Remember this?

Last September?

It became this...

Jacobean Crewel work

and here are close ups of each detail

It was great fun to do and gave me the chance to play with embroidery stitches

which I don't get to do as often as I like, especially during the design and paper sample

stages of the C & G modules

Having said that Chapter 9 and 10 of Module 5 have been fun if not very colourful!

See the Module 5 blog for details

Happy Monday

Finally downloaded photos from the new camera.

Yes I know I got it for Christmas but ...

Anyway  new Chapters added to Module 5 blog

Chpt 8 - Chpt 11

Still can't figure out how, after I've rotated the photos on the computer Blogger still wants to show them on their sides.  Don't blame me if you get neck strain!!!!!

And this is why the labour pains are worth it in the end...

Sirloin Steak with Olive Mash and Watercress

Victoria Sandwich

Main meal cooked by 14 year old Son using Jamie Oliver recipe

and cake cooked by 17 year old Daughter from her Great Gran-ma's Bero baking booklet

It was one of the best Mothering Sundays, I was very proud 

Threads

Thank-you for your thoughts on thread organisation, I have made the following decision...

I shall separate my collection into three groups

Machine Threads and Threads Used for Business

Thankfully already organinsed in a lovely drawer unit, all other threads used in the designs kept separate from rest of workroom 

Specialised Embroidery Project Threads

Silk Shading

Gold Work

Black Work

Crewel Work

Textile Art Project Threads

All Other Kinds of "Sewing", "Crouching", "Weaving", etc threads and ribbons will be kept in "Colourways"

This will make life easier as I can grab a colour knowing a variety of threads will be available for whatever I am creating, plus I won't have to waste time collecting and returning them to their original boxes, also the threads I gathered for Summer School, won't now need "tidying up"(hangs head in shame)!  I hadn't needed to use them as I am working with white threads at present - honest!

So now will arrange the drawers from "Type Of Threads" into "Colours" - "Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain" - last two put together in a purple drawer!

Seriously considering sorting beads, wires, buttons, eyelets and other stuff used in the creative process into colourway drawers too so I can just grab a drawer when the creative urge grabs me!

Feel free to use this system if, like mine,your threads are currently in a bit of a mess!

Happy New Year...

...I'm spending the first few days of the year - now that everyone is back to work, college and school - putting my workroom to rights.  I'm nearly there, but I have a tricky problem of what to do with my threads.  Most of them are currently in colourways - same colour different types of threads, some are mixtures of colours but in the same type of thread.  Dilema!

Do I spend time putting colour sets back to type or put the types into colourways? 

How do you store yours?

Missing in Action...

I can't believe I've not blogged since 11th September!

I have been checking up on my favourite bloggers but not had much to say, so I did't!

Plenty of stitchery has been going on...

Just been downloading 300 photographs and will be posting something of interest soon

For those cat lovers out there, here's the cat that has adopted me!

Celebrating Hope and Courage

Today is my Dad's birthday

Obviously every 11th September has a bitter sweet edge to it since 2001,

but it's my Dad's birthday and I hope he has had a lovely day while on his holiday.

He deserves it.

And celebrating the madness that is the excentric Englishman I turn to David Walliams who is swimming the Thames for Sport Relief. I had the honour of seeing him today as he swam through Shepperton Lock. How proud I feel - not sure why as we are not related or have even met, but I feel a great sence of admiration for the folly of what he is doing. What with Weil's Disease and signage everywhere on the river banks forbidding swimming you have to agree he must be quite mad. But using the old adage "It's for a good cause!" I suppose the least I could do was give a donation and clap and cheer him on his way. He is expected to complete his journey tomorrow at Big Ben, (St. Stephen's Tower). I shall be monitoring his movements via Twitter and raise a cup of tea in salute when he gets there!

Come on David! You can do it!

A rather tired David navigates the lock and goes for a sit down and a cup of tea with his Mother and Doctor Who (Peter Davidson!) What a way to spend a Sunday afternoon

So here's hoping Dad has continuing good health

and David has lots of courage to complete his challenge.

And to the survivors and families of 9/11 you are in my prayers

Good Night.

Goldwork Update

This is the last Goldwork Update for a while, unless I can find a way to complete 4 new orders, my City & Guild course work, my new venture and not sleep!

So it's off to the WiP pile until time allows.

Leaf 2

I've also added cut work to some of the stem padding

Not to far to go now, the end is in sight.

Design Teaser

Can you see what it is yet?

Design created, tracing made and pricked.

Fabric being stretched.

Currently deciding which stitches and which coloured wools are going where.

This is not a project, this is a serious piece of work...

...and there are 8 weeks to do it!

This was week One, I shall give you a weekly update - weekly!

Goldwork Update

So at the end of Day 5 of the Gold Work Course the sampler looked like this...

and some may have wondered if any more would have been done

- would it be added to the W.I.P. pile?

The answer to that is no, I have continued to cover the padding and so far the "flowers" and "leaves" look like this...

and this...

and this...

and this...

making the whole sampler look like this...

Still plenty to do so I'll post more photos when there is more progress!

Holiday Over, Back to Reality

I've been away from the computer for most of August

After a wonderful week at the Royal School of Needlework I was back down to earth with washing and packing for our annual holiday.

This year was Longleat Center Parcs, the one I usually go to for my girlie weekend in Oct/Nov.

We had a lovely villa with a great view from the patio

We awoke on the first morning to find this deer outside of our window

The weather was interesting to say the least and on the Thursday when we were supposed to be canoeing - rain stopped play! - we ended up playing 18 holes of very crazy golf instead

Rain didn't stop play here but added a serious hazard that even Rory McIlroy would have trouble with and as for retrieving the ball from the hole - when we finally found it - was a very wet experience indeed.

On the last morning we had a "good bye" from the duckings and their mother.

They had visited daily to check we were enjoying ourselves

The rest of our holiday time has been spent visiting the Parents up in the North West.

We are blessed to still have a full set each living in the same village.

and spent a lovely evening playing dominoes.

Keeping it traditional

It's always good to spend time with Mum and Dad especially after the last two years of the medical upheaval of breast cancer - both of them! - and the subsequent difficulties of the chemo and radiotherapy that my Dad endured. All now is well and we hope they will be taking up the invitation of sharing Christmas with us.