On Saturday I learned to turn a pile of silver jump rings into a bracelet!!! Such fun, well the end product was fun, there were a few tricky and some boring bits in between but overall it WAS fun. OPening 170 jump rings is the least fun bit, after that it gets lots better. 
The workshop took place in Haddenham outside Ely, Cambridgeshire and was held at Spoiltrottenbeads by Linda Plumtree. These are all the sample bracelets she showed us. 
All these different chain maille weaves have different names like Helm or Snorting Rhino or Persian, Japanese lace or Japanese lattice....I am all new to this so it was quite fascinating. 
Linda sells these at fairs under her trade brand: gemazing. 
Above is the Byzantine weave we were learning with a few beads and worked in copper and silver rings to show up the compexities a bit better. It involves linking, flopping, opening and inserting a toothpick: all highly technical ( lol) but effective as the results were achieved easily by all 8 of us. Within about 30 minutes we had mastered the technique and then sat there repeating it to finish the braclets, I didn't finish as I took notes on suppliers, websites and the names of the weaves so I could take it further after the workshop. 
After 1 pm I joined the family in Cambridge, where Miss E spent her time in Cath Kidston, Jack Wills and Paperchase while I admired the architecture and enjoyed some people watching. This is an owl cushion she liked, maybe we'll try to make one in the holidays? 
Cambridge: so lovely! And the weather was amazing. 
Henry the VIIIth I believe? 
Time to relax with a picnic and ice-cream even though the ''bent'' ice cream seller gave incorrect change. 
Bye bye Cambridge, time to go home. 
Later that evening I finished my bracelet, which I wore all day in Oxford at the concert rehearsals. 8:50 to 18:30 it was a long but delightful day Sunday. 
The ceiling of the Oxford Town Hall- we spent hours either sitting waiting or singing or listening to fabulous music: both orchestral and vocal. 
Imagine an orchestra: Oxford Philomusica in the empty blue seats in front and where you see red and black clad people, our Village Voices choir with the Oxford Community choir all in blue or green tops and dark trousers. We sang our 3 songs after the interval and hugely enjoyed joining in with the Hallelujah chorus at the finale too.It was the concert for the High Sheriff of Oxfordshire, proceeds went to charity of course and 8 community choirs sang for us as well as Bach and Handel being played by the orchestra.
The music was sublime. My ''faves'' were the Adventists choir for their energy and joyfullness and the Rock choir for the fun element . It was packed and I was sorry JJ and the girls had decided not to come, at least one member of the audience voted us 2nd best out of the 8 so we must have been OK ? I know that we all enjoyed doing it as a choir and hope the audience enjoyed it too. It was a great experience, I arrived home after the Park'n Ride and a lift home at 18:30 having left it at 8:45.
We spent most of it inside but did have 2 hours or so to enjoy the glorious sunshine in Oxford.
I crocheted a few flowers for my next crochet course on Wednesday. Also I noted a lovely painting - but forgot to take a photo- of 3 elderly farmers in country smocks in a field of blossom trees in the Old Library of the Town Hall- as this is where we rehearsed at first .
Linking back to those agricultural roots and reminding me of Larkrise to Candleford......
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