I went to the knitting and stitching show in Harrogate

Please remind me next year not to go on Thursday.  The place was heaving with people, I couldn't get to the booths to see what was for sale!!  I did manage to buy Jan and Jeans video and some wool felt scraps from Oliver Twists.  But mostly I wandered around in a daze sniffling and avoiding elbows.

 I did get my elbow spurs out to squish to Jean Bennetts exhbition.

Harrogate knitting and stitching

It is that time of year again and I am really excited to be going this year.  See you there :)

I went to Durham for a couple of days

I have wanted to go to Durham for many years, my Grand-mother was born in Sunderland and I needed to go to the archives to advance my family history project.  I heard fantastic things about the city so had a long list of things to do to cram into my two days.Sigh.  The record office is only open three days a week, guess which two I went.  Closed!

I walked up to the Cathedral, it is Norman so not as breathtaking as the Gothic one I am used to here in Lincoln.  But it is interesting and has the shrine of St Cuthbert, unfortunately photos weren't allowed.  I headed deep inside the Cathedral to find the 'Treasures of St Cuthbert' exhibition.  "This is a permanent exhibition that includes the Saxon relics of St Cuthbert, illuminated manuscripts, historic church silverware and textiles. This summer the exhibition is joined by biblical rarities from the Cathedral’s collections including a first edition of the 1611 King James Bible, in celebration of its 400th anniversary."  Wow!  It closed in October, the exhbition space is being turned into a bookshop. I didn't cry.

I walked across the courtyard to the Heritage Centre.  They have a brass rubbing centre and I was looking forward to having a go and maybe collecting some inspiration for future work.  They were having solar panels installed on the roof, so "everything had been put away".  So close and yet...

The opposite side of the courtward was the 'Treasures of Durham University - Library special collections'.  1/2 price entrance fee.  Sigh.  Around 1/3 of the exhibitions were replaced with a piece of card saying "exhibit removed".

The castle is being used for student accomadation so tourists aren't allowed inside, but you can normally wander around outside.  But, there was a barrier with a no entry sign, workmen were working with hard hats.

I was tired and hungry so had some lunch and wandered around the shops until it was time to go back to the hotel.  By 3.30 I wanted to come home! 

The photos are of the "War Memorial" for the Durham Light Infantrymen.  It is a beautifully carved monolith with a celtic cross.

Durham and the Tentmakers exhibition

The hangings are made by the tentmakers in Cairo.  Most are men who are working to support their families.  The work is exquisite, the applique finely stitched and embroidered.  The prices were heartbreaking, ranging from around £50 to one or two at £350.  I was very happy to hear that the University bought one very large hanging for their Oriental Museum.  There are more photos in my flickr album the prices of the pieces is included within the titles. 

Black birds singing in the dead of night

I woke up in the middle of the night with Paul McCartney's blackbird song in my head. It stayed with me for a couple of days and I thought this might be a good time to make the birds I have been meaning to for years.
Coincidentally, clothpaperstudio is having a challenge to celebrate our 7th anniversary, we are to make something with 7. 
This why there are 7 black and white birds in my little tableau.

I found the pattern here