Turkish Delight

I entered my tea cosy - Turkish Delight - into the Brookfield Show this year.

Needlework Section 6B is a fairly broad section - Garments and other items - 6 months to Adult....so there was everything from jumpers to shawls to socks to tea cosies. 

The Brookfield Show has quite strict and detailed regulations - No soiled items.........Must be made within the previous 2 years ....

Every tea cosy entered was one of Grand Purl Baa's designs. 

Mine didn't even get a mention - sniff. 

Some enterprising knitter from Coonabarabran entered a whole box of stuff (how can someone from NSW enter the Brookfield Show I ask you?????) and took out 1st prize with a man's jumper with some kind of fancy stitching - Aran I think they call it. 

But I was mature about it. 

I went to the Preview and hob-nobbed with the other entrants...it was the 100th year of the Brookfield Show so I wanted to enter into the spirit of things. 

The patchwork as always was stunning. 

And I caught up with some dear friends from another lifetime. 

I went to collect my tea cosy the following Monday night - Entries must be collected by 7pm.

I had carefully kept my handwritten receipt in my wallet so I didn't lose it.

Turkish Delight was patiently waiting for me like a kid at childcare - the last item left on the long trestle table....I rushed down the dark path towards the brightly lit Brookfield hall - apologising profusely for being the last bloody entrant to collect her stuff....

As I reached for Turkish Delight, the woman behind the trestle table bid me "Wait!"....my hand fell obediently to my side....

"I'll get the judge's comments" she said "What entry number are you?"

"203" I replied earnestly....thinking to self ...."Judge's comments...an unexpected bonus"......

The woman rifled through the sheaf of judge's notes endlessly, then eyed me and observed...... "No comment."....

It really was quite extraordinary how many emotions I went through in the space of 90 seconds - from tired stress commuter to chastened schoolgirl to hopeful undiscovered artist to sheer bloody humiliation.....

Turkish Delight and I crawled out of there resolving to pack off a box to Coonabarabran next year. 

Pastimes

aka diversions....

Am feeling very content today....dinner is in the slow cooker (lamb shanks)...bread is in the bread oven....so there are lots of lovely smells brewing.....

The house has had a bit of a spit and polish (don't want to get too carried away - just enough so I don't flinch when I walk into particular areas)...

and lots of little projects on the go or about to be on the go...

Yesterday I went to Patches to have a good old squiz at fabric...in preparation for an Applique workshop this month.  I am very keen on William Morris stuff and purchase Michele Hill's book on William Morris Applique whilst on my sojourn with Grand Purl Baa last year... I met my tutor who helped me choose fabrics for the class...thanks Beverley!

I also had a mooch around Henderson's looking at sewing machines.  There are some good specials on at the moment in preparation for Mother's Day.  Janomes seem to be all the go but I've been a Husqvarna girl to date and am worried about changing brands.  I've received lots of good advice from everyone....go in, sit down and try them out....so I will!!

Started knitting Phil's jumper last night.  On the advice of Grand Purl Baa I bought some yarn from Thicket so got quite a good bargain.  It's very different from knitting with baby wool though!

I watched Seraphine whilst I knitted and was absolutely captivated by the character Yolande Moreau portrayed...what a great actress!  You may remember she played the concierge in Amelie.  I love Seraphine's artwork - described as naive or by some as Modern Primitive.

Here is an example...

Isn't it beautiful?  Seraphine de Senlis was a cleaner/domestic by day and artist by night....inspirational stuff.