Monday, June 29, 2009

Double Trouble

This has been an ‘annus horribilis’ for my family and last week was ‘last straw’ week. It helped that I was so busy that it rather took my mind off ‘things’.

I have long wanted to go on a ‘Double Trouble’ workshop and my dreams were realised when my friend Brenda and I travelled to Nottingham to spend two days with Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn. We had some excellent tuition and were shown some wonderful techniques, but best of all was being able to get up close to all the samples that Jan and Jean had brought. We were encouraged to look very closely, ask questions – and ‘handle’ the samples. For someone who finds it SOOO frustrating not to be able to touch work in exhibitions - especially when it is as tactile and textured as theirs - this was a joy.

Negotiating the one-way system in Nottingham was a nightmare but fortunately we stayed in a lovely B&B in Southwell, just outside the city, which is a beautiful cathedral town.

We had breakfast in a delightful garden (first picture) and found a scrumptious little restaurant called ’The Piano’. We managed to fit in a quick visit to the Minster,

which had many features of interest to an embroiderer ...


especially the ancient door, which just asked to be translated into ‘smocking’?


A lovely workshop with Carol Naylor on Friday was followed by a visit to Woolfest on Saturday.


I had made two corsages for the IFA stand and was amazed to find that they had both sold! Sorry, I didn’t take piccies because I was so sure that I’d be getting them back … but here’s one I made earlier ...

All I wanted to do today was to lie down in a darkened room!

5 comments:

Jackie said...

Oh Margaret! I hope you had a good rest today. I really enjoyed saturday with you and am so grateful to you for driving. The pictures of Southwell look beautiful.

Mary Welsh Hubbard said...

Wow! I'm sure they did sell - the one you do have a photo of is gorgeous!

Lyn said...

Beautiful corsage! shocking pink!!!
Love
Lyn
xxx

jackie said...

The workshop sounds wonderful and worth the effort. Thank you for commenting on my Woolies book.

Maggi said...

Glad you enjoyed your trip to the Midlands, what better reason to make it than a Double Trouble workshop. The corsage is gorgeous, no wonder the others sold