Followers

Monday 15 August 2011

August Owl finished and a Day Trip

Hello Everyone and welcome to my new followers.

I have finished my Oakhaven August Owl SAL.  I can't believe that there are only four to go and then it will be finished!!  How time has flown this year.  And here's a picture of what it looks like so far.


Oakhaven Owl SAL

August Owl


Here are the links for OakHaven Designs Blog and the OakHaven Designs Yahoo Group.

-ooOoo-

Day Trip

I've been to Coventry on a day trip on Saturday.  And as you all know me so well, my camera was at the ready and I took lots of pictures.  Here are just a few of what I took.  The first picture shows old and new parts of the city.  The last two shows picture of Coventry Cathedral, Old and New, Inside and Outside.  At least the weather was kind to us and it did not rain.

Coventry

Coventry Cathedral - Old and New

Coventry Cathedral

Top left: "The Chapel of Christ in Gethsemane".  
Top right: "The Tapestry of Christ in Glory.  
Bottom left: "The bronze Statue of St Michael and the Devil.  
Bottom right: "The Baptistery Window and Font".


PS.  My flowers are looking even better now that the lilies have come out.  And here's a picture for you to see.




Happy Stitching Everyone




Wednesday 10 August 2011

Quick Finish!

Cross Stitcher Magazine has a new freebie by Margaret Sherry called "New Haircut", which can be found here.  It was posted on Monday and I have finished stitching it today (Wednesday).    The most difficult bit was the writing with all the french knots.  And here it is.


Margaret Sherry Design.



More News.  My Owl heart hanging ornament appeared in Cross Stitcher magazine issue 243, and it was also the Star Letter.  Yesterday, I received a lovely large bunch of flowers, which was my gift from the magazine.  Here are some photo's.









Until next time, Happy Stitching Everyone




Tuesday 9 August 2011

Wessex Wonders

Wessex Stitchery Sampler


I thought I would tell you about my header to my blog.  It is Wessex Stitchery and my own design. It was in 2000 that the book "Wessex Stitchery" by Gay Eaton first came out and "New Stitches" magazine ran an article on it. I then went out and bought a copy.  It must have been a couple of years later that I got the book out again and thought I would have ago at some of the patterns.  I had got some of the new Anchor multicoloured threads and thought they would look nice in this sort of stitching, and I made a Wessex needle case.   I was hooked.

Wessex  Needle Case


I just had to do some of the different patterns and try out different colour contracts.  So my Wessex Sampler was born (see above).  When you get into how it all fits, it gets a bit addictive and here is what I stitched next.
I thought I could make this into a large greetings card for a special occasion or into a frame.  In the close up you can see that I used some metallic threads to give a bit of sparkle.

Wessex Stitchery

Wessex Stitchery - Close Up

Some of you may have seen these pictures before and wonder where you have seen them.  I sent in a letter to "New Stitches" magazine and my letter was published in March 2010, issue 203.  A whole page and was also the Star Letter, which was a great surprise to me.  A lovely parcel arrived later on with lots of stitching goodies inside.

New Stitches Magazine

In my letter I wrote about showing my Wessex stitchery at the Cross Stitch Guild, and members there who were also from the Embroiders' Guild, were very interested in the Wessex Stitchery as it was something new to them.  I told them about the book by Gay Eaton, but unfortunately it is out of print.  I was able to give a contact in New Zealand (as Gay Eaton is from New Zealand), Lee, who is also a keen embroider and has a wonderful blog spot "Notes from Under the Mountain" and has written and given patterns about Wessex Stitchery. 

There was a comment from the magazine saying: "As to the book 'Wessex Stitchery', I took a look on the internet and there seem to be two copies available - at enormous cost!  It would seem that it has become a collector's item already.  Let's hope there will be a re-print soon."

After my letter had been printed in 'New Stitches' magazine, I received a letter in July 2010 from them saying "Your fame has spread far and wide and I have been in correspondence with a lady in New Zealand whose friend wants you to have her copy of 'Wessex Stitchery' by Gay Eaton!  Please find enclosed a well-travelled copy of this rare book....".  "It does both amaze and delight me that something such as embroidery can bring people together from opposite sides of the globe!"  Well you can well imagine how amazed and grateful I felt in receiving this wonderful gift.

I have now found that "Nordic Needle" do have copies of this wonderful book.

Also they have a free chart "Wessex Sampler Bookmark" by Debi Feyh.

I've also found a good review with pictures of  what the book is like inside by Mary Corbet at Needle'nThread.


'Wessex' Name Badge


Happy Stitching Everyone




Sunday 7 August 2011

Photographer Cat

New finish - Photographer Cat by Margaret Sherry.  One of the "Sports and Hobbies" designs.  I just had to stitch this cat.  It reminded me of myself.  Camera in hand and hoping to capture the right image, especially birds.  Isn't he gorgeous!



-ooOoo-

I spotted some lovely poppies in a field of corn while I was out the other week and I just want to share them with you.

Poppies and a hover fly.





-ooOoo-

This week I have been very busy helping at a Children's Holiday Club.  It was only in the mornings but quite exhausting.  But the best reward was to see the happy smiling faces of the children as they were enjoying themselves so much.  There was even a barbeque for all the families of the children on Thursday evening and we were blessed with good weather.



Happy Stitching Everyone