Post 14- Last day of Retreat

The structure today was relaxed and fluid. We began with the teacher of our second project to finish off any techniques we had not fully covered. Then about two thirds of the group went to a Crewel class with Phillipa, working on a charming Red Work Rabbit.

I have some Easter plans for this one.

The remaining third worked on either project and had a chance to ask questions or get individual help.

There were little groups working or getting help.



Michaela blew us all away by revealing that she had been working each night on her first project - Jenny's Hill Top Cottage- long after the rest of us were asleep, and had actually finished it. This is the first fine needlework project Michaela has attempted. She wanted to be sure she could do it while she had Jenny around to ask for advice.

It is beautiful- and a remarkable achievement.


I managed to finish off the guttering, the wisteria, the dense wall creeper, the stone wall and the wall capping.







I'm pretty pleased with that. This year, because both projects are  in hoops rather than slate frames, I have been able to fit them in my suitcase along with a sitting base for a hoop. I'm hoping I will be able to keep working on them in the next phases of my journey.  I have loved both projects. Both involve a range of techniques but have considerable flexibility and opportunity to interpret or adapt.
I love this about both of them.

Jenny's is designed to go in a box with an engraved brass surround. I have ordered the box but not the surround. I'm considering my options on that. For Nicola's I have ordered a shaker box from Australian Needle Arts. It will be delivered within days of my arriving home. It is 10"x7" - perfect.

From about 4.30pm much packing up was going on. I packed my suitcase in preparation to a departure tomorrow morning.

At 6pm we assembled for drinks and canapes. It was lively - conversations everywhere. I did not move around taking photos, but did take photos of those I could easily see.


Dinner was a grand affair, with a four course menu. There were six on my table and they encouraged me to take photos. It was delicious food and beautifully presented. We finished off with the wonderful chocolates made by the partner of one of the hotel staff.








Between courses we had a quiz - focused on Beatrix Potter and the stitches we have worked on.

Our table named ourselves the 475ers - the total of our ages. There were no prizes, which was just as well, as the table that marked our answers could not add up, missing a whole page of our answers!

We finished the evening by thanking the staff. They have been extraordinary - totally service focused, attending to our every need and providing food of a very high quality indeed.


A number of people leave at 7am tomorrow. I have a taxi booked for 10am.

It has been a fabulous 8 days.

Post 13: Happy Place

photo courtesy Phillipa Turnbull

Today all but six of us went to Alan Bank in the morning. The Wordsworths lived here for a couple of years and many of their friends visited. It is now a National Trust Property with lovely grounds, wildlife and views of Grasmere.

We were originally going in the afternoon, but the forecast was for heavy rain so our program was swapped around to beat the rain.

It still rained, but not as heavily as it did in the afternoon.

photo courtesy Phillip Turnbull

Not everyone who went managed to see a a red squirrel, but Phillipa did, and took a couple of lovely photos which she generously offered me to use in this blog.

photo courtesy Phillipa Turnbull

Some people came back to the Ryebeck after Alan Bank, others went shopping in Grasmere.






I was one of the six who stayed behind to stitch. We all kept working on our current projects - three on Jenny's, three on Nicola's.

I focused particularly on the wall, filling in the moss and organic matter between the stones. It was really enjoyable - a  sharing, relaxed, productive time.

I was then able to work the second of the tower primulas (mine looks more like a hollyhock - but who's classifying?)


This is roughly what it looked like by the time everyone returned and we had lunch. Phillipa's daughter and business partner, Laura, had lunch with us. It was lovely to meet her in the flesh.










From 2-5pm we had another session with Jenny and focused mainly on the rhubarb leaves. These were a little tricky. The needle angles and fine spacing of the top and bottom of the blanket stitch determine success.

By 5.20pm I was pretty happy with my day's work - and my eyes could do no more.

I just had time to get my pinot grigio and head into the lounge where we assembled to watch Miss Potter.


I had wanted to see this movie but missed it at the cinema.


I'm glad I did, because this was a marvellous way to see it - in the Lake District, on a pull-down screen, in front of a grey, cloudy, wet Windermere and the lights over our embroidery classroom.

We stopped the movie at 6.55pm when dinner was ready and resumed afterwards, only to find we had stopped it about 3 minutes before the movie ended. It caused much hilarity. There was, however, a substantial and useful supplementary clip of the making of the movie which we watched as well.





Throughout the day there were many discussions about how to make the most of our remaining time, the best way to organise future retreats and what we like best about being together.

For me, this was just about a perfect day - inside in the warm, with good company, stitching what I want, rain outside, good food appearing at regular intervals - topped off by a pretty good film about the woman whose work our embroidery honours while surrounded by her landscape and weather.
                                                                           🙏

Post 12: Carry on Stitching

The wet weather continued this morning, but it makes little difference to most of us here at the Ryebeck. It hasn't stopped the two or three early morning walkers striding around in the rain and damp.

The view from the lounge room window is still charming, and its warm and pleasant inside.

We cracked on with our projects. I discovered I had used the wrong green thread around my windows. One of the great things about both Nicola and Jenny as teachers is their insistence on flexibility and adaptation. Jenny made a comment this morning to that effect that I thought would make a great sampler - but I failed to write it down! I thought it would be great for our South Australian Junior Embroiderers. I have a paper and pen ready to write it down next time.

My window outlines are quite strong. I like them. They remind me of my grandparents house.

Jenny's design has lots of different techniques and challenges. The gate was the first one this morning. I haven't finished it yet but it was fun to do.
Another challenge is the dry stone wall in Herdwick wool. So far I have only tacked the woolly rocks to the wall. Tomorrow's challenge will be working the embroidery on this wall. It is such a clever idea.




We had several demonstrations of techniques throughout today's sessions.









We began the flowers towards the end of the day. I  found the fettuccini thread the hardest to work with. I haven't finished these.

It was another great day of stitching and laughter.

As we were getting ready for our evening lecture, there was a stunning sunset - the first I have noticed since being here. The things that look like fireworks are a reflection of the lights in the dining room as I took it through the window.

Our evening lecture was by  Judith Heelis,  a descendant by marriage of William Heelis, Beatrix Potter's husband. She breeds and farms Herdwick sheep, and gave a presentation on the history and breeding of them. It was really interesting and well-illustrated. She also showed us some photos of Beatrix Potter and then, at the end, showed us some items from her personal collection - costumes, Herdwick carpet  and a magnificent quilt made between 1802 and 1820. She was lively and engaging - especially in relation to the sheep. She so clearly knew what she was talking about. 

I found it a relaxed and enriching day. Tonight people are sitting around talking. A couple are stitching.

For those who are interested, last night at 10.30 pm here (9.30am Adelaide) I rang my Vergola rep to work out how to progress my balcony cover. He is preparing the Council documentation while I am away. On my return he will bring me the contract to sign and submit the Council Approval Documentation. So it is moving forward.

Tomorrow the weather is forecast to storm - perhaps even snow - in the afternoon, so our program has been adjusted . We now go to Alan Bank, a National Trust property where the Wordsworths lived for 2-3 years, in the morning and then stitch in the afternoon. I have decided to stay and stitch in the morning. I am very keen to keep moving on both my projects - and there are only two days left.

Addendum
I almost forgot - I promised to add information about this charming Herdwick rabbit (contradiction in terms?) purchased by Sandra at Cable and Blake in Kendal. Apparently they have lots of interesting things.

Post 11: On to our second project

Today we began our second project - for my group Jenny Adin-Christie’’s Beatrix's Hill Top Garden.

This is quite a different kind of project to Nicola's. We are working on 8” hoops secured on a barrel clamp. We spent the first hour or so setting up the layers of gauze on to which the cottage is printed. We needed to outline the embroidery area, insert Mica pieces in the windows, then align and attach another layer of printed silk before we began embroidering.

Somehow this was not onerous. I was a bit behind the others because I left my scissors and other tools in my room and had to go and get them. It didn't matter. The classes are laid back and Jenny is keen that we de-stress.
I had expected this project to be a lot harder than it has proved so far to be.

The weather was wet again, so it is very pleasant to be inside, looking out on the gloom and hearing the rain on the roof.

I forgot to mention yesterday that I had bought a booklet on Beatrix Potter's study and illustration of mushrooms.  It gives some idea of her knowledge - and of her extraordinary illustrations. Folk at home interested, please ask to borrow it when I return.

There was also a lovely basket of roving from Herdwick Sheep at the Armitt Museum, giving a good illustration of the range of natural colour in the wool.

By the end of today I had managed to finish the roof of the cottage, the window, most of the door and the chimneys. I was pretty pleased with that.

I had also abandoned the table clamp and was using a sit-on hoop. I find working at the table strains my back and neck. I can get better posture and less strain if I sit back in a chair with a seated frame. Many thanks to Kathleen who offered me the use of hers. It made a big difference.





Before dinner Phillipa gave an illustrated talk on British embroideries seen during our retreats. I had seen quite a few of the items, and it was interesting to see them in a larger context. It would be of great interest to many members of my Guild.

Some of the discussion in our group today while stitching or taking breaks has been about why we come on these retreats. The consensus seems to be around being removed from daily pressures, focused on interests we hold in common, and perhaps even more important, the flexibility and adaptability of the tutors. While we learn technique, there is no pressure to conform to a rule book. There is a respect for variation, for adaptation, for creativity and growth. While the tutors are tireless in teaching how there is no expectation of cloning.  It is a hugely respectful environment.

Tonight's post is short. It has been a full day, and I've made a lot of progress on a project I expected to find daunting. I was pleasantly surprised. I should have known better. Jenny works hard to achieve an appropriate level of challenge, enjoyment and success.

I don't underestimate the work it takes to make this happen. The preparation, kits, and organisation are formidable, as is the administration and planning. The benefits, however, are tangible and addictive. One member of my group summed it up by saying that she always goes home from these retreats energised. I think that's right. It isn't just being relaxed, but actually being strengthened and renewed.

It is a great privilege to participate.

Post 10 : Hill Top

Today was excursion day. We set out in three mini-buses at 9.15. It was wet, raining and a little windy.















The driver stopped for me to take a couple of photos. I think he thought I was nuts taking photos through the window, but I like the effect.

Nonetheless, I got a couple of good ones when he stopped. I love the trees in this early Spring landscape.














At Hill Top we visited the shop and walked along the path to Beatrix Potter's house. I have been before - so tried not to take the same photos!

This grandfather clock photo is for Ed - not because it featured in The Taylor of Gloucester, but because he likes clocks. I also have a postcard of the face.

 We are less inclined I think, to buy china that commemorates heros - but maybe I've missed them.

There are several spinning wheels - although Beatrix Potter apparently did not herself much like spinning.

I rather liked the working farm - viewed through a gate as it was marked as strictly out of bounds to visitors.


From Hill Top we walked 600 yards to Sawrey House, where we had coffee, then lunch. It was lovely just sitting in their tea room looking over the landscape.

 The sun struggled out a few times and it looked pleasant from inside the tea room. It was, however, quite cold and a little windy.




It did not seem to bother the sheep.






















From there, after lunch, our buses took us to the Armitt Museum in Ambleside. Set up by three Armitt sisters, this was originally a subscription reference library. It later became a Museum to house a collection of Roman Artifacts found locally - along with a collection of Beatrix Potter's watercolours of similar finds in London. We were fortunate to have booked a talk on Beatrix Potter illustrated by items from the Museum. He talked in particular about her scientific work, the limits placed on her success by gender restrictions and her shift from studying, illustrating and writing her own scientific observations to writing and illustrating children's books. The Museum has hundreds of Beatrix Potter's exquisite illustrations of fungi - and we got to see a dozen or more at very close quarters.


Our guide also produced a box of "Langdale Lace". It had not been opened for some time and not all the contents were Langdale linen, or Ruskin lace. Some of them were, however, lovely.


















The Museum has other interesting items. I liked the collection of flints and rocks.





It was sunnier on our journey home, although there was snow on the high fells.




We got back to the Ryebeck after 3pm. Everyone seemed to agree it had been good to get out - as a break from intensive stitching, but also to immerse ourselve in Beatrix country.


There is a lot more I could write about what we learned today, but I will miss the email deadline if I take longer - and I am also falling asleep!
On our return (and after coffee and cake) I and a couple of others stitched our Herdwick sheep until dinner was served. Tomorrow we swap tutors and start a new project. I would like to finish my Herwick (just the sheep, not the surrounding flora) before I leave here. I think now this might be possible.

Another really satisfying day.