Self-isolation Day2: Quilts & Midsummer Pouch

After posting my blog last night I progressed the Muncaster Orange a little. It is so relaxing. Thought I'd leave the Midsummer's Pillowe additions until the morning.

I got to bed  and sleep around midnight, waking, inevitably, around 4am.  I read a little, and realised I was just a little cold, so put my dressing gown over the quilt, thinking it might be time to move from the summer to the winter quilt.  One of the articles I read in this waking interlude was a doctor's advice on staying healthy in face of the virus threat. Her first advice was that those getting 8 hours sleep are more likely to resist infections than those getting 4 hours sleep.  I put away my iPad.

Next thing I knew it was 10.30am!



Clearly my first job was to change over to my winter quilt.  I washed the summer one and, eventually hung it out to dry.

My Winter quilt is in the process of being repaired. The wadding began to work its way through the rows of quilting on the black overhang, so during Summer I have been covering the overhang with more hexies. I have finished two of the four sides and begun the third.

So the Winter quilt is now on my bed partially renovated.


This is another possible occupation for the next 12 days' isolation!



I had a lovely long conversation with one of my daughters and spent some time trying to register for an online grocery delivery. I seem to be registered and have compiled an order, but need to wait until the company confirms I am a priority customer by virtue of my isolation. It wasn't an easy process, with long delays as the site was evidently under pressure. There is nothing urgent about this, but I thought it wise to see if I can organise a grocery delivery service - in case the Australian government extends home isolation to all over 70s for a longer period, as in UK and NZ.

A neighbour, via email, has been helping me work out how to deal with my rubbish disposal as well as advice on alternate home grocery deliveries. Again, it's great to know help is at hand.

I am also glad that I spent the last 15 years of my working life doing most of my work and interactions online. I am very comfortable with online connection and community. I don't feel isolated when I have constant online interaction.

By mid-afternoon I has added the last embellishments to Nicola's Midsummer's Pillowe and was able to begin the construction of my pouch.

I added the zip first, then stitched the sides to create the bag.

Then the lining.







I'm pleased with the result.

I think both the backing and lining fabrics work well.





For the moment I have stored my filament silks in the pouch.  It keeps them together and means they are more accessible to me than in the Yazzii bag with other silks and metallics.




I heated duck breasts for dinner - one hot tonight with salad and another to have cold tomorrow.

Sunset tonight began with little promise but then turned quite spectacular.

Sometimes that's how it goes.
Now for more Muncaster Orange!

Self-Isolation Day 1: Not so isolated

It’s so great to be home. I’ve had a slow, steady day without pressure, catching up and doing a bit of planning.

I slept pretty well. Went to bed around 11.30pm, awake for 30-40 minutes around 4am, back to sleep until my phone buzzed at 8.30am. It was my granddaughter telling me her mum had dropped my food parcel outside my door! Delicious breakfasts of muesli with watermelon, grapes, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, nectarines and strawberries. And the surprise in the parcel - the first Bravo apples of the season - Yay!  Now hoarding those I'd understand.

The emails about services cancelled, adapted, redesigned, or on hold kept coming. As did messages from friends offering assistance. I had lengthy phone calls with my brother and couple of friends and chats with daughters. If I missed your call I will get back to you soon. And thank you retreaters and blog-followers for messages - I'll answer soon.

I read as much news as I could bear, did the washing (it always feels good to wash the things I’ve been washing at night for weeks  in hotel wash-basins), hung it out, looked at my mail and watered my plants. I also had appointments to postpone because of my self-isolation.

My back balcony wall garden is thriving. It looks to the East and gets morning sun.


My washing line is on this balcony. Everything dried in the afternoon.

My front balcony looks West and was likewise healthy. Clearly we didn’t get too many days over 30C while I was away. One frangipani is in bloom. Thanks to family for watering while I was away.








This balcony looks over the Square and the street, so I can wave to people without breaking  isolation rules!












I had hoped to spend much of today constructing projects from Stratford. That was a bit hopeful. There was too much news to catch up on. 

I did, however, make a few decisions.

From the fabric I bought from the Royal Shakespeare Theatre I chose two pieces to use with Nicola’s Midsommer Pillowe. I hope to use the shiny black as the pouch back and the blue as lining.

All opinions are welcome!

The black serge and beige flannel are, I think, too heavy. 

I then searched my stash of beads and embellishments to find replacements for the beads and sequins I mislaid (=lost). I found some I think will work. Might get those on tonight. Then I can construct tomorrow.

right hand placement

Then  I had a go at deciding where on my crewelwork chair I might put the Muncaster Orange when it’s finished. I think it might work on the left hand placement - but I’m not sure. I need to decide before I tackle the bow.

Left hand placement

I’m afraid this self-isolation blog extension may not be very exciting - but there should be more doing activity in future.

There is a lot to process in terms of the changes we are all experiencing. I have many offers of help and enough supplies to get me through 14 days ( fruit will run out before then but I could manage without if I had to, and family and friends will come to my aid). What of those without support? Those without income? Without money? 

I am worried about two friends on the Costa Victoria -currently in the Suez Canal headed to Venice, apparently being told the best plan is to discharge them in Venice on 27 March. No intermediate ports accepting them. Neither are in great health. I haven't been able to contact them.

In the meantime, I am focusing on what I CAN do. I have some episodes of Agatha Raisin to catch up on, family and friends to stay in touch with, blogs to write,  lots of enticing projects to finish (and start!) - oh, and sunsets to watch.

How privileged!

Day 8: Excursions

Today we split into groups for visits. A few stayed behind to stitch. I went with a group to the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and Anne Hathaway's Cottage.

At the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Shakespeare Centre in Henley Street the textile curators had selected seven items for us to look at. There was a Bible with embroidered cover, a psalter, a man's cap, three coifs and a woman's court jacket, all dating between 1600 and 1630.  All were exquisite. While I have photos for my own study, they are not for publication.

We were fortunate to have with us Sarah Thursfield and Jessica Grimm, both with enormous expertise in textiles and clothing of this era. They commented on the pieces. Their interaction with the curators provided a rich and privileged experience for us. I will be happy to talk in more detail to interested members of the Embroiderers' Guild of SA.


The views from the windows of the Shakespeare Centre were in themselves worth going for. I love the landscapes of sky, cloud, brick and trees.











At this time of year the trees are sculptural skeletons. We didn't get to see this courtyard close-up but it looked interesting from above.




I find rooftops and chimneys in England irresistible.


These were all taken from the windows of the room in which we examined the embroideries.

































Next door to the Shakespeare Centre is the Moorcroft Centre with it's window that enticed quite a few of our group inside.

They were discouraged, however, by the reminder outside of human folly.





Taxis took us from here to Anne Hathaway's Cottage, where Spring is in the air.


















I didn't take the tour inside the cottage, preferring to explore the grounds and, of course, the shop.


The cottage is much as I remember it.  It was, I think, January 1985 that I was last here, but I  presume it has not much changed.























I don't, however remember this structure in the garden. It certainly didn't play recitals of the Sonnets as it does now.


We returned to our hotel for lunch, after which some went on to Shakespeare's New Place, which is a stone's throw from our hotel. I chose to do more work on my Midsummer Pillowe. I have some time next week to catch up on things I might have missed in Stratford.


I spent most of the afternoon stitching in the company of a few others - mostly also working on the Midsummer Pillowe.





I finished Oberon and made good progress on Titania. Tomorrow we start on our second project, and I will struggle to work on this much further.


Before dinner Laura made a presentation about the Appleby Festival and St Andrew's Retreat next year. Much excitement in the group and food for thought. I'm not sure what I want/will be able to do.


Two of our number have been called away because of deaths in their immediate families in the last 24 hours. Our sympathies are with them both. It was a sobering note on what was otherwise, for most of us, an interesting and thought-provoking day. A blog post does not capture the interactions and empathy that is generated in the company of like-minded people.

Day 6: Solid stitching & Hall’s Croft

Today was a day of solid stitching. The weather was pretty pleasant.

I enjoy breakfast at the Arden. The meusli is good, there's plenty of fruit and a decent selection of hot food cooked to order.  I got there soon after 7.30. People drift in over the next hour and catch up. By 8.20 I was in our work room and stitching.

Our room gets good sunlight. By mid-afternoon there are shadows and I used a light. I also swapped my barrel clamp for a seat frame, which was an improvement. It means I can sit back and sit straight. Nevertheless, my body protested a bit today.  I needed to stretch my back and eyes several times.

I  progressed Titania and we moved on to Moonbeam the dragonfly.






That had numerous challenging components. We are all progressing at roughly the same pace. We get very personalised attention and the conversation is relaxed, considerate and reflective.  We have known each other for a while and there is a level of trust.


I made a few errors today, and undid small amounts. It is a really lovely design to work on - and I just want to keep on with it.








My body however, called a halt today after six and a half hours of stitching.

I began on Oberon - but didn't get very far. I was feeling very physically tired.

We were scheduled to have canapes at the Shakespeare Trust at 5.30, then dinner at Hall's Croft - some distance apart. I  begged off the canapes but planned to walk the 400 yards or so to Hall's Croft to join the group for dinner. I had not seen Hall's Croft in the daylight and walked past it in the dark.


When I retraced my steps I couldn't work out how to get inside. There may be a carpark entrance off another street, but I couldn't find it. Rather than hang around in the dark and hope some of the group were not already inside,






I walked back to the Arden, retrieved my embroidery from our workroom, sent Laura a text message explaining my absence,

ate the fruit in my room and progressed my Midsummer Pillowe while watching Poirot. I had, after all, had rather a lot to eat at both breakfast and lunch.









I have progressed Moonbeam - might finish it before I go to bed.

From my point of view, a very satisfactory day.