The Weird and Wonderful

There was an article in the Guardian recently by Rowan Moore, writing about his love for weird and wonderful objects that don't fit in with current ideas of good taste. Moore wrote,

I’m drawn to things that show a desire, a dream or a belief, where you can get a sense of connection with the maker.

I was reading this one early morning, upstairs drinking coffee and I glanced down at the weird and wonderful quilt covering my bed.

I found it on eBay a long time ago. It's hard to know how I was drawn. The good description probably, the quilt carefully folded so that only the best bits are shown. I might not have been so keen on it if I'd noticed that chintz edging. 

The figures, flora and fauna are appliqued on coarse unbleached cotton. The stitching is not exquisite. The fabric used for appliqueing is vintage so maybe the quilt is decades old. I've had it for at least fifteen years and am guessing most of the fabric pieces are from the sixties/seventies.

At first, I thought the scenes depicted on the quilt were biblical but now I'm not so sure.

That creature must be a unicorn. There are no unicorns in the bible. 

This might be a dog, probably an Afghan hound although I'm not sure about the feet. I think I had a smock top in that brown fabric when I was about seventeen. Which was fifty years ago. Scary.

 These fabrics are actually rather fabulous. 

Aren't they?

Sprigged cotton juxtaposed with snippets of mid-century atomic. What's not to love about this creation. How great it would be if the person who made it (or her descendants) could know that it fell into good hands and that I love it and would not part with it for any money. That's my connection with its maker.

PS. I was working on a blog about death but did this instead.

Quilts and Nasturtiums

Gardened for an hour or so, lazed about, ate leftover curried lamb, visited friends, phoned people. That was my Easter Saturday.

I've still got the stinking cold but I believe it is on its way out. Hurrah!

Starting to get into  House of Cards, interest piqued around episode 6. Now on episode 10.

And now to Flickr on this, the fourth day of April.

This is a very small section of an appliqued quilt that I bought on eBay many years ago. I thought of using it as a wall hanging but it is so big that I have not a single interior wall that could cope with it. The figures are characters from the Old Testament but they haven't been identified. Perhaps I should hang it outside, photograph it and let the Internet tell me. Internet seems to like it a little as it has had 1665 views. I wonder why it is I get bored when there are exciting things to be doing like hanging a giant quilt on a barn door for photographs?

 This gorgeous illustration of tropaeolum majus is by the Czech artist Frantisek Severa. It is scanned from the dust jacket of a little pocket book on herbs. I only bought it because of the pictures. Flickr considers it my 4th most interesting picture with 632 views. In this instance I agree with Flickr for it is a very interesting picture and not in the least sentimental.

Day Out In Stroke City

Yesterday Zoe and I went on a trip to Derry. We went on a train that smelled of farts. In Derry we walked the walls, took in some history and visited some shops. There are three shops in Derry that are well worth every penny of the train fare - even if you just go in to look.


I really like a proper old-fashioned book shop and Foyle Books is just that. I complimented the proprietor on the delightfulness of his shop and he said,

That's a nice compliment all the way from Scotland!

It's Ballymena actually but I know what you mean.

He was a Surn Ironer himself so I excused the mistake. Once in London an African stopped to ask me directions. I said I couldn't help him as I was from Ireland myself. He said,

Oh what part of Ireland are you from? Dublin or Glasgow?

Another interesting shop, and forgive me - for in my hurry to get inside and look around I didn't note the name, was devoted to quilts and quilting. In my youth I was keen on patchwork and would have thought I was in heaven if I'd had access to such glories. But a part of me thought it was too easy to have such awesome fabrics to hand. I trawled jumble sales and recycled garments to make my quilts.


But by far the best shop was this one.


And here are some of the the treasures to be found within.

I fear I must have lived among the Protestants too long for I only recognised Mother Teresa. Does anyone recognise any of her heavenly chums?