LAVENDER SACHET

I am now able to show this small Lavender Sachet  as It was an exchange and my partner has now received it. This was my next attempt  at stitching this edging where the two layers of material are stitched at the same time. This photo is not as clear as the one showing it partly finished  and the close up of the butterfly.

I am stitching the same blackwork butterfly on a needle case for Jan's sewing basket.

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.

WATCH THIS SPACE !

As part of Jan's birthday present, I have agreed to make the needle work assessories  for a work basket she resently lined with fabric. There was not time from her request to make them in time for her birthday so I have promised to complete and give her one a week for the next eight weeks, so watch this space as I will share with you all what I stitch.

Her chosen colour scheme covers a wide range of greens and purples.

EMS CROSS STITCH BOARD EXCHANGE

I have wanted to try this edging for some time, and the recent exchange on EMS cross stitch board for a small sachet provided the perfect opportunity. I have used permin 40count linen and DMC thread for the cross stitch design, with waterlilies silk (1 strand) For the edging. The edging stitched through the two layers of linen proved to be easier than I thought and I would like to use it again sometime.

A GIFT

Naomi phoned and asked if she could call this afternoon for some advise on  a piece she is stitching. She is stitching the major piece that I will be teaching later in the year, this is a big help having someone checking on the order of stitching; amount of thread for each stage and can someone else make the design work. As a tutor  it makes all the difference going into the class room knowing -yes someone else can make this design look just as good as my piece. This Workshop will be my last, I will finally retire after that.  But certainly not stop stitching. I have enjoyed the little pieces I have stitched so far this year and too, having the time to be able to do them and I look forward to doing more of these.

Also a member of the Stitching Friends group mentioned in my last posting, Naomi gave me the piece she had stitched for me for the challenge -a pin keep. Stitched on 35 count linen which she had tea dyed to give just the tiniest hint of colour, and the stitching was done in DMC 3726. On one side, a design with hearts which was our theme for this challenge, the four centre hearts are highlighted with petite beads,

And on the other side she had stitched one of my favourite designs, her stitching is very neat and the construction just perfect I feel very spoilt to have received such a lovely gift.

STITCHING FRIENDS CHALLENGE

Stitching Friends group current challenge is " Stitch a heart in any technique we wish on a small item of our own choice"   I have stitched a bigger heart after the style of the small hearts I stitched before, this one is 7 x 6cm.

Again I have used some of my tea dyed linen (40 count ) perle 12 thread for all the stitching and the edging is needlemade lace loops. Petite beads finish the piece.

This time I have filled it with lavender so it could hang in a wardrobe or be tucked in an embroidery work bag.

BASKET OF ROSES

This is what I stitched for my March brides Tree SAL, the theme was- Flower or Flower Basket -representing  good wishes, beauty in the home. The basket is cross stitched from a very old chart, source unknown using one of Jane Van Kuelin's hand dyed tencil thread, and I have filled the basket with bullion Stitch Roses, stitched with perle 12.

I hope all the pieces I stitch for this SAL will have special memories for me.

My mother taught me to stitch these roses as a teenager, many years ago and so This piece brings to me memories of her and how much she loved  her garden.