Etsy shop up and running!

A recent rush to the creative parts of my brain means that I have now tackled the techie stuff and actually put some handmade items into my Etsy shop Redportfolio. If you would like to visit then please go to http://etsy.me/h2WFF3

It's just recent embroidery and knitting stuff but there will be more in the pipeline... and more inspiration this time from my Grandma.

Historical Hats

As part of recent museum education project I was looking at historical costume to inspire schoolchildren whilst on an outdoor trail around Abergavenny Castle. I think I may have had more fun than I ought! A very local piece of historical clothing I discovered was the Monmouth Cap or as it was also known, Statute Cap.

Apparently the statute or law was passed during Tudor times as a way of ensuring people bought caps made of wool from England and Wales to help keep the indiginous wool trade alive. Men, women and children over the age of six were to wear a woollen cap at all times and they had to be made from wool from this country. Many of the knitters were from Monmouth, and interestingly, men. As Monmouth is near to Abergavenny it seemed appropriate to include some itchy wool hats for trying on.

I managed to locate a knitting pattern from the web which was based on an example of the Monmouth Cap on display in Monmouth Museum. The wool was from the Rown Purelife British Sheep Breeds range which they rather brilliantly produce in Black Welsh! Also known as cochddu meaning brownish, which it is and wonderfully hairy! I tried felting a couple and left the others unfelted as a contrast. Having now knitted six I think  have had enough of that pattern for a while.

I am now quite intrigued about historical knitted headwear, or even hats in general, and wonder if I could engage in some research. Guessing the best place to start is the V&A?

The loop at the top could be used for hanging the hat to up to dry - I had to learn how to make an i-cord on double-ended needles, which is a bit like french knitting (using a cotton reel and four nails and making endless lengths of knitted tubing!). The alternative was to sew on a small knitted button.

Inspiring ironwork

It is amazing what you walk past and never really stop to admire properly. These gates are to an office on Newhall Street in the centre of Birmingham. I believe they were recently restored with funding from the Prince of Wales. They are truly magnificent and I feel they could be the start of some designs, although not sure what at this stage.

Hopefully off to see the Pre-Raphaelite exhibition of drawings and poems at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery so there may be some more inspiration to be had over this weekend. 

... And someone actually asked if I was interested in creating a jewellery design for a friend of theirs - will have to brush some cobwebs off for that but it would be lovely to revisit my original training. I had such high aspirations when I left college. Thought the jewellery design world would fall at my feet after winning a De Beers Diamond competition and an interview at Aspreys - oh what might have been if I had been more 'out there' instead of being a mouse!

Beside the seaside

It is truly amazing what a couple of days away by the sea can do. The husband whisked me away on the 5.50 am train (!!) to Brighton for some R&R.

What a lovely place it is too. I loved all the beautiful and intriguing independent shops in the New Laines area and the Lanes themselves. Wonderful and unusual things to buy. And so many tea and cake shops, which was not so good for the waistline. The weekend was topped off by a walk along Brighton Pier where we indulged in shove ha'penny (or two pence in new money) and several sticks of tooth tingling rock. Bracing but brilliant.

The cultural itch was scratched by a whirl around the Royal Pavilion which I really enjoyed, particularly all the explanation about the conservation projects that have gone on. Bit of a busman's holiday but who cares?

It all helped to feed the creative spirit and so, on my return, I have finally managed to crack on and finish two of my tea cosy projects. Below you can see the fruits of the past few Diamond Knitters Group here in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter. I now feel a patriotic version coming on to celebrate the wedding. Aplogies.

Creative people

A query from a fellow museum educator on GEM (Group for Education in Museums) made me think about some of the lovely and creative work produced by children who come along to workshops. This image shows the most amazingly sustained piece of work by a little girl and her very helpful Mum! This was a family-friendly workshop billed as making fantasy furniture. The museum was the Gordon Russell Trust Museum in Broadway in Worcestershire. Full of the fabulous furniture designs by the Gordon Russell Company, there was lots of speculation about what could be produced from some junk modelling boxes and bits of paper. We used sheets of paper using the wood pattern fill on Office - cheap but effective!

One boy made a beatiful wardrobe complete with sparkly pipe cleaner coat hangers - his father had been an apprentice at the furniture fractory and still worked as an upholsterer.

I just love the detail by adding a lampshade with electrical flex and the beautiful cushions.

I really should go back and look at old photographs to remind myself, when projects are hard going, that I have been involved in some lovely and rewarding work.