STITCHING ROSES AND VIOLETS

 

Today, just take time to smell the roses,

enjoy those little things………………….― Bernard Kelvin Clive

 

I have been stitching violets for myself and pink roses for Annette of California Stitcher, Annette has been kindly making for me another of her fab pouches, this time to match my violet collection of needlework accessories. The embroidery on my piece is done and it is now gone to a friend to be made up, very necessary as I have a hate relationship with my sewing machine and I am defeated when I cannot do all a project by hand stitching. The pink roses are to match the toblerone set I sent to Annette for Christmas.

 

 

 

I have also been stitching some embroidered clips to keep balls of perle thread tidy, very easy to make and also ideal for gifts for friends I have put the" how to" make them information on my other blog other side of the mountain and have announced a give away to mark Valentines day over there  Leave a message there if you are interested in going in the draw ( not on this blog)

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WEEKENDS UPDATE

“Trees that are slow to grow bear the best fruit.” ― Molière

 

My weekend was frustrating, how I will need patience in the months ahead. I started my stitching for IHSW with a lot of enthusiasm, I had previously some time ago sorted all the threads that came in the kit, carded them and wrote both the number and the symbol on the card, which I knew would be a help because as the cataract  has developed I knew I was at the stage where distinguishing between certain shades was a problem .  I am still fortunate that seeing and stitching on the fine linen is no problem but my downfall came after I had stitch an area to find I could not tell the difference in the threads I had just stitched, these soft and some what beautiful muted shades had all blended into one. I have also found it impossible to stitch soft toning's at night so that will limit a little what I stitch and when. However all is not lost, I can still stitch and I made a fresh start changing some of the colours a little....................... here is my small progress for the weekend on The Wool Gatherer by Shepherd's Bush .when next month's Hermit weekend comes around I will be better prepare to cope and enjoy..

 

 Before the weekend I finished stitching The Bee Keeper another Shepherd's bush design, this Kit came to me  from Annette at Christmas time  and I stitched with it Tending the Blooms one that I had previously stitched some time ago,  not yet mounted I think they will make a nice pair of floss ring tags

 I hope everyone had an enjoyable weekend's stitching look forward to visiting blogs to see.

 

 

 

INTERNATIONAL HERMIT AND STITCH WEEKEND PLANS

Each day is a piece of embroidery

On one side are all the beautiful patterns of life

On the other side are all the tangles and knots

We choose each day which side of the embroidery to live on

 

..............and I am having a new beginning for International Hermit and Stitch Weekend, the first weekend for the year will be this coming weekend and I have decided to select one piece and stitch it on these weekends only, what will it be ? Finally decided to stitch the Wool Gatherer by Shepherds Bush I did start it some years ago but this time I will stitch it on my favourite 40 count permin linen using DMC  threads as given in the kit. Progress report at the end of the weekend.

I have just finished stitching all four of the little witches by Maja at  The Snowflower Diaries these are freebies and can be found here  they are delightful designs and I must admit the spring witch with the rabbit on her broomstick is my favourite one. I made them up into a cube to hold paper, which may go off with Rachel when she leaves for the new year at varsity, at present she is gathering uop all the things she will need for first year of flatting.



 

Happy stitching to all  hermits this weekend

 

 

A NEW YEAR BEGINS-

 A new year is unfolding--like a blossom with petals curled tightly concealing the beauty within. -Unknown

 

The new year unfolded here with a day that presented all weathers from sunshine to rain and thunder, and so with a good day to be inside it gave me time to think about stitching in 2014.

 

Any one wishing to know how to cover a retractable tape measure will find the here's how on my other blog Other side of the mountain link here 

This little one with violets is the newest addition to my needle work accessories set. Quite some years ago I was asked to write the cross stitch section for the book  Exploring Embroidery that was publish in 1995, how long ago that seems. I was asked to design a set of needlework accessories and chose violets as they come in several shades adding to the versatility of the design, the one problem that arose with this project was the limited space for the layout, charts  and instructions  The photo below is what finally made up the set and this photo was taken before the set was sent off to the editor.

 

 

For many years I kept the set as new in a box now I have decided to use it and add to it the items I was unable to do at the time because of lack of space. The original tape measure was not a retractable on as these it was considered at the time not plentiful enough for others to find and so the little bag above holds the tape measure, I have now filled this with lavender to give fragrance to my stitching.

I cannot share the charts for this set because of copyright but I will add the charts for the newer piece that I plan to add.

Threads used  for the purple violets were DMC 550.552.742.3346,3347.                                   alternate colours Blue violets 333/340   Pink violets3687/3688 and yellow violets.743/744

 

The eyes of violets are filled with dreams

Colette.

 More about my dreams and plans for 2014 later meanwhile I wish all readers of my blog a happy new year may your dreams come true in 2014.