Ethel & Iris make and mend

The Swallow Family

2012-01-24T11:46:00.006Z

Ethel has a lifelong dream to fly, but in reality she hates aeroplanes. If only I could grow wings, Ethel thought, then I could fly like a bird. Ethel was also a bit of a scatterbrain. She was always getting lost and losing her way. She often took long walks and often got lost. One morning Ethel walked and walked and walked until eventually she stumbled across an old barn. The barn was very old. It looked tired. It's bricks were a dirty dull red and it's big wooden door hung off it's hinges. Ethel stood and starred for a while and to her suprise out shot a small aeroplane. An aeroplane with a beak. It's tiny, Ethel thought, how can it carry any passengers. The small plane stopped and glided down towards the telephone wire near where Ethel was standing. There balanced several little beaked aeroplanes in a row all chatting. Ahhh Ethel chuckled, they're not aeroplanes at all, it's my friends the swallow family back from their travels. It was true the gliders were indeed Mr and Mrs Swallow and it was true, they had been away for a very long time. Ethel sat down and welcomed them back to Wollaton Park. They were delighted to see her and told her of their long, tiring journey across South Africa, across Southern Spain, up through France and finally back to Nottingham where their mud nests awaited their return. Ethel could not believe it possible. '...and we didn't use a map' exclaimed Mr Swallow.

Over the Thames Swallow Migration box by John Dilnot
http://www.johndilnot.com/

Rill Raccoon

2012-01-23T12:16:00.010Z

In the dead of night Ethel heard a noise. The gale force winds she thought, the rain hitting the window sill, Mr Frankie Cat rummaging through the cupboards again for a midnight snack. Ethel was wide awake she couldn't sleep. It wasn't Mr Frankie he was fast asleep at her feet, it wasn't the rain, it wasn't raining and it wasn't the wind, the gales had died down and gone to sleep. Ethel sat up bolt right, who or what could it be? She quicky reached for the lamp and switched it on, the warm glow from the light cascading down the staircase. Ethel tip toed down the steps and to her suprise a flash of ginger ran before her. A rogue squirrel she thought, a dustbin fox? Ethel followed the flash of ginger into the living room and there sat on the sofa was a bandit, a masked intruder. 'My goodness me' said Ethel, 'Who are you and why are you in my house?' The ginger creature stared at Ethel through his mask and smiled. 'Ahhh, hello there Mrs Ethel, so pleased to meet you. My name is Rill Raccoon. I mean you no harm. Ethel could see the Raccoon was a kind sort and relaxed immediately. 'Hello Rill' she said 'How can I help you.'Attached to Rill was a name tag with some very important information inscribed. It read, 'Hi, I'm Rill...I like caterpillars and worms.' Aaaah thought Ethel I understand why you're here. 'Follow me!'. It just so happened that Ethel owned the biggest compost bin in England. It was full to the brim with cabbages, carrot scraps, potato peelings and most of all WORMS. Big juicy pink worms. Ethel led Rill to the compost bin. He was delighted. Ethel was just glad she could help.

Knitted Rill Raccoon by Donna Wilson http://donnawilson.com/
Donna Wilson Endangered Species is showing at YSP until 26th February 2012

Mr and Mrs Gannet

2011-02-10T13:22:00.009Z

Gannet wallpaper by Edwyn Collins.

It was late at night when Ethel woke to the sound. It was a very frightening noise. A shriek here and a squawk there. A mixed bag of chattering, fluttering and flapping. It didn't at all sound human. As Ethel rubbed her sleepy eyes she realised the commotion was coming from down the stairwell. Ethel suddenly wasn't scared at all. Aaah, it's the visitors she thought. It was cetainly the right time of year.
Many years earlier Ethel had meet her visitors on holiday. She remembers how beautiful they were, stunningly snow white plummage and an amazing ability to produce a perfect tiny chalky blue egg. They spoke of their love of Scotland, the North sea and their passion for diving and fishing. Ethel promised that if they ever visited her Victorian home she would keep a good stock of tinned fish in her store cupboard ready for them to enjoy.
Ethel made her way down the steep stairs and turned the corner and there they were all long bill smiles and empty tummies waiting to be filled with fish. Hello Mr Gannet, Mrs Gannet "How was your journey? So lovely to see you...pilchards, squid or anchovies for supper?"

Dogs are not just for Christmas....

2010-12-08T16:50:00.005Z

Best in Show by Sally Muir & Joanna Osborne

This Christmas Ethel has got her knitting needles at the ready. It's no secret that Ethel loves animals and making and mending. This wonderful book allows Ethel to knit her very own pet dog. She'll start with the whippet!

Dog knitting kits available from www.muirandosborne.co.uk/

I see a sea gull on the seashore....

2010-11-15T21:21:00.010Z

Black- headed gull bag by ethel and iris

Port Issac, Cornwall, UK

One of Ethel's favourite Cornish treats is to sit and spot a fleeting glance of a seabird. They remind her of herself: a little grumpy, a bit argumentative and a never ending appetite for chips (with a dash of vinegar).

Big Ears

2010-10-27T18:48:00.007+01:00

Brown Long-eared Bat

Sometimes at night, when all the neighbours are asleep and the street is deadly quiet, Frankie cat and Ethel like to secretly tip-toe beyond their back door to their tiny walled garden.
In the daytime it is a hive of activity. There's Ethel's vegetable patch, where the leeks jostle with the broccoli, eager to find more space to grow. The wooden shed where Frankie cat likes to sit in amongst the seed packets and garden tools and the huge cabbage tree swaying in the wind, which always reminds Ethel of being in Lisbon, her favourite travel destination.
At night though all is asleep. The bumblebees settle in their nest, the Great tits sleep on their branches and the neighbours tuck themselves up in their blankets. This is Ethel's and Frankie cats' favourite time. They sit out alone with the big round moon for company lighting up the dark black sky, all alone apart from the special night time visitor. If Ethel looks up and if she is lucky, a strange winged creature catches her eye. Ethel tries to touch him but he's always too fast, darting through the sky, but if she chats very quietly the visitor likes to listen. You see he has the most extraordinary ears to hear with, much bigger than Frankie cats', more sensitive than Ethel's, he is a Brown Long-eared Bat. Even if Ethel whispers he can hear every word she says. They can happily sit there for hours, gossiping, and no one else can hear them, not even the local mouse.

The Feathered Friend

2010-06-25T10:28:00.008+01:00

Spending time away from home, Ethel thought, brings new inspiration and opportunities to make new friends. Ethel travelled to Cornwall, a delightful place, a favourite place, one that she visits each year. This year, as in previous years, Ethel slept in her caravan it was deadly quiet all night long and pitch black with only the moon face to light up the sky. Ethel was able to sleep well, but she knew no matter how deep her sleep she would not need to set her alarm clock to catch the morning chorus as Ethel had made a deal with a friend she'd meet many years earlier. He was quite a handsome fellow and had many girlfriends but his main occupation was to get everyone up and about, wide awake every morning. He worked all year round, 7 days a week, even at Easter, even on Christmas Day. His secret weapon was his voice which made an unusual and unique cock-a-doodle do, a sound that no human could make. It was so loud and so exact in it's timing (6.00am every morning) that he could use it to wake the residents of the campsite quite effectively. Each night that Ethel fell asleep she knew she was in safe hands and she always, without fail, looked forward to the knock on the day each morning from her Cornish feathered friend.

A Visitor

2010-06-03T13:14:00.006+01:00

Getting to know Cassidy Swift

Ethel had had a bad weekend. Her chronic fatigue had left her confined to her bed. No friends, no family visits nothing at all, just a timetable of rest, peace and quiet and forced relaxation. She was sad. Sunday night approached. Through the silence came a knock on the door. Ethel opened it sheepishly and there stood before her was a very small black bird. He looked tired (just like Ethel) and hungry. He'd been on a long journey. He had been sent to cheer Ethel up, which had meant flying all through the night and day to reach her. Ethel was delighted. He spoke of his travels, his love of a well tailored waistcoats and his desire to eat lots of sunflower seeds. His name was Cassidy Swift and Ethel loved him dearly.

Cassidy made by Nettybennetts. www.folksy.com/shops/nettybennetts

Gingerbread Men

2010-05-10T21:09:00.010+01:00

Since Ethel was a child she has harboured a very sweet tooth. Every Saturday would bring the weekly treat of visiting the bakery in the small mining town were her family had lived for more than 30 years. There was much on offer and decisions to be made. An elephant's foot, maybe an iced bun? A custard egg tart? Ethel would ponder over the selection for many a minute as the queue of hungry lunchtime customers built up behind here. Each week Ethel wanted to try something new but each week someone always caught her eye. He was a tiny perfectly formed man made of ginger with currant eyes looking through the glass counter staring back at her. His currant nose and his colourful smartie buttoned jacket was the same every week and the cherry mouth always had a smile or a frown depending on his mood. Ethel would choose the gingerbread man and carefully carry him home in a paper bag. What would she eat first, his head or his toes....

Gingerbread Man Toy available from www.thelaundry.co.uk

An Imaginary Zoo

2010-02-26T13:42:00.014Z

Ethel lives in a tiny Victorian terraced house. It is so tiny that she can hardly swing a cat in it. She loves her tiny home but sometimes it makes her sad. You see, Ethel would love to house and look after all the endangered animals in the world. A lion maybe, or a gorilla, but she knows, in reality a gorilla would be unhappy with her offers of Earl Grey tea, a slice of Victoria sponge or a turn around her tiny garden. So all Ethel can do is think about her imaginary zoo in her head and all the things she'd like to do for all of her pretend animals.

original one off gorilla mono print by katieviggers.etsy.com

Albertus Seba

2009-12-04T11:56:00.006Z

For many years Ethel has admired a very perculiar man who went by the name of Albertus Seba. Born in 1665, Albertus became an apothecary and through his work created many recipes and remedies from the natural world. Collecting natural specimans became an obssession. Albertus would hasten down to the nearby ports, trade his medicines and know-how to the exhausted sailors and in exchange the grateful sailors would sell any natural specimans they had picked up on their travels to Albertus.
'Wow' thought Ethel 'how can I collect just like Albertus right here from my armchair'. Ethel gathered together all her old maps and started to cut out her very own bugs and butterflies. 'I'll keep them all together' she thought, so started sewing the little paper insects into collections, just like the Victorian insect cases she admired so much.

Homeless Dogs

2009-09-18T12:03:00.005+01:00

For the past few weeks I have been searching for something special. Having hankered after a greyhound for sometime I realised that my home and I would be far too small to house and handle such a hound. I was on the look out for a special companion which would fit into my tiny terraced home...and along came the whippet. My cat seems horrified by this so I am trying to find a cat friendly whippet to befriend Frankie. In the meantime I am settling for another homeless dog. This is quite simply one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen on Etsy. I would love to give him a home.

Homeless Dog by Lemmikkiapina. Lemmikkiapina.etsy.com

Leviathan

2009-07-31T11:23:00.005+01:00

Sitting at home with the flu is bad enough, but sitting at home when you could be whale watching....Confined to the house, under doctors orders, has meant that I have missed my chance to go on a planned puffin and whale watching trip. I'm sad. So I've been doing a spot of whale exploration from my armchair. Luckily I have Leviathan, or the Whale to keep me company.

I spie with my little eye something beginning with E.

2009-01-13T17:18:00.011Z

Shuffle through your bookshelves. If you look very carefully you'll see Ethel and Iris cards in a new book called 1000 Handmade Cards by Laura McFadden published by Quarry Press/ Rockport.

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside...

2009-01-13T16:56:00.010Z

Ethel likes nothing better than feeling the sand between her toes . As a child her Dad built a tiny sandpit in the family garden, between the rabbit hutch and the flowerbeds. Ethel would close her eyes and pretend she was by the sea, building sandcastles and fetching buckets of water to form a moat. Inspired by these memories we present to you the seaside collection.

Train leaves from Amsterdam...

2008-10-03T16:12:00.011+01:00

Inspired by the snow dome collection, Ethel ans Iris have been busy working away on some travel inspired cards and accessories. It all begins in Amsterdam....

Miniature Worlds

2008-07-27T16:08:00.025+01:00

As long as I can remember Ethel and Iris have found great pleasure in collecting bits and pieces from their travels. One of their favourite discoveries, made many years ago, was the miniature world captured inside tiny souvenir snow domes. Sometimes Ethel could not make a trip, so through the years many of her kind friends and family collected the domes for her. Now, all Ethel has to do when she's feeling restless is look into her domes to transport herself to the exotic, the breathtaking and the famous wonders of the world without even leaving her armchair.

Hello, make yourself at home....

2008-07-12T22:08:00.008+01:00

Welcome..to the world of Ethel & Iris.
A world of knitting needles, pattern cutting and love of all things old.
Ethel & Iris share a passion for finding, collecting and discovering things that time has forgotten.
Just as Granny used to scrimp and save, Ethel & Iris cherish the art of making and mending. With a touch of tender loving care, Ethel & Iris hope to breath new life into the old, the unwanted and the unloved gems of the world.