29 November 2014

Finally a Winner!

I redrew the winner of my giveaway and it was yet another no reply blogger! Please if you are going to enter a giveaway, make sure you include an email address so you can be contacted if you win!

I drew again and pull Laura's name from 'For Love of the Needle' blog. Laura has an email address hurray!! Laura I have emailed you, please send me your address and I will post the chart next week. Hopefully it will arrive in time for you to join the SAL!

Laura wrote: llknbillburg has left a new comment on your post "Birthday Giveaway!!": 

I was trying really hard to ignore all the posts Nicola was making about this sampler. It is not one in my stash, because it is so daunting, but I have nearly 100 others and I think I should be happy with that, don't you?? But, if I win the drawing, I will take it as a sign and jump right in with the rest of you and maybe even learn a new trick!! Hope you have a wonderful birthday!! Laura 

27 November 2014

Last Chance Jodie!!

I have still not had a reply from Jodie the winner of my Giveaway, unfortunately she didn't include an email address in her comments, and she is a no reply blogger so I have no way of contacting her! I am sorry if this sounds harsh, but if I don't hear back from you by Midnight GMT tomorrow Friday 28th Nov, then I will draw another winner. I would really like to get this in the post before the Christmas rush so that the winner can join the SAL if they want to in January.

I am waiting for month 3 of 'Stonefields' to arrive and for Bonnie's annual mystery to start so I have been flitting about this week working on a few different things.

I picked up my SDW Sampler again, for the first time since May 2013! I have stitched some of the alphabet.
This is where I left off last time...
I have been knitting with the gorgeous Pashmina yarn by Madelinetosh, a mix of merino, cashmere and silk. My hands feel wonderfully soft! The colour looks a bit grey here but it is a beautiful 'Sugar Plum' sort of antique mauve shade in real life.
I have hand pieced a couple of flying geese units for Stonefields
and finally I decided I wanted to learn the starch preparation method for appliqué. I prepped this block a couple of weeks ago, I was going to abandon it as there were quite a few lumps and bumps in the prep. I think I prefer my original needle turn method best. However last night I really felt like doing some appliqué and as I didn't want to start a new project I got this one out of the basket. I am finding that I can smooth out a lot of the problem areas as I stitch. I will keep working on it for a couple of days and then decide. Has anyone tried this method of prep? any tips to get a smooth edge?

21 November 2014

Giveaway Winner!!!

Today would have been my father's 70th Birthday. It is always a bittersweet day for me, we always had a joint family celebration when I was growing up as my birthday is in two days time. There are a couple of special family treats planned for me this weekend so I have decided to draw the winner today.

Jasper was a little busy, so we had to rely on the number generator :)
The winner is......

36
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Number 36 is ...Jody13/11/14 15:34
Happy birthday to you.. .. Happy birthday to you ... Happy birthday, happy birthday! Happy birthday to you!! This sampler is a treasure. ..you are so generous!


Congratulations Jody! Please email me your address and I will get your chart in the post to you
Thank you to everyone who entered and for the kind Birthday Wishes! 

EDITED - JODY I TRIED TO EMAIL YOU BUT YOU ARE A NO REPLY BLOGGER!!! PLEASE EMAIL ME YOUR ADDRESS IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, IF I DON'T HEAR BACK BY NEXT WEEKND I WILL HAVE TO DRAW ANOTHER WINNER.

13 November 2014

Birthday Giveaway!!

It is my birthday at the end of next week, and I thought it would be nice to have a giveaway here on my blog to celebrate; to say thank you to everyone for reading my ramblings through this year and for taking the time to leave such lovely comments.

I am offering a Scarlet Letter chart of the fabulous Mary Hurst 1661 Sampler and a skein of Petite Treasure Braid to use for the metallic highlights. The SL charts are really well produced with a large good quality chart and detailed instructions for each of the sections. This is a photo of my chart but the draw will be for an original unopened chart.

The original sampler is held here in England in The Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. This is the description from their website 'Band sampler, linen (yellowish), embroidered with linen, polychrome silks and silver metal threads in buttonhole, chain, cross, double running, plaited braid, satin and trellis stitch. The sampler comprises 16 horizontal bands which depict alphabets, 'boxers', repeat border patterns, flowering plants, a girl holding flowers, a crowned woman and the inscription which reads 'MARY HURST '.
There is a fabulous whitework section at the top which is actually worked in a pale blue
and lots of fun details in each of the bands





If you have ever wanted to stitch an heirloom sampler like this but have put it off, then now is the perfect time to start! Nicola is organising a stitch a long of this sampler starting in mid - January over on the 'Our Scarlet Letter Years' Blog she has very generously started providing tutorials for some of the more unusual stitches, and there will be lots of help available on both the blog and the FB page from more experienced stitchers and from members of the group who have already completed their versions of Mary. 

I will be stitching in silks probably on antique white linen, it will look just as stunning stitched in DMC threads on any pale linen.



Reminder the draw is for an original unopened chart of the Mary Hurst Sampler and a skein of Petite Treasure Braid. To be in with a chance of winning, leave a comment below - please make sure you are not a no-reply blogger! I am happy to post world wide. When he has finished guarding fabrics Jasper will help with the draw at the end of next week. Good Luck!

11 November 2014

Cottage Garden Embroidery - finally finished!

Yesterday in class I put the final stitches in my cottage garden embroidery. The original inspiration was our cottage and how I would like the garden to look.
I did a very crude drawing, including Jasper of course!
and then spent the last few weeks embroidering it
I had so much fun using simple embroidery stitches and these bright 1930's colours






05 November 2014

Stonefields Month Two - Part Two

I have finished stitching the last of this month's appliqué blocks...
and made a few more hexagon flowers...

While I was in Aberdeen last week I took the opportunity to visit one of my favourite Quilt Shops The Seattle Quilt Company everyone is so friendly and helpful, I bought a few spools of Mettler thread which I love for appliqué and stocked up on a few more FQ's - I am not sure if these will all make it into Stonefields, but I am really tempted to try and find a place for the lovely oranges and pea green!
It has turned really cold here his week, perfect for stitching in front of the fire in the evenings, Jasper loves to warm his belly!

03 November 2014

Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red

On Sunday my husband and I went up to London to see the poppies at the Tower of London. It is the most incredible and moving sight. The installation 'Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red' was created by ceramic artist Paul Cummins to commemorate the 100th anniversary of World War I. There will be 888246 individual ceramic poppies placed around the moat of the tower, each one representing a British fatality during WWI. I am trying to work out if I can interpret one of my photos into an embroidered piece.