Cross stitch on UK tv 28th March

[helbel]

Make! On BBC4 is covering cross stitch next Wednesday 28th March

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09x5z01" target="_blank

"self-proclaimed 'manbroiderer' Jamie Chalmers, aka Mr X Stitch. Jamie has a huge following and is introducing cross-stitch to a new generation of embroiderers through his workshops and lectures."

[Nicola Main]

Oh must try and remember to watch this it sounds good! xxx

[richardandtracy]

The first program in the series (last night) was vaguely interesting. Covered hook rugmaking and letterpress printing. In enough depth to learn how to do it, but inspirational? Not terribly, which was a shame, I thought.

Regards,

Richard.

[helbel]

I quite enjoyed last nights programme, neither craft interests me but I enjoyed the silence and sound of crafting.

Though I was yelling at the tv when they were working with raw fleece and ignoring the health and safety aspects. I can only assume the fleece had actually been washed and was not "straight off the sheep" like the farmer said.

Note: always wash your hands after handling sheep/raw wool. If pregnant then avoid entirely.

[Mabel Figworthy]

Will make a note of that! (The programme, not the fleece-handling. I am very unlikely to handle fleeces )

[richardandtracy]

By the look of it, the fleece was as raw, as the farmer said. They also mentioned the lanolin smell & feel, which indicates a raw fleece.

The hazards associated with farm animals are frequently massively overstated. Being in close contact with sheep, pigs & cattle when in my late teens (when my parents had a smallholding) never did me any harm that I could identify [apart from the extra 4 arms, 3 eyes and hacking cough, of course ]. Then on visits with my kids to the local display farm, I couldn't believe the alcohol hand wipes, warning notices etc. They are simply there to cover the legal liability in the remote chance something goes badly wrong. If you are reasonably fit and have not lived in an overly sterile bubble, the bugs you'll get shouldn't be worse than a 24hr tummy bug & it'll probably do you good in the long run. Give your immune system something real to work with & it's less likely to get bored and start attacking something you need (like your nerves/bowel lining).
There is a possible problem with pregnant women & farm animals, but it's a 'possible' (less than 1 in 20) not a 'probable' (more than 1 in 2).

Regards,

Richard.

[helbel]

Most pregnant women would look at a 1 in 20 risk with horror and avoid as a result.

Risks include Orf virus and anthrax. Tetanus jabs should also be up to date. It's not that you can't touch raw fleece or indeed work with raw fleece (I know spinners who spin 'in the grease') just that you should absolutely wash your hands afterwards before those hands go near eyes/mouth.

[wendywombat]

Thanks for the link...I shall watch that and send the link to my daughter as she makes silver jewellery.

I didn't see last nights episode, but I was given a fleece many years back and loaned a spinning wheel. I remember the smell of tallow, but the fleece spinning made my hands really soft! Apart from the odd thistle that is..
Surely washing hands is a basic lesson from childhood ....?????

[Garnet]

I saw last nights episode and I was fascinated by that treadle operated printing contraption in the typeseting bit. It looked a cross between something you would see out of Jules Verne crossed with Willy Wonka to me, ok it may have been the most modern AT THE TIME, but my mind was having a boggle at someone actually sitting down and designing a contraption that makes a lever that moves another lever that moves a roller that moves a disc that moves a plate that eventually spreads ink and prints. I could have watched that move for about half an hour but then that's just me

[richardandtracy]

...Risks include Orf virus and anthrax. ....

Last recorded case of anthrax in the UK press: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/ ... -wiltshire Prior to that, 2006, and in neither case were humans infected. Not a high risk, not a low risk. A statistical risk rather than a real one. Only to be worried about by those who are also concerned about a car coming through the front wall of their house and killing them, as it's much more frequent at one every 10 years or so in the whole country of 60 million.
With Orf Virus, the HSE have a web page on it: http://www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture/zoono ... ts/orf.pdf where they say:

Only very low numbers of cases are reported, although it thought that the disease is actually much more common among farmers, but they do not visit their GP about it because it is often a mild illness.

.
I feel that both those support my contention that the likelihood of infection from raw fleeces is not something to be worried about. Standard hygiene practice should always be carried out as it's effective at keeping risks low whether it's contact between humans or between humans and animals. In fact, due to the species similarity and the fact that not all diseases have zoonotic capability, contact with other humans poses a greater infection risk than contact with animals (as proved in my wife's academic library at the start of every new academic year, when students coming from all over the world bring new bugs & diseases, leading to a rash of illness in the staff at the start of term).

Regards,

Richard.

[richardandtracy]

Don't forget, 9pm this evening is the Cross stitch episode.

Richard.

[Nicola Main]

That was an excellent programme really enjoyed it! Better than most of the rubbish that's on TV anyway! They really seemed to enjoy it and I liked watching them do the silverwork as well xxx

[richardandtracy]

I have to agree about enjoying the program.

My wife does quite a lot of metal clay, and was able to comment on that side of the program, and thoroughly enjoyed it. A few years ago we were at that same beginner stage as the people in the program and went to evening classes at our local adult education centre. We had pretty much the same reactions as the baker; complete surprised joy. Since then my wife has continued with a vengeance, but maintains she's a beginner still. She plays with copper, silver & bronze clay, frequently combining different colours and firing them in her kiln at the same time (it is difficult because many have different sintering requirements and need different firing schedules). She's also taken to melting glass into pockets in the clay too, sintering the clay and moulding the glass at the same time. The results are usually spectacular, but not always what was expected and we have been disappointed on a couple of occasions when green glass has lost its colour for some reason. I have just kept using metal clay to make clips, cap rings and decals for my custom pens, and as a result have not gone any where near as far as my wife in developing metal clay craft skills.

The cross stitch side was reasonable, and showed beginner projects quite well. I did think it was a shame that they didn't show how far it was possible to take the craft (eg Golden Kite standard projects), so may not have given an indication of how far the craft can go if you wish to take it. However, I don't want to detract from what was done, it was good fun and a good introduction. My wife sympathised strongly with the lady who started to get in a muddle on her design - as yet my wife has not finished the bookmark kit she started in 2011...

Regards,

Richard.

[wendywombat]

I have it recorded so I'll be watching it later.

[Mabel Figworthy]

I have it recorded too, and told my MIL about it and several other people - World Domination for Stitchers!!!!!

[Serinde]

Looking forward to watching the programme tonight.

[wendywombat]

I watched it yesterday whilst doing some ironing (well gotta make That task more exciting! )

I enjoyed it...thought that Mr Xstitch taught his novice stitchers really well and I loved the blacksmiths 'make it HOT' design,
The silversmithing was also interesting...never heard of the metal clay that they used.
Certainly a better class of programme.

[Serinde]

Finally watched this, and thought it great fun. Mr XStitch is awfully good with groups, I thought -- what a pro. They went from just learning on an initial to designing and stitching their own piece, which I thought was jolly impressive. The only trick I thought had been missed was with the father and son tailors -- I'd have suggested they connect their pieces with cord, made from the colours of their pieces, just for the look of it, but hey, that's a small thing. That the girl with ADHD was able to focus so intently was astonishing. Good for her!