Creative Stitches & Crafts - Part One

The Creative Stitches & Hobby Fair has been on in Exeter since Thursday. We visited yesterday, against my better judgement. Work commitments prevented me going on Thursday and Friday. It was, as I predicted packed and getting photos of general views tricky, but we managed it!

The stall holders sold all sorts - wonderful buttons in varying shapes and colours, embroidery and cross stitch pattens, scrap booking material, patchwork, fabrics and much much more. There were also some exhibitions of Lace Making, Embroidery. 

The lace making exhibition was remarkable. There was a map indication the various pattens relating to various areas of the UK, so each area was renowned for a particular stitch, which was something I had not realised. I have an ancestor who was reported on the 1841 Census for the Surrey village of Elstead as a lace maker. She would have used bobbins and created pattens, and was paid by piece work.  It is very fine work and there was a volunteer on hand to answer questions and show exactly the process.

There was also a display of clothes which have featured in the UK drama Downton Abbey.

There were also embroideries from the Poetry in Stitches exhibition and the West Country Embroiders Postcard exhibition, but more on those later.

Postcard Friendship Friday - Swinnerton Society Millennium Banner 2000

Not strictly a postcard, this card was sent to me by an acquaintance knowing of my genealogical interest. I don't have any interest in this particular surname, but I do admire the skill of those researchers who designed and then embroidered the banner which was used for the Millennium celebrations in 2000.

Submitted as part of Postcard Friendship Friday hosted by The Best Hearts are Crunchy

Day Three - Jersey - 14th July 2011 - Occupation Tapestry

One of the things I really wanted to see while in Jersey was the Occupation Tapestry. Made to commemorate 50 years of Liberation from the German Occupation.

So, having had a coffee and wander around the Liberation Market, where we bought a lovely collar for Alfie, we ventured into the Occupation Tapestry which is housed in the Maritime Museum in the Quay, opposite Liberation Square.

I was simply overwhelmed with the skill of those who took part. There was a 10 minute video which explained how the tapestry came to be and the ground work that went into the tapestry.

There are 12 panels; one representing each parish. The parishes drew lots, which decided what the focus of their particular panel was going to be about.

Towards the end of the exhibition and tapestry is a panel naming all those who took part in creating this wonderful creation. The panel also shows those who were involved in making the tapestry and were on Jersey at the time of the Occupation.

The tapestry is outstanding and well worth a visit. I purchased the guide book and a complete set of postcards, which shows each of the tapestry panels. The postcards and guidebook are available from the shop in the Maritime Museum.