Tuesday 31 May 2016

Covering journals and a gorgeous poetry book ...
















My Garden

I have a garden of my own,
Shining with flowers of every hue;
I loved it dearly while alone,
But I shall love it more with you;
And there the golden bee shall come
At summer-time at break of morn,
And wake us with their busy hum
Around the Siha's fragrant thorn.

Thomas Moore












Hoping that you all enjoyed your long weekend, we certainly did in Devon it was wonderful, more about that later in the week as photos to collate.

Well the journal covering has gone well and also I have covered a beautiful garden and flower poetry book.  You will see from following photos that is was quiet battered and worn so I felt that some vintage embroidered linen to hold it all in place was just the ticket.  The inscription inside reads: 

Isabel,  from S & N  Christmas 1918.

So you can see it is 98 years old and therefore in need of a  little help in preserving it.  I did not want to take it for restoration to a book binder so I have decided this is a sympathetic way to preserve such a beauty. The poem at the top is an exert from it and there
are some beautiful poems inside its pages .. There are poems by Milton, Geoffrey Chaucer, Charles Dickens, Alfred Lord Tennyson to name but a few.

So I can report the coverings have gone well and I am more than pleased with the results.  I started by pressing the fabrics and also spray starching them to get a perfect finish. I used spray mount as it is sticky but moveable.  

It can be a little tricky and intricate getting it right and tucking it into the spine on the book with out taking it apart and book binding it back ( which I have not been taught the art of ) so it is patience and determination that pulled me through and of all things a cocktail stick with the sharp bit cut off and sanded (not to tear the fabric) ....  The spine of the book was loose and inside it had cracked so I added strips of vintage fabric ribbon to keep it together back and front.  This was a hard project because the book did not square up so getting it to look right took some doing but as you can see it has a new lease of life. Ta Dah!

  I bought a book at Eridge covered in vintage liberty fabric and for years I have covered journals in vintage blanket with hand embroidery and embelished myself, as I said I did it for a magazine in America called Somerset Life this was about 4 years ago now I believe.  But then I thought about using already embroidered linens.

Originally I was going to put the daisy embroidery on a blank journal but I had this little garden poetry book and it needed restoration and being a daisy I thought it fitting for such a beautiful old book.

I then got the bug and covered two of the art journals with high grade paper inside (it will take water colour paint too) and I did use that beautiful tray cloth with the birds.  I weighed it up in my mind.  If I had kept it for a tray cloth, more than likely it would have got tea or coffee stains on it and this way it covers a book and stays in better condition basically.  It was a tight fit but I managed it.  I am in love with this one so much.  As there was a bird in two corners of the tray cloth I have one on the front at the bottom right and one on the back on the top left .... so pleased.

Then having another one of these art journals to cover I used another tray cloth with an oval embroidered flower pattern and that looks amazing as the oval is back and front of it and across the spine at the top and bottom.....  I now want to do more and more.   I will have journals and workbooks coming out of my ears!





This is the front of the journal with the bird tray cloth ...

I love this one but love the one above equally too, which to be honest when I started out I thought the bird one would be the favourite but they are both really pretty.














This is the back of the book with the bird
looking down I am so pleased how it turned out.

I have enjoyed this project so much and it is time consuming to do it properly, being they had to be taught and neat with mitered corners even though there would be a page covering it to keep it all neat ... If something is worth doing and all that!



So the obsession goes on and now I am busy getting ready to do some more.  I bought two large tins of spray mount so that's ok but it is £14.50 a tin, all the costs do add up, it is a shame because I people have already asked if they can buy them.

Take care and hope you have a great short week. Whatever you are doing today have a good one and as always Happy Stitching!


Saturday 28 May 2016

Collection of Redwork Embroidery











Happy Bank Holiday Weekend.  Well as you know I am in Devon and having a fabulous time.

I wanted to show you all this little film from Stitching Cow and show you Redwork Embroidery, I think it is lovely and I have done some for me personally.  I design and draw what I would like to do and then stitch it in red thread.

It is a lovely thing to do for samplers or indeed quilt squares too.  Also I have stitched cross stitch redwork as well.  I saw a pattern I liked and bought it and have stitched it and put it away for our impending move .... when we see a house we like, come on Estate Agents send our perfect
one through!! ... too excited and want to go yesterday!!  This is the one stitched and is part of a series of red hearts I would like to stitch ...

I hope you are all having a great weekend.  I will be back on Tuesday as it is Bank Holiday Monday and I am going to have some time off to enjoy Devon.

Enjoy!







Image of paisley patterns from Google...




Friday 27 May 2016

Making fabric ribbon from vintage fabrics ....












Making and stitching is so 
satisfying and there is such
a sense of achievement when it is complete.







There is something very satisfying and slightly terrifying about this process because the best way is to rip! yes honestly it is.

I like to have my fabric ribbon frayed at the edges so literally you press a piece of fabric .. making sure it is long enough for the length of ribbon you need and then you make a little snip with the scissors and tear it and then you press it again. Do not go against the weave so across the fabric, always length ways ....

I have three meters of a beautiful green paisley which I bought several years ago from Liz of Washerwoman fame.  It still had its layer of protective wax on it.  When it is washed then I am going to makes some three meter lengths of ribbon with it, well some of it anyway.

Having sorted out some fabrics I have been busily making some and wrapping it around vintage pegs or if it is quiet a length then I am tying it with string or indeed wrap it around old cotton reels.  I always fray the ends as well and then secure it with an appliqué pin or string.

I bought some fabric recently and it is really beautiful.  It is striped but large stripes and is in pinks and light greens.  Both ends of the fabric has been cut in a way that the larger of the stripes is not whole so I have evened it up both sides by making four ribbons.  These are short ribbons but great to incorporate into work.  It has made really beautiful ribbon and the beauty of it is that the fabric is now balance and is a little under half a meter which is not to shabby is it?

It is a lovely feeling when you have some already made when you are looking for a little something for a project.  I like to keep several in a drawer ready.

The other thing I like to do is hand embroider daisies on vintage silk ribbon or French knots made to look like flowers as well to stitch onto my work.  Making my own ribbons or customising them so there is no other like them is really rewarding.  Sometimes when my husband is watching the grand prix and it is just about being together I will sit by him and just stitch a little something like ribbon so that not lots of concentration is needed and you can put down and pick up easily.  I feel I have then achieved making stock for my stitchery stock too.  I have an idea for on of the thinner bits of this ribbons (the one that looks like a D running down it) so watch this space.  I made two of each ribbon and I am over the moon with the results.  Why not give it a go yourself.

Well I must away because this one is brought to you from Devon and we are off to Totnes market this morning.

There will be a little blog tomorrow,  for you all and it it a lovely one so please come back and have a read.

There is no blog on Monday as I am going to just enjoy my few days left and have a restful Bank Holiday so I will be back on Tuesday ...

Have a great long weekend and as always ...
  Happy Stitching!






Thursday 26 May 2016

A dear little vintage tape measure ... with a story.









Behind every business there is a story
worth knowing....






First let me introduce you to this piece of vintage Taunton history ......
This is a story that started when I found a tiny vintage tape measure in a pack of vintage goodies I bought.  It is so beautiful and has W & A Chapman Ltd of North Street Taunton printed on it, and it was a Drapers shop which was founded in 1864 by William Muggleton Chapman and Arthur Allen Chapman.  It developed into a department store, which sold furniture, drapery and household goods.  I wonder who owned this particular tape measure, was it one of the shop assistants or were they sold in the shop for home use?



I started to wonder about it and of course being a very curious person about any form of history I had to do some research thus the information I am about to depart on you.

I googled the name and could not find much but then came across the South West Heritage Trust and looked into their on line archives to see what they had on this shop.  They had a photo and a shop paper bag.  Interest was then up so I contacted the South West Heritage Trust to get
permission and copy of a photo dated C1900 of the Drapers shop itself and with their kind co-operation here it is.  It is not an easy thing to do because you have to have permission to publish and it can take up to four weeks.  I paid for the photos for you to look at and feel it is worth it to tell a little story of the daintiest little tape measure that there ever was.



 I had to wait weeks for the photos of the shop and the bag and get permission to publish them on here for you to look at but it has all been well worth it to show a piece of history ....  I also had to seek copyright permission but because the shop is no longer and the art work on the bag could not be traced to anyone I have decided to put them on here anyway when I talked it through with the great help of staff at South West Heritage. It is a very very old photo and very grainy but that is the shop that this dear little tape measure came from.   The photo of the shop is C1900.  Now the question remains was it wrapped into bag like this one or indeed was it
used in the shop by one of the assistants ... who knows!  The bag is much later and is C1960.

I looked at newspaper cuttings as well and found some adverts for the shop in the forties and thought you might like to see a few of those as well ... This little tape measure sure started my blood hound gene going!!

I do a lot of genealogy so I belong to several sites so I was able to go through and look through the Taunton Gazette.  I love the old adverts taken out in the papers.  These are from the 1940's which was the Second World War era.  The one about ladies wearing trousers tickled me... Saying be sensibly dressed, lots of woman are wearing trousers and feel the comfort in them!




This is from Find my Past with William Muggleton Chapman and his family on the 1891 census.



William MuggletonChapmanHeadMarriedMale531838DraperSt Pancras, Middlesex, England

HelenChapmanWifeMarriedFemale531838-Somerset, England
                     
KateChapmanDaughterSingleFemale241867-Williton, Somerset, England
                     
EdgarChapmanSonSingleMale231868House Furnisher AssistantTaunton, Somerset, England
                     
HowardChapmanSonSingleMale191872Drapers AssistantTaunton, Somerset, England
                     
Julia HelenChapmanDaughterSingleFemale151876ScholarTaunton, Somerset, England
                     
Annie ElizabethChapmanDaughterSingleFemale151876ScholarTaunton, Somerset, England
                     
William HenryChapmanSon-Male111880ScholarTaunton, Somerset, England
                     
Florence MaryHaywardDaughterSingleFemale161875General Servant DomesticRumwell, Somerset, England







All of this because I found in a tiny tape measure in a  vintage bag bundle that I bought at a vintage fair ....

I would like to thank The South West Heritage Trust for their work and help so that I could bring the photos to you and for their advice on Copyright, especially Esther who is the head archivist for her patience and support.

I hope you have enjoyed a little bit of Taunton history and enjoyed the photos ...

Have a wonderful day and as always Happy Stitching!










Tuesday 24 May 2016

On my work table today ........








I WISH YOU ...
A sunbeam to warm you
A moonbeam to charm you ..
and a sheltering Angel, so
 nothing can harm you!







I keep journals for practically everything and one of the things that I have a journal for is sayings, the above is in there and I love it.  It is an old Irish saying.

I buy journals sometimes and I cover ones myself.  I had an article in the American magazine
Somerset Life about covering them in vintage blanket and using embroidery, ribbon and buttons to cover them.  I have also used very old vintage French linen and embroidered it and covered my own journals.  It is no good to sell them because that takes so very long to do that it really is not worth it, people bulk at the price but realise when they embark on a project like that, how long it takes.

Today I am covering some journals in vintage embroidery that has already been stitched, in the form of tray cloths.  

I bought a book at Eridge and the lady had covered books in vintage liberty  fabrics mostly and so I thought I might do the same for some new journals that I would like to start but with vintage embroidered tray cloths.  I am not doing removable covers like I normally do but actually sticking the fabric to the hard back journal.  I have some beautiful vintage embroidery and so I have decided to do some for me.

So on my work table today I have a selection of vintage embroidery fabrics, hard back journals, buttons, scissors, spray mount and lots of enthusiasm for this project.  I need a new design journal and saying journal and would also like one for my personal thoughts, designs and generally jot down.

I have found some lovely embroideries including the one pictured at the top.  This is destined for a large hard back sketch book from Daler Rowney and it cost £12 for me to buy plus then the cost of the vintage tray cloth.  Then the time to do it properly .... you can see why they are not sell worthy
can't you?

I have thought about a great way to cover them neatly and tuck everything in place.  I have another pattern for a small hard back journal.  This is a beautiful tray cloth with a simple but beautiful embroidery of a daisy ...

As you can see I have been rummaging around in my vintage embroidery box this morning!  and
come up with some beauties!  Also I found this one as well and this is going on a journal as well today .. I am making three to start with.  It is still a slight dilemma as to whether I use the top one for a permanent cover on a journal or use it on a tray it is so stunning!!!

Here is the the other one I have sorted out for now ........

I am going to have another look and see what I have and then start.  I will take photos along the way to show you the results.



Also on my work table today is a treat for me.  I have got some sweeties to help me think, you understand!  I have my quota measured out and I can help myself when the brain needs a sugar feed!  There are some jelly meerkats and some liquorice creams .. so that is what is on the table today!



Well I must fly ... and hope you all have a wonderful day and as always Happy Stitching!
















Monday 23 May 2016

To stitch a story ....









I remind myself daily that I am so lucky to pick up a needle
and thread and stitch a story.  To stitch something beautiful and 
unique in every way with stunning fabrics and notions.





I believe that every sampler or picture I create stitches a story, it may be whimsical to think that way but there it is.  I love to design and make beautiful and bespoke items for people to put in their home or indeed give them a design to stitch for themselves.

With Rose of Rose Cottage as I stitch each flower or detail to this it is important to me that it is like I am commissioned by this imaginary vintage lady in her rose hat and that she is pleased with the progress.

Everything that I stitch has a story to it, in my head at least and it is how I design and make.  For you to stitch something for yourself or as a gift, it is a lovely way to think and will, I believe, help you to design a unique piece of your own.

You can be very detailed in your work or it can be a naive stitchery piece more primitive in a way which can be very charming indeed.  It has been around in America and Canada for years but we are only just catching on here in the last few years with this way of stitching.  My sewing teacher at school would be tearing her hair out now, as precise was they way she taught.  There is still room for that in your work, as everything should be done to the best of your own ability but the primitive look
is very attractive to me and it I would say that my work is between the two....

It is like very old embroidered samplers with their primitive pictures and ABC's, I simply adore them and I guess its what inspires my work.  Loving as I do antique and vintage I collect original of anything that I can but I love to recreate things of the past in my designs but in my own design and style.

I enjoy the gathering of all the materials needed to complete a project and of course you have now seen my work basket system.  They look so pretty in a row waiting their turn to be made into something unique.

No piece of fabric or linen is over looked, if there is a slight mark or a bit of quilt unravelled my thoughts are in the right picture (behind glass) it will just add to the beauty, character and charm or the piece.

Beautiful fabrics, linens, threads, buttons and monograms when they are brought together and some embroidery is added with maybe some words can make such a stunning piece of fabric art.  When framed and on a wall it is a thing of beauty to look at.  Rose of Rose Cottage will always be that and a
picture of Rose will be added to the picture in the corner so that everyone knows who's cottage it is.

I have bought some really gorgeous pieces of fabrics from Absolutely English recently and I am very pleased with them.  They also come wrapped in tissue paper with a lavender heart popped in, which when you open the package Summer hits your senses straight away .... You can search for the shop under that name on Etsy if you like what  you see.  It is stunning fabric isn't it and I have already matched some threads in the light greens.  The picture above it with the paisley in the blue, red and lemon is from her too.


Friday 20 May 2016

The dilemma of vintage transfers ... to use or not to use?









Somewhere in the world there is a solution
 and an epigram for every dilemma!






I have some beautiful vintage transfers and although some of them I would love to see as embroidery I feel torn apart about using them, especially the ones in the dear little booklets I have just collected.  Do any of you feel the same?

Fear no more because one of my regular lovely readers of my blog Julie  (K C Court) got in touch with me and told me what she does so that she can use the transfer but not use it in a way that is gone forever or indeed torn from a booklet or cut out in anyway, therefore preserving its history and being.

When you see a transfer you would like to use then make sure it is the correct way up (on the darker side of the transfer) and photo copy it then use a pen to trace it and then iron that onto your linen or cotton.  Not just any pen mind, there are two kinds of pen that Julie recommends.

Julie says:

I have lots of transfers that once belonged to my grandmother that I don't want to use, then I discovered.............  I photocopy the transfers and use these

http://www.sewandso.co.uk/Products/Iron-on-Fibre-Tip-Transfer-Pen__PRM-611610.aspx  starting using this pen, pleased with the results. transfers when iron in 'vintage transfer blue'  washes out at 40 degrees, washed one item yesterday it came out using pure cotton, trying again today with the same fabric just to make sure it wasn't a fluke, will let you know the results...                                                                                                                                            

https://www.cottonpatch.co.uk/cgi-bin/ss000001.cgi?page=search&SS=sulky+transfer+pens&PR=-1&TB=A&ACTION=Go%21      Expensive, washes out if using a very hot wash on pure cotton or linen,

So there you have it, Thanks to Julie and she will inform me of her second trial on the first pen and I will report back to you all or maybe she will write her findings on here in the comments.  Now we can use our beautiful vintage transfers but still keep them intact for prosperity and further generations .....

Have a wonderful weekend and as always Happy Stitching!


Thursday 19 May 2016

My Plunder from Eridge ....








I have a obsession of all things antique and vintage, I love
the hunt and explore of it .  Treasure hunting is my
passion along with going home and making it into
something unique and beautiful this way it is
preserved for ever  .* . * .







So what did I buy at Eridge, at the The Decorative Living fair?  Well it was quite a lot really. so be prepared to make a warm drink and settle down to a little bit of vintage reading with some delicious photos to look at ...

Where to begin really!!  I can not remember the order in which I bought my latest treasures but I will start with something that really is very beautiful and it is my book from Emma of Forget Me Knot Originals.  Emma has taken a 1926 copy of Alice and Wonderland and Alice through the looking glass and covered it in a piece of
vintage Liberty fabric.  It looks divine and it helps keep the spine in place.  It is now kept by my bed and I have been reading snippets of it.  I like that I am enjoying reading it and I like that it looks beautiful on my bedside table as well.... Window dressing and styling I know but this way it is not just on a book shelf and forgotten.  The illustrations in there are wonderful and I am really over the moon with this special purchase.  A heirloom for my grandchildren one day.

Now for a bit of fabric and ribbon that I bought from Velvet Ribbon .. look at these beautiful fabric
inspiration packs and the stunning ribbons that I thought would look lovely with some of the fabrics. I am indeed over the moon with these beautiful vintage finds...  Elaine of Ted and Bunny put a picture up on Instagram of two beautiful name plates that have ribbon for hanging, I think on a drawer or a box and they are about letters ( the written type not the alphabet)  I said to her that it had given me great inspiration and she said she was waiting to see what I had stitched ... well I have designed them and now I have the fabrics from here to actually stitch them too.  Not long now Elaine and I will get on with them.






Then of course I bought some bundles from Emma of Little Wren Vintage and these are beautiful bits of vintage quilts for my ever growing collection, but I love to get different types, colours and sizes.
 They are fabulous to be the back bone of a wall hanging or indeed be stitched when cut out into picture samplers too.  Also as a gift she gave me two other pieces pictured here and said that she knew I would use them in something .. I certainly will and THANK YOU again Emma for your kindness and generosity x x   .....
Also I spied two packs of vintage papers so they came home as well.





So from Donna Flower I bought some little bits of fabric and later when I went back to have a chat with her and we were catching up as it had calmed down a little I spotted an beautiful vintage sampler!  Oh it is lovely and I did pick that up as well as you can see.  There is a funny story to that because Donna had directed me to Weathered and Worn and I was there truffling about as I do and my phone went with a message.  I had not seen my husband for some time now and he was off somewhere catching up with Donna's other half.  When they had returned to her stall she said she had sold the sampler to a lovely lady and grinned at my husband.  The text message I received was "So tell me about the sampler"  I nearly jumped out of my skin! It was like Voodoo!!!!  I turned around to see them all laughing and looking at me .... sooooo funny!



Weathered and Worn was beautiful and I picked up several, still on the card buttons  .. just take a look at these and the tiny ones!! really they are too cute for words.  I have never seen pink ones on the cards like this.  All mother of pearl and beautiful.  Then there are the pink bigger ones which again are still attached to the original card and of course the button rosettes made from beautiful red vintage fabric to attach to something ( not sure what yet but I just loved them). Also pictured at the bottom is a dear little leather bound book and that was bought for my Stieff bear sat on his rocking chair (pictured bottom far right) .... Then I got a vintage beaded motif as well, still on its orginal paper.  Its perfect.








From Will & Bea and The Vintage Blanket Company I bought some lovely vintage bottles to put flowers in ( these were from the vintage blanket Co.) and the book which is gorgeous.  It has some scribbled pencil on it from a child ... I think I might take a putty rubber to it and remove it or do I leave it for prosperity?  I am not sure yet.  Then there was the roll of antique ribbon in a light grey colour and that is a colour that just do not have and have been looking for so that was a huge tick for me!









Rosie's Armoir was as you know a treasure trove for me both for fabrics and for vintage papers and I
was able to pick up some really beautiful things.  The way they were presented too was eye catching. Look at the colours and can you spy some antique patchwork pieces too. There are hexagons as well as two triangle pieces (top middle photo)  There is some really beautiful pieces of fabric here and I am loving the reds as you can see.









Christine at The Sea Garden well there are always goodies to be had here in the form of fabrics for me.  Her shell pictures had gone but I was so pleased there were some inspiration packs there.

 I first met Christine some years ago at the Country Living fair in London and she won the Editors Choice (being new to the show) and I thought her stall there was outstanding.  It was practically the first vintage stall at this London Magazine show.








Jo at Hesta Nesta makes some really beautiful cushions and then you can get some great fabrics in packets and this was my lucky day!  There was some gorgeous eiderdown fabric in a pack, still with some frill attached to it and the odd tiny brown feather!!  and it has such a delicate pattern on it.  The I realised that I have two small cushions on our bed made by Jo and ... yes you guessed it same fabric!  no wonder I was drawn to it.







The Old Haberdashery had some great packs as well and with a bunny holding a candle and a child in a bunny suite.  These are made from vintage blanket fabrics and look to be late 1940 early 1950's style to me and they will be perfect to attach to nursery samplers ... There are threads and buttons in each pack as well.  Plus there was a little bit of unusual patchwork made out of feed sack fabrics and I thought that could be added to something at some point.
Also in each pack was a whole (not cut up in any way) vintage embroidered tray clothes so it was a great find







The next find was really my husbands but I love it too and as I say we have a pear tree but are hoping
for lots of fruit trees when we move.  This is an antique apple picker/catcher for up high fruit so that you can get it in the cotton sock so that it does not fall and bruise.  It has a gorgeous wooden handle and the frame work that the cotton sock is attached to is designed to take hold of the fruit and it drops neatly into the cotton sock, which is detachable for washing.

We are both extremely pleased with this little piece of vintage garden tool history.  It will be very useful.  Gone are the days of my husband climbing a tree and shouting 'catch' for me to preform like a seal !!









I bought this rather fine fruit knives.  There were six as I told you but I found I already had one at home.  The mother of pearl handles and the silver with a pattern is just wonderful.  I know they will have to be hand washed when used and not go in the dishwasher but some things are worth it, and these are in that category for me!

The detail on them is stunning and I am a great believer in using things not just for show.  What would be the point in that.  We eat lots of fruit and also with cheese as well so these will be greatly used.






Then lastly for me Heavy Petal with the succulents planted in all sorts of objects as well as wreaths.  I
bought some shoes for my friends and I got this for us for our summer wreath on our door.  It pleases me that it will keep growing.  It is a heart shape as you can see and likes not to be over watered.  I am going to spray water on it every day if it is really hot or every two days if not.  I think it looks rather
fine and very different.

Well that is my treasure from The Decorative Living Fair and I think I did extremely well indeed.  I am very happy with it all and now after all the photo taking it can all be put away neatly.  So that is what I am off to do and then get on with some much needed stitching.

Have a great day your selves and as always Happy Stitching!





Wednesday 18 May 2016

The Decorative Living Fair Weekend! ..... Wow!






Treasure hunting at its best &
all under one roof! ...
It was like walking around the best
high street in the world.  Everything vintage & stall after stall brimming with beautiful goodies to purchase.











For those of you who were unable to make it or just want to relive some of it again, here we go! There were 70 Stalls so this literally is a taster for you as I am afraid the day went so fast I actually did not have time to look at every stall...

Well as you all know we travelled up the day before and stayed in a hotel with some friends who actually were stalling at vintage fair, which was so much fun as we had dinner together and laughed a great deal over some wine.  So good for the soul.  It was such a great start to a great weekend.

The next day we set off eagerly to have a look around and see what we could see.  There were so many people that I knew which was fantastic and I met some people for the first time as well.  We got there when it opened at 10 am and did not leave until it closed at 5 pm .. What a fabulous day!

Every stall was dressed to perfection the stall holders had gone all out with armoirs and units filled with fabrics, china, buttons, ribbons or anything that they were selling.  They had all bought gorgeous props to make their space look like walking into a shop.  It was not just cloth covered tables.  Some of the furniture was for sale as well if you were on the look for a piece, it was probably there.

The day started slightly cloudy but the sun came out and it was hot.  Apart from the fair you could walk about the grounds and enjoy them and of course there was a pop up vintage cafe as well. There were some stalls in the house and others in marques and every little detail had been thought out perfectly.

In no order what so ever I went looking around and I found Donna Flower Vintage and her other half Johnnie who as you will see modelled a rather dapper looking gents travel top hat! for me.  Donna's stall as always was delicious with even a rug on the floor as you walked into her space.  Fabrics, embroidery threads, clothes, hats, quilts, buttons and I could go on and on.  I knew
it was going to be a fabulous day! Several times throughout the day we had chats and catch ups but everyone was very busy.

I had to go find someone next because we have been friends for over a year now but not actually met face to face and Sarah had contacted me saying she would be there with her wonderful work and so I went to find her Sarah J Perry Designs .... be prepared to be amazed at her work.  Sarah embroiders
and she is beyond talented with her raised nature embroidery.  Birds, dogs, cats, fish you name it this lady can make a photo of you pet look like it has a doppelganger ...  It was wonderful to have a hug and catch up and meet Sarah's husband John.  To stop and stare at her work and to actually watch her work whilst she was there was, to me, a dream come true.  If you have never seen any of her beautiful embroideries, apart from my photos, look her up on F
acebook because Sarah takes classes and it is something I would love to attend for a day .....

I had one eye open for my friend Nicki of Quilterdown fame who I said I would meet up with and to my delight she was at Donna Flowers stall buying scrummy fabric.  There was some beautiful paisley in her hand and I know that is going into a stunning quilt ... I can not wait to see what she designs and makes.  We said hello and we would meet later for coffee after our mad treasure hunt morning ...





It was getting lovely and busy and so I decided to carry on and see what I could see and I found the lovely Christine from The Sea Garden.  Oh always her stall looks quite amazing with not only beautiful fabric packs but sea shell pictures, cards and shell bunting for want of a better description.
The show was open on the Friday and this was the Saturday ... Christine had sold her shell pictures the day before! We chatted and it goes without saying I bought some lovely fabrics there (show and tell later in the week) and we talked about her shop and I am going to visit there this Summer without a doubt.







Will & Bea was there sharing a stall with The Vintage Blanket Company and they had merged their stock beautifully.  It was so lovely to see them and catch up a little and as always the stand looked so
beautiful.  The design and the staging of stalls at this beautiful fair was actually breath taking.  The artistry of making beautiful things look so very inviting and as I say like a shop in the best high street you have ever seen!








Ali of Betty & Violet was there and we
eventually caught up as every time I saw her she was busy talking to customers.  This lady knows how to make people stop in their tracks and stare at her products.  Her stall was incredible as usual and had such unusual and beautiful things.  Ali has a shop in the Cotswold's and had left her mum there and come along to this show with such beautiful stock, one wonders what was left in the shop to buy!








Of course I went and found Jo and Andy of Hesta Nesta .. our partners in crime from the night before.
They have an eye for beauty and I was taken aback how beautiful it all looked.  They had sold so much the day before I wondered how it would be but most people keep things back for the next day at a two day event to restock and that is what they had done.  I spied a beautiful basket full of fabrics and so I was in there straight away.  It was lucky because later in the day Jo looked after my shopping bags that I had already gathered leaving my hands free once more to keep going...







The Old Haberdashery was there and it was lovely to see Sonia and wander around her beautiful products.  It felt like you were in her
shop with added additions that she had put aside for this show so that if any of her regular customers came in they had new items to look at.  Sonia was selling beautiful inspiration packs, embroidery threads, buttons, vintage bottles, linens draped over an old ladder so that you could see each piece and so so much more.  If we were nearer I would be in her shop weekly at least ....










Emma of Little Wren Vintage was next to Sonia and again my vintage fabric hunt was fruitful, well it would be here.  Emma makes the most stunning cushions apart from other items and then when she has made something the rest of the fabrics get tied into bundles to sell.  I always but always find some fabric that I have never seen before and so I look through all that she has, and never come away empty handed. I purposely look for Emma at every big event I attend ..  I love to see her and catch up and love her taste in fabrics, cushions and quilts, oh and china!!











To my joy Velvet Ribbon was in attendance and always there are beautiful old fabrics here too.  I
was not disappointed I can tell you.  Of course there were other treasures there as well and again a beautiful dressed stall... I would really like to stay that each person who was selling here made their space look just like a shop and I was there some time looking around and choosing.  There is a shop in Totnes which her mum owns and I am making my way there Bank Holiday weekend!










Then I met Sara of Tray Bon who was making beautiful trays and garden domes for flowers from willow and I watched amazed for a while and had a little chat.  I love it when artists are working to give you an insight to their talents. It was so interesting to watch as she worked and luckily she allowed me to take some photos for you to see for yourself.







Opposite her was a lady making, well flower arrangements with succulent plants in shoes, handbags,
wreaths or in china objects .. it was incredible.  Called Heavy Petal and getting a lot of admirers as well.  I did come home with a wreath for our door for the summer and a gift for our friends too.  I bought some vintage high black shoes that had been filled up and I knew they would love them and they did.

It was time to get a coffee and cake with Nicki so we met up with her and a lovely friend that was at the show with her and we sat on the outside tables looking at the most wonderful view and chatting and having a little show & tell of our own! Sat in the sun, chatting and laughing with coffee and cake we all agreed what a wonderful event this was and how lucky we were there on such a great summer's day with bags of vintage loveliness each....

Time waits for no man so we all went off again hunting for our own forms of treasure and I decided to look inside the house at some stalls in a little room ... Oh I am glad I went in because I met some great people in here.

Firstly Emma of Forget Me Knot Originals who covered vintage books in vintage fabrics ... Oh they were lovely with titles like Alice in Wonderland a 1926 copy and Children's books, notebooks,
gardening books and other classic titles.  I love books, calligraphy and general handwriting as you all know so it was such a lovely time talking to her about it.  I have some books I want to cover of my own mainly notebooks.  I have covered some in vintage blanket and embroidery already but there are a couple of vintage books that would be better if I covered them as their spines are a little fragile,  but I bought one from her which is a favourite of mine ( Alice in Wonderland and Alice through the looking glass).  She was also telling me that some of her stock is in a shop in Lyme Regis as well and that it is a stationery and writing shop called The Writing Shop which I will be visiting very soon indeed.  It sells beautiful stationery and is on Facebook if you would like a peek.





Then next door to Emma  by chance was Helen of Rosie's Armoire and boy there was some gorgeous
packs of fabric so of course I dived in straight away along with some great antique papers such as French marriage certificates, letters and envelopes and more.  I love the originals and if you are stitching a picture that is to be framed well you can incorporated paper and it sits safely behind glass for ever.  As you can see from the photos this was a particularly beautiful and very popular stall indeed.  The two together complimented each other perfectly indeed.









Outside there was a wonderful garden tool stand and it was called Rustic Garden Things .. amazing.  My husband spent a great deal of time in there and came to find me after I had taken photos there as Michael Ristic who's stall it was, was happy for me to do so.  He proudly showed me a purchase for us.  A fruit picker for things like apples and pears.  Its amazing and I will show you a photo later in the week.  We have a pear tree here where we are but when we move we are hoping for apples too and if they are not there already they will be planted and this great antique gadget will help pick high ones and catch them so they do not fall and bruise.......







Etoile Brocante had some beautiful bits and I did buy some beautiful knives from here which you will see later in the week.  There was an eclectic array of home goods and it was such pretty set out stall that every time you turned about you saw something different and exciting. The knives have
mother of pearl handles and are for fruits and there were six.  When I got home I went to my dresser as I thought I had one of these particular knives at home .. and I did so I happily have seven so am now on the hunt for one more to balance out a table of eight ....

A fabulous stall was outside in the galleried tents and had some stunning French antiques on offer from furniture to smaller objects to make your home look stunning. I could not see a card or indeed the name of this stall and it was v v busy and I could not see the owner of it so ask more unfortunately. There was a particular glass cabinet that took my heart but until we move I am not buying furniture .... so I had to pass it by.









Then I found Weathered and Worn .. Oh my some stunning vintage bits on here, Donna had directed me after showing me some treasures she had bought and I must say I founds some great treasures to take home for my sewing including some rather gorgeous buttons and rosettes ... I spent some time looking here and having a chat.












There was stall called Rosebud Decorative who had some amazing things on offer for your home.
From china to galvanised pails for outside in your garden or indeed would have looked fabulous inside the right home as well or a Summer house maybe.  There was so much to choose from where ever you looked.













Last but certainly not least I was able to snap some photos of  Sarah Kingston The Vintage Hunter  stall and it was an array of eclectic beauty and especially for kitchens I felt with original little jam labels and ice cream cartons along with wooden rolling pins and chairs ... Stunning!  We had a quick hello as she was very busy also.  I normally see Sarah and Sarah Moores --- as you can see there are lots of us Sarah's!!











Well as I said this is just a taste of what and who was there and there were lots of exhibitors there including Caroline Zoob who is also one of the organisers of the beautiful event and I would like to say thank you to her and Hetty who made such a great job of putting together such a wonderful vintage fair.

When I spoke to Caroline and asked about her work and embroidery she told me she had sold it all on the Friday except for one piece that had just been sold so I missed out on having a look and taking some photos for you all to see how beautiful her work is.  Caroline does take embroidery classes so if you are interested check out her website.

I really needed to be there for both days to talk to all the stall holders and ask about photos so I only got a handful because I had run out of time and did not see everything by any way of the imagination.  Next year I will get a two day ticket to do this show justice and name everyone who is there hopefully but make them smaller photos to fit them in.  We had a wonderful day and everybody who I have been in touch with since our return has said the same including the people who had stalls there.

Well I will do a show and tell of the plunder that came home with me but for now it is away to my stitchery and sewing room to take some photos, put away and get down to the business of stitching.  I have lots to do.

Have a wonderful day and as always Happy Stitching!