Day 22: Stumpwork Violet Day 1 Hampton Court

I wish I could show the motion of this little duck, paddling furiously against the current on the river this morning.  The river is still flowing swiftly and high - although the photos don't show it.

I entered Hampton Court at 9.30 to be confronted by this giant, apparently chocolate, rabbit. On Sunday there was an Easter Egg hunt.

The sky was still spectacularly overcast and it was raining on and off.



















As I walked around to the RSN meeting point, I noticed the brickwork meeting the cobbles- not something I've paid attention to before.


We fluffed around a bit, having our photos taken for our instant security passes and being signed through, then trailed through the corridors and staircases to the larger classroom - with square windows rather than the round ones in the room I have always been in before.








It is an internal courtyard view rather than the garden view of the other room.



There were 10 of us present today and we began by outlining the petals of the violet on a mauve cotton.

The room is light and fairly roomy, certainly not luxurious or purpose-built, but equipped with everything we could need for stitching. Helen Jones' is a diligent, experienced and intelligent teacher, constantly demonstrating, monitoring, suggesting and encouraging - the antithesis of Embroidery Police!

The lunch room is shabby and cosy, with examples of student work on improvised display - obscuring a lovely crewel work fire screen in the fireplace.

The priority is on contemporary student usage - and stitching, stitching, stitching.

I visited the RSN shop at lunchtime.







As we left at 4pm, it was starting to rain. There were still crowds in the Palace - and still arriving - mostly families on school holiday visits. They were undeterred, perhaps even drawn by, the gloomy weather.






I can't resist photographing the shapes and sculptures

















Back at the hotel, I did a little more stitching before having dinner. The river is still running grey and swift.


Tonight I sat toward the Eastern end of the restaurant and photographed the sunset through the far window.











There is a sense of harmony and flow.


I want to get more of my leaves and petals worked tonight. I'm hoping to get close to finishing my stumpwork violet tomorrow.

In my dreams? Maybe.