Some Finished Embroideries

As this blog is intended as a memoir for my family I am going to indulge by adding some of the needlework projects I've completed over the last almost 30yrs...gulp...that sounds a long time! I've had a go at most types of needlework, cross-stitch, embroidery, tapestry...some of these were made from a kit, some are my own patterns that have grown like Topsy.

There's not much stitching just now but certainly lots of ooohhhing and aahhhing over at the "feelin' stitchy" site

So here we go...

Please excuse the flash...this sampler took 6 months to complete. I followed a counted cross-stitch design and it's about 2ft/60cms high. Not that I agree with the message  but I wanted to use an old fashioned and traditional verse......

With cheerful mind we yield to men

The higher honour of the Pen.

The Needle's our great care

In this we chiefly wish to shine

How far the art's already mine

This Sampler doth declare.

This sunny Australian scene was stitched from a pre-painted canvas with wools and half cross stitches. It's about 2ft/60cm wide.

These two are both from kits using longstitch and wool again, they measure about 14inches/35cms across.

Now this is my own work...I roughly (very roughly!) drew the wreath shape and then filled it in with a variety of flowers, leaves and vines from assorted books...just using all those shades of pink was a real pleasure...this one is on the wall above this monitor! I started the next one right away and learned a lot from all my mistakes. When I took it to Tall Poppy to be framed, Albert told me it looked like some of the Portuguese works he'd seen in San Francisco.......he framed all my needlework (apart from the wreath) with real skill and care.

Lately I've enjoyed using embroidery to decorate household items...I mean really how many framed stitcheries does one house need?...and I've taken pictures drawn by grandchildren and a young cousin and traced them onto fabric to stitch as above.

I just love these Vintage Patterns from doe-c-doe.
My dear friend Shelagh sent me iron-on patterns from the USA too

These upside dollies were great fun to make too. The story goes that slave women made them for their children with a half brown and half white body as they were forbidden to have white dolls, how sad is that? This is the same doll, made for Gillian. So that's it for now from Mrs Busy Fingers xxx