(almost) wordless Wednesday

seen on the back of a horse box...

All the fun of the (Northampton Vintage) Fair

Just pictures of the fabulous vintage fair last Saturday ...















And for me the winner of "Best item in show" (sounds like a prize bull!) is this delightful quilt by Debbie of Lalalibaby. Handstitched loveliness and backed with Liberty fabric - what more could you want?

The one with the Julie Arkell workshop pictures...

By popular demand I'm posting the pictures of the Julie Arkell workshop I went to today. Like last year we made accessories and started with items made from Suffolk puffs (or yoyos for the American readers).



Julie had brought along items we could buy like her "right twice a day watches"...



We could make these little bunches of flowers brooches...



or little bracelets of Suffolk puffs which I made - but forgot to photograph while it was still light so I'll take a pic of that another day.



Don't you love the way she displays them on vintage outfits?



I loved these little what? charm? bracelets... These were made of a variety of little strips of fabric with all sorts of oddments (rammel!) attached. I've nearly finished the fabric part - I just need to find some bits with little loops for attaching. Julie seems to have used cracker toys and all sort of other bits -if you can think of anything appropriate please let me know! As the items are attached to fabric they need to be quite light.



This one shows the same sort of brooches we made last year - still looking lovely!



More gorgeous brooches...



in Julie's inimitable style...



So sweet!



I NEED one of these big flowers!



And finally Julie herself - lovely lady with a very individual style that is so totally Julie.



What a great day - meeting other bloggers and people with similar interests - marvellous!

Can't wait!

There's something to be said for working 4 days rather than the five day week I'd done for 31 years. I now have flexible Fridays off (which means I can have another day if i wish). So today I shall be sorting myself out in preparation for tomorrow when I shall be at



Looking forward to seeing lots of you there for vintage loveliness and quite possibly cake...not to mention barkcloth and buttons - two of my favourite "B" words



Once home I shall be getting excited about my second workshop with the lovely Julie Arkell at the Hope and Elvis workshops. And if anyone is envious, Louise of Hope and Elvis said yesterday that there was still a space left on tomorrow's workshop. I had a wonderful day last year so can't wait.



And on Monday I shall be moving my flexible friend Friday to Monday and going back to school where I'm attempting to teach children one end of a needle from the other in a bid to make puppets. Isn't it funny how we take our own skills for granted? I have no idea where I learnt to sew - school sewing lessons were a nightmare I recall - I had no desire to make either the mandatory dirdl skirt or the mop top lampshade. I got so cross with my teacher that when she asked me once too often to unpick my work I cut it into ribbons. My parents were contacted...

Have a great weekend!

Love Wend

Useful or beautiful - or both?

Please forgive the excessive number of pictures of one item,



but I was thrilled to find this huge beautiful afghan on Friday. The colours are



to die for, its pure wool,



and it's massive.



It has faults - a couple of grannies are starting to unravel but I'm hoping that my new crochet class started last Tuesday will give me the skills to put them right.



In the meantime it can only be moved carefully, gingerly, so as not to increase the holes...

I'll never be cold again!

Quilted surprise

Thought I'd just share with you pictures of the quilt my mum and I made for Niobe's eighteenth birthday. Whenever I asked what she wanted she couldn't come up with anyone other than "make me something" - no to jewellery, no to gadgets.



I've squirrelled fabrics away for years and so this includes Laura Ashley fabrics from the 1970s, Niobe's school blouse, her first duvet cover, curtain fabrics, my old blouses, her blouses and a vintage tablecloth piece as the centre which draws it all together. It's quite big at 9' 6" x 7' 6" - plenty big enough for a double bed. Something to remind her of home when she's away at uni.



This was all assembled in secret - whenever she went out I went up to my mum's so that Niobe didn't happen upon it. It was laid out on her spare bed while it was planned and assembled piece by piece. Often Mum would stitch away when I was at work.



One day I had a call at work with the cryptic message "the eagle has landed" at which I shot over to look at the finished piecing. Imagine my horror when I stood on a chair to check everything was where it should be - to spot an error. More to the point imagine her horror when I said it will have to be unpicked!



I'm amazed that we managed to complete the whole thing without Niobe guessing at all that anything was under way. It was lovely to see her face when she opened it, laid it out and then identified several of the individual pieces. I still have the quilt I made for her cot 18 years ago (which was made from laura Ashley fabric from the 1970s).

I'm thrilled that making something for her has made her so happy. I think its something to do with it being the investment of time and love...

Have a good week.

Love Wend

Very Important Numbers!

And why are these numbers important?



because at 5.19 on 5th March 1993 I gave birth 5 weeks early to a tiny little baby. My tiny little baby is eighteen today!



A very Happy Birthday Little Niobe!

Stop press - new Liberty fabrics!

Have you seen the new range of fabrics over at Liberty? Long loved by makers/crafters their fabrics are often recognisable and have recently been introduced to the younger set through Top Shop using some of their designs.



I've mentioned before my love of certain children's book illustrators so was delighted that Liberty's latest range includes fabrics designed or inspired by a selection of them.



From the top are designs inpired by Jane Ray, David McKee, this delightful design "Tuesday Trees" - Lauren Child (in 4 colourways)



and this last one Plum Dog - Emma Chichester Clark (also in 4 colourways). Scrummy!

And yes, there's a Brian Wildsmith one for lovers of his work (although it's disappointing) and also Quentin Blake...