JASNA tour - driving round and round, prawn tea sandwiches, maps and Lyme Park..

The first morning of our UK  JASNA tour, the 15th, St. Swithin's Day, was perhaps the longest drive of the tour. There is a rhyme, since Elizabethan time, which roughly interpreted, if it rains on St. Swithin's Day then it will rain 40 more and if it is fair so it will be 40 more.  Amazingly it was only a few hours before our first stop - Stamford, a set for the 2005 version P & P (as it is claimed). Very unlike the US, where you can drive over 12 hours and never leave the state!  The inhabitants of Stamford were friendly and very happy to discuss filming the movie and how sand needed to be procured to cover the roadway etc. It is not believed that Jane ever visited Stamford so sadly it really does not apply to my project. But, what do I remember most... my introduction to a prawn tea sandwich, yes what a very different experience! I loved it and have been fiddling with my own take on it since!

It was extremely difficult for me to comprehend driving on the left side of the road. Rotary's (roundabouts) are absolutely nuts! Signs were not in places expected, cars came from directions not expected, and you find yourself quietly praying under your breath, 'thank you God for having my first experience driving in a foreign land in a motor coach'. Eventually when that wore off, all I could think was.. I desperately need a map to see where the ... I am. Because once you leave the the main highway the two lane roads slowly become narrower and narrower to a bit over one comfortable lane for two small cars to pass.. Eventually cars needed to pull off the road or enter a drive for our motor coach to pass. It is a bit surreal traveling roads that may not be to terribly different than they were 200 or more years ago. Which brings me to how useful maps have always been to travelers. Part of a young girls education was geography and there are many fine examples of embroidered globes and maps up to JA's time and a few decades past, especially of England. Below is a small sample map stitched and painted in one of Catherine Jordan's classes. The actual completed map was much larger of Jamestowne commemorating the 400th anniversary of its founding. The background borders were stitched in double-running (Holbein stitch) and some cross stitch over one thread.  The land, sea and green/vegetation were applied in a permanent paint, finally the satin stitched sails and flags were stitched in place. A very fun class, Catherine also teaches dyeing classes and many other forms of surface embroidery and finishing. Note the edges were finished in picot and a three sided stitch.

Our second stop, was Hamstall Ridware, Staffordshire, and to the church of St. Michael, Jane's cousin Reverend Cooper whom we were told she visited several times and a possible model for Mr. Collins. The original smaller church was erected by the Norman's of sandstone, the much larger church was added later. The Rev. Cooper is interned there. The original chalice which was wrapped in cloth and lost in a siege, was recently found by a farmer in a ditch. The glass work was done in Victorian times and would not have been there during Jane's. What caught my eye... seat cushions and kneelers covered in wool needlepoint every where. Several patterns and lovingly taken care of, but again not of Jane's time.

We stayed in Buxton for three nights, record heat, no air, thank you St. Swithin...but 'what great estates'. Our second day was a tour of the Peak District and Lyme Park, who's exterior was used in the 1995 P & P. It was a short but nice hike in the heather of the Peak's. I have many useful pictures here. Lyme Park is breathtaking, the grounds and gardens, did you know there is a Lyme tree? It is very possible Jane visited Lyme Park and could have inspired Pemberly, some say 10,000 a year would not have been able to maintain it, and I have to agree, especially when there is Wickham to pay off!

Though Far We Be..... stationary kit, mastering Holbein stitch and the clasped/fellowship hands motif

Well, I have decided blogging is already a drag... I had this session outlined and yet if the day turns out a bit hectic it completely puts a damper on ones mood....But one year ago today, Linda and I arrived at London's Heathrow Airport and made our way to the hotel where we would meet others in our group for dinner..

I'll begin with the 2005 Williamsburg Embroidery Seminar, my first seminar. After three years without a vacation, I was finally treating myself to a solo get away. Having elderly schnauzers, the male being diabetic and eventually blind, their health could only really be managed with consistent daily care. I was so ready to get away, after they both entered doggy heaven. I had signed up for Tricia Wilson Nguyen's, 'Flowers of the Needle Never Fade', needle book and pincushion class. Another of her designs reminiscent of the 'Shady Bower' motif samplers originating from the East Coast. I was familiar with Tricia's teaching style having had taken several of her classes in the past, more about her and her company, Thistle Threads, later. I purchased Tricia's stationary keep kit at the boutique which was finished with the same blue silk fabric used in my class kit. What a wonderful kit, every Janite needs a place to tuck your favorite letter writing supplies. The stationary keep's embroidered band, shown below is a very extensive design of Holbein (double running) stitch utilizing multiple colors of silk, plus Queen stitch, Smirna cross-stitch, a reversible long-arm cross-stitch band (or alternating back stitch), and tent stitch covered with Bouillon knots. I loved the color palette, the Mokuba silk ribbon ties, Thread Gatherer silken ribbon accents in Dessert Moss, and the verse; 'Though Far We Be Remember Me', and my full name with the date fit perfectly, absolute heaven...But, where to begin? I knew this is a reversible design, meaning it pretty much looks the same on the back as the front, I needed help!

Luckily, EGA offered a correspondence course in Holbein called 'A Swiss Sampler' by Ilse Altherr. Her original design inspiration was a sampler in the Landesmuseum, Zurich, Switzerland encompassing 212 patterns in color silk, mainly in Holbeinstich (double running), Sternstich (Algerian Eye) and Zopfstich (long-arm cross-stitch) completed in 1665 with the initials AST. Ilse is a master of the mechanics of double-running stitch. This sampler was so intense, I can guarantee I will never find a Holbein pattern in which I will not be able to dissect. Below are several of the motifs from the class sampler. The corner motifs were used in Knottedoek's, embroidered linen hankies, in which coins were inserted and loosely knotted. If offered to a young lady she would pull the knot tight, thus 'tying the knot', or accepting a man offer of marriage. The clasped/fellowship hands symbolize, christian fellowship or love. I thought several times while stitching this piece in 2009 how important the hands must be to christian fellowship and our culture. I remember my Dad giving me lessons on how to shake a man's hand, firmly, and eye contact. After all I was going into a predominately man's field of study in the 1970's and most women at that time were not taught the mechanics of a handshake, some women are still clueless...

                    


One of the bands below I used a over-dyed silk thread from my stash. Note, I split the strands in pairs of two and worked the motif by loading three needles and working the pattern so the trellis pattern looks like a mirror image in two planes....way cool!  That technique was from a C.A. Wells class, more about C.A.'s wonderful classes later too!

The techniques discussed in this post are very basic foundation embroidery techniques in counted thread, Note, the sampler edges are finished in hem stitching, a technique used to finish all fine linens. Early band samplers were all finished in this technique. Enough to think about for today!

The Beginning of my Opus.....

I have started this log/blog/dialog in my head hundreds of times as a forum of discussion (hopefully) for two groups of people, Embroiderer's and Janites. The focus is the creation and completion of my 'Cabinet of Curiosities'. A historically inspired cabinet/casket usually completed by young women after mastering different forms of needlearts. This space is my little motivation buddy, to keep me on my course begun over a decade ago.  When I think back to paths chosen, I fervently believe I've been lead or mislead here, to this point.  Now on the anniversary of the Jane Austen (JASNA) tour of England, which Linda (my tour/stitching buddy) and I embarked on in 2013, all the pieces are falling into place. I have been in this spot for several years, fact finding details, it is time to get on with it. One year from now I expect to be in a completely different place with accomplishments, and if not, then I will have been a very foolish woman and squandered the gifts I have been given.

I am not a scholar, more a crafts person. I need to create visual pieces, in my head and with my hands. My childhood dreams of life accomplishments (like most of us) has been one of compromise, due to the constraints of the reality of life. This is why I feel a kindred spirit with both Jane Austen and the characters depicted in her novels.  I understand the impact/relevance of decisions and the frustration of the interruptions of everyday life on the concentration of thought and deeds. It is truly amazing anyone is capable of creating anything... One must be in complete solitude or have the support of others who take care of life's details and believe in their dreams.

I received a letter (ironically.. very JA) at the beginning of this week...perfect timing. Huge compliments to the German Engineer (she meant my husband) who did the work on a condo in which the author's father, now deceased, loved living in the past twenty years. The same condo, I wish to add, which ruined my dreams... Little did she know all the ideas, drawings, selection in floor plan, suppliers and decoration decisions were made by me! Yes, Norm carried out, very unwillingly I may add, the woodworking, chiefly because he is frugal to a fault. She had no idea the pains, heated arguments and general stress to make the place so desirable.  But without that condo (and the fire), I would not have been forced to become 'a stay-at-home-mom', giving up my Engineering career to reroute my creative juices into embroidery during nap time and evenings.  Now, finally with an empty nest, I can finish my opus and move on to phase two of my life. I can only hope what is said about women in their 50's actually being in their prime is true. I can tell you I physically feel like I did in my teens, due to finding my ideal workouts, so I think I'm on my way!

I have been blessed to live in an area with many like minded women who enjoy the relaxing/creative satisfaction that embroidery brings.  Our local Guilds are able to easily support teachers from all over the country to advance our skills. I plan to discuss over two dozen teachers in the next few months whom I have greatly enjoyed classes with and have inspired me. Without them and their dedication to supporting suppliers and each other, this craft would have become extinct probably in the late 1800 early 1900's.  A revival of sorts in the 1970's with the restoration of Williamsburg produced the reproduction of samplers from their inventory. My path crossed this popular pastime through my Aunt Jean who embroidered these reproduction samplers for a friend. They were then given as gifts to customers whom they restored historical homes for.  My Aunt blessed me with two 'left over' sampler kits. One kit was done in simple cross-stitch, which I completed soon after receiving it. The second was 'The Chase', although a stamped design on a quality linen, the level of embroidery was beyond my undertaking.  Once time allowed, I joined a local embroidery guild to learn these techniques and my world has been rocked ever since...

So I will end the blog for tonight... one year ago this evening Linda and I were boarding a plane at Detroit Metro, completely excited we were lucky to have gotten into the JASNA tour of 2013 celebrating the 200 anniversary of the publication of Pride and Prejudice (P & P). Tomorrow a discussion of Holbein stitch, dutch influenced motif samplers, the symbolism of one motif in particular and the surreal beginning of being in JA's country.