TIME FOR TEA ?

The Knitting Pattern below which was in my Mum's huge stock of patterns, looks very unpromising, and in fact slumbered away in a file for years until RETRO came back  !!!

I think we can really understand why two of the patterns have never been revived! but the third one called in the instructions the 'Batchelor' tea-cosy is the one that we are learning to love again - with various toppings - some people favour a pompom, I've seen flowers, but I like the rings as shown.

Interesting to note too that this pattern cost 4d. - that's old money - not pence!

And so, my work in progress at the moment is my Battenburg Cosy - doesn't it look good enough to eat?

And here is one I made earlier - and this is in the colours suggested in the pattern - sorry it is not actually shown on a teapot, but too late now as it was sold quite a long time ago!

I have also made a scarlet and cream version which graces my son and daughter-in-laws kitchen, where I'm told it gets of lot of admiration - hence my Spring Revival!

GOLDEN SYRUP

Yesterday one of my favourite blog ladies Shortbread and Ginger wrote about the Lion on the Golden Syrup tins and the significance of the picture.

A couple of years ago I found this jug at a car boot sale featuring Lyle's Golden Syrup.

I have never seen another one - has anyone else?  I'm sure lots must have been produced, but it would be interesting to find out.

Small, Beautiful, Practical

With my next sale approaching, I decided I wanted some small items for my stall and so have come up with these coasters which are hand knitted in Summery, random, cotton yarn and are backed with this really pretty cotton floral - courtesy of a dress bought at a car boot sale for £1 - and there is still plenty more to use!

They look so bright and cheerful and are really practical as the knitting gives them the padding they need and they can be used either side up. 

I couldn't resist photographing them with my retro tumblers - 6 bought at another car boot sale for £1.50 and I use them every day!  No dishwashing mind!!

More coasters are on the way, plus I think I am getting the traditional patch working bug back, and have decided to make lots of hexagonal and square patches and just see where I go from there.

My aunt taught me when I was in my teens, and I taught her daughter later on.  I have really gone off the boil since, but seeing so much super patchwork on all these great blogs has really got me thinking again - and although it is much slower than using a machine - I really do prefer sitting and hand sewing - it just goes hand in hand with knitting.

Have a good weekend.

Garage Sale and Hand-Crafted Home Fair

The forecast was really quite good for today, but disappointingly - especially as it is my birthday - it dawned drizzily, dull and really quite chilly.  However, my friend and I set off the for the annual garage sale in a neighbouring village, which has really gathered momentum over the years.  I have never seen so many stalls and very spread about - we walked a LONG way.

As you might imagine, all sorts of the usual and unusual things for sale, but my prime search as ever, was for fabric and I picked up these pieces above for £4 - when they are washed and ironed they will hopefully reappear as some very pretty cushions.

My other great news is that I am to feature on Radio Northampton on their Drive programme on Wednesday this week just before 6 p.m. to speak for a timed 60 seconds about the Fair.

I now have to write a piece, and make sure it fits the time limit.  I am really thrilled to get this publicity for the Fair, but a little nervous - so wish me luck!!!

A very busy week coming up now making final preparations - and so don't forget THE HAND-CRAFTED HOME FAIR at ALDWINCLE VILLAGE HALL, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on SATURDAY 26 MAY.

Thank you for reading.

May Day Fair

As we all now know May Bank Holiday was not really what we would have hoped for weather wise, however, after my husband had fixed the broken bath hot tap, which seemed to have crumbled from the inside and produced only a dribble of water, we set off and had a scrumptious lunch at The Fox at Thorpe Achurch. 

Open Ciabatta topped with poached eggs and smoked salmon with a beurre blanc sauce and a glass of wine.  I will certainly visit again.

Everyone came in clutching umbrellas and sporting brightly coloured wellies and there was a nice feeling of "we are all in this together!"

We drove on to the Fair and the village, (which is just beautiful anyway where many of the houses still belong to the private Estate and so are often let rather then sold), was gaily decorated with bunting, there were lots of different stalls, and the field where we parked smelled really fresh and sweet.

The school children did a great display of Maypole Dancing, and when the maypole began to lean rather alarmingly, it was quickly sorted out with a child pole holder!

We had a good browse and I called at the stall of a fellow blogger.  We had a good chat and I bought the super piece of Hydrangea fabric from her.  I also got 3 Lilian Harry books which I have not read - they are great - comfort food in a book, and I picked up the little shelf unit from another stall for £3 - I am thinking it will be great for display on my stall at the Hand-Crafted Home Fair at Aldwincle.

A great atmosphere and spirits certainly didn't seem dampened by the rain!

Then home so my husband could watch the snooker, I did knitting and fresh cream cakes with a cup of tea.

Heaven.

A Greater Britain

When we cleared out the Loft a while ago, I found this little book which I had forgotten I had.

The above picture is the front cover "The Open Door" and the picture below is the back cover showing that we have stepped out into the beautiful garden.

It is called "The Wings of the Year Booklet" by Nora M Carter, and was obviously produced just after the 1939-45 war.  The whole book is produced in sepia and reading through it really made me think.

The sentiment in the book looks ahead so simply and with great pride.  Below is a piece from it.

A GREATER BRITAIN

The Heart and Soul of Britain

Shall grow finer, greater still,

Because she's won a Victory

The proves her faith and will;

Faith in God and Goodness,

Trust in honour and in Right,

Faith in all the hearts who love her,

In their effort and their might.

Oh, Glorious our Heritage!

Then onward let us stride;

For God has saved our Britain

That she may honour Him with pride;

That Truth, and Strength, and Charity,

Shall ever be the aim

Of the men who share her destiny -

The GREATNESS of her NAME.

Oh, but that it was this straightforward!







Craft Fairs

A huge hobby of mine is creating something useful, pretty and a little bit different from treasures I find in charity shops, at car boot sales and garage sales and anywhere else I can think of.

I sell some pieces at various craft fairs in the area and also on http://www.folksy.com/ under the banner 'Liz Lancaster' and I am attending a Fair this Sunday, 4 March at Stanwick in Northamptonshire.

I suppose I was brought up to 'make do and mend' and now, it seems to be back in fashion.  I have always really disliked the 'throw away society' - why did someone think it would be a good idea for supermarkets to stop putting a store of cardboard boxes to be used by customers to take their shopping home and introduce those vile plastic bags anyway ?  

However, I digress.   The challenge is to find, say a piece of fabric, study it and see what alternative use pops into mind - you never quite know what the result will be and this is what makes it so rewarding.

I have been busy making cushions, aprons, bags etc., from recycled materials and the pics above show two cushions made from four cotton seersucker napkins picked up at a garage sale last summer - one greens/yellows/browns and the other reds/blues/yellows.

They contain feather filled pads and measure about 14 inches square.

They look really fresh and crisp and I am extremely pleased with the results made from something which would otherwise probably have just been thrown away.

Wish me luck for Sunday  !!!

Beginnings

Last month I found a book in a charity shop called The Gentle Art of Domesticity by Jane Brocket.

I read it from cover to cover in a few days and felt I had come home. 

I have always loved and valued homemaking in all its guises - not that I am keen on the boring bits like cleaning, tidying and the general humdrum, but I love to create whether knitting, sewing, a bit of baking, gardening and, of course, bringing up our boys who have long since flown the nest.

I have worked, usually part time in offices, over the years when funds required, and I did enjoy it to a certain extent, but always had the feeling that when I walked into the office at 9 a.m., I was trapped until it was time to leave.

In 2009 I was made redundant from my last job and since then have done some voluntary work for Oxfam, but my main interest now is making hand knitted, sewn and other items from things I find mostly at car boot sales, and in charity shops, and I sell a few at local craft fairs.

I will never be a millionaire, but the fairs are fun, you meet other like minded people and I enjoy the calm, concentration and even solitariness of the making process.

I am also very keen on old - but what we now call "vintage" pottery and our home - a very old cottage, is filled with finds from here, there and everywhere together with sentimental pieces which have come to me over the years.

Yesterday, the sun was shining and I suddenly had the urge to bake and came up with my Banana Nut Bread, which doesn't look terribly exciting, but believe me it is DELICIOUS.  I will add the recipe - maybe tomorrow.