Tuesday 22 November 2016

Cowslip Christmas Fair..... Part One














Love in every stitch
and quilted with care and love.
Cowslip the home of the quilt.








As you all know I went to Cornwall for the weekend and for the first time ever attended the Cowslip Christmas Fair.  For those of you that have been and for those of you that have not this is a tip of
what was there and this wonderful working farm.  The weather was not kind to anyone at the weekend and the rain was monumental which meant mud.  We parked in the field because we have a 4x4 but others did get stuck and the tractor was set to and pulling out.  There was a park and ride and some people with tiny cars were directed there.  They had straw down in the field to help with traction and everything possible had been thought of.  On the Friday this was the late night until 8pm where they had Carol singers in the large barn and also their on site Cafe was open for soups and stew, drinks and cakes among other things. So to get an idea of both evening and day we went along for a few hours on Friday evening and we attended on the Saturday as well to see it all in daylight, This is a three day event and the opening times have been well thought for ease on peoples busy lives.

The rain and the mud did nothing to dampen the Christmas spirit here, with twinkling lights
everywhere,  and everywhere you walked it was Christmas.  Jo and her team made sure there were beautiful quilts hanging in the barn and in their own fabric and quilt shop for people to see and every nook had been filled with a Christmas something it really was stunning.

I was not sure where to start as there was not only the big barn with exhibitors but there were little barns with people in as well.  Willow Workshops was there and making beautiful animals from willow.  Horses, Hares, Owls, Deer  and so much more.  There were also plants for sale along with some beautiful lights for sale that you put candles in.





In the main barn as you walked in it was busy and all around hung really beautiful quilts on the barn
walls.  Firstly I spied Donna Flower who was set up and as usual her display was beautiful and Donna and her beautiful smile was there to greet people.

The display was packed with gorgeous buttons, threads, ribbons, fabrics, patchwork pieces along with antique Christmas baubles and a most beautiful old tin with a robin on it......









Next door it was a happy surprise because Christine of The Sea Garden was there with her stunning makes along with some beautiful inspiration packs and lace, buttons and a beautiful display as always.

I had a wonderful time here truffling through all these beautiful treasures and Christine and I have a mutual love of antique bits of patchwork and sufflolk puffs as well ... It is always lovely to see this lady and have a quick catch up....

There was a very cute vintage teddy sat there too!











Then I happened upon the very talented Sarah Perry and her stunning embroidery.  Sarah, if you have never seen her work before, does stunning 3D animal embroidery and they are so life like you need to double take.  Sarah also has a china range out with pictures of her work on mugs and I am lucky enough to have a robin mug on my dresser at home!  Sarah had a little sale going on here at the weekend because she has just signed to do a series of greetings cards and is making room in her sewing studio to be able to house them all.  You can go direct to Sarah Perry Designs or indeed she sells on madebyhandonline.com as well.  I have one of Sarah's designs at home hung in my hall way witch instead of being frames is a wall hanging

on a very old hanger and I love it.







Next door to Sarah was Caroline Zoob and Caroline had lots of Christmas decorations that were twinkling with the light from all the candles lit around them.  This display screamed Christmas and the candles smelt gorgeous too.

With green foliage and Christmas smells from candles this was such an amazing display...







It had been busy at Cowslip all day apparently and when we got there around 4pm it was getting dark
and it had a little lull with people going home and others arriving and it had thinned out a little so I was able to run around and take some great photos but within 15 minutes people had begun coming in for the evening as it was open until 8pm.  The Carol singers were singing away and it was very festive indeed.  Donna had found me wandering around and took me to see a lady who made really lovely Christmas decorations from china clay as well as labels for the kitchen.  Have a little look at some of these ...

Sarah Jayne's Ceramics and I have to say I may have come home with a few little bits!








Wanting a warm drink at this point we went along to the Cowslip Cafe that is there all the year not just for events such as these. I was really amazed at how lovely it was and how very popular as people had pre booked tables to be able to have an evening meal there. There was one quilt in there that caught my eye and I really could not take my eye off of it at all. It depicts World War I and it is stunning just take a look at this.







It was hung in a corner with a cosy table and benches to sit on with cushions.  It is a work of art and so beautifully done... I fell in love.  I think the not only the work that has gone into this outstanding quilt but the colours too,  What a tribute to those who fought and the brave soldiers and animals that lost their lives ....











In addition to this there were quilts everywhere you looked and in the barn as well as their own fabric and quilting shop that is there and open all the year.  I had to take some more photos of the Cowslip quilts and here is a little taster for you.

The talent and the time it has taken to make these beauties ...

There was also a quilt that was the prize in the raffle in aid of Alzheimer's and that being very close to my hear my husband bought us some tickets.  Have a little look at this beautiful piece of stitchery  that some lucky winner will be taking home with them.
They were selling tickets and had beautiful displays around them with also some of the great things that are in their shop as well to buy.  It seemed everywhere you looked there was beauty from quilts to the talent that was there stalling.



The prize quilt is beautiful and a good king size in the flesh as it were and the work that has gone into this quilt and the hours it must have taken and I hope that it raised lots of money for this worth while cause .....










Moving on there was a great stall with hand made boxes called Yours to Keep and they really were wonderful.  There were Christmas boxes of course but also boxes for treasures and keepsakes as well with little poems and rhymes on them too,  Stationery for all ages ...  I love stationery and boxes to put things in, its a particular favourite of mine.

Boxes for champagne and boxes for birth and  marriage certificates as well  these were absolutely lovely.





Have a look at this as well now I am not going to say too much because I will be doing a blog on this couples business because it is such a great idea.  This is Ashmead Designs and they have developed a
fabric to use in English paper piecing and it is outstanding and what an idea!

Take a little look at some photos for now and I will be letting you know all about it and how to contact them to buy some for yourself.  The quilters out there reading this will be over the moon.

This is not only the home of the hexagon but every shape imaginable ..... so watch this space later in the week.


Well there was so much to see and do that I have had to make this into two parts so please come back for part two, you will not be disappointed at all and there is so much more to see.

I hope you have had nice time so far and keep warm and dry today because I think we are in for some more rain, can you believe it.

Have a wonderful day and Happy Stitching!














6 comments:

  1. Wow, looked wonderful.

    Julie xxxxxx

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  2. It all sounds wonderful and so nice to read about it when you can't get to see it for yourself. I have been thinking of you. Love Dawn xxx

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  3. It all sounds wonderful and so nice to read about it when you can't get to see it for yourself. I have been thinking of you. Love Dawn xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Dawn
      Yes it was really good and lots more to see in part 2..
      Thank you for having me in your thoughts ., it's very much appreciated.
      Sarah XX

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  4. Thank you for a lovely mention of us at Yours to Keep

    ReplyDelete