Tuesday 30 October 2012

Bewitched (Bothered and Bewildered)

Tickety's Tip Top Tunes
 
Hi- de- Hi,
Forgotten who I am yet?
Yet again, I apologise for my absence (well you might be glad of it, I don't know?), but I really feel uninteresting at the moment- can't think of anything to witter on about. Ah well, I'm sure things will buck up soon... I live in hope!
 
Anyway, lets not beat around the bush....
 
to the sheet we go
(Not the most exciting of sheet covers, but it sure is a pretty tune!)

and the tune.....

 
I chose Doris because; well because she's one of my favourites... Simple as that!
 
 
 
I might be back tomorrow, but then again with how I'm feeling at the moment, I may not!!!
(oh what a grump I sound)
 
 
Yours
 
Tupney x


Friday 19 October 2012

Knitting for the RAF



What could be more perfect than this little treasure for the girl that loves both her knitting and the RAF? I can think of nothing... actually I can, but you'll have to wait till next week to see it! Still, this little booklet is quite hard to beat and just by owning it I feel a level of 'completness' in the service knitting pattern leaflet department.(still have a lot of civvy knitting patterns on my wish list mind you).. In my eyes this booklet is the tops when it comes to knitted comforts patterns!

 The cover of said booklet...
 
There were many schemes during the war to help aid knitters in producing the much needed 'comforts' for the serving troops. This one, however, was produced specifically for and by the R.A.F (hence it being shown today!)
 
The first two pages...
(they should be in the other order, but I couldn't get the pics to do what I wanted!)
 
 


These two pages explain everything you need to know about the Comforts Committee.
Registered working parties were eligible to obtain coupon free wool, and this was to be used for committee comforts and nothing else... you hear me, NOTHING Else. So it was a great boon for the avid knitter to join a registered group, as you could do your bit for the chaps and do all this knitting without touching your precious clothing coupons!
 
 
 
I especially like the idea of 'The Personal Acknowledgement Scheme'- I always like the stories told about the lucky recipients finding the hidden messages and writing back, sometimes with photos being exchanged on both sides too!
 
 
"In order that the individual member of the Royal Air Force who receives a gift made by a working party my be in the position, should he so desire, to send a personal acknowledgement, the R.A.F. Comforts Committee are prepared to supply parties, free of charge, acknowledgement slips similar to the specimen below to be sewn to the garment sent to their depot.
The Committee feel that under this arrangement a more personal contact between Working Parties and the members of the Royal Air Force would be introduced and maintained"
 
 
Forget the name of the working Party and address of the committee, I'm putting my own name and address down. I'm not letting my working party take all the credit of all my hard work. (perhaps not the right attitude?! hehe!) And anyway, I like receiving post!

(Copied from my book)

A RAF Comforts Committee badge from my collection- It's a rubbish photo and reads:-
"R.A.F. Comforts Committee- Voluntary Worker"

The Comforts Committee badges were only issued to registered parties, with one given free to each. If individual members of each working party fancied their own, then they had to apply for one enclosing a 1/- (1 shilling) payment.
Rather interestingly, the book states....
" the number of badges issued to a party will in all cases be related to the amount of work received.
Heads of parties are urged to assist the Committee to maintain a high standard for qualification. it is suggested that this might be taken as 100 hours of work for the R.A.F. COMFORTS COMMITTEE (not total work performed for all the services), with a suitable reduction for children under 14 years. "
So even within the party, you had to earn the right to wear your badge!
 
 
 
The booklet holds not only the usual essential knitteds, but is also filled with the most amazing illustrations you ever did see (just look at them!), and it is these little jewels that really do make the book quite special. The patterns are pictured plainly, nothing fancy about them, but the illustrations take over each page, depicting both humour and their relevance to the pattern. All pages have an illustration running along the base, whilst some pages also include illustrations of R.A.F personnel wearing their knitted comforts. (See above picture)
 
 
Please scroll down to see all the illustrations.
There are a lot of these, so brace yourselves....
(They were all too lovely to leave any out!)


 Tell me these aren't cute- just look at the dancing couples and the chap at the piano!
 
The two middle strips make me giggle!

The illustrations in the W.A.A.F's section



 And last, but not least... The back cover
 
The wonderful artist is a one Mr. Laurie Tayler or Laurence B Tayler (By the way Laurie is one of my favourite names for a chap -I say it's a sign!) and was Australian artist, born in 1873. Unfortunately I’m unable to find much information about him, but I do know that he moved to England in 1913 and was rather enviously proficient in different styles and mediums- do a quick search and you will find some gorgeous Edwardian oils too!

So that’s my ‘Knitting for the R.A.F.’ for you. Quite a little treasure, eh!

I still haven't knitted anything from it though (its all stocking stitch which I hate doing!). I might try one of the W.A.A.F's knitteds at some point as I don't have any chaps to knit for! ; )

Well that I think, is enough from me.

Oh and I would like to apologise for my absence of late. My computer is messing me about a lot (it's being a real stinker!), and one of the problems is being unable to get to the window on blogger to attach photos (have any fellow bloggers had this problem?), so this is the reason why I haven't been doing much! : (

To be honest you are lucky to get this post- I had to upload all the pictures using my pappy’s laptop!

Anyway, R.A.F Friday is here....

 
 
 
Tickety Boo Tupney
xxx
 
***

 
RAF Friday so far....


 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Thursday 11 October 2012

Show me your Colours.

And suggest a patch!

People sound the trumpets and bring out ye flags, Tupney has nearly finished her patchwork!
Yes, I have very nearly finished turning my patchwork panel into the planned cushion. All I really need to do now is to pull my finger out and do a row of proper stitching and then it's complete....- simple. Yes it is simple, but at the moment such a task seems to feel like the most arduous task ever! So with that in mind, the cushion cover has now been filled and left on my bed with only the tacking threads holding it together!

The unfinished.. i mean nearly finished patchwork cushion next to one of my messy bookshelves....
(the wonkiness of this picture makes me feel a little queasy- ahh can't look at it!)

Well anyway I digress....
Whilst taking out the remainder of my patchwork guides, a snazzy new project suddenly popped into my noggin (I was taken quite unawares as I usually think up my good ideas in the shower- it's my thinking place.. but again I digress).

***
"Tupney! How about doing a patchwork quilt with the services, regiments and units embroidered onto it?
Forget all about how the hand sewing and the tiny stitches nearly tipped you over the edge on your previous project..... Forget all about how your poor fingers felt like they were going to fall off at the end.... and forget about the fact you are rubbish at embroidery, or at least haven't mastered the art of embroidery yet... you can learn!
Forget it. Banish the lot from your simple mind.

Tupney, just remember how you were so proud of those teeny tiny stitches and remember how you felt on completing your first patchwork... the sense of achievement and how you were so happy, that after all the hard work it, in you eyes anyway, didn't look pants!!!

And one last thing dearest Tuppy... wouldn't you just love to snuggle up under a quilt that has been adorned with all the things that interest you so..... (Yes! Yes I would). Oh go on, take up the gauntlet and strive for patchwork victory!"
(said the little voice in me head!)

So folks that's what I'm going to do.... I'm making me a quilt with the services embroidered onto it!
Now, it's still very much in the planning and development stage and I still haven't quite decided how I'm going to muster this technicolour beauty(Haven't a clue on the design, size, shape of patches, etc! Oh and its going to take me years to make it! ). But one thing I am sure about is that I want as many of the allied regiments/ unit thingies to be represented, and this is why I'm bloging about it- I want your help!

My little poster says it all really (see very top). I want your suggestions. Is there any in particular you would like to see represented on my quilt- unusual and the usual suggestions very much welcome....

So go on, Suggest a Patch- it may end up on my quilt!

Well, I suppose I better go and fish out my 'how to' books on embroidery and start practising.
Wish me luck!

Sincerely Yours

Tupney (the mad woman)
xxx

Oh lummy what I have I gone and done....
 


Sunday 7 October 2012

Shine On Victory Moon

 
Tickety's Tip Top Tunes
 
 
Hello ducks, here's this weeks tip top tune for you!
 
So to the Sheet...
 
(extremely envious of her curly top!)
 
To the Music....
 
Now I'm afraid I cannot find Ivy's version on the tube, but did find this rendition by Issy Boon-
so the Issy Boon version it is!
If you ask me (go on ask me) Youtube is naff- pages and pages of rubbish. I very rarely come across any of the tunes I actually want!
 
Anyway, enough of the moaning... to the tune, again...
 
 
 
And here's a short clip of Ivy and her all girl band, just to give you an idea how her band sounded... isn't she marvellous!
 
 
 
 
Tickety xxx
 
 
 
 
 

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