Tying The Knot

I couldn't remember how to sew a french knot.  Did I ever know?
It didn't matter.  I had YouTube.  And there it was.
Better still, I had Scandinavian Needlecraft by Clare Youngs.  This book is the business. Have a look. It took me home to Denmark; to summers in red clogs with my family; to tables set with candles, fresh flowers and runners that Mormor had cross stitched; to the farm; to the sea; to scrubbed wooden floors, light, woolen blankets, and the simple pleasure of cotton cloth set with apple juice and biscuits on the beach. And then to Sweden where my first child was born almost eighteen years ago.




(Photographs of Scandinavian Needlecraft Cico Books 2010)
So, we called my parents, lit the fire and spent the evening laughing and tying ourselves in knots over the crossword while I remembered the smell of pine and beech forests and that I could sew. I finished a couple of advent stockings.  For the first time this year, Christmas seemed to come a slipper step closer.  




Lou x

Make Believe Café at Wickle

Starting next week Make Believe Café are going to hold a monthly craft group at Wickle. For those of you that don't know, Wickle is a wonderful shop in Lewes that describes itself as 'a mini department store'. And indeed it is. Spread across three shops, they sell toys and children's clothes, ladieswear, menswear, books and stuff for your home. When I take friends from London to Wickle they always go mad and buy up the shop. I think this could be because in London you often find that even independent shops often sell similar stock. The wares at Wickle are far more unusual and unique and the stock changes regularly so there's no chance of it becoming boring. They also like to support local crafts people, so we thought this would be an ideal place to hold a craft night.



The first one is to be held next Thursday (11th November) and, in preparation for Advent, we will be making tiny felt stockings to hang on a ribbon washing line in which you can put a tiny gift for each day of Advent. While researching this project I came across this great site Uncommon Grace  which gives loads of ideas about what to put in advent calendars. The idea I liked best is to make tickets for treats that might usually happen at Christmas, such as a trip to see Father Christmas or to the cinema, and put these in some of the stockings. As you will see from the poster, a glass of fizz and little eats are included in the £10 ticket. The shop will be open, offering a 10% discount and tea, coffee and cake will be available from the cafe.
There are only 20 places so it's best to visit Wickle and reserve a place. If you can't make this one there's plenty more to follow.

 

We Made It!

We made ourselves comfortable with vintage cloth, piles of books, orchids, fairy lights and the promise of a stiff drink at the end of the day.  We made pear and chocolate cake and endless cups of frothed coffee. We made collars, scarves, cuffs, crocheted flowers, cowls and buttons. We made each other laugh.
We made it happen. All of us.























































Thank you all for coming to make believe with us.
Lou x

Small Batch, Great Coffee

This afternoon I sat on a high stool by the window in the Small Batch Coffee Companysavouring a latte, the smell of freshly roasted and ground coffee and the people who flowed in to chat, pick up a bag of beans or reward themselves when they stepped off the train.
They are a boutique coffee roasting company based in Hove, East Sussex committed to roasting coffee in small batches; experts in this part of the long journey a coffee cherry makes from tree to cup.




(These first two photographs are taken from their brochure)
All the green beans that they buy are ethically sourced.




Sat on a pile of full coffee sacs, you can watch the roasting through an open door way.
It's alchemy.




I go back on Friday to pick up the small batch that will be freshly roasted for us.
What a pleasure.
Lou

Tea, flowers and raised heads

Emma and I have been talking over our Mother Pukka tea about how good it is to raise your head above the parapet. Since we began Make Believe-ing it is as if people can suddenly see us clearly.  Unlike the Emperor, we are fully clothed - in our pimped wardrobe, enthusiasm and hope.  All three of us have felt our small, sometimes unnerving, step has been worth it and welcomed by our local community and beyond. To community and beyond!
So when I literally bumped into a friend last week and she invited me to see her new shop on Market Street, in Lewes, I was struck by how daring you must be to make a dream a reality.  Nicola has filled her shop, Fleur de The, with strong femininity - armfuls of bold, structural flowers, elegant white washed chairs and vintage tea cups each holding a single bloom in a cradle of foliage.  She has stacked her shelves with Teapigs teas and china cake stands and quietly arranged her trust that people might share her love of fresh flowers and fine tea.












We've invited her to come and share some of her style at Pimp Your Wardrobe on Sunday.

Lou

Let Them Eat Cake

I never know what date it is but I do know when it's Friday.  Every week I go to Lewes Farmer's Market to buy bread, apple juice, carrots, falafel, humous and cake from the stall holders.  It is the way to shop.  Today I felt blue and hungry when I arrived.  When I came home to empty my basket and prepare lunch, I felt wealthy and well fed.






Sarah from Pleasant Bakery is going to come on the 10th with cake for us all.

Lou