TRUE BLUES

Checking out the bathroom.

A blue-eyed boy .

Mr. Blue and White, otherwise the late well-known and admired decorator, Roger Banks-Pye of Colefax and Fowler, had a 'thing' for everything striped, checked and shaded blue. His lofty Belgravian flat was clad from top to toe with patches and remnants, fringed and frayed, in every shade of blue. The curtains, which may well have been the famous pair invented by his hero, John Fowler, made from blue and white tea towels or possibly large handkerchiefs, hung at the windows and the bathroom had small squares of all different blue/white combinations with edges trimmed and frayed, stuck to the walls chequerboard fashion, with Spray Mount. If you have enough different shades of blue, it all melds together in a pleasing way, a pile of tickings, ginghams and voile casually arranged on a chest or sideboard always catch everyone's eye. Add some cornish blue striped kitchenware and a blue enamel bowl and you will be on to a good scheme.

Simple, effective, cheap and witty!

PINS AND NEEDLES; IN THE BAG

This little travailleuse or work -bag, is so typically French. Made with the greatest care for a specific use and made as pretty as possible for a lady who cared about her tools and accessories. It is of course meant to contain her current work, whether crochet, knitting or needlework and can be moved around with the greatest ease with two little ribbon handles that close the top when lifted, out of the way of cats, feet and busy cleaning ladies! The fabric is a scrap of old Indienne, lined in matching pink with a handy little pocket for scissors and buttons, and the crossed legs are finely turned to make it elegant and light to move. The old materials which can be carefully removed to repair and wash, are often quite interesting document pieces and if damaged, can be used for smaller projects - waste not! The screen in background is 4 fold and covered in a pretty pink toile. It is almost identical with the piece in the following blog, but smaller scale and with less curls and flowers, with classical beauties having a love-ly time. NOW SOLD. Still trying to find out its name! see Monsieur Cl0uzot blog e earlier and HELP ME DATE earlier

BOYS AND GIRLS

I found this odd little bit in a pile of old cotton 19c. from a Bordeaux chateau. It is rather charming but I find the mix of children's games with willow pattern images rather odd and wonder where it might have been used - nursery or bedroom curtains? As is usual in prints of this period, (circa 1900?) the children are wearing miniature versions of the grown ups and I can imagine that wearing a big and flouncy hat with feathers must have been a trial for the little girl bowling her hoop. I once had eight such hoops with their iron guiding 'sticks' from a closed -down ironmongers and they soon ran away from me!

Monsieur Clouzot, help me track these lovely people

Further to last month's S.O.S. for more info re a large bedcover or wall hanging which might be Toile de Jouy, I attach some close-ups of main features: hope we can give this genre design a name - it is so very lovely and romantic and the people are all so beautiful! There seem to be so many symbols of love and peace, as well as grand fountains and triumphal arches!

See also, PINS AND NEEDLES

NETWORKING ON THE NET

I have had a very busy and interesting week and am now discovering just how useful the internet is as a trading tool, for both contacts and the selling/purchase of goods. My website (quite recently published by my own efforts with help from Linda and Co.) is now bringing in overseas general enquiries for hemp, linen and long chateaux curtains, all my specialities. This week I had one from S.America, one from S. Africa, and one from Tasmania. I was then able to inform with details of any particulr request, like a long set of best damask linen table napkins for a special party, with scans on my computer of the weave, initials and family crests, with price and condition - I find it best to deal in table linen only if in immaculate condition so there are no hidden surprises. For long curtains, I have some special French tapestry hanging brass rods placed very high in a good light and can hang a sample up and digital photo it to attach to my email in return. This last week, I have thus been able to send info. and scans of furnishings for U.S. city appartment being designed for a new foreign client, have them checked by the London decorator, confirmed by client, relayed to me and bingo! I can instruct seamstress with latest orders! All in one day! Blackberries take a bow. I don't have one (yet). The other overseas contact wanted chateau curtains for an English drawing room, and the lady Down Under is keen on linen and ticking for making up as she cannot get to France easily! A parcel is already done up waiting for the Post Office to pull its socks up. It is high time they got real with modern techno.

FRENCH FAIR THEFT WARNING

jUST RECEIVED WARNING FROM HELPFUL FRIEND IN FRANCE THAT A GANG OF PICKPOCKET THIEVES HAVE BEEN OPERATING AT THE BIG FAIRS SLITTING POCKETS AND REMOVING CASH - A FRIEND OF HERS WAS STRIPPED AND THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS - SO HIDE YOUR CASH WELL IN SECRET INNER SPACES. ELIZABETH BAER.

HELP ME NAME (AND DATE) MY TOILE

I MENTIONED THAT I IHAD A GOOD SCOOP OF TOILE ON MY LAST VISIT TO FRANCE - MUCH WAS FAIRLY WORN, THOUGH NOT SHATTERED AS YET, AND I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY 4 OF THE PATTERNS, THE MONGOLFIER BALLOON, THE 4 CONTINENTS, THE DANCING LESSON AND THE SWING (ESCARPOLETTE) BUT I CANNOT FIND ANYTHING LIKE THE ENCLOSED IN MY REFERENCE BOOKS- LIKELY TO BE J OUY BECAUSE SOME OF THE BALLOON PRINT WAS ATTACHED TO THIS MAGNIFICENT BEDSPREAD, 7 x 7 FT SQUARE IN ALMOST PERFECT CONDITION. I HAVE SOLD IT TO A NEW CLIENT IN USA WHO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE - AND SO WOULD I. CAN YOU HELP IDENTIFY IT? I WOULD BE SO GRATEFUL FOR ANY CLUES. STRANGELY ENOUGH I HAVE A FOUR FOLD SCREEN IN THE SAME PATTERN, BUT MUCH SMALLER AND WITHOUT SOME OF THE TWIRLY BITS AND FLOWERS, SO IT WAS OBVIOUSLY VERY POPULAR. THE SCREEN WHICH IS COVERED BOTH SIDES APPEARS TO BE 19C. See later blog PINS AND NEEDLES SCREEN IN BACKGROUND

FINE CELL WORK

Sometimes I have a good clear out of my surplus cloth trunk - mostly remnants of hand-woven coarse linen and hemp which are left over from cushion making, which in turn are usually made from left overs from curtains. They are a bit heavy for normal quilts and collage work but I have for a long time sent them off to Fine Cell Work in London, where they are eagerly awaited and put to very good use. It is easy to embroider directly on the evenly spaced threads without need for canvas and patterns. F.C.W. was founded several years ago by a distinguished prison visitor Lady Anne Tree, who desperately wanted to find something for the lifers (long -time prisoners) to do and to be able to earn some money for comforts and save for their eventual release. She hit on the brilliant idea of encouraging them to do canvaswork cushions to designs donated by several of her top designer friends, and the Royal School of Needlework found needlewomen who were willing to go into the prisons and teach the inmates how to work - one of the really practical and helpful ideas was that the prisoners could continue with their work in their cells so they were occupied and trained and felt there was more purpose to their life 'inside' The movement has been a huge success and many prisons are now waiting for the scheme to be introduced - more than 20 are already involved and report that it has had a remarkable and good effect on the lifers, who previously thought they were forgotten and were deeply depressed. Fine Cell Work welcomes the chance to show the very fine work they produce at large country houses where the cushions and quilts can be seen and where the hostess has a good invitation list to bring the buyers in. They will undertake personal commisioned work, and the standard of work is truly

excellent. FINE CELL WORK 0207 931 9998, 38 BUCKINGHAM PALACE RD. SW1 0RL

email: ENQUIRIES @FINECELLWORK.CO.UK