At the end of November my guild’s program was a needlepoint ornament that we have done previously. I enjoyed it so much I made several. The pattern is available on the Town Clock Stitchers website as a free pattern.
Back into the swing of things
For nearly the entire month of September I had a very sore shoulder. I over did it while crocheting a planned pooling blanket. It was going to be a full on blanket rather than an afghan but now I’m not so sure. The point at which I had to stop is not afghan width. For now it will remain on hold. I’m not risking my other
I had to stop doing everything. I went to get deep tissue massage and that would not work for very long. A friend recommend acupuncture because she had something similar happen to her (but she let it go and it was worse for her). So I had five treatments of acupuncture and cupping and now I only have a slight issue with my shoulder. I’ve had to readjust my thinking a little and take frequent breaks or not do any handwork at all. I’m not doing any crochet. I have been able to get back to stitching and knitting. I move my shoulders less so it doesn’t aggravate me.
So I picked a little project that I’ve had the pattern in my stash for a while now: A Crossed Wing Christmas . Two Tiny Cardinals on Evergreen Tree on 36 count linen. I used a single strand of Glissen Gloss on the snow and a single strand of DMC Metallic 321 on the tree hearts and bows.
Snowdrop Needlebook Progress
I’ve put the needlebook together. Only thing I haven’t got done on it is the felt pages and the beads along the spine.
Snowdrop Stitching
I bought the Snowdrop Collection from Faby Reilly, which consists of a Needlebook, Scissor Case and Biscornu.
The patterns call for 32ct antique white but the linen options are not great in my city (Halifax, NS) so I raided my stash and found this 32ct linen by Hand Dyed Fabrics by Stephanie. I think the colour is Snowdrifts. The only thing I’m missing for finishing is the felt for the needlebook. I really like how the stitching looks on this linen.
Sweet Pea
I’ve felt the need to practice needlepainting ahead of my class with Alison Cole at the Inspring Threads Seminar in Toronto. Im doing the Siennese Illuminated Treasure. It’s a small piece so I want to work on my finer motor skills. I always feel clumsy when I switch between counted and surface work. So I’m going to get rid of that clumsy feeling before class.
I picked Trish Burr’s Sweat Pea to work on. It fits comfortably into a 5″ hoop. I really like needlepainting flowers. I’m allergic to the real things so this is a good way around that.
Sweet Heart of Mine
In February 2013 I went down to Williamsburg, Virginia for a stitching retreat. I have had all of the stitching done for a while now but I hadn’t completed the finishing. I had the needle book done in 2014 but it was only this weekend that I finished the scissors case and the floss purse. I’ve never been great at mitred corners but I think these ones are pretty good.
Finished Retirement Present
All the stitching is done on Full Bloom. I’ve assembled it and now I have to get a frame for it. I really like it. I needed the needle painting practice in advance of my EAC Seminar class in a couple of weeks.
I’m taking Alison Cole’s Siennese Illuminated Treasure and Kathryn Drummond’s Bluebells. It will be this year’s “fancy” vacation. All together I will have three days of free time. Naturally I’ll be going to the ROM, the Bata Shoe Museum and the Textile Museum of Canada. Other touristy stuff as well but right now I’m just playing it by ear.
Mary’s Reticule Progress and a Rose
My goal was to have this reticule finished by the time I went to the EAC Seminar “Inspiring Threads”. With less than a month to go I can say that I’ll have the embroidery done for sure but not that I’ll have the reticule seen together.
I have the vine pattern on all four panels complete, one the of panels completed and a second close behind.
I also have to finish a retirement gift for my co-worker by the end of May. I’m stitching a stump work Rose from Inspirations Magazine Issue 85 called: Full Bloom by Susan Porter. I started on the leaves over the weekend.
Christmas Presents: Play Food
I hope my young cousins (twins 3 1/2 & baby 1 1/2) enjoy playing with them as much as I did making them. I didn’t have the right yarn colour for eggs to go with the bacon.
Tambour Christmas Tree
The actual post that got my subconscious interested in learning Tambour embroidery was from a December 2014 post by Mary Corbet. She posted a design for a Christmas tree that I love (see post here). In it were the words…”especially suitable for Tambour embroidery…” Naturally I had to follow the link about Tambour embroidery and my interest was peaked. So when I saw an early 19th century reticule that was done in tambour embroidery I had a frame of reference, and when my guild decided to reproduce that reticule I was glad for the excuse to finally learn the technique. In the lull of waiting for the materials for my reticule project to arrive I printed off the Christmas Tree design that originally interested me and stitched it with my Tambour hook. The fabric is red cotton and the thread is metallic gold machine embroidery thread.
Melissa's Needle Work Blog 