The Shellac Sisters - a 78 rpm adventure in pictures

Jenny, Virginia, Jane and Theodora

The Shellac Sisters celebrated ten years of spinning 78s together at the end of 2014 with cocktails and dinner at The Gilbert Scott, part of the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel. I've been meaning to put up a blog post and a page about The Shellac Sisters for a long time, so here it is. 

The Shellac Sisters (with cocktails) at The Gilbert Scott Bar
Mine's a Corpse Reviver No.2.

The Shellac Sisters began DJing with gramophones in 2004, after a birthday picnic that summer when one of the sisters brought a gramophone and a handful of 78s along. It sounded great, and filled the picnic spot with sound loud enough to dance to. It didn't take long before we had all 'found' a gramophone (or two).

One should never dress down to a picnic.

It's been an amazing ten years, with gigs varied and exciting. Take a look at the page if you want to see more, but here are a few of my favourite pics from the past ten years.

On a platform in the middle of a man-made moat at

The V&A

This has to be one of my absolute favourite gigs of all time: A private party for a publishing company, which had the fantastic idea of hiring the V&A for a summer party. They flooded the outside area, and we had to jump on the platform before it got too high! We were then stranded there for the whole performance. Or, at least I thought so. Thankfully Jane had had the forethought to purchase some wellies in advance. Mine were leopard print.

Tate Britain 

I don't know who took this photo, but thank you whoever you are. My hubby doesn't dance much anymore, so this is a very precious picture. It was a Late at the Tate night, and we drew a huge crowd of Lindy Hoppers.

 I Knit Day 2007

I shouldn't have been at this gig, as it was on a Saturday when I work. It was for the wool shop I Knit in Waterloo. A whole day of knitting workshops, stalls and a talk by Jane Waller, whose 1972 book 'A Stitch In Time' I'd long coveted. It was a real turn of fate that got me here - one of those days when everything changed for me.

It wouldn't have happened if I hadn't been scratched by a cat in my garden a couple of months before. I got a really bad infection in my hand that needed surgery (Cat Scratch Fever)! I couldn't work for about six weeks, so at the last minute my mum and hubby convinced me to go along to this gig, as it wouldn't be too strenuous. That was the day that I met Susan Crawford and Jane Waller. Jane was talking about the re-issue of 'A Stitch In Time', with Susan, and when she saw The Shellac Sisters she offhandedly asked us if we would model for the book. I immediately said 'Hell yeah!' I wore my knitted dress that day, which later came to be featured in the book.

I've thought about that day many times since, and what got me there. It sounds a bit trite, but out of something awful, really awesome things can happen. Well, they did for me on this occasion.

The V&A

Another V&A shot, with both of us beaming with happiness. A very gallant gentleman kindly waded out and supplied us with refreshments of the bubbly kind, which may help explain it.

This was shot in an alleyway next to The Rose & Crown pub in Walthamstow for a newspaper article. I honestly can't remember which newspaper, though I've got a copy somewhere. I nearly didn't go, even though it was only up the road from me. It's not that I'm lazy (though I am!), just that I was feeling a bit sorry for myself. I was five months pregnant and feeling sick all the time. In retrospect (and in spite of the look on my face), I'm glad that I went.

This is from a picnic, and one of V's photographer friends took a couple of shots of us for promotion as we really needed them in the early days. I don't know why the other ladies' faces are cut off though. It wasn't me, really!

 The National Theatre

A nautical themed party for the National Theatre. We were on the roof, the deck, with views over London and the river. It was summer, an English summer, so there was a torrential downpour. Like the hats? They are all made by Jane (in the red hat), who is a milliner.

Gotta love that moat!

Theodora.

Back in the world

I'm back, from nearly a month of feeling absolutely rotten.

Sickness hit me and my husband, annoyingly at almost the same time. I'd been fighting off a virus for a while, but it just wouldn't shift. Then it went and took up residence in my chest. Three courses of antibiotics, a chest X-ray, and two blood tests later, and I can breathe nicely again. It got so bad I couldn't even take my son to school. It got to the point when we thought we just weren't going to get better. It sounds so silly I know, but it got quite scary. I knew it was bad when the GP rang me to come in for an appointment.

I am never going to take my lovely lungs for granted again. I never want to feel like that again.

And, what made it worse - I couldn't even knit! I did manage a bit of crochet after a couple of weeks, though, which saved my sanity. I have finished my wavy blanket! Hooray!

It is a great length, and has kept me very cozy as I have been recuperating.

I cannot take full credit for it though - it was heavily inspired by Vanessa at Coco Rose Diaries. This is her blanket.

Her version is a little more sedate, (and beautifully photographed). I got a bit carried away with a few garish colours, but I'm just so glad I have actually finished it.

My granny stripe is almost done, too, and I have made some progress on a cushion cover (above it). At the top is my Clamshell blanket from Cherry Heart. That is still a long way from finished, but it's a fun pattern to work, and I love the colours I chose.

I have to make a confession. I have broken my New Year's Resolutions completely now - I had the overwhelming urge to cast on a new project once I started feeling better.

Can you guess what it is?

Image courtesy of V&A

It's Your Victory Jumper. I can't believe I haven't made it yet, but I thought it just the right time to get started, so that it will be ready for the 70th anniversary of VE day in May.


I'm using a vintage wool for it, too, Patons Beehive Fingering 3 ply. I'm quite excited. It's a really bright navy blue. I haven't a red or white 3 ply, but I am using Cygnet 4 ply in red, which is a very fine 4 ply, quite the match of the Beehive. I had to make do with a 4 ply in white, too, (Jaegar baby merino). I just couldn't justify buying ANY MORE WOOL. It seems to be fine, not changing the tension. Phew. I'm increasing at the moment, and will keep an eye on the width, as I don't want too much positive ease.

On a related note, I am also happy to be better for the opening of a new exhibition at the Imperial War Museum - Fashion on the Ration. It opens next week, and I'm hoping to go if not on the first day, then soon after. I think I should wear my knitted dress, as it perfectly illustrates the make-do-and-mend spirit of the war. And it is my favourite knitted.

Image courtesy of Susan Crawford

I'd hope to see some knitwear, but I haven't seen any on the website. Hmmm...

Last Sunday, I DJed at a great dance club, Mouth Full O' Hotcha. I didn't think I would be well enough, but it was SO good to get out of the house. My husband came too, which was lovely. Two inches of makeup, a headscarf to cover the 'natural', (i.e. frizzy), look of my perm, and I was ready to go. Wearing a knitted jumper of course.

It was back to the shellac. The dance instructors Paul Crook and Louise Holland run a beginners Balboa dance class at the start, then it's social dancing for the rest of the afternoon.

Paul Crook and Louise Holland

with Swing Maniac on the decks

I hadn't played 78s out for quite a while, so it was great playing for dancers again, as well as having a whirl around the dancefloor with my hubby. I was slightly taken aback when someone asked if I was actually playing my own records! It wouldn't be the first time someone has tapped me on the shoulder while I've been queueing up a record, to ask me if I can get the DJ, (a guy in my general vicinity), to play a request. And that time it was a woman.

Theodora.