ANOTHER WEEK

Another week has passed and here are the latest pieces for Jan's Work basket. I am not sure what I did with the photography as the colours have come out very bright. The materials are the same as she has used when she lined the basket.
 Two pieces this week as there was no embroidery involved, the pin container and the orts bag. Shown with them in the front, is the tapemeasure from week two.

WEEK FOUR

This week's piece for Jan's work basket is ready to be delivered, I have made a thread keep, well at least I did the embroidery, Paul turns these wooden coaters into thread keeps for me.

The  beetle stitched  with metal thread, silver shot with green  and with some lovely gun metal shade leather for his head, the background fabric is shaded green through to purple and I wish it shows up better in the picture.

BRIDES TREE SAL- APRIL

Bride's tree ornament set for April: was to be a  Rabbit - (hope and / or faith.) I have been trying to stitch on each ornament something that is special to me. After much searching through embroidery designs I decide to stitch Benjamin Bunny, one of the Beatrice Potter characters.   Benjamin represents too, the collection I have of these pieces. there are now 43 sitting on the dresser and the collection started with Johnny Townmouse who arrived for my 21st birthday, over the years the rest arrived one by one for birthdays, Christmas or wedding anniversaries and there are lovely family stories attached, like the time Paul was asked by the children to bring home another mouse and he arrived home with Anna Maria to be told  "that's a rat!" and the then small grand daughter who told them at day care centre. " Peter Rabbit lives at my Grandma's house"

Benjamin  Bunny sitting on the bank has been with us now for 21 years I have stitch him on hand dyed ( with coffee) 40 count Permin  linen with DMC thread.

Here is the collection and if anyone is counting, Benjamin on the bank, is not in the photo I had not put him back after I had taken the close up photo.

WEEK TWO AND NOW WEEK THREE.

Week 2.... I had another small piece ready to be delivered to Jan for her work basket and the frustration that being small my camera could not get a close enough for a photo, Digital camera are great but mine is not successful for really close up work. I had cover a retractable tape measure with felt on the bottom and sides and a small embroidery on top and was pleased with the results.

 This week I stitched a design that I made up into a floss ring tag and being flat I was able to copy it using the scanner. The colour is not quite true the purple is stronger than shown. I have been busy and have the next two pieces ready but will not show them till I hand them over.

THE FIRST PIECE

The first piece for Jan's collection for her needlework basket was delivered at the weekend. I stitch a Pin Whimsey ( Pinkeep) using a design based on one of the flower patterns that I know she had stitch on her Punto Antico Mat. The thread used was 'Lola' in a mauve shade and it matches the fabric she had used round the top edge of the basket and I backed it with her green fabric.

 Do you call them Pin Whimseys or Pinkeeps?

Possibly the name Pin Whimsey dates back to Victorian times when these small keepers for pins came in many different shapes. The oldest one I have was my grandmother's,  shaped like a slipper it is beautfully made of purple silk over thin card and gold satin for the with the tiniest stitches round the sole and neat herringbone stiches on the side. The tassel on the top is made of silk thread  and it still has a few pins pushed into the sole.

Where Pin cushions were useful in the home, these small flat holders were  devised to carry pins in sewing bags or pockets with the points safely sheathed.

EASTER SUNDAY

Image courtesy vintageholidaycrafts.com

Greetings and Best Wishes to you all for Easter.