Colliery Days
Fabric Project Book

by Canny Keepsakes

      In the North East of England where this reviewer used to live is a famous open-air museum called Beamish. Part of this replica of what this area looked like in times past is a colliery village set forever in 1913, and it is from this that the authors take their inspiration for this book of needlecraft projects.

Two ladies called Florrie and Betty have written this book, and they appear throughout the book together with their snapshot memories of what life was like back then and a few recipes. They appear as rag dolls, and they are photographed along with the projects (over twenty of these) in settings at the museum. There are instructions on how to make items for all parts of the home, including a peg bag, rag dolls, handbag, cushions, draught excluder, table runner, quilt and many more. Each project contains patterns for the item (at the reverse of the book), instructions (in rather small type) as well as the author’s charming dialect memories of life in a colliery village in those days – think Catherine Cookson. This is a good place to learn crazy patchwork, make a basic rag doll, peg doll, hooky or proggy mat (a local craft) and various other simple but enjoyable crafts that involve recycling scraps of cloth. In short, a very green craft book as well as being a very attractive book to look at, with its evocative photographs, brief but vivid descriptions of the north east of England over 100 years ago and the imaginative projects.