Old sample stitches and pot garden

Hello again my friends, another long absence, but I have been busy. It is also winter here so I have virtually been hibernating.

I have been working on the pages of my fabric book and wanted to share these below  with you. Originally the book was to be all about Tast Stitches I have now decided to include pages of my early attempts at embroidery.

The  photo below is my very first example when I went to learn basic stitching from Debbie Mercer in 1994. These particular stitches were in preparation for two projects with her...a silk ribbon bouquet and a crazy patchwork cushion.

In 1998 I undertook a creative embroidery course by correspondence and this was my very first sampler on running stitch

I have many special memories of the people who helped me along the way and who encouraged me so much.  Now I look back on some of my early work and shudder, but I was fortunate to mix with people who never discouraged me and only gave me the will to continue.

This week I am off back to the farm for a couple of weeks, where it wont be so cold and there is a fireplace. I will still be "on the air" with my tablet and fancy wifi.

 Before I go I would also like to share some photos of my pot garden.   At last my strawberries are fruiting with a lot more to grow and ripen and I have tomatoes coming along. My herbs are also flourishing.

As you can see the gum tree in the park is still shedding leaves everywhere.

bye for now

Another Year Almost Over

Merry Christmas to all my followers who have become my friends.  I hope you all have a lovely day and enjoy the company of family and friends on Dec 25.

 Is it because I am getting older that the years are going faster.....or has the world gained speed all over. This year just seems to sped by.  I have barely had time to tidy up from xmas last year and here it is time to put up the tree again.

Even though I have not been here much this year, there has been some stitching.

happening. i finally finished my butterfly cushion front.    I removed all my terrible attempt at long and short stitch on the flowers and just replaced them with outlines.

Now all I have to do is make up the cushion itself and find an owner for it.

 

Because I am so hopeless at long and short stitch I decided to have another look at Mary Corbetts Tutorial.  That and with the help of instructions from the above  book showing a clear picture of the stitch I was able to complete this attempt.

What I achieved is shown on the top left above  worked  in wool thread, and I think if I keep practising I might get the hang of it. The other two  pictures are also part of  the  band sampler I have started.  Yes I am definitely one of those people who  starts something new before finishing the previous projects.

There has also been more finishing off of pages for the fabric book as well.

buttonhole stitches

Workshop sampler

Fly stitch sampler I did when I first started embroidery

Lily  sumptuous stitches workshop top is a sampler of Mountmellic work. The tatting flower was a gift from my friend Suztats

 Which now brings me to my shopping spree....well only a tiny spree, but guess what I bought... another book!....yes another one.   But this one I have yearned for for so long so when I saw it, I could not resist so dragged out the credit card and took a big breath and bought it online

 It was wonderful recently to see my Day Lillies flowering.  They are such a bright happy colour and are growing just outside my window.

see you in 2014

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