LIKE THE COLOUR OF MY SKIN,
OR THE DAY THAT I GROW OLD,
MY LIFE IS MADE OF PATTERNS
THAT CAN SCARCELY BE CONTROLLED.
(Simon & Garfunkel)
Here's the desk in all its glory...
Blimey..what a tip! Piles of stuff for Karen (Furry Monkey) - she fundraises for animal charities. There's a whole stack of doggy bandannas and stockings for treats. There's bunting pennants waiting to be backed...
...and some waiting to be ironed. More on this lot later...
You know that fantastic feeling you get when you put your hand in an old coat and find a tenner in the pocket? Well, I did a happy dance when I found this Christmas fabric in the wardrobe yesterday :-) I'd forgotten all about these - They'll be really handy with all the Christmas bits that are under construction at the moment...wahoo!!
Confession time, Folks. These gorgeous fat quarters just happened to slip into my mitts in Fabricland - they were very reasonable, honest!
After all the Crimbo stuff is finished, I think a quilt is calling. Watch this space :-)
I never knew my grandparents; three had died by the time I was born and my maternal grandmother, Alice, died when I was four. She was a champion knitter and did amazing tatting (that's what my mum always called it), more of which I found in the house clearance...
I can see where my love of patterns comes from! Now I've learned to crochet, I've looked at these doilies and runners afresh. They are so complicated to make and the stitches so tiny....Alice's skill was truly amazing. I wish I'd known her better.
Right, enough melancholy.....back to these bad boys...
A Giveaway - woohoo! To say a little thank you for the comments and support every week. It still knocks my socks off and thrills me to know that my ramblings are read all over the world. So, no rules, you don't have to be a follower (OR become one...) Just say whether you'd like a Scandinavian (top row) or Traditional (bottom row). I'll announce the winners next week :-)
That's all Folks xx
47 comments:
Your bunting is so gorgeous Jan, it would be the Scandinavian for me although the choice was a hard one! I love finding lost and forgotten things too, my memory is so bad these days it happens often! Love your Gran's tatting, my Nana was so good at that too, wish I liked crochet more, I get bored with it too quickly, maybe if I got onto the patterns I would be more interested in it!
Look at you with your fundraising stash, you are a star! Speaking of which, just popped some cards in the mail for you this morning for the refuge, watch for them in about a week!
have a great week, Debxx
Ooh, what a lovely post! The colour is just so uplifting! And tatting - wow! When I was at school back in the seventies - pause to gasp at my ancientness - I had a dress edged with tatting! Retro wasn't called Retro then, but I think that's when it came in. Now, to decide which bunting I like best! Golly, that's hard because I've fallen in love with it all. I think on balance it has to be the Scandi, but it was a tough call! Happy WOYWW! Julie Ann xx #38
It's always a joy to visit you each week, Jan. Love all the brightness on your desk and what stunning tatting. These crafts are an art form that need reviving aren't they. You'll have to make them into something special to be passed on to your Grand daughters!!!! Did I scare you with that..sorry!
As I've got Viking blood in my veins it has to be the Scandi too!!!
Hope you are having a good week.
Hugs Lisax #65
Morning! sunny with a few clouds here! and the couple of 'real' shops I've been in to are jostling Christmas stock on their shelves ... lots of the little pointy hatted elf type selves etc..very scandi. Have corrected your link so hope that most visitors wont even notice, I hear talk of a walk to brunch, so must away and at least get dressed!!
I love seeing your desk, so colourful and always something inspiring. Like Alice's work, wow! No wonder you are a talented as you are. Super find and something to treasure for sure. Take care Zo xx 73
I always love my visits to your fabricland but so unfair to make us choose one over the other. If I HAVE to it would be scandi-stylee, but they are both lovely. Love the FQs as well. I really need to make time to do something fabric-y but I keep getting sidetracked by paint and ink and glue....
I am determined to be early this week
Happy WOYWW!
Mary Anne (27)
Love all your bunting. How cool that you found some fabric hiding in the cupboard. All I find hiding in pockets are snotty tissues!! I was very lucky to be given some beautiful doilies made by an elderly lady friend of the family so I understand your fascination with the tatting. It is so intricate, I could never imagine doing it myself. Love your Xmas bunting, I'm a traditionalist myself, love those Christmas puddings on the bunting.
Have a fabulous week,
Von #55
Hi Jan, as usual your post is a pleasure to read - the photos are so colourful :) Love the vintage crochet - Alice was clearly an expert at her 'tatting'. When I was nought but a gal there was a magazine, that came out monthly, called Pins and Needles which published sewing, embroidery and knitting and crochet patterns, many of them for the kind of delicate work your grandmother did. The hooks were tiny. I remember my mother crocheting with two strands of sewing thread together to produce a very lacy 'cheval set' - these were sets of three doilies commonly used on dressing tables back then. Lucky you to have inherited these beautiful pieces. Thanks for the trip down memory lane :)) Hope you have a good week and happy WOYWW. Elizabeth x #41
PS: here's a link showing a Pins and Needles magazine - note the price, 1/- or 10p in today's money!
http://www.tilleysvintagemagazines.com/source/product_data.php?prodid=16862&gallery=PINS%20AND%20NEEDLES&page_num=0&menuchoice=magazines
You've been extremely busy, and everything looks beautiful. Your grandmother's tatting pieces are truly a work of art. Happy WOYWW! #84
How thrilling to visit at the right time! LOVE the top one, especially as it's got a heART!!!! patsy
Busy Busy Jan! Love all the colour on your desk this week. Alice's work is amazing. What a wonderful keepsake for you. Scandinavian for me if I were lucky enough to win! Happy WOYWW to you from Helen 42
Oh my you are one busy bee! And all that lovely fabric that has been bought - he, he it was cheap aye??? It is always cheap when you want it ha, ha...
Love everything on your desk - I can't compete for the Christmastssy stuff cause I haven't been commenting for a while! I will just leave you with lots of hugs!
Cardarian
Definitely the Scandinavian one! What a wonderful legacy to find, the tatting looks amazing. I can see where you get your creativity from. Hugs. Pam#37
Lovely busy desk, not at all untidy. Love the lace crochet, my gran and my mam did a lot of that years ago, we had doilies and table sets all over the house! Serendipity finding that fabric in the cupboard, either that or you're just a hoarder like the rest of us, lol! Beautiful bunting I love them both so just give them all to me, ok!!
Hugs
Brenda 1
Your grandmothers work is beautiful! Love all the color on your desk.
Hugs. Robin - 34
Hi Jan, wow, what a brightly coloured post this week! They positively leap off the screen at you. Your Grandmothers Tatting is quite beautiful, I agree. Seems such a shame that skills like that, once considered essential, are disappearing so fast.Have a good week, Hugs, Shaz #31 xx
You are amazing woman, achieving all you do. Love the tatting you found, gosh try and sell them and see what they are worth, quite a bit. As for the bunting material, good find in the cupboard but I like the traditional and this bunting is something I have always wanted, since working the bake off here in aus... So put me in the draw please, pretty please.
Happy WOYWW
Eliza & Yoda 3
Gorgeous stuff as always, just love these bright patterns - delish!! We had a good day on Monday, so far we have raised just over £300 which has all been giftaided and which will all be doubled by our staff charity match scheme. So I am pleased as punch!! Thank you so much once again for your bits and bobs - not everything went but I have another Christmas Fair at the church in a few weeks so there will be additional fundraising then!! When I get a chance I will make some Christmas Cards for the refuge and get them off to you as soon as possible. Best wishes, Cindy
Hi Jan, you've got quite a production line going there girl! Gorgeous fabric as ever and I'm not surprised those fat qs found there way home with you! My Mum was a keen tatter when she was a girl - I bet she's got some hidden gems too. I'd love to be the proud winner of the Scandi bunting, so I've got everything crossed (typing is a nightmare!) Have a great week. MMx #51
Love all your doggy styled treats! The tatting is amazing. My great-grandmother did tons of crocheting but I never learned how. My Gran still sews and knits on occasion although she finds it difficult with her injured shoulder. I would love to win either of the buntings...they are both so gorgeous. Thanks for sharing. Happy WOYWW. Caro x #80
Hi LLJ
sorry to hear you got piles...... of fabric ones of course. lovely colourful desk, the tatting is amazing.
sorry we had to cut our chat short the other day..... customers eh! hope you enjoyed the rest of your day. love both lots of bunting, but maybe leaning slightly towards the traditional, or maybe the scandi...... perhaps you shouldn't include me I couldn't decide, one of my main problems at the moment or maybe its because I'm a Libran.
janet #15
Thanks for a fun visit to your blog, all of the content made me smile! Hugs, Super Stamp Girl #92
Hi Jan
it looks like you have had an amazing time of finding different things including history that must be so special to you. I think you are going to have a fantastic time making wonderful things with this lovely lot
Happy WOYWW and wishing you a great week
Ria #50
Great page Today Jan I love all the old linens
Lynn x
Didn't she use the kind of board with all the strings? I don't mean a weaving thing, but another tool to make intricate designs... no idea what it was called.
Aah, lace making, simple as that. (Well not so simple to make though).
Lots of colourful fabric, and a clean desk! But that is kind of necessary when sewing I suppose.
Debbie #53
What a lot of lovely fabric - and those lace doilies are really beautiful - what intricate work!
Bernice #59
Hi Jan,
You have been a busy lady. I love the red (considering it is my favourite colour). The lace is beautiful too. My mum used to be able to do lace work, but unfortunately I never learnt how.
Have a great week
Alessandra #88
Your grandmother was hugely talented, it really does run in families! Love her tatting..thanks for the glimpse of your busy desk - I love it, so bright and cheery on what is a very grey day today! Thanks for your giveaway chance too, the choice is too hard, even with just 2.... both sets of bunting is beautiful.... traditional I think..but either would be appreciated!
I did try to visit yesterday but got the rogue link I see Julia has corrected, it's taken me a while to get back, sorry! Blame the aching muscles after a day in London and yesterday at Kew...Helen 20
What a treasure to find Jan. I would want to stroke them all day in the hope that some of her talent would rub off :-)
I love them both....easy to please me :-)
Hugs,
A x # 46
Hi Jan, Many thanks for the return visit! The dig is organised by The Open University. My cousin is a lecturer for them and has been digging on this site in Amesbury for the past 7(ish) years. A couple of years ago it all got very exciting....they have found 1000's of Mesolithic tools dated pre-Stonehenge. There are also burnt animal bones proving a settlement. They have found more tools than have ever been discovered there before and the latest thinking is that it could be the "Cradle of Stonehenge" and the reason it was built there.
If you're interested, Amesbury Museum has a great display of the finds and are organising volunteers for this 2 week dig. We're there Monday/Tuesday, it would be great to see you! Many thanks for the offer of a cuppa but we really won't have time, maybe next time! Hugs. Pam#37
Lol - I am a Libran! I can't decide, but if I had to, I would say - maybe traditional. They are both lovely anyway! x Jo
hi,
love your desk, i really need to do more sewing !!! loving all the colours :)
claire @ lemon paper designs x
As I already have beautiful bunting I won't go in the draw. I have to say the tatting is stunning and imagine doing it by poorer light then what we would be using for our craft stuff. Have a lovely week.
Sandra.
Yeah! Christmas bunting. Like the tatting. My mum can do that too with a strange little plastic shuttle. I feel I should learn how and pass the info on down the generations but even when she does it slowly I still haven't the foggiest what she's doing!
~Kate~
Hi Jan, yes I've ended up being moved back onto double days- Doug is still on nights. Boy, did my teddy get thrown out of the pram! After the teddy throwing, its been decided that my sections night shift will be back on in a few weeks, so I haven't got to put up with it for long. Just as well, as I told them that if they thought I was working an opposite shift to Doug long term, they could have my notice there & then. Apparently, 'my experience is needed to train less experienced setters'- their words, not mine. Mine aren't repeatable here, lol. Just one of those times they thought they could steamroller someone, as I usually am pretty easy going about helping out, this time they discovered my soft exterior hides a reinforced concrete brick wall, complete with arrow slits & a moat! Hugs, Shaz xx
Your pictures made me smile, all that lovely fabric and gorgeous colours and amazing lace - pure eye candy! That Scandinavian bunting is beautiful! Thanks so much for the visit, Happy WOYWW! Kate #54
Oh dear, I adore that top Scandinavian row. Your beautiful work is such a tribute to your grandmother Alice--what a legacy. I think she would be so proud of your stitches of love for charity! Oh, I hope you post that dollhouse you saw in Bath. I am now dying to see it. Well, I'm having quite a day as my mama is in the hospital suddenly. She is 87, and just wasn't feeling well and we're not sure what's wrong, and she is very groggy today. Sitting here in the room, with a nice view, on my laptop, hoping mom gets to be a little more alert! Hugs dearest! --Sandy Leigh #5
What gorgeous fabrics you are working with! These are going to be the best-dressed doggies in town!
What a treasure to have all this amazing work from your grandmother. What remarkable skills she possessed!
Happy crafting this week!
Lynn #28
Lovely bright colours on your desk today and your Gran's tatting is so lovely, it should go in a frame with a photo of her or something. Oooh, love your bunting is so fab and the top row of Scandinavian appearance is wonderful!! :) Annette #7
I love your crafty space...my room wishes it belonged to you! (A great pile has just toppled over ) I must tidy! Thank you for the comment on 'the book' The first chapter came in the top ten out of 46,000 entries in a TV competition, so I thought, even though it still took me ages, it's out there now., and if the worse comes to the worse...it makes a great door stop in it's manuscript form!
Happy (late) WOYWW ((Lyn)) #36
Wow, thats some serious pennants being made. Love the tatting too (my mum calls it that also).
Happy WOYWW
kyla 71
Hi Jan . .. just popped over for a visit to your entertaining blog. You have a fab fabric frenzy going on on your desk haven't you?
Please leave me out of the prize draw (it would be wasted on me as I don't have the sewing gene in my body!).
Hugs
Sarn xxx
Jan,
Thanks you for visiting me, sorry I am a bit late getting back.
I love all your fabrics, if you choose me to win I'd love the Traditional set.
I just love looking at the beautiful fabrics on your site, I do very little sewing these days as I have back problems and can't sit at the machine for long.
Chris #69
How fun to find that out about your grandmother! I love that story!! The pieces you are making are beautiful! Your giveaway is so sweet of you! I like the top row, if I had to pick. But I don't sew~~
Sorry I'm late!
xxDaniella#10
wow wodnerful to be back peeping at desks you cannot beleive how hard it is not to do it.. and wow, Lunch Lady Jan, I do love the pieces of crotchet.... these ones are crotchet - some are filet crotchet in the square like patterns - tatting is quite different and done with shuttle and thread but maybe mum did not know have done both but love crotchet much better - but did start it very early!! am two squares from finishing a supper cloth I stared over twenty years ago :D
- oo and yes do love the bunting traditional is luffly, I think you are terribly kind!! Shaz in Oz.x #12
Of course I had to swing by to see what I missed out on this week. I was at home slumping around being miserable and cleaning house (poorly). I wasn't miserable because of the house cleaning though. I was actually looking forward to that--you know, space to play and all that. Anyway, such lovely piles of fabric all around your work area. It is a wonder you can tear yourself away. How exciting to find wonderful in-season fabric in the closet. That's better than shopping! Although, your shopping trip went well too. Thanks for sharing all your lovelies and if I get picked then I'd like a surprise.
Oh so pretty, running late have been helping hubby with moving equipment during harvest weather has been so nice and don't want to get caught out there when it changes I just bought some new fun yarns and hope to start some evening crochet. My grandmother taught me some basic stitches at age 8 and wish I would have learned more. She knit..and did beautiful tatting. That is almost a lost art. And I love it. But wonder if it is hard on the old eyes? Have a lovely weekend #81
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