the years, trawled the web to try and find the pattern, to no avail.

I sit in her chair most days, tucked into another bay window, in another Victorian house. I ponder in it sometimes, but stitch more often. I too use a cushion at my back. I have a great deal more muddle around it than my orderly grandmother would ever have tolerated!

As you know I am part of Christine's Studio 11 community. Yesterday, on Facebook, she posted about a piece of fabric, part of a trove of vintage linens that have come to her. She has plans to "stitch it to show deterioration due to age and dementia", part of her long running series of textile works which reference her experience of losing her father to the disease. But first, she has kindly photographed it for me. It is, of course, Ganna's cushion, unmistakable. I can trace it out for myself, and use to recreate this early treasure, and lean against it in the chair that held its original. 

Given my track record this may, of course, take a while! I hope I can do it justice

Keeping up - just

When I was young and still lived with Mum, she was always in a panic by Christmas Eve, with cards still undelivered and preparations still to make. She regularly sent out 100+ cards to friends and family near and far, and all the cards she received in return would be carefully stuck to the back of the sitting room door with minute pieces of sellotape so the paint remained undamaged. The resulting mosaic of colours and imagery would flutter and rustle gently every time the door was opened. So, with local cards in hand, off we would go on Christmas Eve delivering to friends who lived in our town; she would drive, I would "just hop out and pop it through the letterbox", a task which frequently involved a flight of steps in our hilly locality. Being young of course, I knew that when I was grown and in charge of my own life, I'd not be so tardy, I would be far better organised, I would be on top of things.

Hmmmmm ... it's Christmas Day and I have only just finished the composite gift for Darling Daughter. Fortunately she isn't with us until Boxing Day, so, just in time! It comprises a rather nice origami folded project pouch, simple to create with just two squares of fabric, you can find patterns all over, the one I followed was here.

The square of fabric is magically transformed, with a little bit of machine and hand stitching, into this, in a rather gentle pattern of branches and berries

Two vintage buttons (from Mum's button box of course) make the closure

Open up and splash of colour comes from the inner fabric, a vibrant batik

fold that inner flap up and you begin to see the pockets, and another little flap, decorated with beads to give a little lift

in all there are six pockets of various sizes, made to enclose

a little scissor case from a Sue Hawkins kit, and a needlecase from Clothkits, designed by Corinne Lapierre. The colours for the pouch, as you can see, chosen to match those of the contents. Even the scissors, peeking out of the pocket, have toning colours. These were started up in the Lakes in October, but took a back seat to a small quilt for a new small person, and a couple of other Christmas creations that needed to be finished first. In fact, it has all been a bit of a scramble!!

I do hope she likes them.

Oh, and sorry Mum, I was wrong - I seem to have inherited your last minute tendencies!!