My Wooden Mushroom

 I was up early and ready for my first workshop at Hope and Elvis on Saturday morning. It was a Darning workshop with Tom of Holland. I am always excited to go there, as Louise has the most interesting workshops going on, and also I love the relaxing atmosphere. I always meet some new faces, and some old, well, regular faces.

After tea/coffee, we all gathered together to listen to Tom and his stories of mending and darning. He is such a talented artist. The darning's were not just ordinary darnings, but a piece of art work, and that's what I was interested in.

Pieces of cut jumpers, were laid down for us to pick and practise darning techniques.

The table was all set before hand, by the lovely Louise Presley.

I took my most loved and worn wooley sock with me to darn, as you can see. We were given some instruction leaflets. OK, so I am not very good with those type of things... But I thought I'd give it a go.

Tom showed us all in a group techniques of darning and mending our loved clothes, as well as lots of individual attention was paid by him.

The wooden mushroom. I always wondered what can you actually do with them. Ah! Thanks for telling me Tom. So I used my wooden mushroom and did my very first darning.

The tinsy winsy one on the right is mine, hehe, and the one on left hand side was of course Tom's work.

Just look at this. It is darned so beautifully. The colours and the stitch, simply delicious.

Some of Louise's work, which she has patched; darned and embroidered, was on display too.

This blue top I have seen so many times on Louise, and she does look lovely in it. I just want to do that one day. Yes, one day I shall patch my top.

 Another sample jumper darned by Tom. Little blocks of different techniques have been used here.

 Wow, what a wonderful day it was! Girls were happily darning away. Nicola was very quick in darning. Well done girl!

Jan, from "Lemonade Kitty Blog" got the hang of darning very quickly as well. No one could stop her from darning.

Charlotte did the most pretty darning of all. The cute little heart.  Awwww... so clever; and she was one of the youngest member in the group that day!

Are we getting a bit tired now? Well we all did work very hard.

 So we were allowed some more tea, and a little chat here and there.

Love the fabric, so delicate, and beautiful darning was going on there.

Rachel from Ted and Agne's Blog was busy darning as well. I couldn't believe how wonderful and down to earth person she is. With all that talent and fame under her belt and yet, sat there like a girl next door. I loved her handmade bags she brought with her!

 

It was so nice to have met Jan and Rachel.

It was not all over. Tom showed us yet another technique of darning by using this little weaving gadget.

How quick and neat that was. I am sure I will take a long time though, Tom.

Thanks Louise and Tom, I really enjoyed the day and so glad to have learned a new skill.

I always go to Hope and Elvis with a big hope to learn something new, and am never disappointed!
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