Linen Project, Heron Corn Mill, Beetham

 Last year Heron Corn Mill, Beetham provided  seeds for people to grow flax  as part of a heritage project exploring the flax industry  in Cumbria from the Middle Ages.

When grown the flax was  harvested and the fibres woven into a narrow linen material which you can see on the embroidery frame below. 

You can also see some of the threads coloured with the plant based dyes.

 

 The mill asked for volunteers to embroider some of the dye plants that had been used to colour the threads.

Sandra volunteered and chose madder  as her dye plant.

She designed her Madder plant set within a loose frame, with a Medieval dyer at work.

Part of the frame was a range of sample colours obtained from madder varying from pale colours to pinky reds. 

The root is the important part of madder used for dyeing and so that was given prominence.

The Medieval dyer is using madder to dye threads and cloth.

The bottom edge was decorated with Medieval beasts using a range of plant dyed linen threads.

The title madder was embroidered

The finished panel is below.

 

Tomten Janet Tabarandak November Meeting 2020

Happy Christmas Tomte 

Mary has now made the flag for her Tomte to wish her granddaughter and fiance a Happy Christmas. What a lovely idea and I am sure they will both enjoy it.

Thanks Mary.
 

 

Bejewelled Tomten

 

Anne has made two Tomten with very bejewelled and sparkly hats. I like the idea of the tassell hanging on the girl's hat.

Thank you Anne and they will provide colour and sparkle in your house at Christmas.

A Bobbly Tomte 

 Joanna has made a very Christmassy Tomte with a very bobbly hat.

He is sure to brighten up  her house at Christmas. 

Than you Joanna, he looks super and I love all those bobbles.
 

The Head Gardener Tomte

Janet has turned her Tomte into a Head gardener and sometime in the future he will have a fork and spade. I love his whiskers and his wonderfully decorated hat.

Thank you Janet for sharing him with us.
 

Blue and Red Tomte 

Sandra has just finished her girl Tomte for her great niece. She has double sewed and glued and sewed again so that little fingers can't pull bits off!!!!!

Here are the two Tomten together.

 

Sandra says she will send them to the children soon so they can decorate their bedrooms with them. She hopes they like them.

Thank you Sandra.

Dark Green Tomte 

This Tomte with a dark green hat is going to be used to carry a Christmas card for a member of Mary's family. She modified the pattern so that he had arms to hold the card. There is some delicate 

 silver embroidery on his hat.

Thank you Mary and I am sure anyone will be pleased to receive him at Christmas.

 Green Tomte

Maureen has just finished making her Tomte and he looks very smart in green with a snow white beard.. There is some very pretty embroidery on his hat.

Thank you Maureen and he will look very pretty as part of your Christmas decorations.

 Red and Green Tomte

Sandra has finished making her first Tomte which is for her great nephew. She said it was great fun and has already cut out her second one for her great niece.

 

The second Tomte will be a girl with plaits and a slightly different hat.

Thank you Janet for introducing us to Tomten and the fun of making them.

Instructions for Tomten

 

Requirements list for Tomten 

Robin

 Denise has sent us a delightful photograph of a robin on her allotment. She had placed a worm on a post and then the robin took it to eat in secret, under the sage bush, away from another robin.

 Robins seem to get extra cheeky at this time of the year as they follow us around the garden hoping we will dig up something good for them to eat.

Thanks Denise for a lovely photograph.