A world wrapped up in a thread.

It is late - well, late by my standards; 11pm on a chilly Thursday night and yet here I sit thinking thoughts of tablecloths and napkins (thanks Jane and Milla!) I have been musing on the finer points of the topic: What size is best? Should the shape be rectangular or square, straight or scalloped of edge, plain or patterned? What about fabric? The choices are many from oilcloth to linen (ooh and yet ouch because of the HUGE cost of fine linen), lightweight cotton which falls into such pretty pleats as it drifts in the breeze or heavier cottons which lie crisp where they are placed, forming neatly angled corners.....I'm getting carried away.

During my fevered musings on the ins and outs of table dressing I remembered something I have been planning to do since I was a teenager (well, I always was a bit odd)and made a mental note to at least start it before the year is out...I have always meant to make a memory cloth. The idea is that you have a plain cloth of some wonderful natural material that will last forever (such as linen) and everytime you have an occasion the people present at the meal write their names on the cloth in pencil. I then embroider these names onto the cloth as a permanent reminder of the people who have shared our table, though no-one write their name more than once.

I love this idea; I love the notion that everytime the cloth is used friends and family are brought to mind as your eye wanders over the delicate stitches and each meal, each gathering, is recalled once again. Of course, over the years there will be some who are no longer of this earth and perhaps a tear or two would be shed at the memories wrought, but for me that is an important part of life... to remember and acknowledge the good times and bad that have passed along the way, to not forget the people who have shaped our past and therefore left a footprint on our future. I am determined to start my own cloth and sooner rather than later as so many of my dear family can already no longer leave their signature for me to weave, winding their memory into the warp and weft for future generations to ponder over. Perhaps I may cheat a little and sew an honourary name for each anyway.

It is now morning and I have just read Pondside's wonderful news - Congratulations on the birth of a beautiful baby grandson Pondside and maybe this is the time to start a cloth of your own?!!

Have a lovely day everyone xx

I live in Afghanistan and am an accountant.....

...Apparently this is so! There I was planning a little blog in a soothing mood after my somewhat nerve-fraught launch of yesterday - obviously I mean the launch of my website not myself (images of self being propelled at speed in the manner of a circus act) - where was I? Oh yes, a little blog. Well, there on my profile writ large for all to see was the where I live bit - Penryn, Cornwall & Afghanistan, followed by my industry - an accountant; If only I had known! I wonder what sort of house I have what with all my hard earnt money fiddling, I mean accounting, all those books? Clearly I am an accountant for some high-flying business with nefarious underworld dealings requiring me to look over my shoulder on a regular basis (think Maffia and the Godfather here).

Hmm, time for a reality check methinks....Unfortunately I had tinkered with the profile in order to change my email contact and managed to lie - change - the various other sections without even knowing. Ah well, so back to Cornwall.

The sun is shining with all the capricious nature of an April day with showers and blustering winds keeping it company. The ducks seem to have got something under their tail feathers and are swimming full-lengths of the pond underwater, ducking down in the shallow end to pop up quite a while later in flapping disarray in the deeper waters on the other side. Yes, a lively day I think.

Yesterday really was a ludicrously, nerve-wracking experience for me, one I can almost liken to giving birth in some bizzare way (and believe me I KNOW what I am talking about there!). It felt like I had started something that I had no control over and goodness only knew where it was going to end! Yes, I realise that sounds rather dramatic and possibly rather pathetic too but it is honestly how I felt. All I could think was that these people who had somehow become very important to me over the last year were going to see something that was also very important to me and that maybe they would see something they didn't like, something that would change how they felt about me...Pipany.

I suppose this is the nature of having your own business, especially perhaps one which involves your own handiwork, your own tastes? It feels very much as though it is you that is being judged and therefore possibly you that may be found failing. On the upside I can honestly say I have finally found the confidence in myself to do this and say this is me and this is what I do, and I am proud of it. Huge steps forward for me and I am convinced it is in no small way due to this site and the people on it. So many ideas and views both alike and differing, so many words of sympathy, empathy and encouragement passed around as they are needed, and so many people forging friendships with no agenda other than to enjoy each other's company - a pretty amazing site I think you'll agree.

And so , before I go and weld myself once more to my sewing room (and yes I do agree, I am so lucky to have one and I LOVE it to bits), I would like to propose a toast and offer my thanks for all the wonderful, encouraging thoughts and words sent my way yesterday..... Purplecooers I think you're great!

(Oh and by the way, that grotty looking thing on Elias' neck in the photo is a transfer that we couldn't get off for the photo - cheers for the pressie Granny!)

Byeeee xx