Tuesday 18 March 2008

Sewing For Pleasure And Hobby Crafts

Our mini break was wonderful. First of all we spent two days at Clumber Park in the motorhome. We lost a day because I couldn't drive in the high winds, but we eventually got there at abort tea time. Here's the view through the front window:



We spent two lovely quiet days just reading and sewing. Unfortunately I couldn't go out walking because my hip is still giving me trouble. :0(

After that we drove home to exchange the camper for the car and then tootled off to a beautiful country club hotel in Birmingham for another two days where we met our friends Dawn and Glen. The purpose of the hotel stay was so that me and Dawn could take in the 'Sewing for Pleasure' and the 'Hobby Crafts' exhibitions at the NEC. Here's our room at the hotel:



Or should I say here's our first room at the hotel. I was really looking forward to spreading out in my own bed but that was before Gary threw a whole cup of tea over both beds and we had to be changed to another room! Although the new room had one ma-hoos-sive bed it was much the same as the first.

I was worried that my bad hip would put a stop to our day at the NEC, but on the day I was ok. There was so much to see, I was like a kid in a candy shop! The first hall was 'Sewing for Pleasure'. I had exactly £100 birthday money to spend. I of course bought some beads, then some glorious threads which Dawn and I plan to wind onto bobbins next weekend (our Easter camping trip) I also bought some wonderful polyester ribbon thread stuff which I plan to dye. Dawn bought a beautiful X-stitch kit depicting poppies that I love. I hinted so I might get a finished version one day!

One of the stalls was demonstrating lace making. A wonderful old guy was showing us how it's done. It looked so confusing with all those bobbins flying around! The old man let me have a go and I did realise that there is a simple method that can get as complicated as you like.



Then we found a knitted house! Absolutely everything was knitted from the chairs, stove, logs by the fire, sleeping cat on the bed to a box of Swan Vestas and a fire extinguisher on the black stove!



We also found this amazing beaded lizard made from thousands of tiny seed beads. Isn't he beautiful?:


Here's one last photo of a bin liner fashion. If you refer back to my New Year blog you'll find some photos of a game we play every year. Two teams have to come up with a fashion outfit using only a roll of bin liners, a pair of scissors and a reel of sticky tape. I'd say this outfit is rather better than our attempts!:



The next hall was 'Hobby Crafts' which held exhibitors showing all sorts of crafts but of course I homed in on the card making stuff. We were particularly taken with a demonstration on how to use mica powders. Leeta and mum had given me £20 each to spend on their behalf so I bought them each a set of the powders and a special ink pad while I spent my remaining £45 on a very cool set of roller stamps to use with the powders. No doubt I shall blog when the three of us get together to use them. :0)

6 comments:

Babs (Beetle) said...

Glad you had a lovely time :O)

It all looks very fiddly to me. I wouldn't have the patience any more although it is all very clever.

Croom said...

Ooh I wish I could have been there too :O)

Dying to know what the 'powders' are for. Please send photos of anything you do from them
Glad your hip let you have a good day :O)

weechuff said...

I saw that knitted house in the newspaper a while ago. It was fantastic! How on earth did Gary manage to ruin TWO beds with the tea? And Tina, you wait and see what scrumptious things can be done with the Mica powder:0)

granny grimble said...

I once saw on TV a knitted wedding reception. It was wonderful. All the food and favours and wedding cake. Some people are so talented. It was probably a W.I. thing. How I wish I could have been at the craft show with you, and how happy I am that you felt well enough to enjoy it to the full. I am dying to see my Micra powders. They look like shimmering chalk work, are they? Don't go away again without letting me have them will you. I enjoyed the bit about the bedroom and Gary's 'accident' I still can't figure out how he soaked two beds with one cup of tea though!

Sarah said...

Were they serving tea in buckets? Sounds like you had a great time and I'm pleased your hip didn't play you up.

Hugs, Sarah x

GoldAnne said...

love that knitted house !!!! and so glad you had a great time,naghty gary re the bed!!!!
love anne xxx