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

Christmas - what Christmas?

I know .... it is ages since I last posted.

I'm not sure why really.

I am sewing quite a lot, but I haven't taken any recent photos and I prefer to have a picture to talk about if I am going to blog. Reason number 1!

Then my mum is still staying with me whilst my sister and her partner renovate their 1900's house and somehow my mind is unsettled and my routine shattered. That's number 2.

Then there's number 3. Well actually ...... I can't think of a number 3 right now.

The picture is the second Christmas ornament from the Staci Nash 'Simply Early Christmas' I spoke about so long ago. It has a mainly red bead border with a cluster of green beads at the corners and is finished with a little bead hanger.

I am lucky enough to be attending a class in May run by Jackie Du Plessis and organised through The Sampler Guild. We will be finishing 3 projects, 'Thistlewood' - a necessaire and tiny pin cushion, the 'Briar Rose' etui and 'Treasures of Comfort' needle book. I have been waiting to finish a couple on WIP's before starting the pre-class stitching for these, but now I'm off!!!

I began with the 'Treasures of Comfort' and I am really enjoying the challenge. At this early stage it is basically two columns of speciality stitches in squares. My eyesight is quite good for close work, but I find I am using a magnifying glass to check the placement of almost every stitch, so very slow progress!!! This is my first chance to attend such a teaching class and I am really worried that people will look at my work and think 'Good Grief'. I also have a fear that nothing will fit together at the end.
Gulp!!!

Andrea - lovely to hear from you and this next bit is just for you!

I don't teach at the class any more so I am not sure what is happening - its a long story! The shop is closed on a Monday so our original class is definitely finished, but there may be one on Wednesday morning with the beading class or a new one was scheduled for Thursday morning. I really don't know if that took off. Anne and I meet at my home on a Thursday evening to sew and you are very welcome to join us. I think Helen and Joan may join too soon. Could you leave some form of contact and I'll get in touch with you? I think my e-mail address is in my blog profile.

Sorry everyone else who might wander by - that's a reply to a comment from a lost friend!

I hope to be a bit more active on here now. Hope you all had a lovely Christmas and will join me in looking forward to a peaceful and healthy New Year. (Well - only about 11 months now!)

Love
Irene xxx

How big will my tree need to be?

Here is a little Christmas ornament from this year's Just Cross Stitch Ornaments edition. It is by Blackbird Designs, using Vikki Clayton silks. I chose a piece of linen from my stash and finished it with a little loopy edging which is not very clear in the photo. It is a plain, homely little ornament I think, but no less pretty for that.

When I flick through magazine's like JCS I amazed at just how easy it is to pick out the different designers from the pictures. Sometimes it is the colours they have chosen, or some aspect of the design, a little house, or a bird, but it is so often very obvious. How clever of them to have developed such a recognisable style.

Thank you again for your welcome comments.
Irene
xxx

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

Next.......... Beading.

So this is my beading-without-a loom attempt.

The little legs are not actually attached here, just popped on for effect.

Yesterday I stitched the back and front together, much as we do a cross stitch ornament, but much messier and more out of control (eeeek!) and now I will need to fill him with lead shot and stitch on his legs permanently. When he is finally finished he will be .........

A mantle ornament. Yeeah!!!!!

But that's all right, because I have mantles, so he can ornament them as soon as I hear the first 'O Come..' being played in my local supermarket - so that would be any time now.

He is from a chart in Jill Oxton's Cross Stitch and Beading magazine and is made with Delica beads - in case you want to rush out and have a go.

Managing to keep up with more frequent postings - phew!

Love to all

Irene xxx

A patch to be proud of?

Or grammatically speaking - 'of which to be proud'!

Well no, not really. In fact I think in real life it is slightly better than it looks here, some of the patches seem a different colour, but they're not really, and I think, I believe, the seams are straighter than they look here.

Oh, OK!

It is exactly how it looks here, but it is my first try and I learned a lot.

I hope that when I embark on a full size quilt , it will be better. I have decided this block will not be part of my future masterpiece, which will be awesome, so I have finished it with a binding and will use it as a place mat. A single place mat - ooooh how stylish!

I think this pattern is called 'Butter churn' and I 'ditch' quilted with the machine.

Good grief! So much to learn and I am just getting to grips with WIPs and UFO's and RR's and stuff.

I am making an effort to post more regularly and have already stored pictures of my beading and some stash I acquired recently. So watch this space.

Love to all

Irene xxx

Happy Returns!

People are so kind aren't they?

I'll tell you the story.

Angela, who doesn't have a blog, is a friend of Patti, who does. I sent Patti a little needle case I had made for her, and Angela saw it. She asked via my blog about the fabric I had used inside the needle case and about the tag I had used on the bow. I had a little of the fabric left, so I sent her it to try, along with a few tags.

And look what she sent in return! How lucky am I? She has repaid me thricefold ( is thricefold a word?). A newsy letter inside a pretty card from Cyprus, five lots of fabric, some different tags and beautiful ribbon.

This is especially nice as I know Angela is particularly busy at the moment with a poorly close relative and her daughter starting college. I know Rula will do well, Angela, and just go on being as supportive to your husband and family as you have been.

The fabric is particularly welcome at this time as I have begun a couple of new crafts - yeah, like I didn't have enough to do!

Both if them involve the acquirement of more stash. I know, I know, but somebody needs to sort out this economy and I've taken it upon my shoulders!

Firstly, patchwork - see how useful Angela's gift will be?

My LNS is running a series of classes and so far I have made one block.
OK, so one block does not a quilt make, but it is a start. I have a photo and will post it tomorrow.

Then bead weaving. Again classes run by my LNS.

Well, as a stitcher, I have a fair quantity of beads, only about 10 of those bead boxes with 18 compartments all full, which I toted gleefully to the class. The teacher looked, shook her head sadly and directed me to the bead displays.

Aw shucks!!!

I have made a 3D Father Christmas (well 2D at the moment as I haven't joined or stuffed him) and a sort of topiary tree hanging-to-go-on-a-bauble-Christmas-ornament thing. Again not finished. The work is quite interesting, maybe because it is new, but repetitious. The repetitious aspect gives me false confidence and has resulted in a lot of tedious pulling back.
I have learned two stitches (who would have thought there was more than one?), straight stitch and peyote or brick stitch. This is bead weaving without a loom. Huh, who needs a loom I cry?
Again I have a couple of pictures which I will let you see if you don't look too closely.

That's all for now, sorry it's been so long. Hope you find me again.

Irene
xxx

Busy, busy, busy but 2 things to share!

I am so busy with a visitor here from America that I have no time to stitch, to post, to breathe!

However, I must just tell you two things very quickly. Patti is celebrating three years blogging and is having an amazing giveaway. She calls it 'the mother of all giveaways' and it is! So go on over and enter TODAY!! (http://tapestry-of-dreams.blogspot.com)

The other thing I wanted to share is, for me, equally amazing.

I was walking along the beach with my mum and the dog and chattering away as usual when suddenly, my mum stopped saying 'Sorry to interrupt, but what is that?'

When we looked, it was a pod of dolphins playing just off the shoreline. They were jumping and doing that lovely curved swimming thing and were just beautiful. We couldn't move, we just stood there transfixed by these creatures. We watched for about 20 minutes until they moved north along the coast and were lost to sight.

Now those of you in hotter climes must be thinking 'er yeah - so?' but remember this is the North-east coast of England, not the Gulf of Mexico and I have walked on the beach every day for 6 years and have never seen them before. We felt so privileged and our spirits were lifted.
Joyous!!

I will try to get some stitching done soon, and sort out a giveaway and finally give out the awards. Please bear with me.

Irene xx