Looking for a needle

I had plans to have a go at a new technique which required a particular needle, so I did a search of the top drawer by my sewing machine, where such things are kept.

I seem to have a collection of sewing needles “for all occasions” and often wonder to myself why anyone would want an “ordinary” needle when there is a variety of different types depending on the task in hand.

Actually, I had no idea just how many needles I had!

I had the very large – nearly 12 inches long, for making dolls – and the very small number 12s for quilting, which are barely an inch in length.

I found a weaving needle with the angled tip and large eye and a few tiny curved needles, for working on a three dimensional object.

I was surprised to find two tambour hooks – not needles at all, but so fine and needle-like I might have overlooked them.  Good job I wrote on the plastic bag!

I found two packs of (unused) twin pointed needles, “a revolutionary concept in tapestry and cross stitch”.  Interesting.  Anyone tried them?

I also found a large Locker needle hook, with an eye at one end and a hook at the other.  Never used that one either, though I expect I needed it for something or other when I bought it.

I remember looking high and low for leather needles at some point, but only have the sublime and the ridiculous it seems.  That large one looks pretty vicious!

But do you think I could find the needle I was looking for?  Of course not.  But as I was gathering up the contents of the drawer to put everything back, I did make one last rather sweet discovery – my late father’s handwriting on the back of one of those packs of needles. 

What a strange place to write a reminder.  What on earth does it refer to?  Well, I can make a guess, but have no idea who Harris and Langley are/were.  But never mind.  On a Sunday afternoon when I have nothing better to do than tip out the contents of one of my sewing drawers to look for a needle, it was lovely to find something so unexpected there instead.

Oh yes, and I know that someone will be curious to know what particular needle I was looking for.  I had an idea that I had one of these because I fancied having a go at making one of these.

I found a good tutorial here, albeit on a slightly different scale, perhaps ;-)   You know how I love a challenge!

Here and there

and somehow, not much to report.

Or, perhaps that should be “not much I can report”, because there are some parts of my week which were fascinating but confidential.  Like the reason why there were so many empty biscuit boxes in Elaine’s waste bin last Tuesday.

We did have a lovely day out on Wednesday, when we met friends for lunch at Bibendum and then went to the Treasures of the Royal Courts exhibition which was fascinating.  Sadly, we just missed Naomi Campbell leaving the sold-out David Bowie exhibition, and couldn’t wait until Johnny Depp came out (the steward told us he was in there somewhere, too).    Instead, we met the son and heir for supper and were delighted to hear his good news – which of course, is his alone to share.

The week finished off nicely in the company of good friends here and there and all of a sudden, it’s Saturday.

Never mind.  I promise to be a little more creative tomorrow!

Oh to be in England

now that April’s (t)here.

Because this year, it seems as though Spring has been a long time coming and now it’s finally arrived, we appreciate it all the more.

It looks as though the plants in the garden have been waiting to burst into flower and the number of primroses in the hedgerows is remarkable.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many.

Almost all self-seeded in our garden, the range of colours is delightful and I imagine we have the birds to thank for the planting?

Spring colours are lovely and a little sunshine this morning drew me outside with my camera.

I love the buds on this willow tree, which break out into fuzzy pompoms.

The fuzziness catches the sunshine and looks lovely against the sky, too.

We plant a few grape hyacinths – muscari - each year to add to the little clumps here and there.  I usually cut a few to bring inside but this year there have been so few until now, I’ve left them to bloom in the garden instead.

My favourite isn’t a flower at all, though, but this gorgeous lichen which has been growing steadily on a gate post for several years.  I love the colours, the shapes and the texture of it.  Whenever I’m in that part of the garden, I pay it a visit and see how it’s doing.

This morning I had a surprise.  The opposite gate post has begun to cultivate its own baby lichen!

So, although I’m thinking that last Sunday, we were in Central Park, enjoying the sunshine with Jordi, having lunch behind the red curtain in the Parker Meridien and leaving Michaels without all my purchases, on this Sunday, it’s good to be at home.

One last day in the city

I promised the night time shots of Manhattan, seen from Williamsburg on Monday night.

As always, the best pictures are in my head, but these will do for now.

Jordi will need to remind me exactly which three bridges are in this photograph.  I know the one in the foreground is Williamsburg Bridge, but the other two?  (See her comment below for the answer!)

Before wandering down to the waterfront with our friends (of both the human and canine variety) we’d enjoyed a feast at Fette Sau.  It doesn’t look a very prepossessing place, does it?  But outside appearances don’t give any clue to the great food, the interesting set up inside or, for that matter, the great company we had!  Not a good place for vegetarians, though!

Our flight home wasn’t till late evening, so we made the most of another beautiful day and headed downtown to Madison Square and took yet more photos of the Flatiron.  As if I could walk past without taking another one…and another!  I’m not sure about the bird artwork there in the front – made entirely from nails, it was causing quite some interest when we were there for sure.

I was on a mission to visit Eileen, having seen a jacket I liked in the Times Warner Centre but which wasn’t in my size.  Thoughtful staff called the 5th Avenue store and set one aside for me so we were there at opening time to give it a try.  I guess the outcome is clear from the photograph!

This was to be a day of accomplishing several missions, the next one being the HBO shop to buy a T shirt for our Game of Thrones fan.  “My Mind is my Weapon” seemed a pertinent logo to choose.

Across the avenue to Kinokuniya, in search of a particular pen, I had to stop and peruse the craft books where this interesting scarf/shawl/cowl caught my eye.  Nice!

One last mission – seam binding (don’t ask!)  Following the advice of a customer in the first shop I called in, we headed for Pacific Trimming.  Oh. My. Goodness.

Do you need a zip?  Look no further!

Of course, there’s always the other wall too…

I got my seam binding, no problem.  Super cheap, too.  Yes, you’ll see it here on my blog in due course, I’m sure.

So, all missions accomplished, we had a couple of hours to have some fun.  First, the bus to the Guggenheim, because we’d heard about an exhibition of Japanese art from Aaron last night.

Actually, the art didn’t do a great deal for us (and to be fair, thinking back, Aaron didn’t actually say that it had done a great deal for him, either!) but the building itself is a star and these plastic bags of liquid suspended in the atrium were quite fun.

Though my hero didn’t think the yellow liquid worked as well as the others.  I have no idea why ;-)

Our very last stop was Grand Central Station, where there was a small exhibition in the Transit Museum.

Unclaimed items of lost property had been collected and documented over the years and displayed here in an altogether charming and sweetly nostalgic way.

“Baby arrived just in time to support Roosevelt” announces the telegram addressed to Grandfather and Grandmother Byrne.

I am always fascinated by the platform entrances here, so different from a British station and so enclosed, it’s possible to visit the station and never see an actual train!

The poster marking the Centennial Celebrations said it all.

The photograph I took as we walked back up the street to our hotel captured two all time favourites there in one shot. 

Very grand, indeed.

We collected our bags from the hotel and headed off to the airport.  What a great weekend we had!

Still in New York

Well, no, not really.  I have to go to work today, but looking through my photos I found I still have a few to share.

Don’t you love the effect of the sunlight on the building opposite our hotel room window, seen through the white cotton blind?  I do!

Then of course, if I’m at 14th St station on the subway, I’ve got to take a photo (or few) of Life Underground

Fortunately, since we had Metrocards, we didn’t have to squeeze under the barrier!

In Williamsburg, there was this handy chair placed thoughtfully on a streetcorner.  Curious, n’est-ce pas?

Of course, the late afternoon/early evening view from there was terrific.

(wait till you see the night time shot)