In which I see many interesting things

 We went away in the caravan for two nights last weekend as it was a bank holiday weekend.  Just to a small site about 10 miles from our storage yard, on a working farm.  The site itself was fine (although we had noisy neighbours), and we had a nice walk around the village of Grandborough and a drink at the local pub on the first day.  The second day we went for a longer walk around part of Draycote Water (a large reservoir) and the nearby very attractive village of Dunchurch and neighbouring Thurlaston.  There were several adorable thatched cottages in Dunchurch.

On our way back along the dam towards the car park, we began to notice a huge ruckus that had started up behind the treeline.  We couldn't see what it was but it sounded like hundreds of engines.  DH started saying "it sounds like tanks" and I was like 'don't be silly, it's probably construction'.  We yielded to temptation and took a side path out of the reservoir park through the tree belt, only to emerge into a giant area of fields just as a convoy of actual military tanks went careening past on the dirt track. But the drivers and passengers obviously weren't soldiers.  We hailed the man guarding the crossing who told us that it was a big event called Tanks, Trucks and Firepower 'the Midlands premier living history and military show'.  Well this is right up DH's alley so we bought tickets and spent a few enjoyable (and hot)  hours wandering around the site taking it all in, and having lunch from the food stalls.  It's not my thing but it's still very engaging to see so many collectors and people passionate about their hobby, getting to literally play with the big guns and big trucks.

And very unexpectedly, on a trade stall selling mostly military paraphernalia plus a few antiques, there was a pile of fat quarters of fabric! and when I asked the price, it was 6 for £10 which is extremely cheap nowaday for the UK - FQs seem to be mostly £2.50 and upwards to £4.50 depending on the fabric.  And these feel like they are decent quality. So I was happy.  I also bought a vintage chintz sandwich plate.

And that night, from our campsite, we were able to watch the event's firework display which was quite impressive.  Apart from the noisy neighbours, it was quite a nice break and we felt very relaxed on the way home.  

On Wednesday I headed down to London for the afternoon, primarily to catch the '150 years of the Royal School of Needlework' exhibition at the Fashion & Textile Museum before it closed. I wasn't sure what to expect but ended up quite enjoying it.  There was a huge variety of items on display from throughout their history, everything from royal coronation robes through to 30s lingerie (apparently a best selling item for the RSN at the time) up to contemporary artworks.

This was a huge applique picture the RSN made in the 1980s for a corporate commission - it appears to be raw edge applique accentuated with embroidery stitches.

A stumpwork and applique picture made in 2014 by Deborah Wilding on the theme of the Princess and the Pea.

Alice in Wonderland themed cards made by Rachel Doyle in 2009,

completely stitched apart from the tiny key.

Lingerie pieces by current second year students, inspired

by some of the vintage 1930s lingerie collection.

I appear to have missed photographing the label but I think this was a throw

made for Queen Mary (known as 'May'). Interestingly, the text said that throws

such as this - which is about pram size - were used to cover up things, for

example underwear layed out on a bed ready for an outfit. I immediately

had visions of covering up all the untidyness in my bedroom with a few quilts :)

I'm not normally a contemporary textile person, but this 3D interpretation by

Hisae Abe in 2020 of her mother's wedding kimono was pretty cool. Basically

she is interpreting an elaborate Japanese 2D floral fabric as a 3D textured creation.

I bought a little kit for a sewing roll in the museum gift shop

After the Fashion museum, I travelled over by very hot and stuffy Tube to the V&A museum and went in to the 'Beatrix Potter: Drawn to Nature' exhibition where I was surprised to find this 1863 quilt which I'd never heard of - I guess the Quilter's Guild hasn't recreated it yet perhaps.  It was made for the wedding of Beatrix Potter's parents, possibly by her mother with sisters and friends.  It's in velvets, silks and cottons and decorated with embroidery.  I couldn't tell if it had wadding in it or not. It's in the collection of the National Trust.

It felt strange to be back in London.  I worked there for 25 years up until 2015, but already I could see so many changes.  It didn't feel familiar any longer.  I visited a few other exhibits and galleries in the V&A, then trucked along to High Street Kensington to visit Japan House to see what it was like (I get their emails but had never visited) - very Japanese as you might expect.  I was tired then so headed back to St Pancras to kill time in the shops there until my train left.

I finally got around to unpacking the dollshouse miniatures haul from a few weeks ago, I took some photos then put it all away in the dollshouse room. The porch kit has joined my long list of kits awaiting assembly. I think it might make a cute Christmas vignette.

I've been preparing for my Italy trip in a few weeks - researching sights and printing out maps etc. I'm very much old school about having hard copies rather than relying on a device I could lose, break or have die on me. With all the flight cancellations, I'm half expecting  my airline to change my flight again - they've already moved it from Luton to Gatwick airport.  Hopefully I will still be able to get there and back as planned.

My Japanese teacher, who is in her early 40s, told me this week how much she respects that someone "of my generation" is trying to learn a language and how it has inspired her to keep on with studying English - which made me feel older than the dinosaurs as well as doomed to failure due to incipient decrepitude. She meant it kindly and respectfully I know, but it still made me wince - smiling on the outside but crying a little on the inside!