A New Shopping Bag

I've had the opportunity to make a shopping bag for a lady. I was asked first, & was told " tapestry fabric & something pouchy". So the above pic is what I came up with. The fabric was supplied & was horrendous to stitch through, requiring a jeans needle in my sewing machine. Very thick & stiff especially where it is tucked. I did think of gathering but didn't think that this fabric would gather very well. The lady that it has been made for is very petite so I couldn't make it too big, otherwise it would swamp her & if the handles were too long then the bag would drag on the ground. I hope she is happy with it, I am, & now I want one for me!

SS Band Sampler

I have finished stitching the last sampler of the Stitching Sister Counted Thread Band Sampler Round Robin.

This sampler is for Margaret, who has stitched the up/down tulip design at the top. For my band at the bottom, I tried to keep the flow of pink & green that seemed to be happening. I played with designs on graph paper first then decided the colour. The stitching started with two rows of 4 sided stitch, with 6 threads removed between the rows. I then needleweaved the remaining threads to keep them strong. Above the 4 sided stitch I worked groups of radiating straight stitches, while below is a row of large eyelets which have been outlined in back stitch. The top row was then mirrored below the eyelets.

I feel a little sad now that this is all over. I love stitching counted thread work of all types and this RR has been an excuse to venture out with colour & stitch combinations.

A Parcel At The Door

Look what arrived at my door yesterday. This beautiful book on Bedfordshire Lace. Now I have plenty to keep me busy & inspired. Mail order is wonderful.

Crazy Patch 3

Crazy patch number 3.

Crazy Patch 2

Crazy patch number 2.

Crazy Patch For Charity Quilt

My local Sewing Guild group has been given some little fabric squares featuring digitized motifs. As we were doing crazy patchwork at one of our last meetings, one of the ladies decided to put all the squares into a crazy patchwork quilt for charity. We each were given one patch each to take home & add to, the only stipulation was for a 6 1/2 " square in pastel shades. This is the one I have done. It was a struggle finding pastel shades in my stash that went with the original patch. It had yellow in it & there is not much yellow in my stash. It is now ready for someone else to stitch all the squares together & turn into a quilt.

Beds Sample 3 - The 9 Pin Edge

I have just this minute cut my latest bobbin lace sample off my pillow. This one is the 9 pin edge which is pattern 3 in my "Bedfordshire Lace Making" book. It was easy enough once I got started. ( Starts are a real problem for me) Revision of plaits, picots, 4 plait crossings & footsides. Though this footside is a little different to those I have done before, done with cloth stitch instead of whole stitch. I still need to remember where to place the pin in the footside, only missed once in this sample, though I noticed a few more times I'd missed & fixed them real quick while working the lace. There a few joins in this piece too. I'm getting better at hiding those as well. Pattern 4 here I come.

Crazy Patch 1

Remember the crazy patches that I started here? Well, I have finished the stitching on all 8 of the patches. Now they sit patiently waiting to be made into something.