New SAL

 A little while ago I signed up for Faby Reilly's new Nerida SAL.  Her last one was in 2021 and I made the Jacquie needle case, it was such a fabulous SAL and I learnt new skills and her instructions were really good so it didn't take much persuading to join in again.  I am a bit behind because it took a while for my supplies to arrive.

The grey fabric (top left) used for the last SAL features in the new SAL plus the blue spruce fabric and all those gorgeous blue, purple and green threads.  There are several hours worth of outline stitching to be completed before the fun bit starts but I decided to do the two outlines needed for part one (which was issued two weeks ago and see if I could get those completed before part two comes out this Monday.

As you can see I'm not quite there yet but I hope to spend sometime today for slow Sunday stitching trying to get back on track!

April cross stitch and embroidery cards

 It has been a very busy week, lots of fun but hectic!  We've been to the farm with the grandchildren and bottle fed calves (so cute it almost makes me want to become a vegetarian!)  Held chicks, fed the goats and stroked rabbits, donkeys, ponies but no lambs which seems surprising.  It was great fun.  We visited this farm with our children over thirty years ago so it was nice to revisit it with the grands!  We've also had lots of trips out into the forest, when the weather has allowed and when it didn't we treated ourselves to coffee and cake in the garden centre where Amber had a babychino in a proper cup and saucer.

Some sewing has taken place though.  I managed to get the little April cross stitch finished and on display next to my Easter bunnies

Once April was finished I needed a pick up and stitch a few stitches while watching TV project.  Most of my current projects are either on the sewing machine or big complex projects.  So I decided to make some Birthday cards for my girlfriends.  The idea and instructions come from Tigley Textiles and the photo shows the basics of three cards.  For slow Sunday stitching I hope to get some flowers on the backgrounds.

Happy Easter

 Last week I was moaning about the rain but this week we have had some rather lovely days!  In fact on Friday I sat in the garden and did some stitching, it was so nice.  Good Friday has thrown me some what and I am a day out which means I am posting early and tomorrow I will try and post to Kathy's for some slow Sunday stitching.  In the mean time I have a few things to show.

I quite like rabbits and when Amber was born I decided to make her a Tilda bunny.  But of course it really wasn't suitable for a baby and she is now on her third Easter and it still isn't suitable but I quite like making them.  The purple rabbit on the left of the picture is this years bunny!

And here is the rest of my bunny collection/Easter display!

Monday was my craft group and because it was a catch up day I decided to take a project I started ages ago and put away (mainly because I miscounted the stitches on the bunny rabbit but have since decided to go with the flow - who cares if his head is too big!)

and I also decided to get ahead of the game and start Ambers 2023 Christmas decoration!

So that's all for this week.  I wish you all a very Happy Easter.

Luna's dress

I wish the rain would stop! Still I guess we do need it as the reservoirs are still really low (hard to believe!)  It has meant I have managed to get some sewing done and as I don't have any hand sewing to show I'm posting early.  But I can now say that Luna has a dress.  It was tricky, especially that Peter Pan collar but I am so pleased with how it turned out.

And just because I am so proud of how the collar went a close up of the process!

I did actually take all those pins out after I tacked it in place, which I think probably made it slightly easier to sew along with the binding.  It is surprising how long this took me but I think as I want to do some dressmaking (for me) it has probably helped build my confidence.  I do now have a coat to make Luna but I need a bit of a breather before I attempt that.  In the meantime for slow Sunday stitching I am going to dig out the Bayeux cockerel that hasn't seem the light of day for some time!