Wot EVERY Friday???

Morning! I have just broken off from knitting to make myself a cinnamon coffee and spend a little time with you.

Firstly thank you everyone who joined in with November's scavenger photo-hunt and took the time to read and comment on our posts - it is really good when we share our stories.

I thought I would reiterate my plans to continue through out the year - with 2020 being a year on it's own, I thought why not? - we won't be having the usual festive parties or the works-do or the friends get-togethers with mincepies. So this December's photo-hunt, although not a replacement, hopefully will go someway to making you feeling a little more festive. Now, here is the plan .... 

EVERY Friday we will post a SINGLE** photo and a mini story - all festively inspired, giving you a chance to blog a memory or to share how this year will be different for you. 

There are three Fridays in December, with the 4th being Christmas Day.  So the final day we will post will be THURSDAY 31st December - a sort of final hurrah to 2020.

edited to add ** From the general reaction it sounds like you might like to post more than one image per prompt! That is wonderful so please do!!  the more the merrier!

So here goes ...

4th December :  Decorations - a favourite one - was it inherited, did your kids make it or was it one you bought on a whim and love dearly?

11th December : Baking - festive or otherwise and may be share the recipe so we can all have a taste :)

18th December : Tree - a snap shot of your tree, this year's, last year's, the black and white one of you as a tiny tot helping to decorate,  the one on the village square, that shiny white one in the shop, a native tree bedecked with lights and bird feeders - any festive tree :) 

31st December :  My own choice - the door is open for you to choose a photo from 2020, it can be one you have already shared or a new one, but one that you will always associate with this year ....  2020 will be one to remember for so many reasons x

I will post up a link up party page, just add your link and lets have a virtual festive get-together each week,  I hope you will join in - even if it is only once or twice - but do join in :)

So - a recap:

Friday 4th December - Decorations

Friday 11th December - Baking

Friday 18th December - Tree

Thursday 31st December - My own Choice

You up for it? Brilliant! I knew I could count on you xxxx

All photos in this post courtesy of Pixabay.

November's link up party

     

Welcome to November's words and pictures , so lovely to see you, it is time to share our photos and stories with this month's Scavenger Photo Hunt!

Just follow the link to add your post for November and if you fancy joining us - it is really easy, 

just follow the list of words supplied at the beginning of each month to inspire a photo, 

then at the end of the month, post your photos with a few accompanying words. Enjoy!

The link up party will stay live until midnight Sunday when it will then close.

Normally we stop for the month of December because we usually have too much on to have time to take photos and write mini stories, however, with 2020 being a little different, 

this year we will keep the hunt going through December too! 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

My words for November

Hello and welcome to my 'November's words and photos' I hope you enjoy!

Houseplant/s

This is one of those ... you'll do nicely ... photos. This little biscuit tin of happiness is not one of mine but I think I would like to do something similar. 

Let me explain - I walk (at the 'safe and recommended' distance) with a friend of mine as part of his support bubble. We try to get out once a week and walk and talk and set the world to rights. One essential part of our walk is to go to a cafe or two and purchase a hot chocolate as a take-away. He wants to make sure that they are still supported during the lockdown. This particular cafe is in a lovely Victorian style tennis pavilion on the edge of a beautifully maintained park. The masked customers have to queue outside at the regulation 2 metres apart and to keep them 'entertained', the owners have put up chalk boards with silly quips and quotes and this lovely little tin filled with succulents. It makes me smile every time :)

Ring/s

My go to rings - my core favourites, my armour.  

A sterling silver Russian wedding ring also known as a triple rolling ring representing the past, the present and the future. 

Next, the Hebridian Celtic wedding ring - Mo Ghaol Ort (pronounced mo gool orched as in 'torched') which translates as 'My love on you', bought for me by Himself a few years ago and worn as my main wedding band.

Finally the Mexican silver man's little finger ring and Mexican silver wave ring both bought because I love the strength they impart - like I said - my armour.

I do have others, mostly in silver, a few in gold, some inherited, some gifted. I try to wear them all over the course of a year but these four - these are part of me.

Harbour

The small village of Sunderland Point on the Lancashire coast is a sleepy and rather cutesy seaside village with a dark history. It also has the strange accolade as being the only village on mainland Britain which has tidal access cutting it off twice daily.  

In the early 18th century it was developed as a trade harbour for the city of Lancaster and the north west. Originally boats would come in on the tide, become moored then be off loaded, and when the tide came back in, the empty boats would leave. However as boats got bigger a new set of docks was constructed around the coastal corner nearer the sea. Leaving this little village to quietly fade.

It also had a rather historically nasty name as a good place to press-gang young men into the navy with local place names confirming this nefarious activity - Snatchems and Catchems ... yes, they really do exist.

Sunderland point also had an active hand in the slave trade being the third busiest port for this dreadful trade. 

There is a small but lovingly attended unconsecrated grave for a young slave who died whilst waiting for his master to return from a business trip. You can visit this grave where it is adorned with painted pebbles and tributes to the needless loss of a stolen young life.

Window

For this prompt, I did have in mind my front window as at the moment it pleases me greatly however, this quick snap pleases me more! 

It is a silly dilly dog (in)patiently waiting for her walk. We, Himself and I, were booting up whilst sheltering in the lea of the van from a bitterly sharp breeze. I had put Moss's collar and lead on her and shut her in the cab so that I knew she was safe and would not wander off in her eagerness to get out on the hills. As I slung my camera around my neck I noticed she was watching me - through the window via the rear view mirror.  She had her slightly 'worried-ears' on when she thinks that we just might not take her with us as we go for that all essential dog walk! (Don't worry Moss - the clue is in the name!)

Sky

Last weekend, Himself, Moss and I decided to throw caution to the wind and just get out of the house and on to the moors. A week of rubbish weather and work had kept us inside longer than we really wanted to be, so all three of us were so ready to take (more or less) what the weather was to throw at us. The sky was a turbulent tumbling of sullen clouds being harried and hurried by a brisk and blustery wind. Showers flew around us and somehow we managed to avoid being doused, until we'd reached our furthest point . The sky was just too menacing to risk being out and exposed on the moorland meadows, so we ducked into a forest and only just in time - a heavy shower of hail pelted our shelter and despite the thick tree cover we were also dusted in icy pellets. We pressed ourselves against the trees and listened to the hammering above us - our eyes shined and we were grinning like loons - it had been the right decision to get out and get weather-beaten and that mug of tea and fruit cake waiting for us at home would be the nicer for our adventure!

My own Choice

A very tired Moss, after a long and happy (read that as wet and muddy and stick filled) walk during one of our camping weekends.

She'd eaten her food and flopped into her bed in the van. She sleeps under our bed on her favourite cushion. I love the way it looks like she is sucking her thumb - but if you look at the second photo - that foot tucked up under her nose ... is her left BACK foot, her front feet are stuck forward across her bed! And yes she is tucked up under several layers of crochet blanket and dog towels - I didn't want her to get cold after all that running around - Himself hurrumphed at my 'fussing' but the dog did not move until the next morning - so she must have been so snug and warm.

Thank you for reading my mini stories - now it is my turn to go and read yours ! Have yourselves a lovely weekend xx

PS I have just realised that all my stories are either walking or Moss related or both! Oh well, I suppose both of those feature greatly in my life :D

What to do when waiting (for a plumber)

 Hello from a warm and crafty settee - I am working downstairs today where our beloved woodburner has sprung a leak (yes our fire has become incontinent.....oxymoron right?) 

Well there is a simple explanation - our woodburner has a water tank at the back which heats the radiators and our water and it has inexplicably developed the teeniest weeniest hole in the tank on the inside of the fire.... So while we are trying to keep the fire going, the fire is putting..itself..out ...sigh...

We have managed to get ourselves a replacement woodburner (had to be the same or similar to fit the existing pipes and flue arrangement) however where we have a problem is ... no plumber. We have been on the search for one for the last three weeks. Admittedly they do have to be able to not only plumb in the pipes but also deal with the regulations surrounding woodburning stoves and fires and believe me - there are very few plumbers who fit that criteria.....

Any hoo - where this is leading, I am sitting downstairs as I knit, keeping an eye on the woodburner as we wait upon yet another (nonexistent at the moment) plumber to get back to us. *

So, I have made myself a hot chocolate and fancied a chat with you dear ones. Carol from Life Pottering asked about the ins and outs of the Scavenger Photo Hunt, I thought I would do a gentle reminder.

A list of five words plus the regular 'My own Choice' is posted up usually at the beginning of each month. 

A word inspires a photograph and the photograph inspires the words. 

Try to think outside the box if possible and your photos can be current ones taken this month as a response to the list or can be used from your archives. All you have to do is post your prompted pictures with a bit of a waffle about each image on the last Friday of the month and I do a link-up-party post where you can add your link.

Simple, friendly, fun - we can then visit, read and comment on the posts. A gentle way of supporting each other during these rather strange times - so if you are wanting to join in - please do so, the list of prompt words and the show and share date are always situated at the top right corner of my blog. It would be lovely if you could join in :)

This month's show and share date is 27th November - looking forward to seeing your photos xxx

*Three weeks of searching, speaking (or not speaking) to over 14 plumbers/plumbing companies we are still without a plumber ...... *yay* (not)

Further update - we have finally discovered that we are not able to have the new fire inserted without additional prohibitive costs (new pipes, new boiler, new this and new that) so we shall have to rethink our plans .... hmmm. 

That creative buzz

Thank you every one who joined in the conversation about all things Millie - I really enjoyed not only making her but reminding myself of things I did know and learning lots that I did not! There was a touch of sadness as I pushed the parcel into the postbox - although I know she was not mine, I did rather fall in love with her and her story!

It brought back happy memories of toy making when the boys were little and re-intensified my love of making small things with lots of detail.

I have been happily invited to display and sell some of my tiny folk makes - so I took down some needle felted creatures and...

...my latest fun size makes - knitted brooches. I have already sold some which has delighted me and I have had such lovely feedback - it really gives you that buzz of HaPpInEsS :) 

My small but happy display of tiny-folk-makes :)

Any hoo, yesterday I suddenly wanted to make a knitted bear (no I don't know why either) and to soothe that need, I ruffled around in a basket full of odd yarns and wool. It was a bit of a pot luck selection but I found a warm cream coloured yarn and began.

Knitted flat, there is an awful lot of increases and decrease to create the tubby tum shape and the little short legs - I am as I type, just taking a break from stuffing the fellow before adding facial details and potentially other fun things like a scarf or a patch or both! (just looked at the photo and flattened out ted looks like a rather anemic turkey 😆)

I think my creative mojo has returned - it took a year's sabbatical but I can feel the well overflowing with the need to make/create/bake/sew/knit/crochet - there is only small (but vital problem) I only have two hands!! 

Any hoo, where this leads to is - have a good Friday and a lovely weekend, speak to you soon xxxxx

ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ  ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ  ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ  ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ   ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ 

Good Luck Millie ❤

Continuing with the theme of very little being wasted by the poor when it came to their clothing, Himself reminded me that his grandmother had been a Millie ( I only knew her as a very old lady who'd worked since she was about 13) and that she had saved scraps of fabric all her life, turning them in to quilts and rag-rugs.

Hidden deep in our airing cupboard I have three of her quilts. Thin, soft, gentle aged fabrics with many many repairs. Decades of stitches adding patches or reattaching the quilt to it's backing fabric.

The vast majority of the stitching has been done by an old treadle powered sewing machine however it appears that most of the repairs have been done by hand. 

In some places, the piecing has been machined but the seams have then been turned over to tuck in the frayed edges and sewn by hand.

Two of the quilts have been hand stitched to sheets. One of them is made up of a random pattern - pieces of fabric are sewn together with no planning and it appears the only aim was to end up with a finished item large enough to fit a small double bed (which incidentally is over 100 years old and the one we use).

However, the soft pink version, in a log cabin pattern has been made with better quality fabrics, machine stitched and is a vastly superior quilt. The underside is also quilted but in a simple large block pattern.

Why am I mentioning this? Well Grandmother-Millie used to work in a weaving mill making dress material and we think that any snippets of fabric that could be brought home would have gone into making these quilts. Which would explain why there is such a gently random layout. 

Himself also reminded me about our proddy-hook - a hand held hook used to pull long ribbon like strips of waste fabric through hessian in a looping action. These were then 'crocheted', knotted or stitched at the back to prevent from disintegrating, making out of necessity, warm and soft rugs.

I sat here this afternoon with a brew and gave it a try - using snippets of fabric and some hessian - it is not as easy as it sounds. My hat's off to those hard working women that laboured at the mills for 12 hours a day for six days a week and still had the energy to make the home comfortable and warm.

And my Millie ? - well, she is finished now, ready to go down to the post office, I just have to email the organisers to confirm she is on her way and then send photos to their webpage. I shall be sad to see her go however - she have given me such pleasure.

There was one last addition - a genuine reel of linen thread from a mill, now long gone, from our village,  gifted to me by a friend who used to work there years ago. So, it seemed very fitting to send it away with Millie.

Good Luck Millie, we've both been through a journey to get to this point - thank you :)

Millie gets a move on

During Victorian times, woman - and not just mill working woman - took to wearing a long slender shawl called the Sontag, named after the German singer called Henrietta Sontag who brought it to the attention at that time. It wrapped around the shoulders and the back of the neck, crossed over at the front and was either tied or tucked into a belt at the back. The earliest written pattern found for the Sontag was in the 1860s.

It felt fitting that Millie should have one as it would allow me to incorporate elements of Himself's work in textiles. The hessian itself originated from India, transported to Forfar in Scotland and then down to the textile mills in the northern England. The wools are 100% British wools from mills in Huddersfield in West Yorkshire. So a rough and hardworking Sontag was made for Millie, to keep from being cold in the linen mills during chilly early starts.

Her skirt was given a patch - using a snip of linen left from cutting out the pattern, it felt right to use every last scrap, then simple boro mending was applied - to allow it to be both functional and decorative.

The original fabric doll had printed hair ribbons holding her plaits back. However, once the body was sewn and stuffed, these once prominent ribbons seemed to flatten out - so strips of red fabric were retrieved from the snippety-bits-basket and attached. Ribbons were very expensive and so would have been precious and worn with pride and love.

The working mill woman would have had a simple working style of chatelaine belt, not decorative but a purely functional version where all the tools of the trade were hung and in this case a whistle which would have been used to be able to be heard above the clatter of the weaving machines. Most mills were several stories high and the noise would have been almost unbearable. Millies learnt to lip read so they could communicate during the long working day which usually started at 6am, finishing at 6pm with an hour for lunch. 

Aprons were not just the domain of the working class, nearly everyone had some form of pinafore or apron to protect their clothing. With needing to protect the few items of clothing they had not just from wear and tear but from general dirt, a protective pinny or apron was worn by both women and men, rich and poor alike.

Time marches on, Millie has a date to keep and I have to make sure she keeps it ... 💙