THE HIGHS AND LOWS OFJULY

Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.”  ― Edith Sitwell

Its the middle of winter here and the mountain looks just like my photo header, regal and white, we have been bless with some sunshine while other parts of the country have suffered with rain, floods and snow.

For me this has been a muddily month, the highlight being Ann's visit, she arrived just before the Embroiderer's Guild Conference (which she attended) and for the rest of her week here we sat and stitched and chatted went to New Plymouth and went out to lunch a couple of times a real treat not something you do on your own , shopping at my favourite garden centre, visited the Embroidery exhibitions was delighted in Maree's winning the best traditional with her piece St Michael  and specially delighted for Jan's school as the children's quilt was placed second. 

 For two school terms last year I went out to Rawhitiroa School once a week to work with the children on the blocks for a wall quilt. The theme chosen was Lake Rotokare a wild life sanctuary near the school that the pupils visit several times in a year  for anyone interested I have put a link here to  the lake  . The School is divided into 4 houses each named for a native tree found in the lake area and on the quilt there four trees  form the corners of the quilt, for this part I was fortunate to work with children that had a little embroidery knowledge and so each of these blocks have a small spray of foliage and berries worked by the children, each house has two bird found in the lake area in their corner and the centre is a photograph taken by a parent, printed in 4 parts on fabric and stitched over to highlight the picture by the children. the children's ages range from 5 -13 years and every child in the school put a few stitches on the quilt, most of which is applique.

In brief the lows of the months was car trouble... now sorted and a WOF passed this week,  no internet connection on the computer, now that was a major disruption in my life and a major cost to fix seems I had collected a virus that was taking over!!!! And the frustration of not being able to stitch to the standard I expect of my self and not ready yet to stitch on sacking, I need to learn to be patient as my eye problems- cataracts will not be with me forever. I will share with you the one piece Idid finish in the past month that is after several starts and much reverse stitching.

Stitching Friends Challenge was to stitch Papillon Creation's Byzantine Gem it is a freebie to subscribers of her newsletter. Lyn, Joan and I are all stitching her Round the World although mine has been put aside for the moment. For the Challenge we were to stitch the Gem and make it up into any item we wish I made mine into a clasp on a book cover. here is the one I received from Lyn complete with its own easel to display it on.

Thank you for the emails because of my absence from blogging asking if I am OK   I have taken up one suggestion of having a message prepared ready, to post to say I am around but busy at the moment.