Friday, December 21, 2007

More Tales of The Cotton Patch

A couple of people were missed off the previous post at the Christmas do..

Our webmaster David and me!

We have endeavoured to get important gifts to all our customers on time and we really hope we have succeeded this year. We know we can't bat 100 every time but we hope that the similarities to cricket don't go as far as the England Cricket team's performance in Sri Lanka at the moment!


So, our closing comments for 2007 are that we hope you are all as delighted as this customer...

Date: 21 Dec 2007 15:12:51 GMT
From: customer@blueyonder.co.uk
Subject: Delivery of Order.
To: mailorder@cottonpatch.co.uk
Reply-To:
Name:K D.M


Message:Would just like to express my thanks for the speedy delivery of my book order. In plenty of time for Christmas. May I wish you and your staff a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous 2008.

Christmas Celebrations

Like many mailorder and retail companies the build up to Christmas has been a very busy one. There have been late shifts, extra days worked and more staff and still we were working till the last posting day before Christmas. We hope if you ordered from us that you received it in time and that the gift was well received too!



It only seems fitting that our Christmas celebrations of a lunch for all the Cotton Patch staff should be posted on the blog. Fortunately the injuries were only minor! A certain member of staff (who promises it was nothing to do with the Merlot) found the wooden floor too slippery and had to have ice and arnica for her rather sudden transition from vertical to horizontal.




Pictured here - Margaret and Jean, Geoff (Ho Ho Ho) and Val






The Magazine Angels Anna, Ellie and Nikki




Pam, Ann and Nadine (left)
Anne, Paula, Dawn, Denise, Jayne, Alan, Adam and Nadine (right)




Val, Pat, Cherrie and Ken
From all of The Cotton Patch team we wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy and peaceful New Year.
Don't forget....our internet sale starts on the 4th January 2008 with some fantastic bargains on fabrics, quilting products and daylight lights.

Friday, December 7, 2007

A Stitch in Time..

Fine Cell Work celebrate their 10th Anniversary this year. Featured recently on Radio 4's Midweek programme, Fine Cell Work is described on their website as "a Registered Charity that teaches needlework to prison inmates and sells their products. The prisoners do the work when they are locked in their cells, and the earnings give them hope, skills and independence.Savings reduce the likelihood of offenders returning to crime. Prisoners often send the money they earn from Fine Cell Work to their children and families, or use it to pay debts or for accommodation upon release.

The inmates are all taught by volunteers from the Embroiderers Guild, the Royal School of Needlework and the world of professional design. Once trained, they can be responsible for difficult commissions done to deadlines, and support other inmates who are still learning."

The embroidery featured above was a special commission that hangs in Manchester and, quite appropriately, was sponsored by Deans Court Chambers, Manchester. The wall hanging entitled ‘Manchester all stitched up’ was unveiled in December.

After their move to new chambers over five years ago - a splendid Victorian building with an equally splendid reception atrium - the barristers wanted something special as the centrepiece of the reception area. Former Head of Chambers, Stephen Grime Q.C . suggested commissioning a wallhanging from Fine Cell Work.

‘It was a good chance to commission a truly original work and help prisoners at the same time,’ he explains. 'Barristers are normally involved with trial and sentencing. This seemed a good opportunity to do something to help with rehabilitation. Perhaps some of the inmates who took part had been our clients!'

One of the patrons of Fine Cell Work is Kaffe Fassett. From time to time we supply Fine Cell Work with fabrics and theads - it's good to see that the end results are so worthwhile - we thought it worth sharing this aspect of quilt-making that you may not have heard about. They also have a shop, so if you are looking for finished items for Christmas presents...

Labels: , ,