Sunday, 16 November 2014

Slow Blog Linky - it's all in the details.

Welcome Slow Bloggers, it's that time of the month.

It's been quite a full month in the Knotted household.  Sprogs and I went away for half term - no prizes for guessing where we went first.


Yup. London.  We visited the Cutty Sark - a tea clipper built ten years or so before my house.


She is a beautiful ship.  If you are a fan of the novels of Patrick O'Brian, can you imagine Preserved Killick brewing up the rat-shit coffee in this pantry?


The Cutty Sark is named for the outfit worn by the witch in Robert Burns's poem Tam O'Shanter, and  here is the witch herself, still clutching poor Maggie's tail.


Our holiday was full of contrasts and comparisons.  I loved the Cutty Sark's beautiful rigging


and here is something entirely more modern.


We got a boat up the Thames to check out the London Eye....



...threw financial caution to the wind, and went up.  It was so worth it, even on a dark and stormy day, for fantastic views.  That's Westminster down below - you could see for miles.


From London to the Sussex countryside.  We visited a tiny local church where we spotted this in the medieval floor tiles.



Don't you wonder about the person who decided to cheekily imortalize themselves in this way?  There were other details in this simple church, like this:


and the ancient stag, who supports one corner of the whole building from his position in the bottom of a drain.


These details were modest compared to the ones on Canterbury Cathedral.  Its vastness can't be conveyed by a photo, and every surface was embellished.


Even the details had details.




Inside was just as awesome.



Once we were back from half-term, I made two quilts which I like



and one abject failure, because my hapless attempt at quilting completely cocked this up (thank you so much Maureen for the expression "crud balls":-)  



So that's my month - what about you?  If you'd like to share what you've been doing crafty, or otherwise, over the last month, please do link up. I'd love to see!



19 comments:

  1. Wow! Awesome pictures! Thanks for taking us with you. And wonderful quilts!!!
    Greetings, Rike

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  2. I love your quilts and also the pictures of London. I love to visit London, I hope to go again soon.

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  3. Beautiful photos and your quilts - a delight.

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  4. Oh, I'm slower than a slow blogger at the moment, but you have done well! Funny that you were in London, on our doorstep...but we were in York! I so love your recent quilts :-)

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  5. Love the photos of Greenwich and London- brings back memories of my visit in July! I love your two minis! I guess my Martha's Medallion quilt is a slow one- it took me over two years!

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  6. Love the photos, looks like you had a great break! Comparison of rigging vs cables on the Eye is cool. I keep saying I need to visit the Cutty Sark! Thanks for the good wishes, we'll rally try to have a good time in Thailand.... :-)

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  7. Wow...what a time you have had! That ship is a beauty, isn't it. Oh my goodness, what an adventure to go on the London eye...I'm guessing you don't suffer from acrophobia...what an amazingl view. Love the detail upon detail of the Canterbury Cathedral. As an Aussie, I am a tad jealous of you Brits, with all that glorious history and architecture that abounds over there!

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  8. Looks like you had a great holiday Catherine. The stag is amazing, so much work for something so hidden.

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  9. Great looking travEls! It's been years and years since I visited the Cutty Sark and I'm sure the galley at least has been revamped since last I visited. Looks like creditable coffee could come from here!

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  10. Amazing photos - I think my favourite is the footprint.

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  11. some brilliant photos Catherine. A great break, and nice to visit things off the tourist trail too. Loved the church photos, a quilt in the making there I think!

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  12. Absolutely gorgeous photos ... have really enjoyed this look at London !
    Sorry that the last quilt didn't make it, for you. I think it had potential.

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  13. Beautiful photos! I enjoyed looking at them. Is that ship there all the time or for just a period of time?

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  14. I loved the transition between the wires of the Cutty Sark and the wires on the Eye--make me break into a great big smile. I love armchair traveling, so thank you for all your great photos of your holiday. I especially love the circles in the ceiling of Canterbury Cathedral--oh my! I'm dying to see your last little quilt--show us! show us! (or not, but you're in good company here).

    Elizabeth

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  15. Looks like you had a great trip to London! I've been reluctant to spring for the fare on the Eye, but after seeing your pix I guess I will have to! Great finishes! I really like the quilt with the circles and I did not see anything to offensive in the quilting on the red centered one?! cheers!

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  16. I've really enjoyed seeing bits of London and the UK through your eyes. Lots of interesting and amazing details. It's great to see your latest quilts. I wonder what went wrong with the last one, could the offending stitches be unpicked... it's too lovely to give up on.

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  17. Lovely photos - that tile with the toe prints was wonderful - can you remember which church it was?

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