Tea and cake

This is what I am working on at the moment.

Left was my birthday cake, delicious, I just wish you could have all shared a piece.

And I had to include a picture of the flowers sent to me by my son (he got his sister to order them from the florist!)

Thanks for all the comments, I do appreciate them very much.

50 not out!

Just thought I ought to post and acknowledge the passing of the years.

Today I celebrate my 50th birthday - and so far it is going with a swing, flowers, gifts and visits from friends wishing me well. I even had the sweetest compliment from a 9 year old telling me I didn't look that old!

This evening we will cut cake and open a bottle of bubbly.

Does this mean I have to be sensible now?

Finished !

Sally Spencer Sampler by Birds of a Feather, stitched on 32 count Belfast "Autumn Fields" using Sampler threads as stated, with one substitute WDW Liberty for Buckeye scarlet.

Here she is in all her glory, she was completed last Sunday, but have only just managed to download a picture - our computer has been unco-operative this week. A lovely stitch, now to frame her and find a space on my wall.

PS

Also meant to mention that my photo "Surfs up" from a previous post, won a second place at our local agricultural show on Saturday. Not that I'm bragging you understand, but when your DH is a photographer, these things count!

Progress on Sally

At last a progress picture of Sally. As you can see I am very nearly there, and expect a finish sometime this week.

Stash

This is what the postman brought me this week. I intend to start a project from "With needle and Thread" when I have finished Sally.

Dorset Interlude

Boats at West Bay

Surf up!

One of the many thatched cottages in Burton Bradstock

We had a wonderful holiday - warm and sunny weather, great company, and time to take it all in. Bliss.

Holly and Ivy

Progrss again today - this is a delight stitch, the silks making it a more tactile experience than usual. This means I will HAVE to add to my limited collection don't you think?

Picture this...

This week I have been busy...

Making a start on CCN Holly and Ivy Sampler, stitched on 32 count Belfast Linen, in Antique Ivory, using Vikki Clayton Silks - which are a delight to stitch with.






further progress on Sally...











And finished this biscornu and scissor fob from a design by Alchemy Stitchcraft.

All in all a good stitching week.

The penny drops

I have been wandering around blogland for several months now, and have come across several references to Vicki Clayton silks - I now know what every one is raving about. I was sent a small CCN chart "Holly and Ivy" and the silk colours to stitch it with, I started it at 6.00am this morning (I'd had a bad night, and thought I ought to get up and do something, the ironing really wasn't an option so...) they are lovely to stitch with, sadly I had to leave them and go to work. Progress pictures will follow on Sunday, as that is the next available time I have free.

The kids think I've been a bit slow on the uptake lately - they weren't wrong!

I can't believe it...

my baby is 13 today.........
and taller than me!

Happy Birthday Matty.

Year half done!

It may be half way through the year, but I did complete this calendar earlier in the year, just forgot to post a picture! I can't remember what fabric I used, but the thread was a new DMC varigated no. 4030.

In the work basket

This is a WIP called "Sally Spencer Sampler", a Birds of a Feather design, I have restarted. The colours are very much my colours, especially the scarlet.

I am posting progress here, as it has been languishing in my "basket" for a few months, and needs some encouragement to aid its completion.

I may have been "sleeping" lately, but as you can see I haven't been idle!

This is my progress on "Little Spot Sampler" a Drawn Thread design. I am working on the Queen stitch and Hungarian motif. I did have a major counting crisis, that I hope I have solved. This is a delightful project, and a quick stitch for me.

Unexpected culinary stash

What a surprise - this morning the parcel carrier arrived with a parcel. (well he would wouldn't he!) I wasn't expecting anything, had only just put an order in to Sewandso, so it couldn't be that - something for the WI then? well no to that too...it was a Le Creuset casserole dish, I have won in a competition! It made my day.

Rain Rain go away

I feel like Dr. Foster, just stepping out of the house requires: Macintosh, umbrella and wellington boots...

I realise that we need rain, for our gardens, rivers, etc. but I do think that maybe we have had enough. 4 days is really quite sufficient, thank you - time to turn the clouds off, and let us see well at least a foot or two of blue sky - please!

Having said that, there have been some wonderful "greys".

Bookshelf completed

This is Bookshelf by LHN.

I put the last few stitches in it this afternoon.

The photo doesn't quite do the finished item justice, the colours are much brighter.

It has been a treat to stitch, and using small lengths of the metallic thread certainly helped with smooth stitching.

A new toy

Style 1646


I am now the proud owner of a Toyota SL3314 overlocker. A welcome addition to my sewing family. As with all new "toys" I thought I ought to test its' capabilities...so this is what I made this weekend. The PJ bottoms are certainly on the generous side, (and no I don't need them to be THAT roomy) but they will be just the thing for warm nights! The material I have had since the dawn of time, I think it once belonged to a great Aunt!

A safe arrival!

Heritage Stitchcraft - Silhouettes - Hikers

As you can see my hikers have finally arrived at their destination! I completed the cross stitching last night and the back stitch this morning. A bit of a wash and brush up before the photo call - hey presto.

Back to my roots

McCalls 2818

I remember the first timeI ever made anything was way way back when I was 5 or 6, I cut out and stitched a dress for my doll. I do believe that the whole thing fell apart.

Over the years, and especially during my teenage phase I made just about everything I wore - I left home and studied Dressmaking at City and Guilds level, continuing all the while to make the majority of my wardrobe.

When I had my daughter and our family circumstances altered dramatically I found myself with less and less time to "sew". Sadly over the last 12 years, I have only made a handful of garments for myself, my DD and DS.

The sewing machine was out to repair yet another bust pocket, and the muse struck, so with a piece of silk I have had in my stash for at least 20 years (I know I bought it when studying for my C & G) I have rediscovered my dressmaking mojo!

I did find that the pattern required some alteration - gone are the days when there was little alteration required - and it has taken me very nearly a week to get to this stage, when previously I would have had it licked in a day, but the satisfaction that I now feel is reward in itself. Here's to future projects.

Boxing clever

I made this little boxette yesterday. It is a degign by Susan Greening Davis, and I received it as part of my stash programme from Tradtional stitches. Now all I have to do is figure out what ort stands for!