Slowly through the backwaters

We walked with our guide through a garden which was a living 

spice cupboard - pepper. nutmeg, curry leaves, cumin, vanilla, 

naming but a few, plus tea bushes and coffee plants.  Lush

and green.  Eventually to our rice boat and a morning just

drifting through the backwaters.

Life is simple here - or so it appears.

Glimpses of fields abundant with banana

groves, spiky pineapple plants.  In wider

parts Chinese fishing nets.   In the water

fish and snakes (non poisonous we were

told).  Above bright kingfishers, parrots,

tiny bright birds and raucous crows.

Coconut palms every where,  Along the

way ladies making coir 'string'.  The husks of

 the coconut are soaked to release the fibres.

   When dry they are gathered into a bundle

and wrapped in a corner of a sari.  

A handful is  rolled. attached to a

cording machine. The ladies walk

backwards, feeding the dried coir.

Coconut leaves are woven

Banana leaf mat and coir string

Note the stylish bicycle baskets

Not your usual family pet

Going South - Cochin

At last we turned right at Mumbai airport and headed south 

to Kerala.    This trip was more about relaxation after a hectic

 few months. Lots of soothing green vegetation, harbours, 

backwaters - eventually a golden beach in Goa.  No rushing 

around Rajasthan being bowled over with colour and textiles 

this time.  Just do nothing!  Hmmm.

Years ago we stayed at Bolgatty Palace, www.ktdc.com.

Once the Residency of first the Dutch, then Portuguese 

and finally the British.  Then it was untouched, just as it was 

left in 1947.  Now it is definitely a 'resort'.  Very pleasant,

 with peeps of it's former glory.   Our 'honeymoon' cottage was 

still intact, minus the round bed.  Everything 'squared' off.

The tree still spreads over the balcony, looking

towards the Arabian sea.  Tranquil scene, with

boats like these gliding past.

Of course, there are the noisy tourist boats, and in the

evening the disco boats.  Oh yes, health and safety 

has reached India - all clad in bright orange life jackets.

Taking a ferry over to Fort Cochin is delightful, and there

time almost stands still.  The glorious Chinese Fishing Nets,

said to have been introduced by Marco Polo on his way

home from China.

Amazing mechanical spiders, they dip down into the sea,

by lowering and lifting these stone weights.

When the nets are lifted there is a general scramble

between birds and fishermen to gather up the catch.

Small fish and prawns mainly, which can be bought 

to have cooked at a local restaurant,  Yum.

Strolling through the old spice markets we found

The Ginger Factory - over 400 hundred years old,

The ginger is soaked in lime and left to dry in the

sun.  It is then pounded in to a powder to make

ayurvedic medicine, which I am sure will cure all  

ills, unfortunately it is only available in India!

another lane, eventually leading down

to the waterfront.

Now that's relaxing, isn't it?!!

A slow start

It's grey and grim today - difficult to energize myself to do anything.
This, my dear readers is the extent of my stitching in the past three weeks.  A lovely bit of darning on my kurta, snagged on the seat of a rice boar.  Thread and needle courtesy of the hotel kit.  Possibly not my best example of the technique.   


I made a decision ages ago not to take any sewing with me, too many other things to do, like catching up with reading, keeping a journal and just doodling and looking.  I did notice a lady, in hot and steamy Goa, who was knitting.  Perhaps she was pre felting at the same time?  I once found myself in transit wearing a light wood jacket, the temperature and humidity at the airport felted the garment just nicely.


So, this morning I roughed out a design for the February Journal Quilt - well at least it is on paper before the end of the month.   Found a delicious piece of space dyed cloth, but decided it was too nice to cut into.  How crazy is that? Perhaps rational thought will return tomorrow, or may be I'll just get the dye pots out.


Next up, to sort out some Indian pixs for the blog

There and back again

Although the laptop travelled with me from Mumbai to Cochin, and back again, internet access was as good as non existent.   The choice, use the computer at reception - been there. done that, ended up as temp. receptionist;  spend too much time finding internet cafe;  or, take up tempting offer of wifi connection only to find it didn't work. The other option was to enjoy just being there and catch up later.

It was hot and steamy in Kerala, very green and lush in Karnataka, and just fabulous doing absolutely nothing on a South Goan beach.    Further installments in the days to come.

From the tailor's floor

Looking through old travel journals I found the one relating to our first 

and only trip to Kerala.  That was fourteen years ago.  Definitely

 time for a return visit.

First stop then was to the tailor's shop for some hand made shirts.

We had to go down the road to the fabric shop.  What a choice.

When Keith returned to pick up the goodies I requested that

he asked the tailor for off cuts, and he did, despite a few 

grumbles as he set off.  The tailor probably thought we we

mad, but I did end up with a bag of scraps.

I made this laptop quilt with every last little bit

of fabric.   Over the years it has been used as

a comforter on cold nights, or just 'because'.

Here's the back, it is tie quilted, which makes it

a very soft little quilt.   The backing fabric is

Madras cotton, a very fine muslin.  I had quite

forgotten about Madras cotton, must add

to my shopping list.   

So, cupboards closed, workroom shut down.

Time to pack.   Next post should

be from India.

So very 20th century

I found this in the magic cupboard.  
Tiny hexagons, roughly 1"/2.5 cm 
across.  I guess I dates to the early 
1980's and is made up with sample patchwork fabric squares.  The papers
and tacking are still in place.


Interestingly I can see I started a second row of blue, and the beginning of another motif.  Why did I stop?  Maybe I found out about cutting boards, quilters rulers and rotary cutters.  Who will ever know?

Another little treasure.  
A miniature Log Cabin Quilt.


Around the same date.   The blocks 
are about 2"/5cm square, with five
dark and light 'logs'.


And it is wadded and tie quilted.  At least this one is finished.

putting it all together

On Monday evening I took a short workshops on Indian Applique.

It was especially great as I had been invited along to Happy

Patchers in Wimborne.   So many friends I had not seen for

ages -  as much catching up as sewing.

I have started on my rag book of Indian Applique.

Page 1

Lots of samples in files.  Time to get organised.

I have a book on various methods of attaching

shisha, and also one on kantha work.

Talking India - visa, air ticket, tick.  Time to

pack bag and go.  Keith and I are off to

southern India for just over two weeks
No particular plans, except that I want

to stand on the very tip of India where

three seas meet.   I am so looking forward

to a break.  January is usually very quiet.

Time for 'research and development'.

Not this year.  It has been hectic.

I think I have found a stitching project for

the quiet hours - applique to go.