Tea Cosy Heaven

Yes, it's me, Botkin, it may have looked as if I left my shoes on the jetty in Florida and disappeared a la Reggie Perrin, but in fact nothing so extreme, I'm just here in Kew, ensconsed in a tea cosy making mania. It must be to do with life "out there" being totally strange and alien, and everyone seems in a jumpy frame of mind, and I absolutely believe there's nothing quite like a nice cup of tea ...... here's one in progress (now finished) there's more on the way ...... watch this space ...... Visit us at Kew Fete on Saturday 19th June ..... though if the world carries on like this I might just take to my bed under Sam's "Bed of Roses" - isn't it just so gorgeous - and not emerge until the world has sorted itself out. Adieu xxx

Our Bed of Roses in a Gypsy Caravan....

Finished "Our Bed of Roses" yesterday... looks a bit lovely... if I say so meself... I feel a Gypsy Caravan theme coming upon me... I aim to follow this through with some bolster cushions and bedroom wallhangings and other stuff with blowsy roses and bright and sometimes clashing colours...here are a few photos which do not do it justice - the lighting was all wrong, the green of the blanket looks a lot fresher and more that particular shade of green I always think of as "1930s green".. but you can get the overall impression. There is a photo of a tea cosy cover (unpadded) I made for myself in ticking - Victorian style. Also I photographed my bedroom muse Isadora - who is dressed rather in the Gypsy Caravan theme this spring.. in a bright chintz 1930s gown weighted down with a collection of necklaces and a silk corsage...Roxy has made two wonderful tea cosies "Builders" and "Bankers" which we hope to have photos of next week.. they have already had "first dibs" put on them by a friend of hers but she will be making more!....

Stitching til our fingers bleed...

Galliers here. We are now fully paid up stallholders to be at both Kew Fete on Kew Green 19th June and Barnes Fair on Barnes Green 10th July. Now we just have to make stuff to put on them!...... I am halfway through another "skirt-into-bag" - a lovely bit of magenta cashmere with handfelted flowers beads and embroidery... also into a bedroom "comforter", or small bedquilt, which is from a lovely faded 1930s green "Swando" brand blanket appliqued with bits cut from a vintage cashmere shawl and the words "our bed of roses" in soft red canvas.... two things in production... managed to sew through the tops of BOTH my index fingers yesterday in my efforts to push ahead... so literally "stitching till my fingers bleed"!... luckily no drops of blood on the fabrics so thats ok. More haste less speed... or something like that. Roxy is steaming ahead with her tea cosies. We have a page in the local free magazine "Living in Kew and Richmond" devoted to us this month ... "A day in the life of Rescued and Revived".... how exciting!... my friend Pippa who publishes it kindly offered to put us in and drum up a bit of interest for our stalls, she is also a mover and shaker organizing the Kew Fete. Few photos of my on-going items to show you. Also a photo of a mosaic for my garden which I started at least 2 years ago and finally finished - just needs the back and edges waterproofing and it can stand outside and brighten up a gloomy corner. More photos of items for sale when they are finished which hopefully when my savaged fingers heal up will be soon...