Mixed media

Had a great day yesterday and spent a day off visiting the Thames Valley Sewing group at a get-together in Reading. We all took lunch contributions and bits of stash(in the hope of slimming it down) and gossiped all afternoon. What a treat to talk sewing without anyone's eyes glazing over! Needless to say I brought back more than I went with! Some great silk dupion from Gabrielle and Jap silk from Pat, navy velour and loads of magazines too.


Today I thought I would take some pictures of my various hobbies and here are the results. I haven't included knitting or the cross-stitch box I have just finished, or the crewel work chair covers I have just started - those are for another post!
I started the dragon in the seventies (from Golden Hands) and never finished it. My daughter (then a baby) finally finished a year or so ago, so it was a UFO for thirty years IS this a record?!!!

My books I have postedto remind me to get going on High Kicks and Harvest Festival, because I have booked myself onto the course dear Annie Burgh is running at the Watermill at Posara in Tuscany. I have until late August to get a respectable amount written and edited into shape - more later...

Dinner with the Stars

Well not quite but last night we went to the House of Commons for dinner with an MP.The grandeur of the building quite takes your breath away, soaring gilded ceilings and marble floors (must be hell on the legs after a day) and lots of staircases with green (for Commons) and red (for Lords) carpets. We ate in the Churchill Room overlooking the river and walked the famous terrace afterwards before going in the gallery to watch a division take place with all its rituals. Being an important bill even at 10pm the House was packed, Ken Clark, William Hague, Michael Howard,Peter Hain, David Cameron and Kate Hooey. And Ian Paisley was tottering about being very aimiable to everyone. Certainly a special evening

Music Hall Medley

Last night (and Friday night) I helped out at the village music hall. I did some costumes for them and seem to have been sucked into the group! So Saturday night found me behind the bar and I even pulled my first ever pint both of lager and beer! Lager was harder because it is so fizzy but I did it, and no-one complained. Wallking home through the village at midnight after a few drinks with the cast and crew in the hall I suddenly thought how lucky I am to live in such a safe place. Even though we have only three street-lamps in the whole village it is totally safe to walk around even at that hour - and we have two pubs in the village street. Mind you most of the punters are still in them at that time!
It is good to have entertainment in the village. The group performs for local clubs and charities, last night was the British Legion and Friday it was the Tennis Club. They sell the tickets, the guys perform and everyone has a great time, on their own doorstep and very few need to drive home. Actualy the more they consume the better the performance - according to the Master of Ceremonies!
Braughing is a very social village, there are umpteen societies and clubs most meeting in the village hall or the quaintly named 'Old Boys School' (which was used as a location for Foyles War a few years ago. A lot of local people care for the village. One old gentleman trots up the street regularly collecting litter in his plastic bag and the two pubs keep their frontages immaculate. It has got harder for them since the smoking ban as the smokers cluster outside the front door for a fag now instead of smoking inside. It gets a lot noisier than it was before as they have also had a fair bit to drink but so far we haven't had any real trouble

The pattern I'm using

A sewing frenzy

Well today I really got down to it and sewed a grey flannel dress as part of UK Sewing's SWAP challenge. SWAP (sew with a purpose) is meant to make sure you have wardrobe of clothes that work together. I have loads of clothes I admit and more than most they work together because I buy a lot of black and white to make sure, and of course the SWAP is black and white but I have added grey and a lime green as well
I intend to make trousers, two tops, a skirt and at least two jackets in the next few weeks depending on time

New Year New Hope

Well the new hope is that I can keep the blog up. I haven't done so well so far...
I have started playing with my new toy, an embellishing machine and have downloaded some examples onto the embellisher swap yahoo group. I have a Pfaff 360 and love it.
New Year resolution is to sort out my fabric/wool/trimmings/lace stashes, get rid of what I don't want and use some of the rest. It would help if I kept off my favourite web-sites like Emma One Sock however!

This year my husband and I are working on a fund-raiser ball for his rugby club
It is called THE ROBIN HOOD BALL and is on July 5th. Inspired by the sexy Richard Armitage from the TV programme. So far I have booked the venue and chosen the menu. I am currently trying to find a band and work out the decorations. Will post up the invite when I get it finished'
During the later part of last year I made eight full length evening dresses for our local music hall group (photo shown here - I hope! Great gang of people!