The Washerwoman

Wednesday 11 November 2015

The Vintage Bazaar at Christmas


Not too long to wait until the next Vintage Bazaar at The Corn Exchange in Devizes. The fair will have a festive theme, so expect to find some super gift ideas. vintage Christmas decorations and a range of beautiful textiles and costume.


Further details of all the stall holders can be found on the blog and facebook page. The Vintage Bazaar is on Saturday 28th November, The Corn Exchange, Market Place, Devizes, SN10 1HS from 9.30 to 3.30. Admission £2

Monday 9 November 2015

The West Country Textile Markets


 After a busy weekend in a local Village Hall, we have set the date for our next West Country Textile Market. Saturday, 19th March 2016.

Friday 30 October 2015

Susan and Elizabeth's West Country Fabric and Textiles Sale


Our next date for The West Country Textile Market is a special sale being hosted by Sue of Vintage to Victorian and Liz (aka The Washerwoman)


The Lydeard St Lawrence Village Hall is the venue....


The Sale will take place on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th November 2015. 10 am to 3 pm on both days. The hall will be brimming with vintage and antique textiles, haberdashery, dress fabrics, linens, eiderdowns, quilts, costume and much more! Look forward to seeing you there.

Wednesday 28 October 2015

Happy Birthday to The Vintage Bazaar!


  This Saturday, the 31st of October is The Vintage Bazaar at The Cheese and Grain in Frome. It is hard to believe that Clare and I hosted our first event there exactly five years ago!


 The fair will open at 9 am, and you can expect to find the Cheese and Grain full to the rafters with Vintage Textiles, Costume and Accessories, Decorative Homewares and Beautiful Handmade items...


 ..as well as a few tiny treasures.......



For full details click on The Vintage Bazaar blog or The Facebook page. Hope to see you there!

Sunday 31 May 2015

The Black Country Living Museum


 It is exactly a week since we visited this fantastic museum in Dudley. The Black Country Living Museum is an open air museum of lovingly restored buildings and vehicles.



Most of the buildings have been rescued from demolition and rebuilt brick by brick on this site.


This pair of houses are made from cast iron in 1925, you can read more about them here.


 We were able to look around the ground floor and learnt more about the houses from a very helpful guide.

I loved the finishing touches. For example, this pair of shoes behind the kitchen door and a pinny hanging from a hook in the larder.


Our next stop was this charming cottage with a pretty garden. The house is tilted and distorted from being in close proximity to the mines. Inside, it was furnished and decorated as it would have been in around 1900.


Across from the cottage was a one-story dwelling which had served as a Toll House. The interior had been recreated from old photographs. I loved this bedroom with the iron bed and crazy patchwork quilt.




On our way to the Workers Institute building we were overtaken by these tiny cars.....



Next stop was the row of shops. These were my favourite as you could explore the shops and the homes above them.


There is a fully equipped tobacconist shop.


1930's Kitchen, bedroom and sitting rooms....





The Builders Merchants - Look at those rolls of 1930's wallpaper on the shelves. If only they had been for sale!




Hobbs and Sons is renowned for its food. You cannot visit the Black Country Museum without having something to eat from here. It was the best fish and chips I have tasted in years.


It was then onwards and over the bridge down into the 19th Century streets.....


More wonderful shops and interiors to explore. This hardware shop being my favourite.


The Washerwoman certainly felt at home here.There were several old stone wash houses, complete with dolly tubs and mangles.



Cosy looking interiors, but the reality of living in this type of housing was far from easy. Many of the shops and houses have guides in them who give the background, history of the buildings and what life was like to live there.


It was then time to hop onto a lovely old bus and wend our way back to entrance to view the vintage cars. If you are in the area, do visit the museum. You probably need a whole day, we had an afternoon so didn't quite do everything, so will be back there again soon.

Wednesday 22 April 2015

The West Country Vintage Textile Market




 Good evening everyone, just snatching the chance to update my blog. We are busy getting ready for  The West Country Textile Market in Trull Memorial Hall, near Taunton, Somerset on Saturday 30th May, I have set up a facebook page for this event here. The doors open at 9am and the fair will close at 2 pm. Admission £1.



Expect to find plenty of colourful textiles....This is a super event for makers as many of the stands will be selling vintage trimmings, buttons, lace, linens and a wide range of fabric from dress-making to upholstery weight pieces.


 Hungarian Linens from Beyond France


 


 Vintage to Victorian


Susie and Russell Needham

Jenny Hirst


German Linens from La Camionnette Bleue


Liberty textiles for sale on Stefanie's stand...


1930s Paisley eiderdown fabric, perfect for patchwork projects.


Emma's Vintage Wonders

As well as our own events we will be selling at those listed on the blog sidebar. If you click on the image there is a link to the organiser which should give more information about location, opening times etc.
Hope to see you somewhere soon, Lizzie x

Sunday 22 March 2015

Back on the road.....


Our next fair will be at The Shepton Flea Market on Easter Sunday. I have been gathering pretty textiles and dolls house bits and bobs for this event. Our stand will be inside, up on the balcony of the Showering Pavilion.


Hot on the heels is the iacf Antique and Collectors Fair at Newark where we share The Textile Tent with our friends. We have a facebook page here where you can keep up to date with what we are bringing along.