Can't wait to hear how it all went. I wish I'd live closer and could join you.

Lorchen

The dedication is on this coming sunday, I will be there, with my camera and will put photos up next week of the frontal , in situ. One bit of amusement, on the roll call of who helped with it, is Compo - my parents skye terrier; he managed to put his paw on the sewing machine pedal and stitched about 1/4" by himself his bit is visible when you look as the stitches are closer together due to the speed it went at. Do we have a section on stitching by pets yet?

I hope you got your cut finger properly cleaned, and your tetnus is up to date, it would be dreadful if it got any worse than just sore. Hope you are feeling better soon Amo.

Rosemary

Coo It's gone all quiet on here!!

How did the dedication go Posy?

I've been busy catching up on the garden since coming back and I have lots of scratches, splinters and nettle stings all over my hands. Just to top things off today I managed to cut rather badly into the top of my finger with the secateurs. I'm avoiding stitches in it at the moment but having to be careful. So poorly, sore hands and quilt club tomorrow where it's all hand work! Eek!!

Hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine!

That is a beautiful piece of work Posy. Congratulations on the completion!!! I guess we all add a little to history but that's adding notable history to a community, fab!

I had my first workshop on Tuesday. It was doing textured landscapes with Jenni Rayment and it was great. Bob the Bernina behaved strapped in the front seat which I was pleased about. There was lots of stripping and ripping and sewing and natter of course. I'll be putting the picture in the profile bit later.

OH has been feeling rather poorly just lately but yesterday he was up for a bit of a drive around so he took me on a round tour to a couple of quilting shops on the other side of Dorset so we had somwhere to aim for. Wasn't that sweet of him!!

I am certainly planning on going, by myself as well , I am just waiting for confirmation that it is on.
I am also planning on putting together a photo-story about the restoration, as part of my current computer course 'The Moving Image' I am doing with Hull uni. so I need some extra photos of the church etc. to go in it. The previous course of 'The Digital Educator' has helped me to find my way around the web and computer with a bit more confidence, since I only got online just before xmas and it helped me to find my way here .

Rosemary

Can you make it to the service, Rosemary?

Lorchen

Further to the alter frontal, I've just posted labels to Mum to sew onto the back, it took 1903 hours and that doesn't include all the thinking time which was also involved.
Thanks for all the nice comments from you all, I will be sure to pass them on. The frontal and superfrontal should be rededicated on Sun 28 June, which is the date of the Patronal service of the chruch.

Back to quilting - Amo was asking about courses we've been on, well I went on one with Lillian Hedley, I think it was in 2001, about North Country quilts and how to draw them up. We particularly covered drawing penny feathers and how they originally made templates using house hold objects. She is an excellent teacher. The Bowes Museum is also wonderful and I am trying to get back there, but no luck so far

Rosemary

Rosemary, I can't understand how the congregation could be unsupportive or unimpressed by your work on the altar cloth -- it's amazing! I'm so glad you restored it, sometimes the oldies really are the best. Just put your work up to God, I guess, he knows you did a good job! Hope I get to see it in person some day, I'll add it to my list of fantasy destinations! Kathy B. (in the US)

Lorchan, Merena(mum) is hoping to have it all finished so that it can be re-dedicated at St Peter's tide this year which is at the end of June, as it is for the church of Sts Peter and Paul, Buckingham. The original embroidery/design is from about 1923. The church itself was built in the 18th century, with additional work done on it by Gilbert Scott, who I believe was born in the vicarage there. I am about to organise a label to be stitched onto the back with the revelant details for posterity.

The Elizabeth Hoare collection is already on our list of places to visit sometime. Originally the collection was kept in the Hoare family's bank vaults, until they ran out of room and wanted the space for paying customers, if I remember rightly .

Rosemary

Please, Rosemary, tell your Mum that I'm mega impressed. That altar frontal looks superb. Are they going to have a special ceremony to install/dedicate it? Where is the church? And is it an old or a modern one?

Just a tip: If you and/or your Mum are ever in the Liverpool area, check out the Anglican Cathedral. It houses the Lady Elizabeth Hoare Collection of Ecclesiastical Embroideries. It's right up under the roof of the cathedral, and there is a fantastic variety of items, including altar hangings. A lot of the pieces are goldwork. Not everything is on display. When I went I had the opportunity to also look at some of the stored pieces (and handle them - with gloves on). It was an amazing visit.

Lorchen

Hello everyone.
I've only just found where you all disappeared to( missed Amo's link somehow ) Then I spent 5 days with my parents helping my mum to put together an alter frontal (9 foot by 31 1/2 inches), she has just spent the last 5 years repairing and transfering the original 1920's embroidery onto new silk damask, with not much encouragement or interest from the congregation. It is an amazing piece of work for someone who claims not to be much of a sewer just a retired chemist. I'll put photos on my profile 'in a minute', just got to go and feed the ravening hoard called family

Yours in the cause

Rosemary

Well, success at last! After 5 more go's, asked dh who was sat next to me, and you guessed it, he got it in two! course, he had easier letters to see,

Lynn

No spaces, Lynn.

Lorchen

Ok lorchen, that
Thanks will have another go, are there any spaces ? Or are they just spread out? Lynn