HOLLLINGBOURNE FETE

 Lots of stalls , sunshine and  lots of french people from our twin - Templeuve, who entertained us with a choir and joined in the food and the boules competition. 

As usual our Hook a Duck was what was on offer at our stall this 2015

 The Fete theme was the 60's and we had pictures of stars of the 60's and sheet music of the same period, plus some beetles paraphenalia - and of course the Union Jacks. 

The prise for the person achieving the highest score in one fishing session of three ducks was a fantastic cake in the shape of a duck. It was enormous and would have fed about 30 people. 

Here you see it in action.  This fisherman has been a frequent visitor to this pond in the last few years-all in all we had about 170 fisher men and women!

Magna carta - Libertea

People up and down the country were invited to have their own LIBERTEA, to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta.  Maybe not quite the event that the Queen is going through at this moment, but nevertheless worth doing.

 We celebrated in style, members made recipes that will appear in our Recipe Book being published later this year - to celebrate 90 years of WI in Hollingbourne - such things as Salmon and Dill Pancakes, Thai Crab tartlets, Strawberry cheesecake, sausage plait and Lemonade scones to name but a few.

 Partners and friends were invite to Hollingbourne Meadows (The wonderful area belonging to the trust, which allows villagers to stroll and enjoy the peace of the area. Trees can also be purchased to dedicate to others, and it  also means that these areas will never be built upon)
We started with Rudyard Kiplings poem What say the Reeds at Runnymede? read by  Jim, Penny, Peter, Val and Alan.

and once the solemnities were over, we enjoyed the food and the ambiance and everything soon disappeared. Well worth the effort.

WIRE KNITTING

I wasn't reaally sure what I was in for when I signed up for this day class, though I had been told that we were to make a 'CUFF'

 We each chose a spool of wire and a bag of beads. Some people had brought their own beads,

 as I had - left over from the Bridesmaids dresses made last year.

 We then had to randomly slide all the beads on to the wire.

 THEN THE KNITTING!  Cast on , increase, but thankfully it was only plain knitting.

However - every other row we had to slip one of the beads up to the needle and knit it into the next stitch.   We were told to get up and walk around to decrease the tension in our shoulder and necks. 

Once we had done a few rows it got easier.

 and This was my final knitted cuff, before casting off.

We also had to make our own silver 'findings'  this was a home made hook and eye

You can just see them in the photo above.  Also the difference in the finished cuffs was amazing. - we each had 10  stitches in a row, but some knitted tightly and some loosely, and the colour of the wire and breads differed.  Each was unique  and we were very satisfied with our progress at the end of the day.

This was a necklace that the tutor had made earlier.

 She had also used the old fashion  knitting on a cotton real, making beautiful tubes of wire, some without beads.

 

and some with beads

Next winter I hope to persuade members of Hollingbourne WI 

to make their own Cuffs necklaces or earings. 

Culpeper Embroidery - District visit

Northdowns District of the WI is situated  to the east of Maidstone and consists of 9 WI's. Yesterday we visited a historic embroidery which 'lives' in our District, at Hollingbourne Church.

Members from 6 institutes took a morning to have a private viewing and also to quietly  investigate the  Church itself which has items dating back to the 14th Century. 

The Needlework which is the size of an Altar cloth or bedspread,  is reputed to have been made by the daughters of Sir John 'Colpeper' during their father's absence abroad for 12 years with King Charles 11 - in the commonwealth period. 

The cherubs and plants  on the needlework are all applied, and it is known that devices such as these were sold loose in London for such a purpose.    It is a unique item of needlework and is stored safely in an air controlled case to avoid any deterioration.   It is not on general display and the Churchwarden will need to be contacted for a viewing.