Day23: Stumpwork Violet Day 2

This morning the sun came out. I was almost beguiled into going out without my puffy jacket. Fortunately I came to my senses, wore the jacket and took my umbrella.


Helen had offered to escort some of us into the classroom at 9.15 instead of 9.45.  Seven of the ten of us took up the offer.







I had almost finished the in-fill embroidery on the 5 petals, so set about finishing the button hole edges.

Most of my fellow students worked on the single leaf. We needed to have either the violet petals or the leaf finished by lunchtime so we could 'plunge' something after lunch.











I managed to finish the petals so could cut them out ready to plunge. In the meantime we learned how to attach the silk-wrapped purl.
The last half an hour was spent plunging the petals, one at a time, and securing them on the back. There was a huge sense of satisfaction from all of us. 

Helen was a very relaxed and adaptable teacher who spent a lot of time monitoring our individual work and offering suggestions. There was also a lot of sharing.

I am further advanced than I feared I might be. I have still to finish the leaf, to add two more stems of silk-wrapped purl, and finish the shaded violet. All manageable.



I had only stopped for about 20 minutes for lunch today to have a coffee  so I only snapped a few photos- glimpses through doors or as I passed through entrance halls on the way out.

It was beginning to rain, so the last view from the last courtyard is a bit gloomy.

I was hurrying, because Sue and Alf had arrived. Of course, my room key didn't work and I had to waste time getting it reprogrammed before meeting them.











That was soon forgotten, as we met and caught up, yakking and laughing until dinner, then continuing to yak and laugh as the river flowed, birds came and went and the sun eventually went down.





















I learned that what I said yesterday was a duck, is in fact a coot. Not an old coot, or a bandicoot (the only kind I knew until today) but a coot. Another 'duck' is in fact a moorhen, and yet another a crested grebe. 











It is lovely to have others to share a meal in the presence of this lovely, inspiring, dynamic river. No wonder it was personified as Old Father Thames.

Today is (was in Australia) Fionn's birthday. I hope he is now having sweet dreams on the other side of the world.