Sunday 11 October 2009

A Grand Day Out.

Preparation is all important.
The night before.
Tube map:tick

Make new bag:tick
Train schedule with all important reference number for retrieving tickets from worrying self service machine:tick
Credit card:tick
Tissues: Tick
Paracetamol:tick (EDIT: For Americans! Paracetamol=painkillers)
Comfy shoes:tick
Camera:tick
Phone: tick
Lipstick for meeting blogger friends: tick
Money:tick
Sandwich ingredients at the ready, and an early night with very little sleep and that which I had was filled with many bad dreams of not being able to input correct number on ticket machine at Preston station and friend getting fed up and going home.
At 5 am I jumped out of bed, showered and rushed down to make aforementioned sandwich. I had prepared the ingredients but forgot we had no bread other than a frozen unsliced loaf and some frozen rolls which I managed to saw in half.

We caught the Virgin train at 7am and two and a bit hours later we country mice arrived at Euston. We cleverly managed to get to Alexandra Palace, I must have had retained a little tube memory from my 6 years living in Twickenham, can it really be 40 years ago?



The Knitting and Stitching show, of course,was spectacular.


but by far the best bits of the day were when I met fellow bloggers, Gina, Gill, and their friend,Val, and Carol, and Lynda.
I was recognised by my bag by Sandy from Dangling by a thread.
What an absolute pleasure it was to get together and chat with my imaginary friends!



I'm sure there were a lot more bloggers there who I didn't get to meet.
My preparations had as you all know if you read the last post, included research into eating places.
For the sake of convenience we decided on Carluccio's on St Pancras Station. My friend cleverly realised we didn't need to change trains to get there from Wood Green and as it was only one station away from Euston it seemed the best option. The food was lovely especially the panna cotta.
We had a touristy photo taken with this gentleman..I am the one on his right who bears an uncanny physical resemblance. Dishevelled, portly, with a big square..... bag..I am glad I wore my scarf so you can distinguish between us.



Our return journey was first class so we could relax in the lounge at Euston, and if I hadn't eaten so much Italian I could have availed myself of allsorts of lovely stuff.

The day was a great acheivement for me.
Having become rather sedentary lately I was wondering if I could manage a whole day ..a very long day.. wandering around but I didn't feel tired at all.

I am so lucky to have a friend like the one I went with because we instinctively like the same things so enjoy going to shows and exhibitions together.
There were one or two really beautiful pieces or artists we enjoyed. In the Pfaff embroidery challenge we loved the pieces by Barbara Lee Smith and Jean Littlejohn.
Janice Gunner's beautiful selective stitchings on Indigo dyed fabrics were subtle and understated and underlined the 'less is more' theme we began to feel as we walked around.
We enjoyed Tom Lundbergs glorious little pieces of embroidery. He must have been working for ages and we didn't even know it.
Of course the graduate Showcases were entertaining but one in particular appealed to me. She had large printed textiles but had made some very small pieces with animals illustrated on fabric with just a little stitching. A fox in particular caught my eye with the tiniest ever sequins across the top of its head.
Anyone who saw them couldn't fail to be impressed with Kerry Mosleys amazing knitted and stitched portraits.

There was a lot more to see but I didn't get the feeling of wanting to rush home and try something.
We both felt that ultimately stitch, fabrics, threads, are like paint, and its what you do with them that matters. Someone can use the simplest of materials and techniques and put them together in such a way as to delight.

Now here's something you don't see on my blog very often...


Buttons?
Good grief!! I'll be making bunting next!!
But how could I resist them?
I also spent an inordinate amount of money on 'things to hand pendants from'. What else would you call them?
I am intending to hang some of my felty pieces and silk hearts from them.



Now I'm back with my very small new stash working with my very limited techniques and doing my own very limited thing.
This is a 'Little and large' order for an American gentleman.


I had some very helpful and kind comments on my last post (not counting the Japanese one and they were not helping with dress patterns) so thank you for saying lovely things.
Lovely .





39 comments:

silverpebble said...

I was so sorry to miss this, and meeting you. Gina said you had a lovely chat.

I'm excited to see your new necklaces. I expect they'll be VERY popular in the coming weeks.

It's good to have your blog to visit regularly again x

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Well gee, I so wish Edward and I could have joined you all!!

Anonymous said...

What a magnificent day you had and well done for getting up so early (brrrrrh) and catching the train. Isn't it fearfully expensive to travel that way?

leilani said...

Oh please, enlighten we Americans on exactly what a paracetamol is.

hens teeth said...

Oh Jackie, you do make me chuckle. Glad you had a great day. I wish I had been there to have a coffee with you.x

A time to dance said...

I hope the one in harrogate will be as good, I did laugh at your bunting joke...ha ha ha...love all the lovely creations and the bag..how about appliqueing one of those on the flap of my next order and a small one in the corner? then using a plain bad to put the flap in? I love your things so much ....love and hugs H...ps I want to give you a hard word about putting yourself down...you look lovely to me...

Gina said...

I was so pleased to be able to meet you on my grand day out. I loved Kerry Mosely's work too.

WendyCarole said...

glad to see you had such a lovely time. I thin kI would,ve bought those buttons

Karen said...

welcome back! I never saw you, honest. What time did you get there? I got there at 10.30 and it wasn't raining, I'm confused.

Michala Gyetvai (Kayla coo) said...

Hi Jackie,
Looks like you had a great time too.
Love your latest colourful brooches.x

Heather said...

I would have loved to get to the K&S show but am so tired at the moment and would never have lasted the day out. So glad you and your friend had such a good time. Love the tiny buttons and the American order - such gorgeous colours. Looking forward to seeing the pendants.

alice c said...

I am so glad that you had a fab day out - I was thinking of you and hoping that you had loads of fun.

Carol Q said...

lovely to hear about your grand day out. almost as good as going myself LOL. I managed to get to Carluccio's in St Christopher's Place last year - it was wonderful!

Pomona said...

Really glad that you had a good day and are back in blogland!

Pomona x

gunnelsvensson said...

looks like a great day! Glad to have you back again! Thanks for kind comments!
Have a nice week !

Elizabeth said...

Oh thank you so much for sharing your marvelous day out with us!!! I am sure that the Stitching show was fabulous and now I ahve lall of the lovely links that you so kindly posted ffor us to go and check out!!!
Big cheers for you in making such a long trip into the city!! it does become daunting in a very short time to travel outside of your comfort zone!! Such a fun treat to meet blogging friends !! I love doing that!!!
I think that Your pieces as pendants are going to be smashing!! they would also make fabulous Holiday ornaments!!!! can't wait to see!!

your art work just fascinates me and inspires me so!! DOn't sell yourself one bit short!!! Your work is amazing and love the batch that you are sending off to the states!! Good For yoU!!!

Smiles!
elizabeth

'fancypicnic' said...

Hello, again!!

Oooh - what a lovely time you've had! It sounds like it was all wonderful, and your dreams/nightmares (!) didn't come to fruition....

Thanks SO much for sharing - I feel like I was there myself! Lotsalove xx
(ps - yes, it felt so good to be sewing again - and I LOOVE my cuff. I'm keeping it. Told you that would happen!)

sea-blue-sky & abstracts said...

Hi Jackie, thanks for sharing your day out and welcome back! Lesley

Digitalgran said...

I was so sorry to have missed you at the show Jackie. We stayed until 3 so we could come and meet you at Maggie's stand, but you and Gina had already been and gone.

Ann Christy said...

Great to see you back Jackie and glad that you had a great time at Ally Pally.

ArtPropelled said...

Thanks for sharing....I was wondering how you enjoyed your day out.

jennyflowerblue said...

I am SO pleased you had such a lovely day. The pendants sound a brilliant plan. I am a little jealous....can I come next year?? xxx

Jude said...

Wonderful, I once lived in Wood Green and used to walk to Ally Pally to feed the ducks.. it was 36 years ago! Suppose there's no ducks there anymore??
I'd loved to have been there and met you.
I'm really going to try to organise my life a little better and PLAN, so when is the next exhibition at the NEC??
Also, my aunt, lives in ...well..somewhere near Preston, maybe I'll visit her and see you at the same time?? That's worried you, hasn't it..start dusting!!
Take care
x

menopausalmusing said...

I know what you mean about those ticket machines.... I K.N.O.W! Worries like that overshadow my life..... You look to have had a great day out. And incidentally, there are NO LIMITS! :O)

filz-t-raum.ch said...

hi jackie,
oh, i was also at the alexandra's palace!(see the post in my blog)
i was 1 week in london and sue pearl tell me from this event.
now, i am at home in switzerland and work in my studio for the coming exhibitions.
bye,
filz-t-raum.ch
(sorry, my english is not good)

Pam said...

So glad you enjoyed yourself Jackie.
Love the little and large lot! Very nice!! x

JP said...

glad you had such a good day - 2 very brave northern country mice - enjoy your stash

vintagerockchick said...

So pleased that we managed to meet up for tea. (How very ladylike!) Glad you found something for your necklaces - I was a bit concerned you'd come all that way and only bought buttons!
The brooches in the picture are fabulous - you have a great eye for colour. x

Victoria said...

Sounds like a wonderful day! Nothing better then seeing glorious stitch work with a good friend who gets it!

Dot said...

I am so pleased you had such a special day with your friend Jackie. Sounds like it was a very big day with lots of adventures.
Am sure that the bloggers you met loved you!
Look forward to seeing your necklaces. And love the photo of the Little and large collection for your American client. So much goodness in one photo :)
Dot xx

Dot said...

P.S I meant to add that I love your sense of humour that comes bubbling through in your posts. I often chuckle as I read your words!

Robin Mac said...

Wonderful to see you back Jackie. I just love your description of your trip to Ally Pally - I would love to go there one day. Your brooches are gorgeous, the pendants will be just as good. cheers, Robin

Rosie said...

Now that sounds like a LOVELY trip! I never knew you were from Preston - I used to live in Ingol. What a lovely pile of shapes you have made for that order, they look wonderful together!
PS American paracetomol is Tylenol

LOVE STITCHING RED said...

A brilliant post Jackie. I chuckled all the way down to the bottom, and LOL (laughed out loud) at the photo at the way you and your new male friend are both holding the bags in the same way. You really cheered me up tonight. Thank you. Great to see all your wonderful purchases ... go girl!

Love
Carolyn :o)

Kate Fernyhough said...

So wonderful to read about your day out. I spent a long weekend in London with my kids this summer and didn't get to one art thing, and it was sooo exhausting, and yes the train ticket machines were scary!

Kim said...

As always, I love your use of colour, gorgeous. I wish we lived closer to London, I keep thinking a weekend trip would be lovely, for no particular reason then it has been years - but your day trip looked such good fun!
Kim xx

Linda Vincent said...

Hi Jackie......I'm glad you had a 'grand day out' and I'm relieved to know someone else does tick lists. I sympathise re: the ticket machine; I almost missed my train at our local station because I kept putting in the wrong number.(You should have seen the faces of the people behind me in the queue!)
Can't wait to see the necklaces...
X

sharon young said...

It was great show this year, I thought, not overloaded with knitting, like last year. I love your descriptions of your prep/journey for the visit. glad you had a good day.

KT Mo Design Studio said...

Thanks for the kind mention on your post.....it was good to meet you at Ally Pally. Just think....I get to do it all again at Harrogate next month!!!



Mo
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