Finished Tricia's Inspirational Floral Glove Needlecase and it's connection to Bath

In preparation for techniques I plan to use for the Jane Austen inspired casket, I have been revisiting online classes Dr. Tricia Wilson Nguyen has offered in the span of over a decade.... I am always amazed at the care and details involved in her online classes. One example is the Floral Glove Needlecase which I just completed in the past month. The class was offered in 2010, saved in my stash and I savored every minute I spent recently in its review and completion.

Dr. Nguyen's classes include a background of the historical inspiration for the study, in this case they are gauntlets....the purchased licenses allow students to see actual pieces at the V & A, the Met in NY, MFA in Boston and the Holburne in Bath... Added features, for example, a portion of our kit fee was used to purchase storage boxes to ease in accessing the Holburnes extensive collection of gloves and gauntlets. I learned that professionally embroidered gloves were symbolic exchanged wedding gifts to women who displayed them in their portraits. In contrast are matching sets of hood and gauntlet utilized in falconry, etc.

I have been fortunate to have visited Bath three times and each experience has been spent with a few hours at both the Fashion Museum and the Holburne to get my eye candy fix.....

Below is my Floral Glove Needlecase, an exploration of techniques in silk thread shading, couching goldwork threads, applying spangles/paillettes, ruching silk ribbon, and an experience with gilt lizardine and purls.....all historically accurate techniques in the short lived fashion statement utilized by Glovers...

A view of the work in progress and a close up of the assembly...

 The needlecase interior...... complete with an interior ultrasuede pocket designed to hold a pair of scissors, felt for needles, and three silk lined pockets for gaming chips, lucet and a bodkin...Needless to say the quality of Dr. Nguyen's classes and kits are to die for....

An exhausting day of sightseeing and exploring Bath can be ended with a refreshing ale at a local pub or a stop to the Canary Gin Bar to experience a JA inspired gin cocktail...

Now back to my JA inspired casket to utilize what I have reviewed...

Reading Deirdre Le Faye's 'JA Letters' and Claire Tomalin's 'JA, a Life' in my reading group increased the enjoyment of the 2013 and 2016 JASNA tours....

Last year, 2016 one of my reading groups decided to begin reading Deirdre Le Faye's compilation of 'Jane Austen's Letters' along with Claire Tomalin's 'Jane Austen, A Life'. Happening soon after my second JA JASNA tour in 2016 it was wonderfully insightful and perfectly timed. The 2013 tour covered Pride & Prejudice, and was very much like the tours planned for this summer. Last summer's tour was themed Emma with a bit of Persuasion sprinkled in, complete with a trip to 'the cob'. As members are probably making last minute plans for this summers tours, dedicated to the 200 anniversary of JA's passing. I can honestly say.... you are in for a treat, enjoy every minute, listen and soak it all in....Consider an extra day or three in London, last summer I finally made it to Twinings Tea. Where, if you are having trouble deciding on the enormous selection, they have a 'tea' bar and will brew selections for you on site,. The entrance to this narrowly situated Regency Era entryway is the same as Jane would have known, pictured below....

Inside situated at the far wall are display cases which amuse visitors with a little tea history....

I easily went through all my British currency before returning to the US, 70 pounds worth!!! Then had my luggage searched when I returned to Philly Int'l Airport because, I believe, they doubted anyone would return with that much tea....really! You can walk past one of Henry's homes still standing in London where Jane stayed, pictured below.

When in Winchester at the Cathedral visit the store, They have a section dedicated to JA, I couldn't resist the character ornaments. I also purchased ink with the JA logo for my casket..

Bath has many diversions....Lunch or Dinner at the assembly rooms. This time around I made certain to pack my swimsuit and visited the baths. They have two very entertaining pools. One pool with a fairly strong current which if you are not careful can sweep you into other patrons.  A second on the rooftop where you can enjoy a bit of sun. There is also a steam room with individual aroma therapy rooms depending on your inclination. My next visit I think I may try a facial and/or a massage, and go entirely Roman....Also spend a few hours at the Holburne Museum, which has a delightful lunch counter situated in an enclosed atrium. I had a delicious watermelon and feta salad with a dill dressing refreshing on a warm summer day.... I have begun framing chocolates from my trips, just to be a bit different. Below is one from the Roman Baths and another from a trip to South Africa...

Reading both books together helped to mentally visualize locations from the trips. On the 2016 tour we stopped at a few locations Jane would have been familiar with on her trips traveling in her later years from Chawton to London and Godmersham. Along with churches she would have known either from relatives or neighbors who were rectors...Below a view of Anna LeFroy's grave, Jane's niece, with the entryway of the Parish at Ashe.....

View's of the Wheat n' Sheaf in Basingstoke.....

Henry's Bank in Alton....

A way stop in Guilford which Jane was familiar with....

A short term home of Jane's in Worthing now a Pizza Express, our group stopped for dessert which may have been a bit overwhelming for them, but a nice respite for us ...

and just for fun the entry of a jokester in Lyme....

So many wonderful memories.....