Wednesday, 2 July 2025

What’s on your workdesk Wednesday- Nothing



Since our return from the Lake District I settled into a round of taking folk to their hospital appointments Then on Friday we packed our bags once again, filled the Beast with petrol and set off for a few days in Haworth, Yorkshire , home to the Brontë family.

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Our weekend away was a gift from our special friends Jacqui and John, not forgetting little Poppy dog, for my 70th in August.



We stayed in a beautiful Bed and Breakfast in the heart of Haworth.  It’s run by a friendly couple who can’t do enough for their guests.  Everything was tip top.


It was a perfect excuse to go in one of my favourite shops and replenish my soap stash. The Curiosity Society is filled with gorgeous perfumes and books 




It was lovely to see all the old cottages, shops and cobbled streets of Haworth.  Next time we will visit the Brontë Museum.



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On the way home there was time for a stop off at an antique centre.  We had a browse round but didn’t buy anything as our house is already like something of one of those telly programmes they make about hoarders.



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I need to have a massive sort out at home this week as I’ve got some special visitors coming for the day and they are coming to see my studio after it was featured in Where Women Create magazine last year


So there’s no desk here this week and no more gallivanting about for a bit or will there be ? Heehee

Thanks for popping by 
Lynn 



Wednesday, 25 June 2025

An old mill and lots of arts and crafts


June is flying by and it’s been a packed one so far.  Since my last post we have visited Media City at Salford to see the National Portrait Gallery immersive exhibition Stories Brought To Life.

You get caught up in a moving room full of people from history and present times.  Take a look at the link I’ve attached.  Expect to see and hear the voices of Queen Elizabeth, Winston Churchill, David Bowie, Amy Winehouse, to name just a few


We then walked round the corner to the Lowry Centre for an excellent exhibition of L S Lowry’s work and another immersive event. This time a short film of his painting The Match Day set in Bolton, Lancashire.


Last week we had five days at our caravan in the Lakes.  We spent a day at Farfield Mill at Sedburgh where we chatted to artists and makers in their studios.
Here’s some pics I took of their work and an exhibition 


Dissolved fabric and thread by Rachel Morrell


Below is Mixed media artist Wendy Ann Stanger’s stitched appliqué.  She dyes her own fabrics and papers from plants in her garden as does Rachel Morrell





Here’s some pics of the weaving looms and the mill






The current exhibition is of Sue Bibby’s stitched storytelling




I loved the tiny stitched birds



There are tons more pics I could show you.  I hope these have inspired you in some way.


Work desk wise I have done a bit of meditative stitching that goes alongside our current prompt of Pattern over at the No Rules Textile Society


I better shut up now or Sarah will be throwing me out of the What’s on your Workdesk Wednesday gang.

Take care and thanks for popping by 
Lynn 
xx


I look like I’ve had my leg amputated on the first picture with friends Marilyn and Terry at Bardsea just after we’d eaten massive ice cream cones  








Wednesday, 18 June 2025

Vintage and antique textile joy

I’m here again……..   there’s so much going on this year.  It’s my 70th birthday in August and I’m not one for big parties, much preferring to do lots of different things with friends and family.  Hence why my 2025 diary is so full. 

The weekend of 7th/8th June saw us out for a meal and catch up with our good friends Jacqui and John.  They are taking us to Haworth in Yorkshire for a weekend treat for my birthday.  We will be visiting the Brontë House, which I’ve wanted to do for ages.  There’ll be lots of good food, wine and laughter I’m sure.


Lunch was at The Malthouse at Ripponden
Lovely pub grounds


Sunday we took ourselves off to the Vintage Home Show at Victoria Baths, Manchester.
The wandering welder found himself a little tie pin that he put in his lapel



The original changing rooms



Events are now held in the old swimming pool




It’s an amazing building to visit at anytime 


We next moved on to the annual Antique Textile Fair at Fallowfield and Mr Dapper Chap struck gold
when he came across an almost new pair of Loakes brogues for £25. They are £300 new.


Then he came across a woollen 70’s waistcoat made here in Great Britain. He paid £15, a bargain.



If you’ve never been to The Textile Society event I can definitely recommend it if only to
ooh and aah over all the fabrics, outfits and accessories. The folk who attend look amazing as well.



I couldn’t resist this 1930’s French Passementerie sample book.
The trader has a shop in France and spends the summer attending UK fairs and Brocantes.
I know my No Rules Textile gals will go mad for it.



I came away with a Victorian childs nightie for £2.  I’m planning on adding stitches and appliqué to it.  I may even dip dye the bottom.  This A4 print of puff sleeved garments appealed to me. I’ll be adding it to the current display on my studio wall.

That’s it for this week.  There plenty more events to come next week including an immersive art show at Media City in Manchester.  Take care and have a good week.  

Thanks for popping by.
Lynn xx

Linking up with 
What’s on your workdesk Wednesday 




Wednesday, 11 June 2025

The beginning of June

Wow how the year is flying by and in the Holland household the months have been jam packed with good stuff. We don’t give the bad stuff headspace here.

Saturday the 1st June I took myself off for the day to Bolton’s Festival of Stitch.  A whole day of talking textiles and nobody  to think about but myself.  Bliss.


I caught up with lovely friend and very talented textile artist Catherine Hill.  We were treated to a talk about her career, family, inspiration and influences for her work.  She captured all our attention with stories of life in north west industrial England,  her mother’s recipes and childhood memories.  All of which are captured in Catherine’s red stitched pieces.







The first speaker was someone I’ve admired and wanted to meet for a long time, paper and stitch artist Jennifer Collier.





Every piece is made from recycled papers.






Jennifer also had us spellbound as she explained her work process and her ideas.  Who knew that paper could be manipulated so beautifully. What a talent.


The third speaker was Diana Morrison.  She works with dyes and machine stitch, layering up fabric to create exhibition pieces.



This collar was created in response to the antique textiles at Gawthorpe Hall in Lancashire.


I booked myself on a printing workshop run by Wendy Roby at Stockport in August.




What we’ve been to see…….

I read the book quite some time ago and the follow up,  The Wild Silence.  This is a true story about a couple who lost everything they owned through no fault of their own. Following a diagnosis of a terminal illness Moth and his wife Ray take to walking the coastal path and we learn of their joy and pain along the way. I can strongly recommend it as a wonderful sensitive film that will touch your heart.  I’m hoping they will make a sequel.

I’ll be back next week with stories of our day at the Vintage Home Show and Antiques Textile Fair in Manchester.  For now though I’ve got to get my skates on as we are off to the National Portrait Gallery at Media City in Salford, for an immersive experience with some famous folk through time.

Linking up with Whats on your Workdesk Wednesday