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From the first day I saw her I knew she was the one
She stared in my eyes and smiled
For her lips were the colour of the roses
That grew down the river, all bloody and wild
On the second day I brought her a flower
She was more beautiful than any woman I'd seen
I said, "Do you know where the wild roses grow
So sweet and scarlet and free?"
On the last day I took her where the wild roses grow
And she lay on the bank, the wind light as a thief
And I kissed her goodbye, said, "All beauty must die"
And I lent down and planted a rose 'tween her teeth.
Based on
DADDY: “Lilac? Lilac?”
LILAC: “Yes Daddy?”
DADDY: “Little Lilac, what are you doing?”
LILAC: “I’m being calm, serene and regal, Daddy.”
DADDY: “Well you certainly do look calm, serene and regal, little Lilac.”
LILAC: “Thank you Daddy.”
DADDY: “But Lilac, what does being calm, serene and regal have to do with fabric and lace from my fabric chest and Sylko cotton spools from my sewing drawer?”
LILAC: “Oh, don’t you know, Daddy?”
DADDY: “Evidently I don’t, little Lilac. Perhaps you’d care to enlighten me.”
LILAC: “Well, I was reading one of your books from your library not all that long ago, about the Romanovs, the last Tsar and Tsarina of the Russian Empire.”
DADDY: “Oh yes, I saw you with that book Lilac. It’s a very big book for a little bear – lots of words.”
LILAC: “And lots of pictures too, Daddy. The Romanovs liked to take lots and lots of photographs.”
DADDY: “Indeed yes, Lilac.”
LILAC: “Well, I was reading that Alexandra, the last Tsarina, really loved the colour mauve. She had a mauve boudoir. The Mauve Room received its name from the opal-coloured silk on the walls, which was made by Charles Berger's firm in Paris, a company which still exists today at the same address in the French capital. The fabric was described as a Lampas Violet Reseda and it was extremely expensive. The total cost of the silk and trim in the Mauve Room exceeded the cost of any of the Imperial Fabergé easter eggs. Matching fabric from a Moscow firm was used to cover the furniture. This fabric differed slightly from the French material as it was slightly lighter in tone and had a raised floral motif woven into it. Both fabrics were of lampas silk, which is a raised reflective weave which gives the material a unusual soft glimmer - particularly at night by artificial light. Tsarina Alexandra personally picked the fabric and hue. It is said she asked for a colour to match a favourite sprig of lilac given to her by Tsar Nicholas.”
DADDY: “Is that right, Lilac?”
LILAC: “It is! So I have decided to make my own Mauve Room using your fabric, lace and Sylko cotton spools.”
DADDY: “Oh, I see.”
LILAC: “Now, all I need to complete my bliss is a nice cup of calming tea, Daddy.” *Looks meaningfully at Daddy.*
The theme for “Smile on Saturday” for the 6th of September is “pretty in pastel purple”, and I needed to look no further than little Lilac, who is one of my smaller bears, as you can tell when you compare her to the Sylko cotton reels that she has used to decorate her Mauve Room. Lilac was a gift to me from a friend in Dorset who said that the sweet little bear was looking for a happy forever home, and so she came to live with me last year, but it has taken until now to have the perfect reason to photograph her. For anyone who follows my photostream will know that I collect vintage Sylko cotton reels and haberdashery, and that is what I have used to create a pretty pastel purple background. There are various lace pieces, some individual lace flowers, including the ones on Lilac’s head and that she holds which are made in Latvia. The Dewhurst's Sylko reels of Dark and Light Lilac and Mauve cotton all date from between 1938 and 1954. I hope you like my choice of this week’s theme, and that Lilac makes you smile!
Belle Vue Mill, commonly known as Dewhurst’s, was built by Thomas Dewhurst in 1828. It opened in 1829 as John Dewhurst & Sons and was one of Skipton’s largest spinning and weaving mills. The mill’s position next to the Leeds Liverpool Canal meant that raw cotton could be shipped in by boats from Liverpool. Finished goods would then be sent back the same way ready for distribution. Coal to power the machine’s steam engines was also delivered by barge. In 1897 Dewhurst’s was bought by the English Sewing Cotton Co. It continued to produce Sylko, one of the mill’s most famous products. It was produced in over 500 colours and sold throughout the world. Sylko cottons are still available at haberdashers today.
April 2023: A month in 30 pictures
Back home and in my still life comfort zone.
Lensbaby Velvet 56. A couple of textures added (my own).
Thank you all so much for every award,comment,favs ,support ,group invites .They are all greatly appreciated .
Beneath the boughs where petals fall,
She walks unseen, so soft, so small.
A whispered breeze, a blushing hue,
The cherry blooms bow just for you.
Her gaze avoids, yet hearts ignite—
A fleeting lady in morning light.
Spring has finally sprung - at least on some days - where I live, and a few Sundays ago, after seeing some blossoms start to appear on some trees, I went out a few Sundays ago to capture the cherry blossoms under the beautiful deep azure blue skies that only really take on this hue during a short period of the year. I took some of my bears with me, but I also slipped in a couple of my half-dolls, including this newly acquired German one from the 1920s.
This lovely half-doll is a little different to most others I have in my ever expanding collection, for she is only a head and a neck. Her detailing is very fine, with beautiful blue eyes and lips painted in a red cupid's bow. She has her raven tresses set in a stylish (for the time) bob of Marcelled Waves, affixed with a red Spanish comb, a fashion which dates her to between 1923 and 1925. Acquired from a dear friend in Dorset who finds me such treasures, she is still attached to her original pin cushion which hides beneath a cape of antique ribbon and lace, which my friend made especially for her to replace the tattered remnants of her original cape.
The "half-doll" is a dainty porcelain or bisque figurine, fashionable in the early Twentieth Century usually with an upper body, head, arms, but no legs. Occasionally they created examples like this with just a head and neck. These dolls were produced in the thousands at the height of their popularity by German factories such as Dressel and Kister, Heubach, Goebel and Kestner. Later they were produced in France, America and later still, in Japan. They commonly served as handles and toppers for fabric covers made for powder boxes on ladies’ dressing tables and small brushes, however they were also made for jewellery boxes, pincushions, tea cosies and other covers. In this case, we know she is a pincushion topper, because her pink satin brocade pincushion still sits firmly beneath her stylish new antique lace and ribbon cape.
A cherry blossom, also known as a Japanese cherry or sakura, is a flower of trees in the genus Prunus or the Prunus subgenus Cerasus. Wild species of the cherry tree are widely distributed, mainly in the Northern Hemisphere. They are common in East Asia, especially in Japan. They generally refer to ornamental cherry trees, not cherry trees grown for their fruit. The cherry blossom is considered the national flower of Japan.
~ “MACRO MONDAYS ~ “VINTAGE” ~ “11/21/22” ~ "2 1/2" X 2" ~ "VINTAGE PIN" ~ "VINTAGE LACE" ~ "BLACK" ~ "VINTAGE WHITE" ~
Day 322/365:
Looking Close on Friday - Words on glass
This is one of my many vintage bottles, one of the larger bottles I have says Not to be taken so I wrote a little tag saying that. Added textures (my own).
April 2023: A month in 30 pictures
The tulips again. A busy afternoon looking after our gorgeous baby granddaughter so a rush job before the light went and it starts to rain. I think these tulips are going to feature a lot, even when they start to fade...especially when they start to fade! ;)
Tulip album: www.flickr.com/photos/28992287@N03/albums/72157665899084647/
Dahlia - isn't that a delightful name for this vibrant shade of magenta? For all their dizzying array of colours produced on the past, Dewhurst's also managed to provide a delightful array of wonderful names. Who could resist something, even a patch, stitched with Dewhurst's Sylko Dahlia cotton?
When it was my birthday six months ago, a very dear friend who enjoys photography as much as I do, and knows that I collect beautiful and vintage pieces, gave me a wonderful selection of antique ribbons, buttons, buckles, lace and other fine notions. She also gave me three follow up tins of similar delightful gifts for Christmas.
Those wonderful gifts are what has inspired me to create this series of "Embroider my World" images featuring my vintage bobbin collection. In this case, the wonderfully creamy vintage lace from the 1930s comes from my own collection of antique notions, as does the French satin rose and the net flower in the background. The purple lace flower in the foreground was part of my Christmas gift from my dear friend. It was made and dyed in Latvia. I have accessorised them on a 1930s embroidered tablecloth with a Dewhurst's Sylko Dahlia reel of cotton which dates from between 1938 and 1954.
Belle Vue Mill, commonly known as Dewhurst’s, was built by Thomas Dewhurst in 1828. It opened in 1829 as John Dewhurst & Sons and was one of Skipton’s largest spinning and weaving mills. The mill’s position next to the Leeds Liverpool Canal meant that raw cotton could be shipped in by boats from Liverpool. Finished goods would then be sent back the same way ready for distribution. Coal to power the machine’s steam engines was also delivered by barge. In 1897 Dewhurst’s was bought by the English Sewing Cotton Co. It continued to produce Sylko, one of the mill’s most famous products. It was produced in over 500 colours and sold throughout the world. Sylko cottons are still available at haberdashers today.
For all their wonderful range of bright colours, Dewhurt's also put our a fantastic array of more subtle shades too. This shade, I feel falls in between the two, and has the most delightful names: "Reseda". The name Reseda derives from the colour of the leaves of Reseda odorata, commonly known as mignonette.
When it was my birthday two years ago, a very dear friend who enjoys photography as much as I do, and knows that I collect beautiful and vintage pieces, gave me a wonderful selection of antique ribbons, buttons, buckles, lace and other fine notions. She also gave me three follow up tins of similar delightful gifts for Christmas.
Those wonderful gifts are what has inspired me to create this series of "Embroider my World" images featuring examples from my vintage bobbin collection. In this case I am using three of my Dewhurst's Sylko Reseda reels of cotton which date from between 1938 and 1954. The three spools sit on some antique lace which is Reseda in colour. The spools are also accesorised by two clear glass buttons, a silver and Bakelite button where the Bakeline is dyed Reseda, a dainty Victorian double ended crochet hook made out of mother-of-pearl, a floral sterling silver thimble made by Henry Griffith and Sons in 1897, a French sterling silver étui with Art Nouveau patterns from 1912, and a beautiful German Art Deco half-doll accented with Reseda which I acquired recently from a curios and collectables shop.
The "half-doll" is a dainty porcelain or bisque figurine, fashionable in the early Twentieth Century with an upper body, head, arms, but no legs. These dolls were produced in the thousands at the height of their popularity by German factories such as Dressel and Kister, Heubach, Goebel and Kestner. Later they were produced in France, America and later still, in Japan. They commonly served as handles and toppers for fabric covers made for powder boxes on ladies’ dressing tables and small brushes, however they were also made for jewellery boxes, pincushions, tea cosies and other covers. In this case, my German half-doll has romantic Eighteenth Century outfit, a fan clutched to her breast and a high powdered wig. I imagine that she would have been made for a lady’s boudoir and was most likely the topper for a powder puff, as she is only two inches in height. She has been hand painted.
The floral thimble is sterling silver and was made by silversmiths Henry Griffith and Sons in Birmingham in 1897. Henry Griffith and Sons commenced in 1850, was continued as Henry Griffith & Sons (until 1898) and later as Henry Griffith & Sons Ltd. They were well known for their manufacture of silver thimbles, and later for their silver and gold jewellery. They closed their doors in 1982. Thimble making was part of the Griffith family heritage. The father of Henry Griffith was a thimble maker and was put in charge of the thimbles departments at the beginning of his son's activity. The Griffiths became one of the leading producers of silver thimbles and were one of the only silversmiths who marked some of their thimbles with 'Sterling Silver' instead of having them hallmarked.
Belle Vue Mill, commonly known as Dewhurst’s, was built by Thomas Dewhurst in 1828. It opened in 1829 as John Dewhurst & Sons and was one of Skipton’s largest spinning and weaving mills. The mill’s position next to the Leeds Liverpool Canal meant that raw cotton could be shipped in by boats from Liverpool. Finished goods would then be sent back the same way ready for distribution. Coal to power the machine’s steam engines was also delivered by barge. In 1897 Dewhurst’s was bought by the English Sewing Cotton Co. It continued to produce Sylko, one of the mill’s most famous products. It was produced in over 500 colours and sold throughout the world. Sylko cottons are still available at haberdashers today.
When it was my birthday two years agp, a very dear friend who enjoys photography as much as I do, and knows that I collect beautiful and vintage pieces, gave me a wonderful selection of antique ribbons, buttons, buckles, lace and other fine notions. She also gave me three follow up tins of similar delightful gifts for Christmas.
Those wonderful gifts are what has inspired me to create this series of "Embroider my World" images featuring my vintage bobbin collection. In this case I am using three of my Dewhurst's Sylko Lotus Blue reels of cotton: the larger of which, on the darker wooden spool with the black and gold label, dates from between 1909 and 1938, and the smaller two featuring the name as well as the shade number which date from between 1938 and 1954. The three spools sit atop some pale blue floral patterned lace and are accessorised by some vintage floral appliques, some vintage embroidered floral ribbon, an Art Deco glass button, a sterling silver thimble with an enamelled cap from 1930 and a beautiful German Art Deco half-doll with bobbed hair dressed in blue.
The "half-doll" is a dainty porcelain or bisque figurine, fashionable in the early Twentieth Century with an upper body, head, arms, but no legs. These dolls were produced in the thousands at the height of their popularity by German factories such as Dressel and Kister, Heubach, Goebel and Kestner. Later they were produced in France, America and later still, in Japan. They commonly served as handles and toppers for fabric covers made for powder boxes on ladies’ dressing tables and small brushes, however they were also made for jewellery boxes, pincushions, tea cosies and other covers. In this case, my German half-doll is decorated in fashionable contemporary (for the time) Art Deco style dress with an Eaton Crop hairdo. I imagine that she would have been made for a lady’s boudoir and was most likely the topper for a powder bowl or even a powder puff. She has been hand painted.
Belle Vue Mill, commonly known as Dewhurst’s, was built by Thomas Dewhurst in 1828. It opened in 1829 as John Dewhurst & Sons and was one of Skipton’s largest spinning and weaving mills. The mill’s position next to the Leeds Liverpool Canal meant that raw cotton could be shipped in by boats from Liverpool. Finished goods would then be sent back the same way ready for distribution. Coal to power the machine’s steam engines was also delivered by barge. In 1897 Dewhurst’s was bought by the English Sewing Cotton Co. It continued to produce Sylko, one of the mill’s most famous products. It was produced in over 500 colours and sold throughout the world. Sylko cottons are still available at haberdashers today.
When it was my birthday six months ago, a very dear friend who enjoys photography as much as I do, and knows that I collect beautiful and vintage pieces, gave me a wonderful selection of antique ribbons, buttons, buckles, lace and other fine notions. She also gave me three follow up tins of similar delightful gifts for Christmas. Those wonderful gifts are what has inspired me to create a series called "Embroider my World" which features images featuring my vintage bobbin collection www.flickr.com/photos/40262251@N03/albums/72177720314094967/.
The theme for "Looking Close on Friday" for the 14th of June is "spools of cotton ", so I have decided to use one intended for the series that I have yet to upload, for this week. In this case, the wonderful pieces of golden vintage lace from the 1920s and 1930s come from my own collection of antique notions, as do the 1950s French satin roses. I have accessorised them on a 1930s embroidered tablecloth with a Dewhurst's Sylko Dahlia reel of cotton which dates from between 1938 and 1954. For all their wonderful range of bright and subtle colours, Dewhurt's also have a fantastic array of delightful names, like this reel of cotton which is called "Sugar Cane". I hope you like my choice of this week’s theme, and that it makes you smile!
Belle Vue Mill, commonly known as Dewhurst’s, was built by Thomas Dewhurst in 1828. It opened in 1829 as John Dewhurst & Sons and was one of Skipton’s largest spinning and weaving mills. The mill’s position next to the Leeds Liverpool Canal meant that raw cotton could be shipped in by boats from Liverpool. Finished goods would then be sent back the same way ready for distribution. Coal to power the machine’s steam engines was also delivered by barge. In 1897 Dewhurst’s was bought by the English Sewing Cotton Co. It continued to produce Sylko, one of the mill’s most famous products. It was produced in over 500 colours and sold throughout the world. Sylko cottons are still available at haberdashers today.
The theme for “Smile on Saturday” for the 27th of April is “double exposure with objects”. When it was my birthday six months ago, a very dear friend who enjoys photography as much as I do, and knows that I collect beautiful and vintage pieces, gave me a wonderful selection of antique ribbons, buttons, buckles, lace and other fine notions. She also gave me three follow up tins of similar delightful gifts for Christmas. Those wonderful gifts inspired me to create a series of "Embroider my World" images featuring my vintage bobbin collection. I decided to use two such images to create a double exposure. I chose one Dewhurst's Sylko Deep Slate Grey Blue reel of cotton which dates from between 1938 and 1954 and an Edwardian Anchor peach coloured cotton spool facing in the opposite direction. The cross over of the reels makes for an interesting focal point. In both cases, the original images featured a lace background, which has melded together quite nicely, I think. I hope you like my choice for today’s theme, and that it makes you smile.
As well as having any number of delightful shades and colours, Dewhurst's Sylko have an equally wonderful range of names to accompany them. As I embarked on my "Embroider my World" project, I think I fell in love with the names of the Sylko colours as much as the colours themselves. This lovely shade of dusky pink is called "Biskara", named after Biskra, the capital city of Biskra Province in Algeria.
When it was my birthday last year, a very dear friend who enjoys photography as much as I do, and knows that I collect beautiful and vintage pieces, gave me a wonderful selection of antique ribbons, buttons, buckles, lace and other fine notions. She also gave me three follow up tins of similar delightful gifts for Christmas.
Those wonderful gifts are what has inspired me to create this series of "Embroider my World" images featuring my vintage bobbin collection. In this case my Dewhurst's Sylko Biskara reel of cotton which dates from between 1938 and 1954 sits atop some creamy ecru lace which has gained its colour after more than one and half centuries of life, as it is from the 1850s. The spool is accessorised by two Victorian glass bead tassels, sparking in the morning light, and an Art Deco pearl and rhinestone appliqué.
Belle Vue Mill, commonly known as Dewhurst’s, was built by Thomas Dewhurst in 1828. It opened in 1829 as John Dewhurst & Sons and was one of Skipton’s largest spinning and weaving mills. The mill’s position next to the Leeds Liverpool Canal meant that raw cotton could be shipped in by boats from Liverpool. Finished goods would then be sent back the same way ready for distribution. Coal to power the machine’s steam engines was also delivered by barge. In 1897 Dewhurst’s was bought by the English Sewing Cotton Co. It continued to produce Sylko, one of the mill’s most famous products. It was produced in over 500 colours and sold throughout the world. Sylko cottons are still available at haberdashers today.
For all their wonderful range of bright and subtle colours, Dewhurt's also have a fantastic array of delightful names, like this reel of cotton which is called "Mid Gobelin". Gobelin blue is a dark, grey, orchid blue with a violet undertone.
When it was my birthday six months ago, a very dear friend who enjoys photography as much as I do, and knows that I collect beautiful and vintage pieces, gave me a wonderful selection of antique ribbons, buttons, buckles, lace and other fine notions. She also gave me three follow up tins of similar delightful gifts for Christmas.
Those wonderful gifts are what has inspired me to create this series of "Embroider my World" images featuring my vintage bobbin collection. In this case, the wonderfully creamy vintage lace from the 1930s and the 1950s lace threded with Gobelin Blue come from my own collection of antique notions. As the name reminded me of goblins (little manikins of faerie lore), I decided to pair the reel of Gobelin Blue cotton with two treasures worthy of a goblin's collection, a buckle and a brooch studded with pretty paste diamonds that sparkle and wink in the light. The Dewhurst's Sylko Mid Gobelin Blue reel of cotton dates from between 1938 and 1954.
Belle Vue Mill, commonly known as Dewhurst’s, was built by Thomas Dewhurst in 1828. It opened in 1829 as John Dewhurst & Sons and was one of Skipton’s largest spinning and weaving mills. The mill’s position next to the Leeds Liverpool Canal meant that raw cotton could be shipped in by boats from Liverpool. Finished goods would then be sent back the same way ready for distribution. Coal to power the machine’s steam engines was also delivered by barge. In 1897 Dewhurst’s was bought by the English Sewing Cotton Co. It continued to produce Sylko, one of the mill’s most famous products. It was produced in over 500 colours and sold throughout the world. Sylko cottons are still available at haberdashers today.
For all their wonderful range of bright colours, Dewhurt's also put our a fantastic array of subtle shades too, and often with the most delightful names, like this extremely pale shade of creamy yellow, which has been blessed with the delightful name of "Straw".
When it was my birthday six months ago, a very dear friend who enjoys photography as much as I do, and knows that I collect beautiful and vintage pieces, gave me a wonderful selection of antique ribbons, buttons, buckles, lace and other fine notions. She also gave me three follow up tins of similar delightful gifts for Christmas.
Those wonderful gifts are what has inspired me to create this series of "Embroider my World" images featuring my vintage bobbin collection. In this case, the wonderfully creamy vintage lace from the 1930s comes from my own collection of antique notions, as does the French wooden bobbin. The pretty crocheted daisies were amongst the gifts I was given at Christmas time, and they were made in Latvia. I have accessorised them on a 1930s embroidered tablecloth with a Dewhurst's Sylko Straw reel of cotton which dates from between 1938 and 1954.
Belle Vue Mill, commonly known as Dewhurst’s, was built by Thomas Dewhurst in 1828. It opened in 1829 as John Dewhurst & Sons and was one of Skipton’s largest spinning and weaving mills. The mill’s position next to the Leeds Liverpool Canal meant that raw cotton could be shipped in by boats from Liverpool. Finished goods would then be sent back the same way ready for distribution. Coal to power the machine’s steam engines was also delivered by barge. In 1897 Dewhurst’s was bought by the English Sewing Cotton Co. It continued to produce Sylko, one of the mill’s most famous products. It was produced in over 500 colours and sold throughout the world. Sylko cottons are still available at haberdashers today.
When it was my birthday a few months ago, a very dear friend who enjoys photography as much as I do, and knows that I collect beautiful and vintage pieces, gave me a wonderful selection of antique ribbons, buttons, buckles, lace and other fine notions. She also gave me three follow up tins of similar delightful gifts for Christmas.
This then inspired me to create the current series of bobbins, of which this is the latest one. However this time the bobbin, antique lace and vintage 1930s embroidered Art Deco floral ribbon were already mine. I have accessorised them on a 1930s embroidered doily with a Dewhurst's Sylko Forget-Me-Not Blue reel of cotton which dates from between 1938 and 1954.
Belle Vue Mill, commonly known as Dewhurst’s, was built by Thomas Dewhurst in 1828. It opened in 1829 as John Dewhurst & Sons and was one of Skipton’s largest spinning and weaving mills. The mill’s position next to the Leeds Liverpool Canal meant that raw cotton could be shipped in by boats from Liverpool. Finished goods would then be sent back the same way ready for distribution. Coal to power the machine’s steam engines was also delivered by barge. In 1897 Dewhurst’s was bought by the English Sewing Cotton Co. It continued to produce Sylko, one of the mill’s most famous products. It was produced in over 500 colours and sold throughout the world. Sylko cottons are still available at haberdashers today.
A few months ago, I obtained some lovely pieces of vintage and antique haberdashery notions from a contact of mine in Dorset who seems to always find me interesting pieces. Amongst the items that caught my eye were this wonderful half-doll, who reminded me rather of a Gainsborough lady with her picture hat decorated with bows and cascades of hair. I also aquired a rather lovely wooden reel of russet coloured file silk substitute cotton made by the British Thread Company from the same supplier at the same time, which I have placed alongside the half-doll. The tiny, dainty buttons in the forefront of the picture are made of Bakelite and are hand painted with pink roses. The roses are a material flower corsage from the 1930s or 1940s. The silver thimble was made by Charles Horner in Chester in 1905.
The "half-doll" is a dainty porcelain or bisque figurine, fashionable in the early Twentieth Century with an upper body, head, arms, but usually no legs. These dolls were produced in the thousands at the height of their popularity by German factories such as Dressel and Kister, Heubach, Goebel and Kestner. Later they were produced in France, America and later still, in Japan. They commonly served as handles and toppers for fabric covers made for powder boxes on ladies’ dressing tables and small brushes, however they were also made for jewellery boxes, pincushions, tea cosies and other covers. In this case, my German half-doll is dressed in romantic Eighteenth Century style dress, so I imagine that she would have been made for a lady’s boudoir and was most likely the topper for a powder bowl or even a powder puff. She has been hand painted, and what is unusual about her is that she is painted with lustre paint. She is the only one I have come across like this before.
The thimble at the front of the image, near the pink fabric rose is sterling silver. It was made by the famous silversmith firm Charles Horner in Chester in 1905. It is more unusual than many thimbles with a pierced cast bright cut border. Charles Horner was born in 1837 in Yorkshire. Born to a local weaver in Ovenden, his business was founded in the 1860s in Halifax. Although the company was known for producing a wide range of jewellery and silver objects, they were particularly recognised for their Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau enamelled pendants. Although Charles died before the turn of the century, his company continued to flourish under the stewardship of his sons. Thanks to them, it survived both World Wars, and continued producing jewellery until the mid 1980s. Charles Horner of Halifax, first grew to notoriety due to the development of the ‘Dorcas’ thimble, which was patented in 1884. Dorcas thimbles differed from the ones made before as they had a layer of reinforced steel in between the decorated silver shell. Prior to this, thimbles were often made of a softer silver that did not stop sewing needles from pricking the skin. The Dorcas thimble was incredibly popular. Although the company also produced traditional silver hallmarked thimbles and jewellery, the Dorcas thimble was most likely the innovation that earnt the company acclaim and allowed them to expand. Charles Horner of Halifax continued to produce thimbles until 1947.
The International Thread Company Ltd., were thread manufacturers in Leicester, and included the company the British Thread Company. The International Thread Company was incorporated with limited liability in January 1926 , with a registered office at New Bridge Street, Leicester and a capital of £5,000.00. The directors were Arthur Grieves, John Kay and Harry Wright. In November 1934, the capital was increased to £10,000.00 by creating five thousand new shares at £1.00 each. Over the following years various shareholders transferred their shares to J & P Coats Ltd, thread manufacturers, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, with J & P Coats Ltd transferring some of those to Kerr & Co Ltd, cotton manufacturers and selling agents, Paisley. By 1955 , Kerr & Co Ltd were the controlling company. In 1942, The International Thread Co Ltd bought shares in Jumna Thread Mills Ltd, Bombay, India, which they transferred to J & P Coats Ltd in 1951. The company purchased African Sewing Cotton Co Ltd in 1943 and transferred it to J & P Coats Ltd in 1955. In 2002, The International Thread Co Ltd was still an active company, based at Stockley Park, Uxbridge.
I have made some wonderful, extremely special and lasting friendships with certain people I have met through Flickr. Some I have been fortunate enough to meet in person, whilst others I have yet to have that pleasure, and yet I have the same affinity and closeness to them.
The title of this image today comes not from the colour of the bobbins I have used, but rather because of the beautiful cameo which features in my still life. The cameo brooch is very special to me because comes from one of the latter variety of my treasured Flickr friends - the ones I have yet to meet, but have an affinity with. I have never met her in person, but we bonded so easily and chat all the time. I treasure her friendship for the precious gift it is. Much was my surprise when one Christmas I received this gorgeous cameo from her as a gift. She knows that I love to wear lapel pins, and she thought I might like it, and indeed I do! I absolutely love it, and I have worn it many times since that Christmas Day when I opened the green, velvet lined box it comes in.
Set in gold, this cameo was a gift to my friend from her stepfather. The lovely cameo lady is, I believe, hand carved from translucent shell and the style of her places her anywhere between the 1920s and the 1960s, but I'd say she is in the earlier range because of the quality of the carving. Set in gold, she can be worn as I wear her, as a brooch, or as a pendant via a small loop discreetly added at the top just behind the band of gold, which is the other reason why I think she is more likely to be 20s.
I am so grateful to my dear, treasured friend, for thinking of me so fondly to have sent me such a precious and thought filled gift.
When it was last my birthday, another very dear friend who enjoys photography as much as I do, and knows that I collect beautiful and vintage pieces, gave me a wonderful selection of antique ribbons, buttons, buckles, lace and other fine notions. She also gave me three follow up tins of similar delightful gifts for Christmas.
Those wonderful gifts are what has inspired me to create this series of "Embroider my World" images featuring my vintage bobbin collection. In this case, the wonderfully creamy vintage lace from the 1930s comes from my own collection of antique notions, as does the French satin rose. I have accessorised them on a 1930s embroidered tablecloth with two unbranded bobbins of orange cotton, and the very special cameo brooch.
When it was my birthday last year, a very dear friend who enjoys photography as much as I do, and knows that I collect beautiful and vintage pieces, gave me a wonderful selection of antique ribbons, buttons, buckles, lace and other fine notions. She also gave me three follow up tins of similar delightful gifts for Christmas. Those wonderful gifts have inspired me to create a series of still life images showcasing them along with spools of brightly coloured cottons from my vintage bobbin collection.
The theme for "Looking Close on Friday" on the 5th of April is "pink on a white background", and I immediately thought of my bobbins of pink cotton in various shades. In this case, the wonderfully rich pink vintage grosgrain ribbon used in the image comes from my own collection of antique notions and dates from the early Twentieth Century. I have accessorised it on a 1930s white embroidered lace table runner with a selection of Dewhurst's Sylko reels of cotton in shades of Rose Pink, Pale Pink, Salmon Pink and Light Pink which date from between 1938 and 1954 and an Edwardian miniature reel of multicoloured pink cotton from Coats. I hope you like my choice for the theme, and that it makes you smile!
Belle Vue Mill, commonly known as Dewhurst’s, was built by Thomas Dewhurst in 1828. It opened in 1829 as John Dewhurst & Sons and was one of Skipton’s largest spinning and weaving mills. The mill’s position next to the Leeds Liverpool Canal meant that raw cotton could be shipped in by boats from Liverpool. Finished goods would then be sent back the same way ready for distribution. Coal to power the machine’s steam engines was also delivered by barge. In 1897 Dewhurst’s was bought by the English Sewing Cotton Co. It continued to produce Sylko, one of the mill’s most famous products. It was produced in over 500 colours and sold throughout the world. Sylko cottons are still available at haberdashers today.
In 1802 James Coats set up a weaving business in Paisley. In 1826 he opened a cotton mill at Ferguslie to produce his own thread and, when he retired in 1830, his sons, James & Peter, took up the business under the name of J. & P. Coats. In 1952 J. & P. Coats and the Clark Thread Co. merged to become Coats & Clark's. Today, the business is known as the Coats Group.
When it was my birthday a few months ago, a very dear friend who enjoys photography as much as I do, and knows that I collect beautiful and vintage pieces, gave me a wonderful selection of antique ribbons, buttons, buckles, lace and other fine notions. She also gave me three follow up tins of similar delightful gifts for Christmas.
Those wonderful gifts are what has inspired me to create this series of "Embroider my World" images featuring my vintage bobbin collection. In this case, amongst the gifts for my birthday was a piece of wonderfully delicate antique copper coloured floral lace. I have accessorised it on a 1930s embroidered doily with some more modern gilt embroidered lace and two Edwardian Coats cotton reels in a lovely shade of warm orange.
In 1802 James Coats set up a weaving business in Paisley. In 1826 he opened a cotton mill at Ferguslie to produce his own thread and, when he retired in 1830, his sons, James & Peter, took up the business under the name of J. & P. Coats. In 1952 J. & P. Coats and the Clark Thread Co. merged to become Coats & Clark's. Today, the business is known as the Coats Group.
When it was my birthday two years ago, a very dear friend who enjoys photography as much as I do, and knows that I collect beautiful and vintage pieces, gave me a wonderful selection of antique ribbons, buttons, buckles, lace and other fine notions. She also gave me three follow up tins of similar delightful gifts for Christmas.
Those wonderful gifts are what has inspired me to create this series of "Embroider my World" images featuring my vintage bobbin collection. In this case I am using two of my Dewhurst's Sylko Dark Lilac reels of cotton which date from between 1938 and 1954. The two spools sit on some antique lace which has been embroidered with lilac and pink floral details. Although ecru now, the lace has probably changed colour from white due to age. The spools are also accesorised by some lilac coloured satin roses, a floral sterling silver thimble made by Henry Griffith and Sons in 1897, a pair of silver sewing scissors, an unusual German sterling silver pincushion which is narrow with a band of green velvet and features a cherub with pet doves tied with ribbons on either side, and a beautiful German Art Deco half-doll.
The "half-doll" is a dainty porcelain or bisque figurine, fashionable in the early Twentieth Century with an upper body, head, arms, but no legs. These dolls were produced in the thousands at the height of their popularity by German factories such as Dressel and Kister, Heubach, Goebel and Kestner. Later they were produced in France, America and later still, in Japan. They commonly served as handles and toppers for fabric covers made for powder boxes on ladies’ dressing tables and small brushes, however they were also made for jewellery boxes, pincushions, tea cosies and other covers. In this case, my German half-doll has romantic long blonde curls, but her hair is dressed with a fashionable contemporary (for the time) Art Deco style bandeau. I imagine that she would have been made for a lady’s boudoir and was most likely the topper for a powder bowl or even a powder puff. She has been hand painted.
The floral thimble is sterling silver and was made by silversmiths Henry Griffith and Sons in Birmingham in 1897. Henry Griffith and Sons commenced in 1850, was continued as Henry Griffith & Sons (until 1898) and later as Henry Griffith & Sons Ltd. They were well known for their manufacture of silver thimbles, and later for their silver and gold jewellery. They closed their doors in 1982. Thimble making was part of the Griffith family heritage. The father of Henry Griffith was a thimble maker and was put in charge of the thimbles departments at the beginning of his son's activity. The Griffiths became one of the leading producers of silver thimbles and were one of the only silversmiths who marked some of their thimbles with 'Sterling Silver' instead of having them hallmarked.
Belle Vue Mill, commonly known as Dewhurst’s, was built by Thomas Dewhurst in 1828. It opened in 1829 as John Dewhurst & Sons and was one of Skipton’s largest spinning and weaving mills. The mill’s position next to the Leeds Liverpool Canal meant that raw cotton could be shipped in by boats from Liverpool. Finished goods would then be sent back the same way ready for distribution. Coal to power the machine’s steam engines was also delivered by barge. In 1897 Dewhurst’s was bought by the English Sewing Cotton Co. It continued to produce Sylko, one of the mill’s most famous products. It was produced in over 500 colours and sold throughout the world. Sylko cottons are still available at haberdashers today.
When it was my birthday a few months ago, a very dear friend who enjoys photography as much as I do, and knows that I collect beautiful and vintage pieces, gave me a wonderful selection of antique ribbons, buttons, buckles, lace and other fine notions. She also gave me three follow up tins of similar delightful gifts for Christmas.
Those wonderful gifts are what has inspired me to create this series of "Embroider my World" images featuring my vintage bobbin collection. In this case, the wonderfully delicate vintage lace come from my own collection of antique notions, and the beautifully embroidered scalloped ribbon from India comes from the same aforementioned friend, but was given to me as a gift by her several years ago. I have accessorised them on a 1930s embroidered doily with two Dewhurst's Sylko Geranium coloured reels of cotton which date from between 1938 and 1954.
Belle Vue Mill, commonly known as Dewhurst’s, was built by Thomas Dewhurst in 1828. It opened in 1829 as John Dewhurst & Sons and was one of Skipton’s largest spinning and weaving mills. The mill’s position next to the Leeds Liverpool Canal meant that raw cotton could be shipped in by boats from Liverpool. Finished goods would then be sent back the same way ready for distribution. Coal to power the machine’s steam engines was also delivered by barge. In 1897 Dewhurst’s was bought by the English Sewing Cotton Co. It continued to produce Sylko, one of the mill’s most famous products. It was produced in over 500 colours and sold throughout the world. Sylko cottons are still available at haberdashers today.
When it was my birthday six months ago, a very dear friend who enjoys photography as much as I do, and knows that I collect beautiful and vintage pieces, gave me a wonderful selection of antique ribbons, buttons, buckles, lace and other fine notions. She also gave me three follow up tins of similar delightful gifts for Christmas.
Those wonderful gifts are what has inspired me to create this series of "Embroider my World" images featuring my vintage bobbin collection. In this case, the wonderfully embroidered olive green Victorian or early Edwardian ribbon adorned with sequin covered paisley patterns from the Edwardian era comes from my own collection of antique notions. I have accessorised it on a 1930s embroidered tablecloth with a Dewhurst's Sylko Olive reel of cotton which dates from between 1938 and 1954.
Belle Vue Mill, commonly known as Dewhurst’s, was built by Thomas Dewhurst in 1828. It opened in 1829 as John Dewhurst & Sons and was one of Skipton’s largest spinning and weaving mills. The mill’s position next to the Leeds Liverpool Canal meant that raw cotton could be shipped in by boats from Liverpool. Finished goods would then be sent back the same way ready for distribution. Coal to power the machine’s steam engines was also delivered by barge. In 1897 Dewhurst’s was bought by the English Sewing Cotton Co. It continued to produce Sylko, one of the mill’s most famous products. It was produced in over 500 colours and sold throughout the world. Sylko cottons are still available at haberdashers today.
When it was my birthday a few months ago, a very dear friend who enjoys photography as much as I do, and knows that I collect beautiful and vintage pieces, gave me a wonderful selection of antique ribbons, buttons, buckles, lace and other fine notions. She also gave me three follow up tins of similar delightful gifts for Christmas.
Those wonderful gifts are what has inspired me to create this series of "Embroider my World" images featuring my vintage bobbin collection. In this case, the wonderfully delicate salmon pink vintage lace comes from my own collection of antique notions, and the beautifully embroidered ribbon from India with sequin embellishments comes from the same aforementioned friend, but was given to me as a gift by her several years ago. I have accessorised them on a 1930s embroidered doily with a Dewhurst's Sylko Red Salmon reel of cotton which dates from between 1938 and 1954 and an Edwardian miniature reel of Salmon Pink cotton from Coats.
Belle Vue Mill, commonly known as Dewhurst’s, was built by Thomas Dewhurst in 1828. It opened in 1829 as John Dewhurst & Sons and was one of Skipton’s largest spinning and weaving mills. The mill’s position next to the Leeds Liverpool Canal meant that raw cotton could be shipped in by boats from Liverpool. Finished goods would then be sent back the same way ready for distribution. Coal to power the machine’s steam engines was also delivered by barge. In 1897 Dewhurst’s was bought by the English Sewing Cotton Co. It continued to produce Sylko, one of the mill’s most famous products. It was produced in over 500 colours and sold throughout the world. Sylko cottons are still available at haberdashers today.
In 1802 James Coats set up a weaving business in Paisley. In 1826 he opened a cotton mill at Ferguslie to produce his own thread and, when he retired in 1830, his sons, James & Peter, took up the business under the name of J. & P. Coats. In 1952 J. & P. Coats and the Clark Thread Co. merged to become Coats & Clark's. Today, the business is known as the Coats Group.
When it was my birthday a few months ago, a very dear friend who enjoys photography as much as I do, and knows that I collect beautiful and vintage pieces, gave me a wonderful selection of antique ribbons, buttons, buckles, lace and other fine notions. She also gave me three follow up tins of similar delightful gifts for Christmas.
Amongst the gifts was some pretty pieces of open weave lace, some crocheted doilies in black, white and grey and some Estonian hand dyed lace, all of which I have set up on the back terrace against a backdrop of one of my antique Victorian lace doilies from the 1890s, and accessorised with a spool of Edwardian Coats black cord.
In 1802 James Coats set up a weaving business in Paisley. In 1826 he opened a cotton mill at Ferguslie to produce his own thread and, when he retired in 1830, his sons, James & Peter, took up the business under the name of J. & P. Coats. In 1952 J. & P. Coats and the Clark Thread Co. merged to become Coats & Clark's. Today, the business is known as the Coats Group.
Recently, on a visit to my Mother, she gave me a bag of antique and vintage gloves to go through that she had acquired through auction as part of a larger lots of items. My Mother knows that amongst the many collections, I collect antique gentlemen’s and ladies’ gloves and accessories. As I was going through the bag, sorting out what was worth taking and what wasn’t, I came across several hand made lace collars, including this ecru one, which was by far the oldest, daintiest and is by far my favourite.
The theme for “Smile on Saturday” for the 5th of November is “lace”. It seems apt that a piece of such fine lace that I only recently acquired gets to take centre stage for this week’s theme. I hope you like my choice and that it makes you smile.
There are so many different lace varieties around the world that as a newly acquired piece, I have yet to identify what type this is. All I can say is that it is Victorian - most likely mid Victorian - and that it is hand made. Looking at the detail in this piece cascading forth in a froth of ecru, it is hard to imagine someone making this by hand. However, when it was made, a hand skilled in making lace made a girl more eligible as a bride, for she was accomplished at a prized domestic art. Hand made lace also harks back to a time when people had not only the skill but the time to make an item such as this, which probably would have taken many months of painstaking work to make. As lace like this was so expensive, it was not unusual for a lady, even a wealthy one, to stich a lace collar to a frock and when the frock became to worn to wear any more, or was to be remodelled, the collar could be unpicked and stitched onto a new gown.
Yes, as you can see, "Bedford Drab" really was the name of a Dewhurst Sylko Cotton thread. Only the British could make drab sound so elegant!
When it was my birthday a few months ago, a very dear friend who enjoys photography as much as I do, and knows that I collect beautiful and vintage pieces, gave me a wonderful selection of antique ribbons, buttons, buckles, lace and other fine notions. She also gave me three follow up tins of similar delightful gifts for Christmas.
Those wonderful gifts are what has inspired me to create this series of "Embroider my World" images featuring my vintage bobbin collection. In this case, the wonderfully delicate vintage laces from the 1930s comes from my own collection of antique notions. I have accessorised them on a 1930s embroidered tablecloth with a Dewhurst's Sylko Sand reel of cotton and a Bedford Drab reel of cotton which date from between 1938 and 1954.
Belle Vue Mill, commonly known as Dewhurst’s, was built by Thomas Dewhurst in 1828. It opened in 1829 as John Dewhurst & Sons and was one of Skipton’s largest spinning and weaving mills. The mill’s position next to the Leeds Liverpool Canal meant that raw cotton could be shipped in by boats from Liverpool. Finished goods would then be sent back the same way ready for distribution. Coal to power the machine’s steam engines was also delivered by barge. In 1897 Dewhurst’s was bought by the English Sewing Cotton Co. It continued to produce Sylko, one of the mill’s most famous products. It was produced in over 500 colours and sold throughout the world. Sylko cottons are still available at haberdashers today.
Day 327/365:
This is the first card I've made for a while as I seize up if I sit for too long. It's my friends anniversary and she is also a card maker so I felt I had to make a card albeit a fairly simple one. Easing myself back in the saddle.
The theme for "Smile on Saturday" on the 16th of March is "blurred & beautiful". The night before the theme was announced, I was with some photographer friends who were discussing the pros and cons of keeping all photographs, even the ones that don’t turn out. I am one of those people that do keep them, because even if they did not work out as I might have wished, they may still prove beautiful – even if not planned – and may come in handy, as this shot has for this week’s theme. About a month ago, I took a trip to the Victorian country town of Castlemaine to see a fantastic private collection of beautiful wedding frocks dating from the 1830s through to the 1980s. This is a close up shot I took of the beautiful gold lace used to decorate a wedding frock from the 1930s. Being vintage and fragile, the fabrics were kept in lower light to protect them, which also made capturing some of these finer details more difficult, where only a small amount of movement by me as the photographer can result in a blurred shot. However, as the theme implies, this is actually a rather beautiful shot for its blurriness. It implies a sense of movement that this dress would once have had when the blushing bride walked down the aisle in it in 1936. I hope you like my choice for this week’s theme, and that it makes you smile!
Day 30 - October 2024: A month in 31 pictures
A still life with the styles of pumpkins...natural, ceramic and a couple of fabric pumpkins that I made.
Lensbaby Sol 45, this is the first time I've used the Sol 45 for a still life. I added a couple of my own textures too...both made with Lensbaby's
Yes, "Filbert" really is the name of this Dewhurst Sylko Cotton thread shade: quite possibly named for the hazelnut, which is also known as cobnuts or filberts according to species. Only the British could make a shade of brown sound so elegant!
When it was my birthday six months ago, a very dear friend who enjoys photography as much as I do, and knows that I collect beautiful and vintage pieces, gave me a wonderful selection of antique ribbons, buttons, buckles, lace and other fine notions. She also gave me three follow up tins of similar delightful gifts for Christmas.
Those wonderful gifts are what has inspired me to create this series of "Embroider my World" images featuring my vintage bobbin collection. In this case, the wonderfully delicate chocolate brown vintage lace from the 1930s comes from my own collection of antique notions, as does the Filbert shaded satin ribbon. The brown and white fabric pompom and the vintage Bakelite light brown buttons from the 1930s came from a slow stitch kit I recently acquired from E-Bay. I have accessorised them on a 1930s embroidered tablecloth with a Dewhurst's Sylko Filbert reel of cotton which dates from between 1938 and 1954.
Belle Vue Mill, commonly known as Dewhurst’s, was built by Thomas Dewhurst in 1828. It opened in 1829 as John Dewhurst & Sons and was one of Skipton’s largest spinning and weaving mills. The mill’s position next to the Leeds Liverpool Canal meant that raw cotton could be shipped in by boats from Liverpool. Finished goods would then be sent back the same way ready for distribution. Coal to power the machine’s steam engines was also delivered by barge. In 1897 Dewhurst’s was bought by the English Sewing Cotton Co. It continued to produce Sylko, one of the mill’s most famous products. It was produced in over 500 colours and sold throughout the world. Sylko cottons are still available at haberdashers today.
Dewhurst's have a wonderful range of bright colours in their range of sewing cottons like this reel of vibrant pink, which has been blessed with the delightful name of "Heliotrope". The colour Heliotrope, is a light purple with an overlay of magenta named after the Heliotropium flower. The color heliotrope is the vivid complement to softer hues of purple inspired by flowers, like orchid, lavender, and lilac. The magenta influence in heliotrope color is what gives it its vivacity.
When it was last my birthday, a very dear friend who enjoys photography as much as I do, and knows that I collect beautiful and vintage pieces, gave me a wonderful selection of antique ribbons, buttons, buckles, lace and other fine notions. She also gave me three follow up tins of similar delightful gifts for Christmas.
Those wonderful gifts are what has inspired me to create this series of "Embroider my World" images featuring my vintage bobbin collection. I happened to be out antiques and curio shopping with that same friend a few weeks ago when I came across some beautiful Heliotrope coloured vintage lace appliqués of roses and a tiny 1920s German half-doll wearing a Heliotrope coloured blouse. It seemed appropriate to use these items together with a Dewhurst's Sylko "Heliotrope" reel of cotton from my collection. It dates from between 1938 and 1954.
The "half-doll" is a dainty porcelain or bisque figurine, fashionable in the early Twentieth Century with an upper body, head, arms, but no legs. These dolls were produced in the thousands at the height of their popularity by German factories such as Dressel and Kister, Heubach, Goebel and Kestner. Later they were produced in France, America and later still, in Japan. They commonly served as handles and toppers for fabric covers made for powder boxes on ladies’ dressing tables and small brushes, however they were also made for jewellery boxes, pincushions, tea cosies and other covers. In this case, my German half-doll is decorated in fashionable contemporary (for the time) Art Deco style dress with an Eaton Crop hairdo. She is the smallest of my half-dolls, standing only one and a half inches in height, so I imagine that she would have been made for a lady’s boudoir and was most likely the topper for a small powder bowl or even a powder puff. She has been hand painted.
Belle Vue Mill, commonly known as Dewhurst’s, was built by Thomas Dewhurst in 1828. It opened in 1829 as John Dewhurst & Sons and was one of Skipton’s largest spinning and weaving mills. The mill’s position next to the Leeds Liverpool Canal meant that raw cotton could be shipped in by boats from Liverpool. Finished goods would then be sent back the same way ready for distribution. Coal to power the machine’s steam engines was also delivered by barge. In 1897 Dewhurst’s was bought by the English Sewing Cotton Co. It continued to produce Sylko, one of the mill’s most famous products. It was produced in over 500 colours and sold throughout the world. Sylko cottons are still available at haberdashers today.
I love Christmas, and a Christmas with all the trimmings is just what I enjoy. Therefore Christmas luncheon had on the back terrace is always a classic and formal three or four course affair. Antique Edwardian salon chairs, Royal Albert "Val d'Or" tableware, crystal glasses, Sheffield cutlery, antique silverware, embroidered table runners, and my Grandmother's napkin rings holding antique napery.
The theme for "Looking Close on Friday" on the 8th of December is "napkins" In keeping with the spirit of the season, I always transform my photostream into a Christmas wonderland every December in the lead up to the festive season, so I have photographed the beautifully hand embroidered napkins I use every Christmas, held by my Grandmother's napkin rings, stacked on one of my embroidered Christmas table runners and accessorised with some of my hand beaded Christmas baubles that I make as gifts every year. The napkins are a set of eight made around 1910 of fine white Irish linen with some dainty embroidered lace leaf decoration. They require a considerable amount of starch and very careful ironing after every use. I hope you like my choice for this week's theme, and that it makes you smile!
A change of lens for this flat lay. I have always used the Canon 5D and Velvet 56 for my Lensbaby flat lays but I have a new tripod with an arm to hopefully make flat lays easier (we shall see). I used the Canon R6 and the LB composer pro II with double glass II optic. Not sure if it looks a bit flat (no pun intended) but I really like the blur around the edges.
All kinds of challenges with this image -- but I like the way the pearls barely show through the lace in the background and create a subtle bokeh.
On a rainy Saturday in March, sister and brother, Egbertine and Egden, perused the Egg family album to pass the time away. As they turned the pages, they came across a beautiful sepia photo of their grandparents, Egbert and Eglantyne on their wedding day in 1924. With a veil made of antique French lace, Eglantyne made the most beautiful and blushing bride, and looked perfectly matched with her handsome husband Egbert with his handlebar moustache, smart bow tie and top hat.
The theme for "Smile on Saturday" on the 30th of March is "eggs-pressive", as a tribute to Easter. For this theme, you had to take a picture of one or more eggs and these eggs had to be 'expressive', so they had to have 'faces' of some kind. In this case… or should that be carton… I have used hens’ eggs where I have drawn the faces on using very finely tipped felt tipped pens. I placed them against a crushed velvet background and I accessorised them with some vintage lace which served as a veil for our blushing bride, a piece of black ribbon for our dashing groom, some handmade 1:12 scale miniature roses made by Beautifully Handmade Miniatures in Kettering, and a 1:12 miniature top hat made by Heidi Ott. I have given the photograph a sepia treatment and framed it so it appears to be held in place in an old photo album using photo corners. I hope you like my choice for the theme this week, and that it makes you smile.
* Handmade card.
Used materials: wall paper sample, vintage lace, cotton fabrics for the leaves, text sticker.
* Zelfgemaakte kaart.
Gebruikte materialen: behangstaaltje, vintage kant, katoenen stofjes voor de blaadjes, tekststicker.
When it was my birthday six months ago, a very dear friend who enjoys photography as much as I do, and knows that I collect beautiful and vintage pieces, gave me a wonderful selection of antique ribbons, buttons, buckles, lace and other fine notions. She also gave me three follow up tins of similar delightful gifts for Christmas.
Those wonderful gifts are what has inspired me to create this series of "Embroider my World" images featuring my vintage bobbin collection. A dear Flickr friend pointed out that my last "Embroider my World" image of olive green saddened them, and rightly so, because of course olive green is used on army fatigues, and there is so much war and discord in the world currently. I promised that my next "Embroider my World" would be brighter and more gaily coloured. Therefore today, I have chosen some vibrant pink and blue to brighten all our days or nights and remind us of the beauty around us.
In this case, the rose patterned vintage grosgrain ribbon comes from my own collection. I have accessorised it on a 1930s embroidered tablecloth with two Dewhurst's Sylko reels of cotton, one Rose and one Radiant Blue which date from between 1938 and 1954 and a small Edwardian cotton reel of soft Cornflower Blue made by J. P. Coats. There is also an antique satin rose from my own collection, and a French card of four blue buttons which was amongst the gifts given to me for Christmas by my generous friend.
In addition, I am featuring the debut of a little German 1920s half-doll with fashionably bobbed pageboy hair. The "half-doll" is a dainty porcelain or bisque figurine, fashionable in the early Twentieth Century with an upper body, head, arms, but no legs. These dolls were produced in the thousands at the height of their popularity by German factories such as Dressel and Kister, Heubach, Goebel and Kestner. Later they were produced in France, America and later still, in Japan. They commonly served as handles and toppers for fabric covers made for powder boxes on ladies’ dressing tables and small brushes, however they were also made for jewellery boxes, pincushions, tea cosies and other covers. In this case, my German half-doll has a bare torso and is holding a fan, so she would have been made for a lady’s boudoir and was most likely the topper for a jewellery box or powder bowl. She stands at one and three-quarter inches in height and has been hand painted. When I bought her, she was covered in a rather sticky layer of dust, probably accumulated over many years, however a lovely soak in a soapy bath and a soft toothbrush scrub quickly removed the grime and brought back her pale, gleaming beauty.
Belle Vue Mill, commonly known as Dewhurst’s, was built by Thomas Dewhurst in 1828. It opened in 1829 as John Dewhurst & Sons and was one of Skipton’s largest spinning and weaving mills. The mill’s position next to the Leeds Liverpool Canal meant that raw cotton could be shipped in by boats from Liverpool. Finished goods would then be sent back the same way ready for distribution. Coal to power the machine’s steam engines was also delivered by barge. In 1897 Dewhurst’s was bought by the English Sewing Cotton Co. It continued to produce Sylko, one of the mill’s most famous products. It was produced in over 500 colours and sold throughout the world. Sylko cottons are still available at haberdashers today.
In 1802 James Coats set up a weaving business in Paisley. In 1826 he opened a cotton mill at Ferguslie to produce his own thread and, when he retired in 1830, his sons, James & Peter, took up the business under the name of J. & P. Coats. In 1952 J. & P. Coats and the Clark Thread Co. merged to become Coats & Clark's. Today, the business is known as the Coats Group.
This is one of the subjects I tried out for yesterday's Looking Close... on Friday!' group theme, Glass. It's a modern glass button in front of an old glass perfume bottle with a little vintage lace thrown into the mix.
Marina Green... isn't that a lovely name for this blueish green shade of Dewhurst's Sylko cotton? Sometimes the British can be quite poetic, reminding us that the likes of Keats and Shakespeare came from England.
When it was my birthday six months ago, a very dear friend who enjoys photography as much as I do, and knows that I collect beautiful and vintage pieces, gave me a wonderful selection of antique ribbons, buttons, buckles, lace and other fine notions. She also gave me three follow up tins of similar delightful gifts for Christmas.
Those wonderful gifts are what has inspired me to create this series of "Embroider my World" images featuring my vintage bobbin collection.
In this case, the frothy creamy white vintage lace and vibrant green grosgrain ribbon come from my own collection. I have accessorised them on a 1930s embroidered tablecloth with a Dewhurst's Sylko Marina Green reels of cotton reel which dates from between 1938 and 1954, a small Edwardian cotton reel of eau de nil made by J. P. Coats, and a bobbin of eau de nil cotton from the Atlas Superior Cord Thread Company, which was actually a brand acquired by J. P. Coats.
Belle Vue Mill, commonly known as Dewhurst’s, was built by Thomas Dewhurst in 1828. It opened in 1829 as John Dewhurst & Sons and was one of Skipton’s largest spinning and weaving mills. The mill’s position next to the Leeds Liverpool Canal meant that raw cotton could be shipped in by boats from Liverpool. Finished goods would then be sent back the same way ready for distribution. Coal to power the machine’s steam engines was also delivered by barge. In 1897 Dewhurst’s was bought by the English Sewing Cotton Co. It continued to produce Sylko, one of the mill’s most famous products. It was produced in over 500 colours and sold throughout the world. Sylko cottons are still available at haberdashers today.
In 1802 James Coats set up a weaving business in Paisley. In 1826 he opened a cotton mill at Ferguslie to produce his own thread and, when he retired in 1830, his sons, James & Peter, took up the business under the name of J. & P. Coats. In 1952 J. & P. Coats and the Clark Thread Co. merged to become Coats & Clark's. Today, the business is known as the Coats Group.
I must confess that unlike past "Embroider my World" images in this series, the title for today's photograph does not come from the name of a Dewhurst Sylko thread colour, however as I have added one of my new antique half-dolls into the still life, it seemed appropriate to use the name of the peach and raspberry dessert named after the Australian opera singer Dame Nellie Melba. My half-doll looks like she might be about to sing us an aria, or perhaps a sentimental song like "There's No Place Like Home".
When it was my birthday six months ago, a very dear friend who enjoys photography as much as I do, and knows that I collect beautiful and vintage pieces, gave me a wonderful selection of antique ribbons, buttons, buckles, lace and other fine notions. She also gave me three follow up tins of similar delightful gifts for Christmas.
Those wonderful gifts are what has inspired me to create this series of "Embroider my World" images featuring my vintage bobbin collection.
In this case, the frothy creamy white vintage lace and rose patterned vintage grosgrain ribbon come from my own collection. I have accessorised them on a 1930s embroidered tablecloth with two Dewhurst's Sylko reels of cotton, one sunrise and the other saffron which date from between 1938 and 1954, a small and large Edwardian cotton reel of peach cotton made by J. P. Coats. There is also an antique satin rose from my own collection,
In addition, I am featuring the debut of a German bisque 1920s half-doll in fanciful historical costume. Most were painted and glazed, but a smaller number, like this one, were not. The "half-doll" is a dainty porcelain or bisque figurine, fashionable in the early Twentieth Century with an upper body, head, arms, but no legs. These dolls were produced in the thousands at the height of their popularity by German factories such as Dressel and Kister, Heubach, Goebel and Kestner. Later they were produced in France, America and later still, in Japan. They commonly served as handles and toppers for fabric covers made for powder boxes on ladies’ dressing tables and small brushes, however they were also made for jewellery boxes, pincushions, tea cosies and other covers. In this case, my German half-doll with her romantic costume probably would have been made for a lady’s boudoir and was most likely the topper for a jewellery box or powder bowl. She stands at threeand one-quarter inches in height.
Belle Vue Mill, commonly known as Dewhurst’s, was built by Thomas Dewhurst in 1828. It opened in 1829 as John Dewhurst & Sons and was one of Skipton’s largest spinning and weaving mills. The mill’s position next to the Leeds Liverpool Canal meant that raw cotton could be shipped in by boats from Liverpool. Finished goods would then be sent back the same way ready for distribution. Coal to power the machine’s steam engines was also delivered by barge. In 1897 Dewhurst’s was bought by the English Sewing Cotton Co. It continued to produce Sylko, one of the mill’s most famous products. It was produced in over 500 colours and sold throughout the world. Sylko cottons are still available at haberdashers today.
In 1802 James Coats set up a weaving business in Paisley. In 1826 he opened a cotton mill at Ferguslie to produce his own thread and, when he retired in 1830, his sons, James & Peter, took up the business under the name of J. & P. Coats. In 1952 J. & P. Coats and the Clark Thread Co. merged to become Coats & Clark's. Today, the business is known as the Coats Group.