The first of a series

You may remember the Nonet I wrote called Dancing in Fetters.  I also wrote recently about the zoom workshop I did with Julia Triston.

One of the exercises was to write words on a piece of paper and cut it up and reassemble it.

Instead of the textile I was going to make, I started a new piece by writing the whole of the Nonet on a piece of calico.  I used a thermofax screen I had made some years ago of chains that I had drawn.

I cut this fabric into squares and reassembled it using the sewing machine.  The letters show up more as letters than marks as in the original paper collage.

I printed out various sizes of a treble clef, stave and music notes to see whether this was what I wanted on my hanging.

I settled on a size and drew it out on Stitch 'n' Tear.

I straight stitched the stave on the machine and tore off the tissue.  I hand stitched the treble clef.  I then satin stitched on the machine over the top of the straight stitch.

I drew the music notes on bondaweb befor ironing it onto fabric.  I cut out the notes and ironed them onto the hanging.

I used calico to make the binding.

I had some fabric in my stash that was a perfect match for this piece as it looks like bass clefs.

So, Dancing in Fetters 1 is finished.   Now on to Dancing in Fetters 2.

Thanks for joining me today.
Bernice

Last day in Wiltshire

On my last day in Wiltshire I had promised myself a visit to Caen Hill Locks on the Kennet & Avon Canal.  The satnav had another meltdown whereby the map on the dashboard screen showed the arrow (my car) to be driving through farmers' fields and not on the A road that I was on.  Despite this I managed to get to Devizes and eventually saw a sign for the Locks.

This was my first view as I walked from the car park.  At this point I made the (in hindsight) mad decision to walk the whole flight of locks.  Locks 22 to 50.  This point was lock 42.

And without checking the distance!

I walked downhill all the way to lock 22 spotting a heron on the way.

It was quite a cold day when I started out but then the sun came out and I got quite hot due to all the layers I was wearing.  But it was worth it to see all the locks.  I've been wanting to visit for at least 10 years.

It took me 2 hours to walk the 4.4 miles.  I was quite tired - to put it mildly.

I started my journey towards the Midlands with a slight detour to Adlestrop to take a photo of the station sign.  There's no longer a station there but the sign has been preserved.

This was because I have loved the poem Adlestrop by Edward Thomas since I was a child.

Then on to my final visit - Chastleton House.

Sadly I didn't take a photo of the front of the house.  This is the back.

Back to the car and the final miles back home.

Now for some stats:
4 days, 3 nights,
317 miles of driving
276 photographs
3 lunches with 3 different friends
one 4.4 mile walk
3 National Trust properties
2 hotels
and one very tired me when I got back.

However it was well worth it.

Now back to the textiles!

Thanks for joining me today
Bernice

Lunch Crawl part 2

On my second day I drove the short distance from Lacock to Corsham.  It turned out that Corsham is also used for filming.  Apparently it featured in Poldark.  I wouldn't know since I don't watch it.  Anyway it's a fabulous place.

I met up with my friend Becca and after a coffee we went round the Bath Textiles exhibition.  Becca has this amazing piece hanging there.

After that we went off to lunch at The Flemish Weaver.  Then I went by myself to look round Corsham Court.  Sadly no photography was allowed so I can't show you the most phenomenal plasterwork ceiling.  It's the best such ceiling I have ever seen - and I've seen a great many.

After another night at the Sign of the Angel, I drove to Salisbury.  I had great problems with the satnav on my phone as it decided I was in Trowbridge when I was at least 15 miles south. In the end I had to phone Esther and she acted as the satnav to get me to her house.

We walked into Salisbury and went round the Cathedral.

We had lunch together and then Esther went off to do the school run and I went round Mompesson House.  

After getting soaking wet in a cloudburst I made my way back to my car and drove to my hotel.

So there we have it, three lunches in three days with three different friends.  Fabulous.

And there's still one day left of my little jaunt around Wiltshire.

Next time - no lunch, but a canal, a walk and another National Trust property.

Thanks for joining me
Bernice