Embroiderers Guild

We've been away in our motor home for two weeks but arrived home this afternoon. Instead of cutting the grass (its pouring with rain) I thought I would share some photos I took at an exhibition by the Embroiderers Guild celebrating 300 years of 'Capability' Brown at several places around the UK. These come from Petworth House, a National Trust property in West Sussex.

I've never tried Black work but this portrait of the garden designer is very clever!

I've included a few photos below but there were many more and too many to show. And unfortunately the camera never does them justice!

Socks

I sometimes find it really hard to buy birthday presents for my non crafting girlfriends (if they craft no problem) so I thought I would knit a pair of socks for one of them. They are lovely and soft and I hope she enjoys wearing them when the cold weather sets in (several months away I hope!)

Slow Sunday Stitching

I've been hand sewing the next row of my hexie quilt, but haven't quite attached it all yet, so hopefully I will get that line finished today (I will only have one more row to go after that YAY). In between that I have finished the last three Sashiko inspired panels for my tote bag and attached the sashing. Its only about 12 inches square at the moment but I will add some borders to make it a reasonable size.

I have also done a little more on this sewing kit. I changed the colour of the pocket and made the needle and pin case, but I'm not entirely happy with that bit and if I have enough green felt left I might re think it. I will link up with kathys quilts so you can see what other people are sewing! But what ever you do today have a nice one, especially if you are celebrating the Queens official birthday with a street party!

Creative Embroidery, socks and Lola!

I love the first Monday of every month because its my Creative Embrodery class and although sometimes I'm not in love with what we are making I especially enjoy the banter and the company!

The class on Monday was all about Sashiko, done on the machine rather than the traditional hand sewing. These six, three inch squares took all day and the hardest one was the top right.....so many threads to tie off! But I rather like the effect and when they are sashed together I will probably make a tote bag out of them (after all you can never have too many totes!)

Earlier this week we had a lovely walk around the estate of a National Trust property (Kingston Lacy) in Dorset. I've added a photo of lovely Lola because it was her 2nd birthday on Monday.

I've got a bit of a summer cold going on, so while DH was at the gym this afternoon I popped into our local fabric shop to discover they are now stocking wool.  I couldn't resist this wool to make my next pair of socks and I got a free pattern to go with it also!

Hexies

Its been a very busy week with DH's brother and S.I.L. staying, but so lovely to see them. We've eaten far too much cake and consumed far too much wine and laughed a huge amount! Its also given me the opportunity to sit and do some more work on my Hexie quilt (while I chatted, ate cake and drank wine of course!) Ive now got five rows in total and have another two to do, so for slow Sunday stitching I'm hoping to finish sewing another row so that I can add that during the week.

Have a look at what others are sewing this Sunday over at Kathy's blog at kathysquilts.blogspot.co.uk

Have a lovely day!