Day12: Crewel Orange , Holy Trinity and I win a prize

We had free choice today of whether we took a formal class with Phillipa, caught up on things we were unsure of with tutors, visited other tutors, or generally hung out.
I chose to spend the morning in Phillipa's class embroidering an orange. It was a lot of fun and very satisfying. It is such an "ah" moment to see the colours blending and forming a unified whole. I look forward to working on this next week after I have finished my plaited braid stitch! The colours are so rich and rewarding.

This will, I'm sure, fill a gap in my crewel chair.
After lunch the shop was open for the last time. I bought two pieces of Phillipa's specially woven linen. I came intending to buy this so I can contribute to the many discussions at the Embroiderers' Guild of SA about linens. It isn't an area where I feel qualified to comment, but I would like to introduce these linens into the discussion.

I also bought a scissor chatelaine. I admire the way Christine Bishop carries hers this way at the Guild, so thought I'd try (ignoring the 12-15 pairs of scissors I already have in scissor keeps, with scissor fobs !)

I spent a bit of time putting some of the sequins and beads on Titania, from Nicola Jarvis's Midsummer Pillowe class earlier in the week. I am nervous about (1) losing the beads in the kit, (2) dropping or pinging them around the room while using them and (3) forgetting which go where. I still have a few to go. I hope to finish it in my new hotel tomorrow. I packed it up to walk down to Holy Trinity Church and meet Melody, so we could see the interior we were unable to see last Saturday.

It isn't a large church and Shakespeare, unsurprisingly features strongly in what it has on display. It is the church where Shakespeare was baptised, married and buried.


It was late afternoon, raining as I walked there, but the sun came out and filled the church with light and shadows.

In terms of architecture I liked the roof best.

However, my favourite element was by far the kneelers - big chunky ones embroidered with text, illustrated text or environmental images

There were lovely long ones in the choir stalls with psalms.




My favourites were the three in the prayer chapel, two in needlepoint and the last in silk.
















There was also some  notable stonework detail. I like the angels - they'd make great embroideries.









Then there are the miseracords - the mercy seats provided for ailing monks and other clerics who could not stand for the whole service.

These are truly beautiful - and numerous.

I only photographed those in easy reach of my camera. I liked the creatures and plants but there are many storied - sacred and secular - represented in the misericords.


I might go back during the week to have a more extensive look.

It must be a bit of a burden for a church to have to focus so closely on Shakespeare. They have used his association with the church very positively to educate visitors in historical practices. There are boards explaining, for example, marriage practices in Shakespeare's time, using his daughter's wedding as an example. These boards tell about his funeral, broadening it to funeral practices in general.


His grave - and the graves of his family - have a prominent place inside the church.



The Clapton Chapel is a side-chapel, full of tombs of the Clapton family. It was a Lady Chapel until the Reformation, after which the Clapton family kept it going and were buried there.





To me, it creates an atmosphere of death in the church. I'm sure there is a lively congregation. Almost for the first time in an English church, I felt a sense of a dead past, rather than a current congregation and church life.  It was interesting and much of it beautiful - but the past weighs heavy. The past is always present in a church, but it doesn't usually dominate.








The pulpit belies this





and the light from the windows in the very late afternoon gives hope.



















At 6pm we gathered in the dining area for farewell drinks and canapes. There were thanks to the wonderful tutors and helpers. After dinner we thanked the kitchen staff, who have been truly terrific. The food has been superb and the service without fault. 




We also had a preview of the Muncaster hanging, stitched by Harriet. Extraordinary. So lovely to see.

At the end of the evening Richard drew a name out of a bag to win a £100 Crewel Work Company voucher. For your name to be in the hat you had to have returned your feedback form.

To my total astonishment it was my name! Wow!

It has been such a good 8 days. Amongst this group of people I find my tribe. We recognise each other, share not just embroidery, but values and experiences. We pick up where we left off and connect to each other in very fundamental ways.

I'm so glad I came.