SAL May

Busy, busy, busy so just a very quick post before the close off of the May SAL.  Two finishes this month.  I am not sure of the designer of the needlebook and the placemat was a kit from the Danish Handcraft Guild.  I had previously completed a set of 8 placemats and not sure why I had another one.  The poppy was my favourite design so decided to work it again.

SAL April 2017

The days are certainly getting cooler and I love being able to sleep under a doona again and therefore sleeping much better.  April was a busy month and I managed to get quite a bit of knitting in including some knitted Easter eggs - most of which have been given away - along with a tiny Easter bunny.  The larger bunny didn't quite make it for Easter and still needs some further work to finish her.  The patterns I used were from Little Cotton Rabbits and they are the best patterns I have ever used for small knitted toys.  The little elephant knitted up very quickly but the making up is rather slow. Naturally I look at him and think if I make another one I would do it slightly different - not sure when I will fit in another elephant though.

 

My SAL finish for this month is another biscornu to add to the collection. One that I had been waiting to stitch for some time.

I was asked to put up a display of my work at a charity luncheon the other day and it did make me realise the amount of embroidery I have worked and what joy there is in stitching.  Although I didn't display any framed pieces (except for a small stumpwork violet piece) it was fun organising the placement for the display and took a lot longer than I thought it would. The common question was 'how do you find the time'. It did make me stop and think and realise that I seemed to produce more when I was working full time but like most things if you really enjoy doing something you seem to make or find the time. The photos are not of very good due to the light shining through.

SAL March 2017

A very quick post before the close of the March SAL.  Surprising what you find hidden in the "one day" chest of needlework goodies.  Although this Clara Weaver kit was complete, there were no colour photos to inspire me but thought it would be a nice little pillow or decoration for Easter.
Just finished and ready to be made up

SAL February 2017

I am rather pleased with the progress on my WIP  list and this little pincushion had been half done for way too long.  The original design was a small cushion with strips of velvet down the sides and on the back. I felt it was far too small for a cushion, plus it didn't go with anything, so managed to work a simple design with some extra thread from the stash to at least finish it into a pincushion. The silk thread is actually much richer in colour than it appears in the photo.

And what a great feeling to have completed a much larger project - Wandering Vine by Shepherd's Bush after soooo long. This was the project that was taken out of the cupboard over the last couple of years during my 'sorting out of projects' in January. Each time just a little stitching was done on it and then it was folded up again and returned to the cupboard as it was too hot to stitch it during summer. While our summer has been hot it was reasonable so now that autumn has arrived I am hoping a lot more stitching will be achieved and  more older projects will be completed

SAL January 2017

Well the first month of 2017 disappeared in a wink but the one good thing was the summer weather wasn't too hot. January is a lovely time to slow down and a time I always enjoy and especially being out of routine - it doesn't take long though to get back into the swing of things again and the diary entries tell me that a busy time is ahead.   I have enjoyed some stitching over the last weeks and especially working on a couple of  rather old WIP. My first SAL finish was a Blackbird design 'Bird in Hand' which I have made up (at long last) into a small needlebook to carry with me as it will be big enough for a few threads and a pair of scissors.   I felt the design was a little large for a pincushion plus I really do not need to add another one to my collection. 

SAL December 2016

I have enjoyed the Smalls SAL during 2016 and my thanks to Heather for organising it for us. As usual a quick blog so I can just get this post in before the close. No promises that I will be earlier with posting this year !!!  The photo shows 2 Mill Hill Treasured Diamonds that I stitched as part of Christmas gifts for 2 special friends. Always happy how these turn out and they do look lovely on the tree - just enough beads to catch the light. Not the best of photos but as I have given them away now it will have to do.