Ring Out Those Bells

Photos Copyright: Maggie May

I have posted about Morris Dancers before. That is because my son belongs to a Morris Dancing group and he often asks me to go with him on his various excursions. (Probably to babysit the girls or at least take them off his hands for a bit!)

I must say that I always manage to enjoy myself on these occasions and I find that Morris dancers are an extremely friendly bunch of people.

Some of these pictures were taken at the Sidmouth Festival while we were on holiday recently.

Others were taken when I went to various engagements with my son's group.

Some have outfits that make them stand out from the rest, following a definite colour. Others have rag outfits of many colours.

There is sometimes a horse or a clown type figure to bring a bit of humour into the dance.

Most groups have music of some sort to accompany the dancing.

Many carry sticks that are used in formation dancing.

But everyone have bells on their legs!

The tradition goes way back in time and each group seems to put a slightly different slant onto their dances and outfits.

If there are still any overseas readers who don't understand what Morris Dancing is about, they can go here.

Sometimes the sticks seem positively dangerous and it isn't that unusual to get a whack on the head from time to time.

But it seems to be a very good form of exercise.

Pity I'm a bit long in the tooth to take it up.

MAYpole NUTters? NO! Morris Dancers!

I have been crawling about the front room on all fours for much of the day. No, I have not hurt my back and no, I have not been playing with the grandchildren. I am attempting to cut out and sew a pair of Morris Dancing trousers!
Not for me!

Sam has recently taken up Morris Dancing and must be catching up with the rest of the group quickly as he has been asked to dance in a festival on May Day. Isn't it good that the May family have a holiday all of our own and a day named after us? Of course there is a down side, too, as it is also a call for help! Mayday, Mayday!
We have the whole of April to finish the trousers. The colours are absolutely glaring and bright, enough to bring on a migraine. Each leg is a different colour, so we have to have our wits about us so as not to make a mess of it. No good if it didn't fit in with the rest of the troupe. Is that what you call a collection of Morris Dancers, a troupe? Imagine having one leg differently coloured from all the rest, you'd stand out a bit!

Any way, Sam and his friend Jim, have been going to Morris Dancing Classes for a few weeks now and go down to the pub afterwards to "slake the thirst" that they have worked up whilst dancing. The organizer provided the material but had no pattern. Sam wanted to sew a pair of tailored, smart pants, but friend Jim says he can't be bothered with that and informed us he will lie on a table and get a friend to cut round him, do a quick sewing job and put elastic through the waist. Now why couldn't Sam do that? Why is he the one to have to do it the hard way? Has anyone tried to get a pattern for men's trousers lately? Well it isn't easy to find one, I can tell you.
At one time there were at least three good rag and habberdashery shops within easy walking distance to where I live. Not many people do sewing now, so all these shops have been forced to close down. I used to regularly make dresses for my daughter, Debbie when she was young in the seventies and also for myself.

Well Sam wanted to make the trousers himself, but the pattern is a bit fiddly, so we are sort of doing it together. Not sure who will actually use the sewing machine. I have suddenly realized how bad my eyes are now for needle threading, so maybe he will be useful for doing that.

As I have to keep moving about because of my back problem, I crawl about with patterns for a while, then run to do a bit of blogging, then back to the sewing. Why is it that housework doesn't have the same appeal as writing a blog or doing some creative sewing? I'd like to know how to make housework more creative. Maybe there is someone out there who has the answer?

What can I hear? There is the sound of bells coming from the front room? Too early for Christmas reindeer, or too late depending on how you look at it! I go to investigate and find Millie & Amber have found the Morris Dancers' bells that Sam had hidden in a bag of sewing things and yards of material every where as they wanted "to help." Just as well they didn't get to the cutting out scissors!

Anyway, if you see a Morris Dancing troupe near you, with glaring coloured pants and one of them wearing perfectly tailored ones and another pair that looks as if it has been thrown together, just shout out, "Hi Sam & Jim." They really won't mind!