Post 8

This really was taken today, although it looks pretty much the same as the view looked yesterday - it was overcast and cool, but not misty. There were showers throughout the morning, but for the most part it was good to be inside.









This is our group working away in our space - photo courtesy of The Crewel Work Company.



We spent the day in our respective groups progressing our projects. We began the morning by putting in the facial features of our sheep. Nicola was very explicit in her instructions about the eyes, mouth and nose - ensuring we produced a happy sheep. From there we worked some of the face,  before moving on to the leaves on the garlands of flowers surrounding the sheep.


Once again we laughed a lot - and ate rather too much. There was warm orange cake for morning tea, freshly baked biscuits for afternoon tea and potatoes in their jackets with various kinds of salads for a main course.

I finished the day with quite a bit of stitching done - but quite a long way to go. I am so enjoying this. There are no stitches that I don't know, but a number of them demand precision and care.The magnifiers and lights we are using are very good. By the end of the afternoon, as a storm rolled in and the sky darkened, we really needed them.

I am sorry tto have so many unfinished components but I do understand the logic. We need to have covered all components of the work to a level that enables us to move on.

I really love the design and working it is a pleasure. Today I ordered a shaker box with a 10" x 7" oval display panel to mount my finished piece. I have asked for it to be held until I return to Australia. Hopefully it is in stock. I think it is going to work well.

photo from Nicola's slides

At 6pm we gathered for a talk by Nicola on how she came to the design of her Herdwick Sheep. She has been visiting the Lakes District for 8 years. In that time she has photographed sheep and local flora.  A number of these have contributed to her design, as have the distinctive foxgloves growing wild.

We learned a good deal about Beatrix Potter. Most of her books were written when she was in London as a young woman. In the Lakes District she farmed, becoming a passionate advocate for the local herdwick sheep, bought up farmland to prevent it falling into the hands of developer and eventually left it to the nation in the form of national parks.

photo from Nicola's slides.

Photo from Nicola's slides

She was a remarkable woman, rescuing land that had been marshy and flocks of diseased sheep and restoring both the land and the sheep to health.

After Nicola's talk we had dinner - for me a prawn cocktail, salmon and a really lovely dessert. Our dinner discussion ranged over embroidery, family, business, community, marriage, cancer - and loads more. There are debates, discussions, stories, - and cultural comparisons. We are with our tribe.

Tomorrow is our last day working on this project. I'm hoping to get quite a bit more done in the day.

Right now,however, I am falling asleep!