11.7.10

RE-INVENTING VINTAGE FRENCH TEXTILES

In October I will be leading a week long residential workshop titled Re-Inventing Vintage French Textiles at the spectacular Chateau Dumas in South West France. Inspired by Homemade, (which now has an American publication date November 2010) I have adapted ideas and created lots of new projects mostly using the Chatelaine's wonderful collection of vintage French fabrics, lace, labels and buttons. There will also be a trip to a local market, visits to brocantes and a day spent in a wooded glade in the grounds dyeing fabric using the traditional method of woad dyeing If you are interested in the course or indeed any of the courses run at Chateau Dumas, email enquiries@chateaudumas.net or visit the website. Meanwhile...... A few strange things happened while I was there which made me think that my wonderful friend Elspeth Thompson was with me in spirit. On my first evening I noticed 2 old copies of Interiors magazine in the library. I picked one up at random, (July 2008) and it fell open on the page showing a feature on Elspeth's railway carriage home. Then later that day while wandering around the chateau I saw a vintage book 'The Week-end Book' published by Nonesuch press in 1928 ,a forerunner to Elspeth's own book 'The wonderful weekend book'. How I wish I could ask her if she knew about this book or if it was the inspiration. Adieu....

7 comments:

Oriental Rugs said...

What a precious blog, really glad to have found you, keep up the great work!

sarah-jane down the lane said...

I have the original "weekend" book and e-mailed her about it. Amazing coincidences...... I wonder.....

Sarah x

cathleen said...

I miss Elspeth so much and I didn't even know her other than commenting on each others' blogs. She was alway so sweet to me. My heart goes out to you, Roz...I can't even imagine your loss. It must have been so lovely to have her as your dear friend. May her memory keep embracing you with love.

cathleen said...

Ros, sorry...I seemed to have spelled your name wrong.

Tracy x said...

hello you x
thanks for your message on my blog - it will be lovely to have you following me and my ramblings!
i feel very blessed to have known Elspeth through our emails of laughter and talk of hounds - i will always regret that we did not meet up with our two hounds as we always said we would.
i miss her and cannot imagine how awful it must be for you..
i am so pleased that the Telegraph are launching the gardening against the odds award - what a wonderful and fitting tribute to Elspeth.
hope we can chat soon
t x

Krishenkas Treasures said...

Hi Ros just wanted to let you know how delighted I was finally to meet you and I am really really enjoying the Reinventing French Textiles course held in the beautiful Chateau Dumas, fabulous projects and only day two and there are some stunning finished pieces. Can't wait for tomorrow. Your book is filled with wonderful idea's. Roll on the morning.

Krishenkas Treasures said...

Hi Ros just pooped back in to leave you the link as to what we got up to and still you have 2 more days to go. For me it was a real pleasure in meeeting you and hope we can do it again soon:)
http://krishenkavintagetreasures.blogspot.com