Needlework Fairs

I have had a few busy months recently.  I have attended a number of Needlework Fairs and, whilst they have been exhausting, they have also been great fun and have given me the opportunity to meet some extremely talented people.

In October I attended Kirstie Allsop's The Handmade Fair which was held in the grounds of Hampton Court Palace.  What fun that Fair was and in such beautiful surroundings too.  The weather was glorious; warm and sunny, which just seemed to put everyone in a good mood.  It was held over three days and each morning I caught the train from Waterloo Station to Hampton Court Station. I would buy myself a steaming coffee and a warm pastry; walk over the bridge with the River Thames swirling away below; pass through the main gates of the Palace - and imagine I was royalty as I strolled down the long driveway; walk left through the walled rose garden - which is beautiful - and then into the gardens at the back of the Palace. From there I walked across the carefully mown lawns to the large tents of the Fair where people would be eagerly queueing to get in, patiently waiting for the large wrought iron gates to swing open.

During the day there were lots of "have you seen ..." and "did you make ..."  The bunting was flying; the music was playing and there was a hive of activity as people shopped, crafted and chatted over cups of tea and cake.

The path along the back of the Palace

Kirstie's attempt, along with willing members of the public, to make the longest pom pom trail

Hotch Potch vintage tea rooms

My journey home was back along the same route through the grounds and I was often joined by weary stall holders and exhausted shoppers.  At the station I would pick a seat opposite Lucy's Shed and feast my eyes on the beutiful flowers she had standing in tin buckets ... roses, peonies, lavender and in my mind pick out seeds to plant.  Day dreaming ... of summer, the warm sun and the sweet perfume of an English country garden.  This would then be shattered by the arrival of the train, the dash to grab a seat, but then a chance to drift back again into thoughts of the day as the train rythmically jolted its way back to London. 

"Lucy's Shed"