Autumn finish and needlebook exchange

I can now show  photos of the pretty needlebook I received from Viv in our Friendly Stitchers exchange.

from Viv

 This photo does not show it too well, but there are lots of beads which make it shine.  It's really lovely and beautifully stitched.  I think I may look for a new camera for Christmas, or is it just operator training I need.  I'll wait and see what Santa brings.

mine to Viv

 I added a little pincushion with mine to Viv, as I was going to use the acorns on the book cover but they didn't fit well, so I used them for a pincushion, and stitched the pumpkin instead.

While looking for charts for this Autumn exchange I found a little hanger, and I've finished the stitching  this week.... still got to do the making up.  Here's a link where I found it, some lovely free charts for all seasons. http://gazette94.blogspot.com/ 

worked on 28ct hand-dyed evenweave by Polstitches

I've also been busy with my LHN 'Home of a Needleworker', I'm so pleased with it, can't wait to get it finished and framed.

getting near to a finish

Well, my list of 15 for the Crazy Challenge is proving to be a bit of a challenge in itself..... I still can't decide what I'm including.  I only have 3 kitted up so far, much get more organised.  I have found some plastic folders to keep each project in as I kit them up, which will help me keep track of things.  As you may guess I'm not the world's most organised stitcher....... but I'm getting better !!!!!    I'll dig out some more holiday snaps for my next update.

happy stitching

Where was I? - ' Downunder mate'

Did you guess where I was on holiday?  DH and I had a great time for just over 5 weeks.... here's another photo from that amazing country,   the beautiful city of Adelaide, SA..... shopping on the Rundle Mall

Rundle Street and Rundle Mall are named after John Rundle (1791- 1864), an original director and financier of the South Australia Company, which was formed in London in 1834 to promote settlement of the new colony of South Australia.

 The sheep were on the road to the small town of Melrose, in the Flinders Range.  It was a wonderful sight to see early that morning, a field of blue with sheep dotted about.  The plant they were grazing on is Echium plantagineum, commonly known as Purple Viper's Bugloss or as Paterson's Curse or Salvation Jane (particularly in South Australia). Other names are Blueweed, Lady Campbell Weed or Riverina Bluebell. The name Salvation Jane comes from South Australia. In times of drought, many of the states grazing pastures died. Due to its drought hardiness, Echium was a source of food to the grazing animals in the state, hence the name Salvation Jane.  I believe it is toxic to horses.

The beach ............ 'sigh'  was perfect.  If I won the lottery that is where you would find me, building a house overlooking that bay..... named Tumby Bay on the Eyre Peninsula.  There was  a quilting shop too,  what more could I ask for...... 

Now onto an update of my stitching this past week,  more stitching on LHN's Home of a Needleworker, and a small autumn piece for a small  hanging pillow, which I haven't got a photo of yet, so will wait till its finished. 

I am really enjoying stitching this one, I have got the feel of linen now and love the look.  I think I am completely mad, cos I have signed up for the Crazy 15 Challenge, info here

   http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crazyjanuary2012 , 
so I have been browsing to find 15 projects I want to stitch next year.  I'm a very slow stitcher so it will be a challenge to finish 15 in a year.  Might have to choose mostly small ones, with a few medium, certainly no large projects.  My Mary Wigmore is the only big project I can concentrate on, maybe I can add that as one of my 15.  I know I shall be doing some LHN charts, one will be the 'Coffee Menu' as I love that and it will go great on my kitchen wall.   Also I have French Hen by JBW Designs to add.  I'll update next week on my 15 chosen ones.


happy stitching

a look back!

Not a lot of stitching has been done lately, apart from an autumnal piece to be made into a needlebook, which I can't show yet as it's for an exchange in Friendly Stitchers group.

So I've been looking thru my photos and thought I would show a couple of holiday photos,  plus what I stitched on that holiday.  See if you can guess what country I was in .......

sheep grazing, early morning

a perfect beach!

now to what I stitched .....

ready to bring home for Christmas

Look out next week for more 'looking back' at holiday photos and the stitching done.  Plus the answer to where the sheep are grazing and the location of  my perfect beach ....

Happy stitching