Saturday 13 March 2010

Mothering Sunday

Tomorrow is Mothering Sunday and not Mother's Day which over the years it has come to be known as in the UK. Mothering Sunday has much earlier origins as a date in the Church calendar. It was a day when people returned to their “mother church” – the nearest large church or cathedral – on the fourth Sunday of Lent. As such, the date moves with the date of Easter, so can fall any time from the start of March to mid-April, which means if it was not for the commercialisation of the day few people would realise when it actually was! Despite its historical significance in the UK, it is now almost impossible to buy a card that says, “Happy Mothering Sunday”. Also on this day those who were in service, such as maids and living away from home, were given the day off and were allowed to visit their mothers, often bringing with them flowers that they had picked on the way.
As you can see I tatted some hearts, the pattern is called "Heart of a Butterfly" by Irene Woo. I have made some into bookmarks
The pink one on the right is made with 20 thread and all the rest are made in 40 thread.


In America Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in May and has nothing to do with Mothering Sunday.
Now those who are waiting for their Pop-A-bobbin shuttle, just might see it in this basket!
Don't they look fabulous? Its fascinating to see the the different coloured woods.
I can also inform you that "I'm in the garage" has a new piece of equipment (boys and their toys!) and now is able to work the shuttles into a far better shape.
The other week a few of us went on a fact finding trip to some churches looking at modern stained glass windows as we are going to have a new one put into an old church.
This ancient font was outside a church and I just had to take a photograph of it.

The font makes a very unusual flower pot and is just right for a celebration of Mothering Sunday and seeing the snowdrops peeping out is a reminder that Spring is on its way.

11 comments:

  1. Well done for pointing out that Mothering Sunday is the religious celebration but that nowadays the card companies have 'taken it over' and turned it into a means to sell more cards!!! The shuttles are looking - well, yummy!

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  2. Thanks for the info on Mothering Sunday, I have to confess I didn't know any of that before you shared.

    The hearts look good.

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  3. Again, you are a wellspring of knowledge!

    Those hearts are beautiful. I am trying to find a copy of that pattern.

    The shuttles are drool-worthy. They look wonderful sitting there in their unfinished state. Little waiting-to-be-hatched thingamees!

    I am curious about how Nick gets the shuttle carved in one piece. Is there a special woodworking tool I don't know about that can get that hole bored in such a small piece of wood? This is driving me crazy!

    Fox : )

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  4. Love the Hearts and the shuttles look great my favourite one is the purple colour!!!! Shall have to save up for one!!!!!!!!

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  5. Lovely hearts. Learned something new. Here across the pond we 'steal' hoildays without learning really what they are for. Unless you do some back ground reading you just go along with the masses not knowing the reason for it.(Other than Hallmark rakes in alot of money for it.) The shuttles lot inviting for eager hands.

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  6. hee... those shuttles r shouting to be grabbed! innovation is an amazing thing.

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  7. Great post, great shuttles and hearts. Happy Mothering Sunday to you!

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  8. Hi Jane, yes shuttles are very yummy - can you see yours?!!!
    Thanks M - sadly people don't know the history behind so much commercialism
    Hi Fox, I will have to get pictures of the full shuttle process making, I seem to nip in and out of the garage and never get the full story!
    Hi Typs Tatting - I think we need more purple heart shuttles, my goodness it sounds like a drug!
    Hi Sue Anna, the origins behind some of the holidays are very interesting, some are mixed with pagan and reglious festivals and end up as hallmark ones!!!
    Hi Val - Actually its lovely to live in the same house as the shuttles, they are a work of art.
    Tatskool - Happy Mothering Sunday to you too! Its a lovely and sunny one here in the UK and I am thinking of your lovely view outside your window today

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  9. That was interesting - I wonder why we in Australia celebrate Mother's Day in May? - must be, as the others have said, a Hallmark Holiday - (which, let me add, my eldest son refuses to observe, on that basis alone). Yesterday was Laetare Sunday, the middle Sunday of Lent - a time to take a step back and rejoice a little!

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  10. Lovely hearts! And those shuttles are so lovely!
    Couldn't help but hope one of those ebony beauties might find a home with me...and perhaps...dare I dream...a purple heart as well!

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  11. I love those hearts! They're so pretty altogether like that.

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