Gypsy Flower Carving Off the knee - Appleby Horse Fair 2011

I see the flower & peg maker every time that I visit Appleby Horse Fair. John Vickers & his wife are now the only family at the Annual Fair that demonstrate the true gypsy craft of 'carving flowers, off the knee'.

I had just started filming, when another gypsy hailed me for deciding to film this dying skill, telling me, that this is genuine gypsy culture & that the stuff currently on the television is total rubbish & portrays their culture very badly.

Once carved the flower is broken from the stick & the thin stem of a sapling is attached to flower head ( I missed that part, hence forth it shall remain a secret ). Finally the flower is dipped into a natural dye, allowed to dry & is sold to the passing tourists at the fair. The entire process of carving & finishing the flower, takes approximately five minutes.

When I had finished filming the process, John asked if he could see the video footage, he was amazed to see himself in the view finder and was telling his wife to have a look also. I told him that the footage would go onto YouTube, the internet, a computer and he humbly explained that he didn't understand what I was telling him, but his grandchildren would know, that was a magic moment for me.

This made me recall what the first Gypsy had said to me when I had started filming John, & I wonder if those featuring on My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding & the producers, knew what they were doing to the remaining genuine gypsy culture?

Music 'Porch Swing Days (faster)' by Kevin Macleod - www.incompetech.com

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