Slow Sunday Stitching

How the days just seem to gallop by!  It's hard to believe that it will be June tomorrow and nearly half way through the year (gosh Christmas will be here before we know it...….only joking!)

I've finally started the tapestry I treated myself to when lockdown was imposed.  I had put it off in the hope that I could buy a Q snap frame (I think that's what they are called) but everywhere is sold out of them and Im waiting to be notified when they are back in stock.  With that in mind I used drawing pins to attach the picture to a large wooden frame.  It's not ideal and the frame really is a bit to big to handle but at least I can start putting some stitches in.

There are so many colours in this and some of the areas are tiny so I suspect this will become a long term project.  I am using 6 strands of thread and each individual strand is pulled out before putting it back together and it does make a difference to how smooth the finished stitches look.  I love the colours in it though!

Today Linen and Thread have put out the next part to the stitch a long.  There are three elements to June so I might sit down with a cup of coffee and decide which colours to use where.  After I've linked up to Kathy's blog for slow Sunday stitching - hop over and take a look!

Positivi Tea

 Faye and I have been busy cross stitching these little pictures for our friends who all need a hug! (who doesn't in these trying times).  I posted mine to my three best friends who I have known for 45 - 55 years and I am so lucky to have them.  I included a sachet of tea with mine too!  The pattern comes from Ringcat on Etsy

9 Drummers Drumming!

I've had a fun week making up my little Drummer Man and I must admit he is my favourite (but then again they are probably all my favourite until I make the next one!) but I particularly like making the people.  Here are a few pictures of work in progress.

Now for a drum roll (no pun intended) and a Ta-Dah......

So that is nine out of the twelve completed.  It does mean I should have no trouble completing the last three before Christmas (I'm quite sad at the prospect I only have three more to make!)

I am linking up with the Slow Sunday Stitching crew over at Kathy's blog.  I am hoping that DH (who I can hear busily baking cookies) has the cookies out of the oven soon so I can sit outside with a coffee and look at what everyone has been sewing over the last week - while munching on a cookie of course!

And to finish off here is a photo taken on the beach a couple of days ago - we managed to avoid people and maintain 2 metres distance!

Keep well.

xx

Mid week update

Last nights late news announced that Captain Tom Moore, who raised a whopping 40 million pounds (or nearly - the total has gone up because of gift aid) to go to NHS charities is to receive a knighthood!  He was nominated by the Prime Minister who said he had become a national treasure.  

I've been jumping around doing various projects but I have started the next Christmas ornament in the 12 days of Christmas series from mmmcrafts - (9) drummers drumming!

 There isn't a lot of embroidery to do on this one, but I know the assembling of him will take time, but I really love the colours I've chosen for my drummer boy (actually he's a man because he has a huge handlebar moustache!)

Faye and I needed twine for another project we are working on so I did an order on line and of course a few other items dropped into my box, including more felt, ribbon, elastic, pompom braid and I just couldn't resist these felt swatch cards for the simple reason they are gorgeous!

Slow Sunday Stitching

As of Wednesday, England lifted some of its lockdown restrictions.  It meant that garden centres could open as could the recycling centres and some shops.  We chose not to race down to the garden centre, even though I would loved to have done that, and the news reported long (long) lines of people waiting to go in and as for the recycling centre the wait to dump garden rubbish was four hours long!!  I know I have lots of garden waste piling ever higher in my garden but it can wait a little longer, because there is no way I am getting in a line of cars and waiting four hours!!!!  Still on a more positive note we were able to walk Lola in the forest and it was wonderful to get out and walk for longer than an hour and somewhere new. She is even getting her second evening walk now so she is one happy dog!

I've been doing some more of the Linen and Thread stitch a long and am happy to say I have finished May.  It was an easy one this month and really didn't take too long.  Now I just have to wait for the next instalment.

I am linking up with Kathy for some slow Sunday stitching, take a look and get inspired!

Day 52

I start each post with the total days since lock down, but in fact today some of restrictions have been lifted.  We are now allowed to go outside for more than one hours exercise and we can drive somewhere for exercise also.  Now this does pose a slight dilemma for us.  Firstly the car park restrictions have been lifted so it means the New Forest has been opened as have all the carparks in the National Park.  Wonderful you might say but what it means is will lots of people be travelling down to the south of England for days out.  People are now able to sit outside (maintaining social distancing of course) so we expect the beaches to be busy.  I am not totally sure how I feel about this because at the moment I still feel vulnerable when I am out.  I guess time will tell and it doesn't mean of course I have to go where everyone else is, although I admit I am longing to go for a long walk in the Forest!

Today I finished sewing the binding on the little Love and Hugs from Australia wall hanging.  I did some simple straight line quilting (yes I did hand quilt it despite saying never again) and now I just have to find a spare space on the wall to hang it.

Day 49

We have had some glorious hot, sunny days recently so I've spent quite a bit of time in the garden reading and doing some sewing or generally just sitting watching the birds and enjoying the quiet.  I haven't done much gardening it has just been too hot, so its been more of pottering and mooching!

On Friday we had a bank holiday (changed from the usual May bank holiday which is always a Monday) to celebrate VE day - 8th May.  Of course it couldn't be the big parade and flypast from the Red Arrows over Buckingham Palace and the street parties that had been planned but the BBC did put on a good show celebrating some of the stories from that day 75 years ago.

I have been working on the third embroidery from Love and Hugs from Australia and now have to decide if I want to leave it at three or change the arrangement and make a fourth one?

I think I'm going to go with the last one.  I am linking up to Kathy's blog for some slow Sunday stitching - hop on over and take a look at what everyone else is working on while in lockdown.

Day 45

 The second  6 inch embroidery is now finished from the Love and Hugs from Australia Facebook page.  This one was designed by Robyn Welsh from Country Hart Designs. I've added drizzle stitches to the tops of their heads and French knots to the tail feathers - so cute.  One more to complete and then I can turn it into a little wall hanging!

Day 42

On Thursday it was Captain Tom Moore's 100th birthday.  He wanted to raise £1,000 for NHS charities by walking around his garden 100 times.  On Thursday the closing total was nearly £33 million pounds - what am amazing achievement!  He also received thousands of birthday cards and the RAF did a Spitfire and Hurricane fly past his house.

I've been working on the Love and Hugs from Australia stitch a long which I found on Facebook.  I've completed one of the 6 inch designs from Gail Pan and hope to complete a couple more so I can make it into a little wall hanging.

It is however competing with a new project I treated to myself with my birthday money!  I can't start it however until I buy a frame to work on but I love the vibrant colours in this and am looking forward to starting it!

It also has to compete with the May's addition to the Linen and Thread stitch a long which is probably what I am going to work on today for slow Sunday stitching.  This months section is a lot easier than last months so I am looking forward to working on it.

I thought I would end this post with some photos I've just taken in my garden, after the rain this morning everything is looking lovely and green and the blossom is in abundance on the shrubs.
Stay well and stay safe!