UMBRELLA DUELLING AND STEAMPUNK BOOKS

Today we were transported into the world of Steampunk and the Mueseum of Power was the perfect setting.  

People dressed for the occasion...

and there was tea duelling, and another that involved umbrellas.

There was also interestings stands,

and other events, which I missed as I was running two book making workshops.  

There was rust effect, stitching of pages, and college. Here is my sample book:

And here are books that other people made....

Didn't they do well!

The two workshops were only an hour long because there were lots of other events happening through the day. So I designed a book that would suit the occasion; simple in design but with some fun techniques. I made a sample and was feeling relaxed and organised, until I started to pack, and couldn't fine rust powder!

No worry, I would simply buy more.

Except that when I went to the shop they didn't have any!

To me this effect was integral to the design. I could improvise but it wouldn't look the same, and other ways of producing this effect
could not be achieved in the time scale. What to do?

I have learned that getting stressed does not help. I experimented with salt and paint, salt and glue, but there was a chemical reaction and it didn't produce the effect I hoped for. So I resigned myself to managing without.

But I didn't give up hope, and five minutes before we were about to leave I decided to look in a bag. I had taken it on a retreat and I don't remember taking the rust powder with me. But I must have. Because there it was, tucked at the bottom! What a relief! I would have done a happy dance if I'd time but a shriek of joy sufficed!

There was a lot to fit in during the workshop but it went well and I loved that some men came along to join in. It felt quite surreal seeing everyone sitting around the table wearing Steampunk costumes, but they looked amazing. I had a great time and everyone seemed relaxed and to enjoy making a book to take home.
 
And I hope you had a fun filled weekend too, what ever you were doing. I'll be back again tomorrow as part of my 30 day challenge. Bye for now.

Unfortuantly I forgot to charge the battery in my camera. I don't often use my mobile to take photos so the quality of these is lacking. I need to check the settings because I know it can do better than this, but at least I have a few photos to remember my day!

KNIT AND NATTER - A VICAR AND TEA COSIES

Do you ever watch Gogglebox? I confess it is one of my favourite programmes because like Kate Bottley, the vicar who appears regularly, I enjoy relaxing in front of the tv. Apparently she also enjoys a cup of tea while she watches and she never appears in the programme without her teapot on the coffee table.

A sudden thought. Why is it called a coffee table?  We British are known for our tea aren't we?!

Anyway, I digress!  The reason the teapot catches attention is that it always wears a tea cosie. There are ones shaped like elephants, pineapples and a rabbit. Even one that looks like Kate herself! So now, as well as enjoying the programme, I enjoy looking out for the latest tea cosie because they make me smile.
And because I wondered about the story behind these tea cosies I did a Google search. It seems others who watch this programme also noticed Kate's teapot and they started to knit and send in tea cosies.  Here's a link that will tell you a bit more if you are interested. 

Kate and her husband also have a greyhound dog called Buster. If you watch the programme you will know he spend a lot of his time laying on his back in an uncompromising position!  There will be more about dogs in my next Knit and Natter.  Yes, the vintage patterns that I was given have sparked so many memories and thoughts!  

Comments left on previous posts made me smile. It seems I'm not the only one to have family stories about knitted swimwear!  Thank you for sharing and if you have any about vicars or tea cosies I'd love to hear those too!  

And suddenly another memory is triggered! I have my own story about a vicar and swimwear! So before I go I'll quickly tell you about the time a friend went into the sea.  She'd gone with her church on a day trip and there was some refined elderly ladies among the group and the vicar, of course. When she finished her swim she started to walk towards the beach. The vicar and others were gathered on the waters edge when suddenly D realised that one of her boobs was missing! What can a girl do but laugh! D has a wicked sense of humour and so she laughed hysterically, because she makes no qualms about being a breast cancer survivor and wearing a false boob. Inplants were't the thing, back then, and this didn't phase D. Infact I think she delights in having stories like this to tell!