Flutterby Patch

Amazing trees, Levens Hall and a little black dog.

The autumn tints in the garden are wonderful when the sun is shining but leaves are flying everywhere today as cold north-westerlies tell us to put on our coats and scarves. 

Our house sits on a hill so parts of the garden are on a slope which can make lawn mowing quite challenging at times.

Say "hello" to our friendly old Scots pine tree. Just look at his facial expression! A wise old thing, he has watched over this spot for over 250 years and seen the world change a great deal during his lifetime.

A family of squirrels plus numerous birds and insects live amongst his gnarled branches.

He is very generous with his pine cones which look very festive at Christmas time. 

By far the tallest tree in our garden the old Scots pine is at the mercy of strong winds and last year lost several huge limbs which crashed to the ground during a storm. See how damaged and bald he now is down the left-hand side but he carries on growing unperturbed.

A shapely young yew

Close to the old pine gentleman is this young yew tree. It has grown from a berry that was deposited by a bird some 15 years ago. My husband wanted to transplant it to a more suitable position but I had other plans... Topiary! Once it had reached 5 ft high I began shaping it with secateurs. Unfortunately I'm not sure what shape I'm aiming at. It has the appearance of a figure with a head, so the pieces that have sprouted from the top this year might become a convincing hat next year. I haven't yet made up my mind.

Before I resume clipping I will look for inspiration in this excellent topiary book by David Joyce

 
Now this is what I call real topiary. Aren't those shapes amazing? These yew trees have been cut to shape for the past 300 years and are part of a world famous topiary garden close to where I live.

Levens Hall

  
The topiary garden belongs to Levens Hall in Cumbria. The house dates from the year 1250 and has been lived in by the same family for many centuries. If you have seen the BBC adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's 'Wives and Daughters' then you will be well acquainted with Levens Hall as its intereior and topiary garden were used for the many scenes shot at 'Hamley Hall'. 

When I first saw the film I was amazed just how much of the house and its original antique faurniture was used. The Hall is awash with mellow oak panelling and carving. Shown above is the Elizabethan Great Hall and staircase.

Above the fireplace can be seen the coat of arms of
Queen Elizabeth I

How I should love to have a meal in this dining room. The walnut dining chairs date from the time of Charles II (1660 - 1685) and are considered to be among the finest in the country. This dining room was used several times in the making of the film and I'm convinced these were the very same chairs that the characters sat on. I hope they were well insured!

This bay window is part of the drawing room. In 'Wives and Daughters' you see it first when Molly visits Mrs Hamley who is resting on her day-bed.

This is known as the Redman Bedroom and was used as Mrs Hamley's room in the film.

  
A visitor to Levens Hall will enter through the central door directly into the Great Hall. It is open to the public from April to October every year and, if you hadn't already guessed, it is one of my favourite places to visit. None of the rooms are overpoweringly large and all show evidence that a family is in permanent residence. Clocks tick and strike the hour and sweet smelling flowers picked from the garden sit on beautiful antique furniture. I love it!

This painting of the Hall and topiary garden was done over 100 years ago in 1870. On the extreme left you can see a wonderful cedar of Lebanon tree.

In 2005, 135 years after the painting was finished, disaster struck when this lovely old Cedar of Lebanon was blown over in a gale. It crashed down in the direction of the ancient topiary garden but thankfully narrowly missed most of the famous yew trees (this picture appeared in our local newspaper at the time). Clearing the garden of debris, repairing structural damage and replanting lost plants took many months.

Of course Levens Hall garden has a lot more to offer the visitor than just topiary. Head gardener, Chris Crowder, has produced a very colourful book that will guide you round. He was once resident gardener on the children's TV programme 'Blue Peter' but moved to Levens Hall in 1986.

When I passed Levens Hall last week the sign on the gate read 'Closed for the season' so I stood beside these giant gateposts and photographed the ancient Hall from a distance (below). How different it looks now that the public has left and the grounds are empty. All was silent except for the wind in the trees and it all felt a bit spooky and mysterious. I decided I wouldn't want to be there on my own at night.

When I got home I discovered from the guide book that Levens Hall does have a number of ghosts so I definitely won't be returning at night. I read about the Grey Lady; a gypsy who was refused admission to the house and who as a result died of starvation. Her ghost is seen on the drive and on the bridge over the river. A Pink Lady wearing a mob cap is seen from time to time in the main hall and finally a Little Black Dog. Apparently he frquently runs upstairs in front of unwary guests who, as a result, hunt in vain for him in their bedrooms. You can find out more about Levens Hall from their splendid website.

Knitting ghosts!

I like the idea of a little black dog running by, he sounds very appealing. As today is Halloween I have for you a little black dog knitting pattern. He doesn't look very ghost-like I'm afraid, but he is definitely in a hurry!

His companion 'the little white dog' is also a cute little fellow.

This chart can be used for knitting or cross stitch embroidery.

 

On my desk - a sewing machine and some fabric

On my desk this Wednesday you'll find my sewing machine and some pretty floral fabric that I bought last week. I've been looking for a blouse in shades of plum and pink for some time but have had no success.

And so I'm making myself a blouse. I've been making clothes and toys since I was fourteen so I've had plenty of practise. Making pretty little dresses for my daughter when she was small was most gratifying as she loved everything I created for her and with no prompting would enthusiastically show off the fruits of my labours to friends and family. Good times!

 
After buying the fabric I was delighted to find that two of my necklaces were a perfect match. On the other hand, I suppose if they hadn't been a good match I would have had an excuse to go shopping for a new necklace. Hmm! That would have been fun!

Welcome sunshine

The sun has occasionally shown its face this week and and when it has we have taken the opportunity to get out and about. October is a month when a lot of new book titles arrive on bookshop shelves and my husband and I like to use it as an excuse to take a trip to the excellent Bluebell Bookshop in the nearby town of Penrith. There are several routes we are able to take but this week we opted for the speedy motorway route as we didn't want to get snarled up with the many visitors that have descended on the area for the school half-term holiday.

It doesn't take long to reach remote open countryside. No holiday crowds here, just the sound of the wind and the giant windmills. This wind farm is one of a growing number that are springing up in our county making the most of the high ground and the constant wind. Like them or loathe them, wind farms appear to be here to stay.

And here we are on the motorway. This believe it or not is our end of the busy M6. It has wound its congested way round Birmingham and ever northwards; by-passing Liverpool and Manchester whilst all the time depositing its heavy load of vehicles  And now, heading towards the Scottish border it has become an open road. Not only can you enjoy magnificent scenery as you travel but you also have the option of stopping for refreshments at the award winning Westmorland Service Station which has an excellent farm shop and the reputation of being the only English service station to be built and run by local people.

And in no time we have reached Penrith. I will be there for a longer visit some time soon but for now we head past the market cross and on toward the charmingly named Angel Lane.

Angel Lane contains a variety of shops all neatly tucked into a higgledy piggledy collection of old buildings. The one I'm heading for is on the right and painted blue.

 There is an inscription over the door of the shop dating back 245 years. I've never quite understood its full meaning but I love its quaintness.

 
And here we are at last. I can't wait to get inside and have a good root around. The shop is on two floors and as you enter the aroma of coffee rushes to meet you. It is served throughout the day together with homemade cakes and biscuits. In the large area devoted to music there is a piano which, when I arrived, was being put to good use by a young man taking a piece of sheet music for test run before buying it. As usual the Bluebell Bookshop didn't disappoint and I was able to make several suggestions to my husband about which books would make great additions to my Christmas stocking. Not too long to wait!

 
Apart from an excellent bookshop Penrith has a number of shops I like to visit. The little wool shop always has something to tempt me and recently I bought this gorgeous yarn. Its a mix of silk, kid mohair and lamb's wool from Japan and is knitting up into a lovely scarf in muted shades of lilac, purple and olive green.

All too soon its time to go home. But just look at this! On the homeward journey the skies opened and the car received yet another unscheduled wash.

In our mountainous region the weather can change rapidly. A couple of miles further on and the rain stopped and the setting sun peeped over the hilly horizon.

Event abandoned

Over the weekend our news bulletins were telling us how a huge group of 2,500 mountain racers in our area were forced to abandon their challenging race due to gale force winds and torrential rain. Many were stranded on high ground and local mountain rescue teams and helicopters were out in force for two whole days. Fortunately this was a well organised event that takes place each year and the competitors were all well equipped which is just as well as many of them had to spend the night in the mountains. There were a few injuries but thankfully no loss of life.

What a difference a day makes

And now the weather is beautiful. This is the bay at Bowness-on-Windermere close to where I live. A much visited place from Easter through to the end of October.

During the weekend storms the lake level rose several feet and the road was completely flooded but that didn't bother the gulls, ducks and swans.They thoroughly enjoyed themselves and today the many visitors ensure the birds are kept well fed. 

The wooden ticket offices are still flooded and jetties are still submerged

The little train that ferries visitors to the various beauty spots is kept very busy throughout the season. By next week the crowds will have returned home and the train will be empty.

and the area will breath a sigh of relief and settle down for a peaceful winter break.

The tale of Bunnykins china

In Wednesday's post I showed you 3 balls of yarn and a Bunnikins mug and asked if you could guess what I was planning. Sadly I have to disappoint those of you who thought I might be pregnant or expecting a new grandchild, neither is correct I'm afraid. The answer is a lot less exciting... another knitting pattern! Whenever I see Royal Doulton's Bunnykins china I'm immediately transported back to the days of my early childhood. The top two dishes belonged to my brothers but the bowl and plate at the bottom were both mine. As a tot I ate my porridge every day from the bowl and golden syrup sandwiches from the plate. For me it is a perfect example of what nursery china should look like, simple, sturdy, colourful and fun. I'm not a lover of the action scenes depicting modern animations that decorate some of today's nursery ware. Little people don't need excitement when they are eating. Bunnykins fun comes from the anticipation of finding those beautifully detailed scenes beneath the food when you have been 'very good' and cleaned your plate. And what little conversation pieces they are.

During all these years of admiration for Bunnykins china I have never once considered its history, until now that is, and the story behind its existence makes quite a touching little tale. In the early 1930s Mr Cuthbert Bailey was the general manager of Royal Doulton's Burslem pottery in Stoke-on-Trent. His young daughter Barbara had become a nun many miles away in Sussex and he missed her very much. His visits were infrequent and strictly controlled by the convent and he saw very little of her. During one of his visits however he asked her a favour. Barbara had always shown a talent for drawing and so he asked her to try and design something that might be suitable for a new line in the nursery china that Royal Doulton was planning. As she had a great love for both children and animals she had no hesitation in creating families of little rabbits enjoying the everyday life she had known as a child. Families cooking, picnicking, fishing, dancing and even a father rabbit bespectacled and pipe-smoking based on her own father. Although the Reverend Mother of the convent was unimpressed, the Bunnykins range was introduced by Royal Doulton in 1934 and was an instant success. Reverend Mother continued to be discouraging about the Doulton venture and demanded that Sister Barbara work at it in secret. And so she drew and painted each little scene very late at night, by candlelight, alone in her cell.

 

Working quietly and alone Sister Barbara provided all the Bunnykins designs until the Second World War (66 in total). Since then designs have been produced by a succession of other artists faithful to her original style. Bunnykins china is still being made to this day; the only Royal Doulton range to have endured so long. Sister Mary Barbara Bailey died at the convent in 2003 at the age of 92. Her obituary, printed at the time in The Independent newspaper, can be seen here.

Above is a page from 'The History of Children's China - Part II'. Bunnykins ware is featured on page 141 along with an advertisement for the range dating from 1953.

 

If you collect, or are interested in children's vintage china then both the above books are an excellent source of information and photographs (mainly black and white).

On the right - Gifts for Good Children, the History of Children's China 1790 -1890 by Noel Riley and on the left The History of Children's China, Part II 1890 - 1990 by Maureen Batkin.

Run rabbit, run
I love the little rabbits that run endlessly round the rim of Bunnikins china so have produced my own knitted version (below). I have embroidered little pink daisies between the bunnies in the top row. Small blades of green grass in straight stitch would also be effective.

Making little white fluffy tails and stitching one onto each rabbit is a bit fiddly but the finished effect is worth the effort don't you think?

This chart can be used for knitting or cross stitch embroidery.  

If you are planning a gift for a tiny tot you might consider giving a piece of Bunnikins china together with a little knitted hat, jacket or blanket decorated with a row of running rabbits.

Little Bo-peep will travel to.....

I want to thank everyone who entered my little competition last week. I was very touched by so many nice comments and really do wish you could all be winners. Bo-Peep and her rascally sheep have been growing more and more excited in anticipation of travelling to a new home.

It is now time to reveal the name of the winner. The weight of Bo-peep and her sheep together with the piece of Lakeland stone is 226 g (8 oz).

Here are the entries which can be seen in the comment section of my 15th October post.

Martha 217 g, Andrea 204 g, Paula 270 g, Maria 227 g, Sabine 194 g, Mumintroll 290 g, Suzanne 218 g, Robyn 180 g.

Well done Maria, your guess was only 1 g more than the correct answer. Little Bo-peep is ready and waiting to travel to Spain. How exciting!