Saturday 31 May 2014

I'm as blind as the HD3QBEM!

Today we drove down to Hamilton to see the "With Bold Needle and Thread: 1920-1960 Vintage Needlework" exhibition.   A beautiful golden day for the last day of Autumn and we enjoyed both the weather, the scenery and the exhibition.  
As we entered I looked for any sign relating to photography and couldn't see any so took this shot, turned around and spied a small discreet sign saying No Photography Allowed.   Too late!   So here's the one and only shot of a very interesting exhibition.   Do you need a Peg Bag?   These may provide inspiration!
Many years ago -  well around 48 to be precise - I used to go and stay each school holidays with my maternal grandparents.  My grandmother was terribly crippled with arthritis and could manage only the bare minimum of household cleaning.  So while I stayed I cleaned: ceilings (discoloured from Grandad's incessant smoking), cupboards (one in particular was small dark and full of spiders), the laundry (an ancient old mangle and a concrete tub needed lots of scrubbing), wardrobes (rivaling that famed by the Narnia series for large and capacious),  china cabinets (Clarice Cliff coffee set - unused, Royal Doulton tea set - again unused as these were to be admired only - the good stuff was always kept for 'best') and the greatest delights?   The linen cupboard and Grandma's stash cupboard. Treasure cupboards in my eyes. There were tablecloths, pillow cases, tray cloths, tea cosies and on the top shelf hat boxes with Old Gran's (Great Grandma) unwanted hats.   The stash cupboard had tortoise shell tatting shuttles, boxes of crochet hooks and the thread from which the fantastic crochet cloths were made, buttons, thread (Semco and Anchor but nary a DMC) and stamped cheval sets for the 'fancy work' that was so popular at the time. And an old suitcase full of knitting, dressmaking, crochet and needlework patterns and magazines. Oh, I could have spent the whole holiday cleaning those two cupboards!
Today at this exhibition it was like revisiting Grandma's linen cupboard.   Crinoline ladies on the corners of fine linen Afternoon Tea Cloths, embroidered 'afternoon aprons', peg bags, duster bags, laundry aprons, oven cloths and pot holders made of sacking, cushions, tea cosies, doilies and yet more doilies.
A very enjoyable day out and as a bonus we arrived home in time for me to wash the car.  It is sure to rain tomorrow!!

4 comments:

Judith said...

Sounds like a great day out, reminiscing the past ~ times like this it would be great to have a time machine ... J

KimM said...

What a lovely way to spend your day.
hugs
xx

cucki said...

Aww truly a lovely way to spend your day..
Hugs x

Ann at Beadlework. said...

Fond memories Margaret, it's funny how certain things stir them up.