Romancing England: Field and Flowers, Bridle Path in Humhaugh

Please click on the illustration above to enjoy the details

I know there

is a stronger tradition of public right of way in Britain, than we have in the US. It is a strange feeling, to an American, walking through the farmers fields.  

Part 2: Sewing Chronicles of Lady Lizbeth, Secret Diary of a Time Traveling Maid: The Linen Purse

This is a continuation of a serial story from this art journal. 

If a lady aspires to virtuous standing ,

She should attend well to her work,

And leave idle contemplation,

And distractions, such as the desire for precious objects

         or the attractions of comely men 

To the vulgar.

Keep your eyes on your needles, ladies

And your hands on your work.

Pithy Sayings of Lady Margaret Hoby

Nobody who sews or just loves fabric, can put off visiting that holy-of-holies, the V&A. I was dying to revisit the great fabric collection there, and terribly disappointed to find that it’s been broken up and put into storage. It turns out the display frames were wearing out, and the small samples of fabric, embroidery, lace and other bits of antique and retro needlework were at risk.

“Come back in a year and check out the new off-site facility,” I was told at the information desk. Hummm just a hop, skip and a jump from California, and not in my budget again for a few years….

Well there are still a lot of old fabrics in the British  galleries. Like Margaret Layton’s glorious embroidered jacket and a delightfully old linen pillowcase with bobbin lace insertions and whitework embroidery. Wouldn’t you just love to run your fingers over that? A good night’s sleep would be absolutely guaranteed.

But it was the little linen purse, Tudor or Stuart era, embroidered with roses, carnations, and something that might just be a butterfly, in gilt, cream, red and yellow threads, that really drew my attention. I read the plaque, “Embroidered with silver-gilt and silk thread in tent, Gobelin and plaited braid stitches”. I love machine embroidery as much as the next hobbyist, but no sewing task brings me as much pleasure as separating a skein of embroidery floss,and working my own lazy daisies and split stiches on a remnant of linen or a soft pillowcase. And am I the last person in the western world who still carries an embellished square of embroidered batiste in her pocket, for drying her hands or face in a pinch?

Don’t get me wrong, the invention of the sewing machine was a Godsend, but sewing handwork is soothing, and feeling the thread running through my fingers, fulfills the creative urge like nothing else. 

That little purse gave me some great ideas for the bag I’m planning to make while I’m here. Wouldn’t those little stitched bom-bom bead-like things, (I wonder what they called those in Tudor Times) be a great addition to the bottom edge of MY bag?

I guess I should ALSO admit to all of you, (I’m pretty sure this is a girls-only blog readership, right?) that there was more than one reason I dallied in the lower section of the British Galleries  the V&A that day. FIRST, of course, was the inspiration for modern sewing projects found in antique fabrics and clothing. 

Another was my delight in studying historical instruments. It's not all clothes and pillowcases in the galleries and I haven't even gotten around to telling you how gorgeous some of those old babies are. You all know, already, how I feel about making my own music. The idea that women just like me once drew music from these beautifully ornamented keyboards, strings and pipes four or more centuries ago blows me away.  

And finally, Ok I admit it. There was a particularly fine looking fella cruising the same zone.

* * *

 To Be Continued

Romancing England: The Face of Love in Northumberland

Please click on the illustration above for the full details when it comes to baby-love.

Walking Hadrian's Wall the week before last, we encountered a paradise of sheep. In the past I've been a goat fancier but now I've found that English sheep, particularly in the spring'y month of May, are pretty fanciable. Now I know what inspires the artists of children's stories to draw all those gamboling lambs.

Part 1: Sewing Chronicles of Lady Lizbeth, Secret Diary of a Time Traveling Maid: The Bloggers apologia

The Sewing Chronicles of Lady Lizbeth
Secret Diary of a Time Traveling Maid

Part 1: The Bloggers Apologia

Though clever with your needle ye may be,

Keep always humble in regards to your skills

And the service thou do’est for mankind.

For tis not admired in maid or matron 

to place herself above others...

Unless she be well favored by fortune or birth

Pithy Sayings of Lady Margaret Hoby

May 14,  2011/1581

In historically interesting times, authors often started off their books with a long epistle concerning how EXTREMELY unable they were to engage on such a project as the book, that their reader has just picked up. This requisite apologia, an apology for daring to consider themselves worthy of such a project, might go on for paragrqphs or even pages!  It probably also served as a ready defense for any scholars who came along and disagreed with them. The author has already publicly stated,  I TOLD you I didn't know what I was talking about!

In this same way the modern day blogger prepares her defense against irregular digital production. My online vindication goes something like this.

I certainly MEANT to keep up my regular blog postings as soon as I got here to London. But I'm sure you'll all forgive me when you hear what's gone on since I arrived....

As those of you who faithfully read this blog, and listen to it's companion podcast, “Unpolished Performances” already know, I'm taking a few months off between leaving my last job (Miss you folks. Let's do lunch, I mean it!) and starting my new contract in the fall. I was last in London five years ago, and wanted to see how things have changed. Also my facebook friend Gwen, was  looking for someone she could sublet her London  flat to, for the summer (though don’t mention it to her landlord will you? I'm not sure the deal is strictly legit.)

What a great chance to get some sewing in! You might have noticed that this blog has been a little less than fashion-forward since January, but I mean to make up for that over the next four months. Gwen told me to make myself free with her machine and I fully intend to, just as soon as I stock up on a few metres of fabric from Liberty and visit that cool sewing store, Stitch and Beads , in Portabello Market. I’m hoping the market will turn up some delicious retro fabric to go with the beads, and maybe a vintage pin. Won’t I just have a wonderful bag when I’m done? And, I’ve already made a muslin of a breezy, shirred Burda magazine blouse pattern. It’s crying out for a mixture of Tanna Lawn from Liberty, maybe that gorgeous William Morris “Strawberry” print for one.

I was already writing blog entries in my head about my trials and tribulations when it came to fitting and finding the right buttons. And it’s always fun to share what the gals are wearing who walk by on the street below the flat window (Color and lots of it, mustard and turquoise, and yes those same ruffles we’re seeing on the shirts and tops back home. I saw a lot of zouave pants too.)

But it was that trip to the Victoria and Albert Museum that really put regular blogging on the back burner.

* * *
To Be Continued

Romancing England: Reflections on Kensington Gardens

Please click on the illustration above to enjoy the full reflection

My guess is that this heron is contemplating a spot of time travel back to the nineteenth or eighteenth century. Perhaps she's reflecting that Lady Fiona Garden,  one of  Queen Caroline's* ladies, is always a good mark when it comes to feeding the wildfowl. Of course there's always danger for a bird of her ilk, the court being rather fond of heron-in-a-pasty. Then again a little danger adds some spice to the trip.

In three out of our four trips to England we've visited Kensington Gardens along with as many of the other big parks as we can. As exciting as London's mega-cityness is, we start to suffer from nature-deficit disorder if we don't hit some green every day or so. 

When we look for a flat to rent for the week, we look at the different neighborhoods on the map and try for one that's within walking distance of one or more big green areas. I was glad I'd learned this travel-planning skill visiting London, when I went to Madrid last summer (please click on Pensamientos Finales for thoughts on that visit).

*You remember Q.Caroline, she was George II's wife 

Romancing England: Working Out in Northumberland

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to enjoy more of the Northumberland detail

Journaling Out The Jitters

Click on the illustration above for more jittery detail

I was so nervous before we left for England. I'm not sure why.


Probably the thought of all that time travel in addition to jet lag.