Some hand stitching and a visit to Stourhead house.

Yesterday, Sunday I did some more hand stitching. I'm working on a piece of sashiko embroidery which I was given as a present a while ago and this month I challenged myself to complete it. I've done a lot of the stitching but there is still quite a bit to do. No problem as there are still 6 days left in June. I'm very pleased with how far I've got with this piece. As you can see I still have 3 strips on the right hand side to finish.

I have also been doing some knitting, just a few rows every day. If you follow my blog you may remember I pulled the knitting out as the tension wasn't right. The tension is now perfect having changed to a size bigger needles. I'm currently knitting the back of the jumper and although it has grown there is still a long way to go to finish this piece.

On the previous Saturday, whilst on our weekend away, and after one of the best nights sleep I've had in months, followed by a delicious breakfast, John and I headed out to visit Stourhead. In 1717 Henry Hoare 1 bought Stourton Manor. He then commissioned Scottish architect Colen Campbell to replace the existing building on the land with a completely new house that became known as Stourhead House. The house remained in the possession of the Hoare family until it was given to the National Trust in 1946. 

We started our visit by going round the ground floor rooms in the house that are open to the public. The rooms on the upper floor are used for other purposes including as a residence. I've pulled out some of the things I found that interested me. 

After the entrance hall which housed a good number of family portraits we entered a room set up for a quiet evening at home. The dress above is a reproduction of a wrapping gown. This would be worn by ladies in the afternoon or for an informal evening at home. It gives a more relaxed shape than the more formal gowns of the time and certainly must have been a lot more comfortable to wear. The wrapping gown would also be worn if family visitors came for dinner but never for formal occasions. The room contained furniture including a table that the lady of the house would use to write letters or complete her accounts.  The table in this room was known as a rent table. I could really do with a table with all those drawers.

Next we went into the library and this was a beautiful room. I was very taken with the carpet design. This is not the original carpet. The original was of this design and colour and when the National Trust needed to replace the carpet they went back to the original carpet makers and asked if they still had the design. Happily the answer was yes and the new carpet was made to the original design.

The library felt very calm and I could have enjoyed choosing a book and settling into an armchair to read. The collection of books in the library was amazing. 

This photo was taken into the sun but it does show the stained glass and the domed ceiling.

In the library there was this reproduction Edwardian bodice and skirt set from the early 20th century. The outfit produced an exaggerated silhouette, which was created by a corset known as an S bend which pushed back the rear and pushed forward the chest. Not my idea of fun. I'm so pleased I was born after the corset era! Alda, the wife of the last owner of the house continued wearing this style into her 80's long after it had gone out of fashion.

On the desk in the library I found this samovar and pretty china cup. The samovar, which means self brewer, was used to heat and boil water. I could do with a samovar on my desk at work.

From the library we went into a dining room which was set up for afternoon tea to celebrate a birthday. 

By the side of the plates were quotes from Augusta's diary. Augusta was the wife of the owner during Queen Victoria's reign. Her husband was a gambler and lost a lot of money and so many of the paintings and other treasures belonging to the family were sold to cover debts.

Augusta would have worn a dress like this one. The huge crinoline skirt was very fashionable in the mid Victorian era. During this period black also became a fashionable colour following the death of Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband.

Having left the tea table behind we came across this sewing machine on a table by the stairs. It is very small compared to most modern sewing machines and would have just done straight stitch.

The sewing and mending would have been part of the jobs undertaken by the servants. This shows the clothes worn by a maid working in the house.

Also on display were a pair of Lady Hoare's knickers. Scroll down a little further and the next photo will explain why.

In many of the rooms there were curtains with beautiful embroidery.

I liked the still life explained in the information board below.

The embroidery looked amazing.

The final dress on display as we went round the house was in a totally different style and would be much more comfortable. This style developed into the regency style of clothing which gave more freedom of movement for the wearer.

There was so much more to see in the house but as I am walking round I find I can get a little overwhelmed by the amount of things to look at and the information. I will be making a return visit at some point as I know I missed a lot of beautiful things..

By the time we had visited the house we needed a cup of coffee before we walked round the gardens. I'll tell you about the gardens another day.

Take care

Lyndsey