Something Beautiful

 

O living God, 

draw all the fragments of my life

into the bright mosaic of your love;

weave all the tangled threads of my desires

into the tapestry you are spreading,

like a rainbow,

on the loom of the world;

and help me celebrate the many facets

and the dazzling colours

of your peace.

Amen

Thank you Kirsten for sharing this prayer from Judy Hulme.

Feeling A Little Pasty, Eating A Large Pasty

The former represents how I have been recently, not sleeping well and therefore feeling fatigued. The sinus issue was still bothering me - and I have apparently been snoring an awful lot. I finally saw the GP on Thursday, and he discovered I have polyps in both nostrils - and they, not the sinuses, are the cause of the problem. A daily nasal spray should deal with them [but allow 12 weeks for it to work fully, he says] I felt much better for knowing what was wrong!
The latter- I watched Jamie's programme on Monday night [Channel 4], and decided to cook his £5 meal meat and potato pasties
The recipe was easy, budget friendly and we both enjoyed them - but they were huge

They came out nearly 20cm across and filled the bowl, I served them with mix veg. The filling [mince, plus grated potato, carrot, onion] was very moist and the 3tbsp of brown sauce added extra flavour. We added a little ketchup at the table. Next time, I might make three[ or four] smaller pasties with this quantity of mixture. Using strong bread flour for the pastry meant it was both thin, and robust [but not tough] I need to practice my crimping technique though
Have you cooked any of Jamie's £5 Feasts?

Twelve By Two

 Post came bright and early on Thursday. with K's final patch

As well as the patch and notes, I discovered some lovely knitting stitch markers, and cute erasers in the small flat box. When I was wrestling with my knot ideas, I had told myself that if that failed, I would just do a miniature ninepatch piece. But I did accomplish the knot - and lo and behold, Kirsten has sent me a gorgeous little square, using scraps from other collaborations, and charm sqaures- and a postage stamp fabric to celebrate our cross country collaboration.

We are both itching to sew our dozen pieces together now. Arranging them is fun...

I'd started sewing mine on Monday at Craft Group, but the newest patch cannot go in that space, it is too similar to the one beside it.
Meanwhile Kirsten laid hers out, and felt that maybe some of them [like the darned square] need a bit of a border

I can see how that edging helps soften the bright white evenweave. We are both working on the design of our finished pouches, and plans for the embroidered 'rubric' tape.

Do you like the soft grey woollen fabric which we are using to back our pieces? Suitably neutral I think. 
I was given a length of red viscose last month, which I am planning to use for a lining. I have sent some of it to K too. Seven weeks till Easter, and we hope to be done and dusted by then...

I'm A Frayed Knot!

It is just 6 months since Norwich Castle re-opened after the multimillion£££ restoration. We were delighted to have early view tickets, because we hold annual passes. I was blown away by everything there was- not just the phenomenal embroideries, but also the bright colours, and the wooden furniture, and the ironwork on the doors. I knew that I wanted to represent this project on one of my two-by-two patches. It has taken me till now, the very last patch, to actually do it. I have been planning this for weeks and weeks...

Historians discovered that the medieval castle builders used lots of bright colours, and although we are used to dark oak church doors, when first installed they would likely have been glorious primary hues, with black ironwork. This new door was designed by a Norfolk company, and the ironwork created in the forge at Holkham. 

It is the Bigod Door, named after Baron Bigod, first Norman Earl of Norfolk in the 12^th C, when the castle was built. This door is oak, covered in gloriously bright blue leather. I was amazed by the way that strips of metal were twisted and knotted, similar to Celtic knots and then riveted to the wood. The metal work forms hinges, handles, and general decoration.

I copied one particular knot last autumn and decided to recreate it with fabric and thread. It proved quite a challenge. I abandoned the idea of satin stitch, then thought about couching down some cord. Perhaps a black shoelace on blue fabric? It didn’t look right. I did have a book of small linen samples. I opted to use a neutral colour for the patch, with the knot in a bright blue cord.

Having worked out the knot – under/over/under/ over I pinned it to a piece of corrugated card and adjusted the loops as best I could, then transferred cord carefully to fabric and stitched it down[blanket stitch] with two strands of floss [blue/ lilac/ purple random dye]
Then I added NORWICH CASTLE, REBORN 2025 in back stitch in plain purple floss.

The first one, on darker linen, had the ends of cord going over the edge, and the lettering was perhaps a little too close to the fold. And in the wrong light, you couldn’t read it anyway! There were problems with the cord ends fraying too. So Kirsten is getting the lighter one  which I consider to be better of the two!

This knot was hard enough to create with cord, I am in awe of a blacksmith who can make such a knot with hot twisted metal – whether in 1100 or 2020!   

Notes:

• The knot is the one at the top of the vertical decoration which runs up the centre of the door.
• Baron Bigod is now remembered in the wonderful Brie style artisanal cheese, made at the Fen Farm Dairy in Suffolk
• This is my last patch. Kirsten's should arrive very soon and we will get on with stitching the 'rubric' and making up the project. Hoping to be done by Easter.
• I'm becoming quietly obsessed with ancient needlework, but equally fascinated by the technological developments which mean my new sewing machine can do so much more than any I have ever used before...It's all about finding the best in both disciplines I think.

Counting, Watching. Listening

Because some of you were asking yesterday - here's the Nine Times Table Fingers Trick, I cannot find the originator of this YouTube, but it is explained very well here.

There are other Finger Tricks for times tables but personally I would not use them as I think they may confuse the children. Many school do not want children using their fingers at all as they believe it is a bad idea, and will prevent their pupils thriving in maths. But personally I love this one for the nines, and even quite young children learn it quickly and enjoy showing off to the adults. I am 70, I have a BSc in Maths, but I still count with my fingers at times. Especially when I am calculating stitches in knitting patterns!
Lots of crafting going on this week - repairs and jeans hems for friends, and my final 2x2 patch has gone off to K in the post. Once hers arrives, I will start stitching them together, and making up my sewing pouch. Pictures soon...

Have you been watching the Night Manager [season 2] ? no spoilers hereIt ended on Sunday evening, and the finale was quite harrowing.  They filmed season 1 ten years ago, and in April 2016, Hugh Laurie and Tom Hiddleston said there would not be a season 2. Ten years later, here it is - and the writer, David Farr has already said he is working in Season 3, and promises there will not be a ten year gap this time round!

I have been working at the sewing machine, with earbuds in, listening to Radio 4 Extra. Specifically, one of Mark Taverner's comedy thrillers "In The Chair"- first broadcast in 1998. The two main stars are Michael Williams [Husband of Judi Dench] and Barry Foster [original VanDerValk] but the rest of the cast is superb
Hugh Laurie is Prime Minister, then there are other great actors, Rebecca Front, Richard Griffith, John Bird, Kenneth Cranham, Geoffrey Whitehead.  

Many of these brilliant people are no longer with us, but Front, Fry and Laurie continue to entertain on stage, screen and radio. Bob and I enjoys Hugh Laurie's jazz too [ HL can not only act, but also sing and play the piano!] 
I was doing my volunteer visiting at the hospital last week, and talking to a patient who said she was grateful to have a radio with her [no TVs on the ward] but found it hard to find programmes she liked. She was thrilled when I told her what she could listen to on Radio 4 Extra - Paul Temple, Tony Hancock, Dad's Army, Sherlock Holmes...
And after all, sometimes on radio, the pictures are better!

Having Sum Fun

 For Christmas, I got the London family an annual pass for MathsWorld

This is a new venture, not far from Tate Gallery, with lots of activities and immersive experiences to help children [and adults] discover about maths. Liz took Rosie and Jess on Sunday. The girls really enjoyed themselves, climbing into pyramids, creating bubbles to stand in, solving puzzles etc. They were quite excited to tell me what they had seen and done - and Rosie explained it is on two floors, so they hope to go again and try out even more of the activities. I'm all for anything that gets people doing maths - and whilst it might be relatively expensive for a one-off visit, that ticket can exchanged for an annual pass. 

Maybe if I am staying in London, I might be able to go with them. I'm sure Jess will enjoy explaining everything to me. It is a certainly good venue for a wet Sunday afternoon. I think we will get our money's worth- and I hope the girls might become as fond of maths as their Grandma! They have just opened another site in Leeds
Have you been to MathsWorld?
Are there other similar places you would recommend?

Blue Planet, Green Planet, Cornerstones Bathroom...

My orchids are spending the winter on the bathroom windowsill [waiting, like Eliza Doolittle, for spring to creep over]

If you look closely, you will see a little person in each pot. Despite his advancing years, Sir David Attenborough gets everywhere. These cute little resin figures were a gift from Julian. "David Attenborough will look after your plants" it said on the box. I thought maybe they were waterers or feeders or something. No, they are just little figures on spikes.

Julian admitted that he too thought they would do more than just stand there...
I'm not sure which one I like best. Top left with the butterfly is sweet. I think top right is a chameleon [but if so why is it still dark green?]  They one with the binoculars is looking for a better orchid, as the leaves on his are going yellow. And the pose with the camera looks a bit formal. I think butterfly wins.

It reminds me of the legend of St Kevin, an Irish monk who lived very close to nature, and all the wild creatures came and lived round his hermitage back in the 6th century
He is said to have been sitting in his monk's cell praying when a blackbird settled on his hand. The bird proceeded to build a nest and lay an egg - and the saint sat perfectly still until the egg had hatched and the mother and fledgling flew away. David Attenborough has been sitting on the bathroom windowsill for at least 8 weeks now, and his butterfly has not moved!
My beloved Auntie Peggy [Julian's Grandmother] almost met him once [that's DA not StK] He came to a bookshop in Romford to sign his latest publication. She spent about 30 minutes plucking up the courage to speak to him, but was so nervous, she never actually got to the front of the queue. I think she always wished she'd been more confident. 
There are a few buds coming on the orchids, so I hope for blossoms before too long.
Do you enjoy DA's programmes?
Which have been your favourites?