At last - some sewing!

I have been sewing a little, and waiting for a good day to take some photos. Today I was going to go out into the garden and take some interesting atmospheric shots - but hey - its piddling down, so back to the kitchen ans mediocraty.

This is a Stacy Nash design, from her 'A Simply Early Christmas' booklet. I chose Oliver Twists rayon hand dyed thread which is lovely to use and embellished it with some tiny iridescent beads and a bead hanger. I made another, very similar, which I will show later in the week. These are very quick to make and pretty I think.

I went to the Stitch and Craft show at Harrogate with friends on Saturday. There were some amazing displays of work. It astounds me that people have not just the imagination to dream up these projects, but the ability and capability to carry them out to such a fine degree.

Obviously, there was stuff to buy, and I think that if people have gone to the effort of setting out their wares for general perusal, I should at least acknowledge this effort by buying some of it. So I did.

I bought lots of fabric, lots of threads, some 'have-a-go' things like a couple of Japanese braiding cards and generally indulged myself. It did get very, very busy as the day progressed until we were finally shuffling along in a pulsating slow-moving crowd, catching tantalising glimpses of goodies that we were unable to reach. I had spent some time the previous evening noting fabric and threads of a couple of projects I thought I might start, but was only able to buy Crescent Colours, no WDW or Gloriana or Gentle Arts as I had hoped, so that was a bit disappointing.

These 'shows' travel around the country to various venues and I have heard that some exhibitors will go to the southern cities but not up north where the natives wear blue woad make-up and there is the constant danger of being snowed in and being forced to eat deep-fried Mars bars.

We do, we are and yummy!!

Take care
Love
Irene xxx

My second favourite activity.

Oh - the acquisition of stash, second favourite only to stitching.

Well, you see, I say that, but actually I really enjoy the many rituals associated with this craft.

I like to browse through various shops, mostly on-line, selecting and rejecting items before making that final choice

I love to wind the new threads onto named bobbins and store them alphabetically or numerically.

I love to sit and turn the pages of the new chart or magazine, flicking backwards and forwards, making mental notes.

I like to select the threads and fabric. I even enjoy binding the fabric to stop fraying.

I LOVE to start something new, I think I even enjoy feeling guilty about not quite finishing the last project. I justify this by saying to myself 'This is a hobby, a pleasure, if it stops being that - then there is no point'. This means I can lay something down and hope to go back to it eventually. Easy isn't it?

So this is my new stash. I got this from the Sampler Guild. It consists of some Staci Nash primitive charts. These are beautifully presented with parchment covers and ribbons -especially nice to have ( even if I never work from them!). The Tokens of Love Quaker pinball book - see those long darning needle things on top of it? They are the knitting needles!! Mmmmm!!! Also the perpetually Engaging Diary and some Mail Art designs.

It is just awful weather here today, torrential rain, windy and totally unpleasant. So I guess I will just have to sit by the fireside and sew. Shame!!

Thank you for you lovely comments.
Irene
xx