Category Archives: Craft

In which we Head for an Exhibition, and eat Cromer Crab on the Way…

face on a bollard top

Well, we didn’t expect to meet HIM on a Norwich street! I know nothing about him, who he is or where he came from, but it’s a really good way to top a bollard! We were ‘up the ci’y’ today combining hair cuts with a Louise Richardson and Andy Campbell exhibition. (It’s Thursday again!)

The arcade in Norwich

Our hairdresser is situated in the Royal Arcade in Norwich, which is a pretty good place to start to the day. While Kit was in the chair, I went off to the market where the nice lady on the wool stall was, as usual, able to supply exactly what I needed.

yarn, needles and sock pattern

In this case, the wherewithall for portable holiday knitting, and a start on Christmas presents for nearest and dearest!

Our intended destination was the King of Hearts, to see an exhibition by Louise Richardson and Andrew Campbell. It was a really inspiring exhibition. Although their work is very different in execution, the overall effect in an exhibition situation blends beautifully, and the space at the King of Hearts works very well.

Gotto Collection

Some of the pieces were displayed behind glass, making it difficult to do them justice with a photograph,but I do have some particular favourites. These by Louise… Moth Dress by Louise Richardson

Detail of Moth Dress by Louise Richardson

Dress made of nails by Louise Richardson

detail of nail dress by Louise Richardson

and these by Andrew…

Andrew Campbell piece, 2009 Exhibition, NorwichUK

As well as an exhibition space, The King of Hearts has a music room for lunchtime concerts…

I would point out that the wonkiness is due, not to a faulty camera or even a liquid lunch, but to Tudor builders! A shop full of beautiful craftsman (craftswoman, craftsperson?) made pieces…

And a sunny courtyard..

Where we ate lunch.

Refreshed, both in body and spirit, we headed up Magdalen Street in search of the Park and Ride bus, but were distracted by a bargain set of curtains in the Oxfam shop anda wonderful Emporium of vintageness in the old Looses building…

At this point I would have been grateful to find a pair of Louise Richardson’s shoes to take me home, rather than a bus!

winged shoes

All Bobbled out!

Last night saw the monthly meeting of the Knit and Stitch group that I started in our village. There was quite a debate at its inception as to whether we could advertise a ‘Stitch and Bitch‘ group in the parish magazine. In the end it was decided that it might, just possibly, cause a fit of the vapours amongst those of a nervous disposition. We are very delicate here in Norfolk! Still, it hasn’t stopped us all having a very jolly evening once a month with wine, tea, coffee, gossip and laughter and even the odd stitch or two. Although the basis for the group is that we use stitches of all persuasions – knitting, crochet, needlepoint, cross-stitch et al., we are currently working on a joint project making squares for a comfort blanket ahead of the Macmillan Coffee Morning at the end of September. There are a variety of patterns from well known knitwear designers to be downloaded from the website and I happily started on the first of those, a rather lovely Debbie Bliss cabled square.

Debbie Bliss Macmillan blanket square

I have to report it’s completely unsuitable for knitting in company, especially with a nice glass of wine in the mix! It is impossible to sit there muttering “Purl seven knit fifteen cable three back knit four make bobble knit two…. OH, *?!^$!*!!!? where was I?…” while every one else is chatting and having fun. Carol sensibly opted for a straight moss stitch which looked great, and she didn’t rip it out once! I got up this morning, made a cuppa and finished it in an hour. I’ve now passed the pattern on to my mother, it may be the only Debbie Bliss one I make, the Martin Storey square looks quite relaxing!

Martin Storey Square

Although this colour really doesn’t do it for me! To be continued…

The Little Vintage Lover Fair -Heydon

Real nostalgia came with a trip to the Little Vintage Lover Fair on Sunday. I found out about it from one of my favourite blogs, Kitschen Pink. ( This just goes to prove that the hours I spend on the laptop reading about other people’s lives are not entirely wasted)

It was a lovely way to spend a sunny sunday morning in August. A drive into the heart of the Norfolk countryside to the beautiful little village of Heydon, where the village hall was a early 20th century army hut, a perfect meeting place for a crowd of vintage lovers! Heydon Village Hall - Vintage Lover Fair

There were stalls both inside and outside the hall – thank goodness for a sunny day!

Little Vintage Lover Fair Little Vnitage Lover's Fair Little Vintage Lover Fair - Norfolk

It was here I met not only Kitschen Pink, but also Mrs Bobobun and Faded Splendour and saw all sorts of lovely things I would have bought if only I could throw out another wing on my little house! (Visit these blogs for lots more photos of all the tempting bits and pieces.)

Meeting them adds a whole new dimension to blog surfing! felt flowers