The world of Dorset Buttons has opened up around here of late. It started last week with the finding of another copy of Dorset Feather Stitchery. Inside, amongst old transfers and other goodies was a little WI booklet. It covers a little of the history and a short guide on how the make a Crosswheel…
DetailsPam’s Secondhand Shop in Priory Lane is a Bridport institution – but not for much longer. For many years this house clearance, junk shop come treasure trove has served the people of Bridport and beyond. But now Sarah (the driving force – like Betty Crocker ‘Pam’ herself does not exist) has decided to call it…
DetailsCream crackers, it turns out, are really easy to make. They are nicer than the ones you buy in the shops and with no hidden ingredients. In fact the ingredients couldn’t be simpler. Try this basic recipe – then you could also add extra flavours if you want to be fancy. And thinking ahead, when…
DetailsElderberry dye is potent stuff. The newly discovered addiction to natural dyeing continues (to feed the Sock Knitting Machine in the previous post and as written about in another earlier post). And the wait has been on for Elderberry season. This is serious addiction! They are plentiful around here in the hedgerows. But you have…
DetailsA sock knitting machine is a wondrous thing, it is a marvel of engineering. It is life transforming (i.e addictive). It has opened up a whole new world of sock making possibilities and the previously unforeseen adventures of yarn dyeing visited in a post a little while back. This marvellous vintage machine was made in the…
DetailsDorset Buttons – it’s an official love affair now. Following on from last week’s post the hunt was on to find some real ones. The 1950’s WI offerings in Bridport museum are lovely – but these are crafty projects, with added colour and sparkle. And as it turns out are a far cry from the…
DetailsLondon Buns are sweet, fruity buns dating back to at least the 18th century. They belong to the same family as Hot Cross buns, Chelsea Buns and Bath Buns. For some reason London Buns seem to have dropped off the radar – for no good reason as they are delicious and no more tricky to…
DetailsColeton Fishacre is a bit of a faff to get to – tucked below Torquay and Paington in Devon. But it’s well worth the effort if you can survive the bottle neck on the ring road. It was home to the D’Oyly Carte family, an arts and crafts/art deco bolthole built in 1926. The house…
DetailsDorset buttons have become something of a fascination. Having started with the cross wheel buttons from this post last year, things have moved on, thanks to the finding of this unassuming little booklet, dating from the the 1970’s by the looks of things. It covers all the basics, the history of button making in Dorset…
DetailsNatural Dyes – they are all around, in the garden, in the fields and hedgerows, in the larder and the supermarket. And the last couple of weeks they have become something of an obsession around here. They are AMAZING – it’s total magic (well not really, it’s just chemistry). Looking into sock yarns (following the…
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