From Silk to Chalk.

My beautiful friend Michelle outside the silk Museum in Macclesfield

House Coat made from silk maps.

Silk cloth with embroidered motifs

Tiny bird one of the motifs from a piece of silk.

Pretty Polly mini wall hanging.

At the beginning of September my beautiful friend Michelle invited me to tag a long on a trip to the Silk Museum in Macclesfield.  We had a great day strolling around the museum and finding out all about how Macclesfield was once a major player in the silk trade. Famous for their Macclesfiled silk buttons in particular.  One of the many things that fascinated me was this amazing house coat, made from silk maps during the second World War.  The pattern was in the Woman's Weekly magazine and it required 12 maps to make. How amazing is that! There was so much to take in and it was such an inspiring trip, my mind was over loaded with ideas. I was extremely sorry I did not have a sketchbook with me, to jot down notes and sketches but I did take lots of photos on my phone. Another thing that caught my eye was a small piece of silk fabric that had silk embroidered motifs on it. Honestly they were tiny. I pointed out the tiny bird motif to Michelle, who at first could not make it out. As soon as I got home I just had to make my own interpretation of the bird. Using pieces of brocade silk fabric, I made the patched background. The bird and flower came from a bundle of rainbow coloured silk fabric pieces my good friend Janet gave me. The branch I embroidered in a thick chain stitch, using silk Perle. It was such a delight to make and is title "Pretty Polly"

 A half welsh dresser

Ceramic doors nobs.

The finished welsh dresser.

Just over week ago I managed to get my hands on a half welsh dresser. I have been yearning after one for a long time but never really had the space.  I decided it was time to rearrange the sewing room and make a space for my new purchase.  Its previous owner had already started painting it white but I wanted it to be a lovely sea blue colour.  I bought a tin of chalk paint, the colour was called "Marina" and set to work.  Whilst shopping in my local Home Bargain I came across a lovely set of ceramic door nobs that where perfect for my welsh dresser, at only £1.99 for a set of two.  However, I needed four and my sister came up trumps by popping into her local Home Bargain and found me another pack of the same door nobs.  I am thrilled with how it has turned out and is right at home in my sewing room.