Thursday, 28 November 2024

Blimey!

A really lovely and hand-quilted EVERYWHERE quilt from the display at Llandod Museum.  I don't think I shared the photos I took there earlier in the year.


 Well, I had the best night's sleep last night that I have had for years.  I am not counting the one night during the last Fair when I slept well due to total exhaustion. I had had a lovely evening watching the new (and last) series of Outlander, which I am currently watching on a one week free sub for MGM followed by a one month sub for £4.99, then it will be promptly cancelled.  My last £2.99 offer purchase from Audible this week was Diana Gabaldon's Drums of Autumn.  I wrapped up a friend's Christmas and birthday gifts yesterday and realized I didn't need to give her the linen tote bag (with a design on it for embroidering) so I began to embroider that last night - may gift it, but may keep it for me.  The slow sewing is SO relaxing and enjoyable.  Nothing exciting in the way of stitches - just small chain stitch and stem stitch - but even just choosing the colours is enjoyable.  

A close up of the central block and turkey red surround.  The Museum is currently shut - when I was there earlier in the year I was told that it had to get rid of half its exhibitions and move upstairs, so that the Library could move into the ground floor.  I was lucky to peruse at depth the Kilvert exhibition which took up a good corner of the main room upstairs.  That was going to be very much reduced to just his chair, table and writing slope . ..

Tam and Rosie went home yesterday afternoon.  The carpet cleaner arrived at lunchtime - I was expecting him later - so we were in a bit of a pickle with baby things and crawler quilts all over the living room, but we coped and the carpets look lovely and clean again.  The living room carpet got very grubby when D, E and I were here - all those extra feet, and pizza and beer had fallen onto the light-coloured carpet.

A rare survivor - a Farming smock which would have been worn in Victorian times - the meeces have been a it, but all the smocking is still there on chest and long cuffs.

This morning I am going to Llandod for a small shop of the things I can't get in Aldi (went there when I came out of the Hospital in Hereford the other day, as it's only a junction away).  It will be good to get out of the house and no worries about driving through flood water this time!

When I was ironing the flat quarters, my eye fell on Tam's recent pile of ironing (a small one!)  There was a little dress JUST like the one in Doughty's the other day, so I can do a Kate (Last Homely House) and trace around the top as a pattern for it, and measure up the bottom hem of the skirt for length of material pre-gathering.  Perhaps I will start dress making after all!

14 comments:

  1. A magnificent smock in it's day, such a shame about the damage. I do not care for the overly quilted quilt. It's gilding the lily and is actually wholly unnecessary to use so much stitching.

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    1. Now I love it, and I love to hand quilt, and can imagine the maker of this giving total dedication to its beauty. Perhaps it was an Exhibition quilt in its day? Or a wedding quilt made by the bride with much love. Who's to say?

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  2. Hooray for your good nights sleep and no flooding for your outing!

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    1. Indeed. I am going to brave the cold wind and see what the day has to offer. 3 cats have just shot in through the cat flap, so either it's not warm enough for cats or the ginger tom from the farm is out there again.

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  3. It's good to be planning future making!

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    1. It's the lure of the Liberty fabrics doing it!!

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    2. I visited Liberty in the early 70s while on our compulsory twice a term Art College forays to London exhibitions and galleries.
      So mind blowing I never bought anything!!

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  4. So glad you had a good nights sleep, makes such a difference doesn't it?
    You have so many talents, I'll look forward to seeing the next sewing project.
    Alison in Wales x

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    1. Yet last night I was awake for 4 hours - Sod's Law! For "talents" read "interests".

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  5. Isn't it wonderful to sleep well, I'm nearly there but not quite!

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  6. I do hand quilting but nothing so intricate as that. I am glad you got a lovely and refreshing sleep.

    God bless,

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    1. It would have been a real labour of love, that's for sure.

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  7. The stitching on that old smock is so very intricate. It must have taken forever to do. I can't imagine so much attention going into what was, at the heart of it, a utilitarian piece of clothing. Beautifully done though, and I cannot help but wonder about the hands that did the work.

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