Creature Feature Show

I'm just sending off a few little families of creatures to the Black Lark for a new new show called Creature Feature. One Little Errol (a raspberry red one) is traveling down to chaperone a collection of tweed sleeping babies (like the one to the right of Little Errol in the flyer) to join a whole collection of gorgeous creatures, they have lovely plans for the display in the show; I think it will be well worth a visit.

Creature Feature
Black Lark Gallery,
72 Norman Road,
St Leonards on Sea
TN38 0EJ
Tel: 01424 439111

Private View: 10th October 2008
Show Ends: 2nd November 2008

Teddy and Teddy

Here are Teddy and Teddy. My mum made Teddy when she was a child and a few years ago we rediscovered him in a box all moth eaten - utterly riddled with holes and his stuffing had gone flat. Mum said that we should throw him away and make another one. Auntie Jan (who sewed and stuffed Bunny my mum knitted) made this replacement by copying mums Teddy, he is soft and plump, but once I had seen Teddy Junior with Teddy Senior, I couldn't bring myself to dispose of Teddy Snr, so I darned all of his holes (about 40 of them) now they sit together and look really rather sweet.

Amy Fidge's sampler

Well this is slightly off the point, what with it not being a textile character, but it is textiles, and it is very beautiful. I adore the colours, and I like the name Amy Fidge. It's from my Grandmas house - Grandma died last week, so it is fitting that I found this today. I am going to frame it and put it on the wall with some of my other collections.

UPDATE: I found the school where this was made (good old internet), St Eanswythes in Folkstone, Kent, and, much as I would love to keep it, I sent a message to the headmistress and I'm going to parcel it up and send it back to the school. I remember how much I loved these kind of things when I was at primary school, real, personal history. Double good job that I have a record of here so I can still enjoy it.

DOUBLE UPDATE: The headmistress has sent me start of the research into Amy Fidge, they have found where she lived and it seems that she went into service when she was 14.
This has inspired me to do some cross stitch and embroidery, I am hatching all sorts of plans!

Bunny in his Innocent Smoothie hat

My mum knitted this rabbit for me this summer from the softest left-over cashmere from a very snuggly shawl that she made a few years ago and Auntie Jan stuffed him and sewed him up. He lives in my studio and with it being winter now, it's started to get a little bit cold. I found the perfect hat for him from Innocent Smoothies Help the Aged charity Big Knit. The smoothie was delicious, and the hat looks so sweet, I smile every time I look at him.