I'm not at all sure how to start my musings. I don't have any interviews or links or clever facts and introductions to the art of French Beaded Flowers (although I do hope to add some soon!).
Instead, I would like to share something that I had the honour of witnessing recently. It was a rare moment of pure beauty and truly inspirational. I hope I can do it justice in the re-telling.
I was at my brothers wedding last week which was excellent in itself. We had a fabulous time with my family and thoroughly enjoyed meeting and joining the bride's family. After all the celebrations were over, my partner and I decided to detour into Harrogate to visit and taste the wares at the Original Betty's Tea Room. Well, the queue went out the door and around the corner!! As you can imagine, we decided that high tea could wait for another day and we would have a look around the shops instead.
I've been searching for a bead spinner so we went into an Arts & Crafts shop to ask about one. A lady behind the counter informed me that they didn't stock them, but that there was a little embroidery shop a few doors down and to go there to try my luck - so i did.
It was a small shop with a wooden door and a low handle. I remember I pushed the handle down and walked in over a wooden threshhold. There was an old man sitting on the floor just inside of the door and a little to the left. He looked up at me and said hello as though he had known me forever. I smiled and said hello as though I had seen him everyday. Then he looked back down to the book resting on his lap.
He was sitting at the feet of his partner reading to her.
I think she was blind or very near to it. She was sat on a chair clutching a bottle of orange juice and looking out into the air in front of her. She was making a picture from the words her partner was reading.
It was a crochet pattern ...
His voice was so calming, so soft.
It was shameless and open and pure and one of the most beautiful moments I've had the pleasure of. I will never forget them.
So if you are ever in Harrogate and you see an embroidery shop .. pop in and try your luck. :)
... oh ... the lady in the embroidery shop had never heard of a bead spinner.
