Long time no post, huh?

We were in Ireland over the weekend, (Thurs - Mon), and I haven't done any stitching for about 2 weeks now! I know, sacrelige! Just no time at the mo, so much going on and things don't look like getting much calmer for a little while, but we at least plan to have a lazy week in the upper Dales in November. I know it'll be cold, but it'll be a break and that's really what matters.=)

The other week, someone I stitched a picture for sent me a photo of the framed thing, so I thought I would share it with you here. She said she'd prefer a gold frame, but this one looks nice too, don't you think?

Ta-dah!

Finished the Poppies and Mallow design! I re-did the mallow flower centres with French knots as the original seed stitch was lost against my fairly dense opus plumarium. Hope it meets with everyone's approval anyway!!

Am I feeling pressured because of the goals? No, I can't say that I am. Motivated, but not pressured. There's not that much actually as the first two were virtually done, the fourth is about 20% done already, the fifth is only a small XS card and the third will take about a week's stitching at my current rate, so I might even get well into April's goals by the end of this month!!

I got all the Xs done on the needlecase and the blue back-stitch trellis work as well. Here's the latest.

Ugh, Wednesday!

That means work day, but thankfully a 'normal' (rather than long) day today. OK, OK, I know I only work 3 hours a week, but it cuts into my stitching time!!!!!!!

Didn't get the leaves finished last night, but I did get something done and here's the progress:

Thanks for the explanation of the laying tool, Terri! You know I was just teasing, don't you?=) Sounds like a good idea for something really special, but I think it would make the process of stitching quite a lot longer than normal, esp. whilst getting used to using it. This is the beauty of photography though - it doesn't show all the imperfections!!! My stitches lay OK, but sometimes the 2 strands get a bit twisted and it shows, if you want to look that closely anyway.

I got fed up of working on the leaves and decided to take a bit of refuge in cross stitch just before bed, so worked on a little more of the Orange Blossom needlecase. Just one more colour, (couple of dozen X's), and the cross stitching is done on this one and it's on to the copious BS! Here's the story so far:

Oh, Lili, I forgot to mention something. Thanks for the compliments on the photos of England etc on my Webshots. They were taken by my husband though, not me.=) Must make sure I put that on my album. I can't take the credit for his work!!!LOL!!!

So, hope to have the poppies and the needlecase stitching done as well as the Welcome sign designed by the end of this week. Might even get something sewn up too, but I'm not counting on that!!!!!! Anyone else not good at getting on with finishing off??

Here's the latest.....

...on the Poppies and Mallow:

Hope to finish it today.=)

Thanks for all the lovely comments.=) I've added some links to the blogs of regular visitors and commenters, so I can keep up with your work more easily too.

What's a laying tool, Terri?? Never heard of one! Should I be offended or flattered??? LOL!!!=)

Well, Lili, that shows that I am not a good linguist - it was your 'Automne' I was talking about! I haven't done one yet, but I have a Lizzie*Kate series of seasons waiting to be stitched up ..... along with another few dozen things!!! My French is really poor at the moment. I need to spend some time on it, but Chinese, German and Italian are higher up my list right now. Having said that, I have 3 French ladies visiting this blog and leaving kind remarks, so I should try harder with my French, shouldn't I??

Happy Sunday to one and all!

Well, I'm in a ridiculously good mood this morning! There are no dishes hanging around to be washed, my book-keeping work is all done, the flat is passably clean and a lovely day ahead, finishing nicely with a visit from a lovely friend.=) Who could ask for more??

Oodles of thanks for all the very flattering comments, esp. you Terri! Wow!

Here's the current status on the poppy and mallow piece in close-up of the part that's changed the most:

May possibly get a bit more done on it today, but there's only the two big leaves, (bo-oring!), to do after finishing off the mallow flowers. Then, the hoop is free for the 'Welcome' sign, which I still need to design properly......

Progress Report!

The Helen M Stevens' 'Poppies and Mallow' design is coming along nicely. I hadn't touched it, (apart from to move it around the room a lot), since the last photo posted here on 29 Dec, but have managed to get quite a lot done within the last two evenings. About 4 hours work on the colourful stuff shown here:

Hoping to have it finished over the w/e. Should be about another 6 hours' work left there. I confess that this one is getting down so fast now as I need this hoop for the 'Welcome' piece and, well, if I took this piece out to get on with another, there's a danger this one would never get done!!!

I've now bought a nice piece of ivory silk to work the 'Welcome' on and am toying with the idea of not using silks to do the embroidery, or at least not Pipers' flat silks. Bit too much perhaps - a shiny silk background and a high gloss foreground. Also, I have a better selection of colours in my Madeira silks (less glossy) and Anchor cottons and can do the tiara lily in more lifelike colours. Haven't decided yet....

Haven't sewn up mum's bookmark yet either, but I will get on to that v soon. I can get things pressed ready for sewing up with the regular ironing today or tomorrow. Wow! Getting busy again! Shock!

Mylene, the hardanger cushion pattern came from Mary Hickmott's 'Flowers with Hardanger' booklet which is available from Sewandso or from her own New Stitches/Stitch Direct on-line shop. She does a kit form of it too, (i.e. a materials pack), but only direct from her company though.