2 months late posting a gift! Terrible.

I really really should be ashamed of myself.

And I am.

I have always believed that if a someone goes to the trouble of making you a lovely gift, you really should show others how beautiful it is and tell how grateful you are.

But - Irene the hypocrite - practises not what she preacheth.

I received this lovely needle case for my birthday, from Patti - TWO MONTHS AGO, and have only just got around to posting it. Even now the photo is appalling and does not show off the gift at all.

It is stitched in black, with an inner border of white on a silver grey linen. Inside - two small felt needle holders finished with a tiny black bow. The whole case fastens with a black ribbon. How delicious is that?

Patti also sent me a kit to stitch which I have started but admittedly have not got very far. I took it away to Florida with me a couple of weeks ago, but only just started it. Then I came home and needed to press on with the projects for the Jackie Du Plessis finishing classes I am taking in May.

Also included in the very iffy photo is a pair of silver scissors I have added to my collection. Three pairs now so a very slow-growing collection. I did find a couple of other sewing accessories so I'll show those later this week.


So, with abject apologies to my friend,

love
Irene xxx

Meghan - the Irish / English Setter

Meghan - being Irish - would only agree to wear a St George's Day collar for her daily beach stroll if I promised her she could wear it to play nurses later.

So here she is.

Obviously really enjoying it.

Sorry Megs.

Love

Irene xxx

My first Exchange - I know, how behind am I?

I have been part of the on-line sewing community for a couple of years now - although I've been a sewer for so much longer than that and this is my first foray into an exchange. It is the Quaker Quarterly Exchange group and my friend Patti invited me to join. I have been busily worrying about what I might sew - I have not decided even yet and have therefore missed my posting date to Patti who I hope will forgive me. But my involvement in what I might stitch made me completely forget that I would receive something too. Honestly - it just never crossed my mind.

So I was busy with the vacuum cleaner on Saturday - a rare enough event - when a little padded envelope arrived in the post. I hadn't ordered anything, so I checked my address - fine and then the sender's address which I didn't recognise at all. I completed my quick circuit of the carpet - it was only my sister who was visiting and she knows me well enough - and considered what it might be.

Eventually I opened it and found inside this lovely pin cushion, complete with specially made pins and a little tag from my exchange partner Mayte. Isn't it lovely? The colour of the fabric is hard to see here but is in fact a pretty pale rose with chestnut thread and the perfect matching ribbon bow which is the linen pink but has the same chestnut colour underneath. You can just make out the decorative running stitch. I was so surprised and totally delighted. Thank you so much Mayte. If you would like to see more of Mayte's beautiful stitching, have a look at her blog http://magicxstitch.blogspot.com

Might do more of this exchanging thing!

Love to all

Irene xxx

Something to show .....at last!

You know what they say about the pathway to hell being paved with good intentions??? Well that's me! I have awoken so many times thinking ' Today I will post my blog' but then I just didn't. I don't know why really, I have had time, but maybe not inclination.

I have been sewing quite steadily, but was not inspired to post.

But - enough already!

Here I am. And it you bothered to return here occasionally to see if anything was happening - I thank you.

I have a bit to show, and a big apology to make to my friend Patti for not showing the lovely birthday gift she sent me at the end of February. I know FEBRUARY. And still not here to be seen.

So, what I am showing today are these two small Blackbird Design stockings. I stitched them over one with variegated thread and they ended up soooo tiny that I really put off finishing them. They lingered at the bottom of my very untidy sewing box for several weeks - oh - OK months - and then I just picked them up and finished them and they really didn't take too long. Each measures 4 cm
across the top and 5cms from the top edge to the heel. Go on, find a ruler, really - they are miniscule!

Oh, and I have struggled today with my camera. It needed charging and then it took some really poor photos. (Note how I am abdicating responsibility?) so for today the socks are it. Tomorrow, or very soon thereafter, I will show Patti's gift and my very first exchange item. I am so thrilled. Thank you so much. More soon.

Love
Irene xxx