For the Bank Holiday at the end May, I packed my ration book, coupons and ID card and journeyed up to  Cambridgeshire to set up my “Make Do and Mend” stall as part of the Word War II weekend at the Denny Abbey Farmland Museum.  www.farmlandmuseum.org.uk

Welcome to the Farmland Museum

Every year at the second May Bank holiday, you can step back in time to explore rural life in the 1940s. We had both British and American soldiers, land girls and many others in the appropriate costumes as well as some vintage cars, motorcycles, jeeps, farming tractors and a maypole!

I set up my sewing table and invited everyone to have a go at making a “Suffolk puff” fabric flower with leftover fabric scraps and buttons.  Here is a gallery of the beautiful embellishments everyone created. See if you can pick yours out!

To all those who were contented to watch- go on, have a go at home!

 

 

suffolk puff in a purple ditzy printsuffolk puff in rainbow colours

perky polka dots

pretty retro rosepretty braid embellishmentroyal & multi colourful combo

elegant black & whiteinstant bag chicmulticolour swirls

black & white and gold on toplovely royal bluescool blue & button

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It wasn’t all sewing and mending.

Have a glimpse at life back in the 1940s. Come and visit everyone next time!

Jeeps at the ready in the Abbey grounds.

Jeeps at the ready!

Motorcycles and their lovely ladies.

Motorcycle personalityPeriod MototcyclesA lovely lady

 

Tractors, vans and traction engines.

tractor and bikeperiod vana quiet moment for the traction engine

 

 

Everyone likes a shiny red motorcar!

everyone likes a red motor!

 

Everybody likes sailors too!

Hi Sailors!

 

 

The Land Army was there digging for Victory.

Land Girls ready to work

Lots of music and dancing with nostalgic songs and energetic maypole dancing.

Maypole music & fun

That’s Mike singing all those tunes from the 1940s with his accordion.

Mike's sing along

 

Do I have enough coupons for any of this? These things are in short supply.

dainty things in short supply

Found one in your size madam!I just happen to have one in your size

Always time for a natter….

Always time for a natter

…..and a yummy ice cream.

Yummy Ice Cream as well!

But the star of the weekend had to be Patch who could keep going all day long.

Give him a like on the Just Sew Inspired Facebook page!

Patch- a real perky pooch!

It was a great weekend and can’t wait for next year. Hope these photos tempted you to try a little 1940s wartime style.

If you like music and ice cream, also have a look at www.mikeruffmusic.co.uk and www.sweetallyscoops.co.uk too.

Until next time with more stitch & stuff……

Button card