BEFORE MAY GOES...........

before May comes to an end I must post the next piece in my Italian collection. This is Punto Madama or Catherine de Medici stitch. It was a challenge as it is similar to Holbein or double running stitch, but watching the videos the stitch movement on the return is quite different making the stitch not flat like Holbein. Usually stitched with a very thick thread on a course loose linen I needed to adapt to  have it fit into my challenge size or approx 10 cm.

I need to do more to get the technique perfected but that chance may come as our guild think they might take up the Italian Challenge next year .

My thanks for the messages it is good to hear from friends, and as much as I think I will get replies written,  time slips by so quickly or is it that I am slowing down as old age approaches! Possibly both. I have started Linen and Threads Mystery Sampler and loving it. Not tackling the full sampler making mine a bell pull and am a late starter ,  here is my progress so far