Housecoats and memories

November 25, 2021

For today’s post I’m sharing one of the exhibitions at this year’s Knitting & Stitching Show which took place at Alexandra Palace in October. This month my credit card bill is in and thankfully it’s not too bad. I know I left with some absolute gems and I’m looking forward to using them. Though there’s only so much you need, or rather desire and can use, no really there is.

One of my favourite parts of the whole show was the exhibitions which were dotted around the space. These housecoats by Maria Thomas were enthralling, and each has so much detail. Every time I look at these photos, I see something new, though for me these are way more glamorous housecoats than in my mind’s eye.

The accompanying information by the housecoats explained that these motherhood jackets:

Preserving her glamour after returning home from work, my mother often wore

a housecoat to do her chores. Not only a comfortable ‘round the house’ garment

it gave her a sense of empowerment and calm in knowing her outfit wouldn’t fail to flatter

as she juggled the tea time routine.

I will continue to be enthralled by these and pore over the work within each. If like me you want to know more about them and how they’re made the information alongside the display gives a bit more detail:

Paper ephemera, reclaimed cloth and haberdashery

Hand and machine applique and quilted patchwork

Just imagine the memories that just one of these would evoke, it makes me wonder what mine would include.

My garden in September

November 20, 2021

I’ve already shared the October post, and so you’ll not be surprised to see the sunflowers in full bloom. While technically they don’t fit into a ‘my garden’ post I’m including them as they’re so beautiful and because that’s where they ended up! For £3 they were quite a bargain from M&S and have reminded me how much sense it makes to grow sunflowers. Remember the ones that I grew on the allotment? Goodness, that’s five years ago!

There wasn’t a lot of garden activity this month, but the photos showed we had some great weather. It was a month for trimming and tidying up - the pyracantha below, as usual, tried to have its own way and fight back - and the berries were starting to show.

MOH almost pulled this up as a weed, and while it isn’t and he was told just that, it has grown massively from the small plant it was. It’s definitely one to try and split into smaller plants next year, as it’s such a pretty delicate thing.

The small Christmas tree was starting to bush out, hopefully it doesn’t think it’s coming inside this winter - it most certainly isn’t!

The mock orange in the background desperately needs cutting down, but as there’s as much to cut back as will be left that’s not one we’ll tackle ourselves. The cone shaped yew in front of it was one I took the hedge trimmers too, along with what I call the slopey bush right at the front of the picture. Both are a lot smaller than they were when I started, and my arms got a workout too.

MOH started one of those never ending jobs, and that’s the patio. The grout is crumbling and his plan is to replace that. I think he’s realising just how much he’s taken on, as he also wants to clean the black spot off the slabs. He’s started, and even with the best of intentions I think it’ll take a while before he finishes.

But it’ll look great when he has, and will be the perfect place for cocktails. Yes, I’m really not expecting it to be finished before spring!

Post Comment Love 19-21 November

November 19, 2021

Welcome to this week’s #PoCoLo - a friendly linky which I co-host with Suzanne, where you can link any post published in the last week. We know you’ll find some great posts to read, and maybe some new-to-you blogs too, so do pop over and visit some of the posts linked and share some of that love. If you were here last week it was great to have you along, if you’re new here this week we’re pleased you’re here.

Well the Bond film was long - probably not the best, but one glad I’ve seen and one that had me wiping a tear from my eye. The cinema was the best bit for me - small and mostly empty, but MOH was less impressed, he thought the sound wasn’t comparable to the larger screens. He’s probably true, but those are the ones that normally make me jump!

We had our booster jabs, but the organisation was, and being kind, chaotic. Nothing like the previous well organised operation for our first and second jabs. We went to our local hospital, and well if there’s more jabs, never again. We were in danger of running out of time on our 1 hour parking ticket, but the jab is done and the people administering it were great, it was just the organisation that made me despair.

But onto happier things, my photo is one from the Knitting & Stitching Show - such detail, such work and such talent. I’d happily have that on my wall.