Nancy again

I just wanted to share this beautiful pendant bird that Nancy has made. It is really tiny and exquisite.

 

My Jane Crowfoot mystery blanket ...

.... is moving along slowly - I am a couple of months behind but it isn't a race and I am really enjoying doing it. The colours Jane chooses always thrill me, and this is one of her very best - just beautiful especially the contrast between the blue and the orange. Here are a couple of pics of the work I have just pinned out for blocking - ignore the ends I have not finished off yet.

I particularly like the stripy squares (below) - I would love to do a jacket in that pattern.

An ideal day

There can be few more lovely ways to spend an hour or so than sitting  outside a beautiful country pub .... and this is the Crown somewhere in the Cotswolds.

The hanging baskets were full of geraniums and the like ...

 ... and the views were lovely too.













And what better to look at than Selvedge, my favourite journal - it's arrival is always an occasion for me. This month's cover is up to the usual standard - it is the pictures and the layout that make it special for me.  The articles tend to be fairly short - I would often like more depth - but two that stood out for me this time were: 





'Peruvian Featherwork', a brief excerpt from a book of that name by Heidi King (I am adding that to my 'oh-if-only- I could afford it wishlist). 





'Panos de Terra: slave made fabric in Cape Verde' was a good read, a geographical area I knew nothing about.

Tatting --- the joy of old things

Tatting is something my mother Margaret learned (from a family friend called Mrs Stringer) while serving in the WRENS during the Second World War. I was over at her house the other day, having brought my crochet to do, but I forgot my hook so she had a rummage around for hooks and during the rummage found her long lost tatting. 

There is a beautiful piece of white lace, begun but never finished (makes me feel better about all the half finished projects I have!).

On the right is a cotton hankie that she had started to edge with tatting, but had rather quickly given up. Again I empathise with mum - so many things just started and never progressed. 

I love the beautiful tatting shuttle (is that the right word?). I own up to a love of craft equipment. I feel that often our hobbies and pastimes reflect our primitive hunter gatherer instincts - we hunt out and gather yarns and equipment instead of berries and insects. I particularly like old equipment and really think I should start hunting for that. This shuttle is very tactile, beautiful to look at and touch.  

Nancy keeps on fancy-ing

Nancy's Fancies are flourishing. We are doing another craft show (Nailsea Tithe Barn, 18th May) and here are some pics of her part of the display.

Here is Nancy's part of the show, owls hanging from the tree, frogs on lily pads,  aliens leading out of a box, mice sat on cheese - this woman comes up with some great ideas!





Here are the owls flying in the tree, plus a couple of lovebirds perched on a branch (ok, they are white so they are more like cockatiels than lovebirds - I am planning to introduce Nancy to some live lovebirds soon). The owls are lovely colours - my flash rather bled the colour out unfortunately.






More birds, this time wire and bead ones. Absolutely beautiful, Nancy has real talent.

Here are the so-o-o-o cute frogs, on their lily pads, wearing their crowns. The pink princess fell over in a decidedly ungainly way (see pic below), hopefully she will behave herself on Saturday. 











And here are the aliens!












And the mice.

And some crocheted brooches.











So you see what I mean - a very talented woman, our Nancy!

Into May ...

... one of my favourite months, and the blossom and flowers are beautiful at the moment. I want to show you a few of Nancy's Fancies, some gorgeous birds she makes from wire and beads. These are brooch or pendant size but she has made glorious larger ones too. 

Beautiful heirloom crochet

My friend Sue has lent me some beautiful family crochet pieces.

We photographed everything on a blue/green scarf that I think sets the pieces off nicely, but possibly also interferes with the details, so sorry about that.

Though all are lovely, this one is my favourite. It seems like a dozen heads of ripe corn, both in shape and colour, and I am looking for a similar pattern and planning to get some yellow cotton to have a try at this myself.













Here is another doilly shape, the work is so neat, and again it is a lovely pattern. I think unless you crochet you really do not appreciate the superb workmanship shown here.












Here is a table runner and you need to look at the following two close-up shots to really appreciate the work.

The shapes in the work are stunning, I can see leaves and butterflies, it is like looking at clouds and seeing all sorts of creatures in them.

And here is some beautiful (I am overusing that word, but if this isn't beautiful, what is?) pillowcase edging - I remember when I was a child and all our pillowcases were like this, having been done by my mother, grandmother and great grandmother.













Finally a simple edging - maybe more achievable?


















All wonderful things to have and to use, and giving us a link with those who made them. Thank you Sue.