Tuesday 30 September 2014

Vintage Brooch .... bought at Donna Flower Vintage.



The pearl is the queen of gems and the gem of Queens.
Unknown



Yesterday I showed you the pictures of my 1940 hairstyle by the talented Steven and Laurent.  The lady who did my hair was called Rachel and oh boy could she style!

When she had put up my hair she said .... I would like to put a vintage brooch in your hair, it would finish it off and I agreed.  I told her to go look in Donna's collection of lovely brooches and she came back with three for me to choose from.  I choose the mother of pearl!

Now for those of you who know me will not be surprised, I am like a magpie when it comes to vintage mother of pearl, be it buttons or brooches!!

I think you will agree it looked different and lovely as a hair accessory..... but just look at it up close!




Stunning stunning stunning!!!


I simply adore it.  I have never thought of putting a brooch in my hair .... I felt like quoting Marilyn Monroe in the film ' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes' when she talks of her love of diamonds!!

" I just love finding new places to wear diamonds" ....

That is how I feel about vintage mother of pearl...................

I am off to my sewing room now as I have lots to do.  I am also hoping to pick up my sampler from the framers if they phone.  It is a Thanks giving one.

Anyway have a great day and Happy Stitching!



Monday 29 September 2014

Donna Flower Vintage ...... opening party!


This shop is amazing.  The vision and the hard work that has
gone into the launch of such a vintage emporium is 
outstanding.



If you get a chance to ever go to Barnstaple in North Devon then go!!!  The town itself is lovely and the surrounding little ones like Instow are stunning, BUT the prize is at 10 Gammon Walk in Barnstaple .... Donna Flower Vintage !!

Oh yes my vintage loving friends, Oh Yes!

We stayed all weekend and what a weekend it was.

The private opening party on Friday night was so good.  The shop shone with vintage style and sparkle and the vision of Donna Flower and her impeccable taste is a show stopper.

When you stand outside you gasp, the window is enough to make you want to just run inside and dive into vintage heaven, bygone days, of untold style and grace.

The chandlers sparkled and the invited few mingled with the flowing bubbly and wandered around in awe!  What you saw was for sale and the changing rooms were always busy.  

There were vintage clothes in colour coordination on rails, including stunning wedding dresses.  There are shoes and hats and brooches to name a small amount.

At the back of the shop are vintage haberdashery shelves and drawers filled with vintage fabrics, buttons, threads, vintage patterns for dress making, tablecloths. aprons, vintage quilt pieces and so much more.  Donna has stunning vintage quilts and eiderdowns for sale as well AND everywhere you look is temptation of the vintage style at its very best!


Behind those two doors with the frosted glass are changing rooms!


In the middle of the shop at the front you can see a table with vintage cardigans and pullovers folded along side shoes and a jewellery cabinet with scrummy sparkle to buy ..... such as the stunning mother of pearl brooch that I purchased for in my hair.  (more of that later)





A gentleman's section!



Some of the drawers filled with goodies! ... buttons, threads, embroidery threads and so much more!





















On hand also both on Friday evening and on the Saturday was the talented team of Steven and Laurent hair stylists and they were doing great things with hair and making ladies look like film stars!!




So on the Saturday I had my hair done as we were going out to dinner in the evening with Donna and her lovely family, including a another lady Sue who is in the vintage business.



Can you see the brooch in the top photo? It is stunning and I will load a picture for you to see it closely another time.....

The hair I loved and later when I put on my glad rags to go out I felt totally glamorous and transported back in time.  

Donna and all her family worked so hard to achieve the perfect vintage shop and they surpassed themselves totally.  Barnstaple is lucky to have such a shop, because honestly you could pick it up and plant it down in London in say Kings Road and my goodness me they would come in there hoards, to buy such quality and style.

Congratulations Donna!! 

I hope you have all enjoyed a little tour of such an amazing shop.  I did buy some wonderful 19th Century fabrics whilst there ..... and a few other goodies!!!




Donna and Jasmine


Happy Stitching everyone!






Saturday 27 September 2014

Basque Stitch .... Stitch of the week




Good Morning All

The stitch of the week this week is the basque stitch and I think this one is amazing.  As you all know by now one of my favourite vintage fabrics is the antique eiderdown fabrics and paisley's in particular are a strong favourite of mine.  This stitch you can recreate that with embroidery stitches and maybe some beads......

I have bought some vintage glass beads recently and think I will be giving this a go.  If I draw a paisley pattern lightly onto some vintage linen and choose my colour threads carefull, it could look stunning.......

See what you think.  This is another great tutorial from the talented Mary Corbett.

Have a wonderful weekend and Happy Stitching!



Can you see what I mean?  Watch the tutorial on how to stitch this green outline.




Thursday 25 September 2014

Off to Devon for the opening of Donna Flowers shop!


Good Morning All

Well there is great excitement here today as later on we are off to Devon.  I was invited to the opening of Donna Flowers new shop.

There is an opening party tonight for those of us lucky enough to be invited and it is in amongst all of her wonderful stock!!!

I will be able to wander around and look at all those wonderful fabrics, buttons, threads, eiderdowns and so much more including vintage dresses. This is my idea of a fine party indeed!!

I will be asking to take some photo's to able to show you next week and I will be able to report on what wonderful purchases I made on the Saturday at the opening of the shop.

We are making a weekend of it and after opening hours on Saturday going out to dinner with them as well.  The new shop is in Barnstaple in North Devon and you can now look it up on line.  Take a peek.

Donna Flower


One of Donna,s Stalls at a vintage fair.

So now you know why there was a tidy in the Stitching room this week, looking at what space I have and looking at my design notes for what I thought might look good on the fabric and button front!

Have a great weekend and Happy Stitching!


Wednesday 24 September 2014

Great Day sorting..... only slightly distracted!

Hello All


Yesterdays sort out went well I can report to you!!!.... I only got slightly distracted and really you be the judge on this, it was the embroidery thread drawer!!! what is a poor woman to do?

The colours of the hand dyed threads are outstanding and I was trying to put them in some sort of order.  I only have one drawer for them so tried to tidy another drawer where some room could be in place for more.

I am picking up my latest threads in a few weeks so thought it was an idea to make sure space was available to putting them away properly and with the care that they deserve.

Things are a lot calmer in there with a basket out with my current stitching projects in them with the threads and fabric bits that are needed to complete them.   This way less distraction going to the fabric drawer ( you can see my problem)  Anyway fooling around aside it all looks tidy and organised again for my day to continue.

I hope whatever you are up to today it is a good one......  Happy Stitching!




Tuesday 23 September 2014

Work room tidy and stock take day!



There comes a time dear readers when you gotta do what you gotta do!! And today for me it is house keeping in my stitchery room.

I need to go through all of my fabrics and bits and also through my embroidery draw.

If I told you it would not take very long then it would be a lie, as soon as I start looking through, I can not help putting things together and taking longer than I should.

I need to be good today and tidy and take a stock take, and looking at my design book notes say on what I need to buy and look at what I actually already have.

Later in the week I am going to a great event and I will tell you about what it is on Friday, needless to say I am sure I will come back with things ( Delicious eiderdown fabrics and paisleys, ribbons, lace and all sorts of notions!)  It's my one weakness!!

I actually would like not to take more that a few hours in there and then get on with more stitching.  It is not long now until I go to New England and I need to knuckle down and get things sorted and finished..... That said I want to do a proper stock check today, so I must be strict with myself!!

So with finishing this and my lovely cup of coffee I am drinking, I will away to the woman cave and get on with the task in hand.... Wish my luck!

Whatever you are up to today have a good one and Happy Stitching!







Monday 22 September 2014

Vintage linens and embroidery stitches .... garden and flowers.



I love sewing and have plenty of material witnesses.  ~Author Unknown


The September days here in England are so very warm! and long may it continue.  I am still able, in the day to sit in the garden.  Although we have swapped over our garden furniture.  Our lovely wooden set has been put to bed for the Winter and our plastic one is out now.  If it rains, well no problem!

Yesterday I was sat in the garden and although the colours are changing and our plants are coming to an end, the butterflies and bees do not seem to notice it is really a warm Autumn.  They are busy fluttering around and it is lovely to watch.

Today I am going to take my stitching into the garden with some of my samples of naturally dyed linens and my sketch book.  I have designed the butterfly sampler and I am very pleased with that but I want to take note of nature and see what other ideas pop into my head.  With the butterflies I wanted to do two wings with the dyed linen ( with hand embroidery) and the other two wings with some of my precious vintage eiderdown fabrics with their wonderful faded colours....

I feel when stitching bees now, the Turkey Stitch would be perfect, so that they stand out and are as fluffy as the real thing is.

I am thinking of doing a picture with lots of flowers and have found a wonderful saying to go with it. I thought I would sketch some of the cornflowers and sweet peas that are still hanging on and having a last flowering.  In addition to that I want to go and collect some leaves to take a closer look at how I may stitch tiny ones but with great detail, if possible!

Anyway I am off now with my day planned.  Have a great day yourself and Happy Stitching!




Saturday 20 September 2014

Drizzle Stitch .... Stitch of the week

Morning all

Well it is Saturday and the stitch of the week is Drizzle stitch!  The tutorial is by the talented Mary Corbett and I think this is a wonderful stitch.

I hope you are all enjoying looking at stitches as much as I am.  I am trying to learn a new stitch and build up my knowledge.  Although I rarely need stitches for borders in my work, I feel I should know them as well as little stitches.

I hope you you all have a great week and Happy Stitching!



This could look great in a flower border!



Friday 19 September 2014

Hand painted vintage mother of pearl buttons.



I have a weakness for buttons!


Added to all of my work, without exception, there is always at least one vintage mother of pearl button.  Mostly there are more than that.

I am always on the look out for beautiful carved ones, ones that are different and rare.

I have recently found a lady who hand paints on vintage buttons and I have purchased some from her for up and coming project.  Mine have tiny wee roses on them and I will attach them to one of my new designs for next year.

I have found a picture of some painted mother of pearl buttons for you to look at to see what I mean.



They are beautiful aren't they...... Mine are on there way.  

I am going to do a design around them ( basically with them in mind ) 

I hope you all have a wonderful day and Happy Stitching!

Thursday 18 September 2014

Vintage baby and wedding samplers



Good morning all

With all my bits of work going on and receiving emails to contact people about commissions, I thought I would just say that my order book is open now for 2015.

I like to give time to each piece I make and if it is needing framing that can be up to a two week process, as I always get my work professionally framed.

I will be taking orders now for vintage nursery samplers and wedding samplers.  They take some time to stitch and I would not want to disappoint anyone.

If you know of one of these special events and are thinking about getting someone one of these as a gift then please email me at homespunstitchworks@yahoo.com and we can chat about your needs, prices and time scales.

All of them start with beautiful vintage linen as the canvas and from there we can discuss the simplicity of the design and embroidery.

I only undertaken so many of these a year with the other work that I do so not to be disappointed please contact me for a chat.

Hope you all have a great day and Happy Stitching!











Wednesday 17 September 2014

Homespun stitchery

Good Morning all

Well this is a little presentation of some of my work and I have built it myself.... Now the video/film of it is not great but please bear with me as it was my first attempt.  The original was built in an application called keynotes.  Now on there it is amazing BUT you can not share to here or facebook etc.....

So not to beaten I filmed it on my I phone off of my I pad.... thus bleary images....

I am however not beaten yet SO I will try and see if there is a better way to film it.

So I hope you forgive my first attempt BUT please let me know what you think about it in theory.

Happy watching and Happy Stitching!






Tuesday 16 September 2014

Autumn Design Days! .......... I love them.


These wonderful warm and sunny Autumn days are very enjoyable.  As you all know I have been very busy lately, especially on the banner project.  Now I must concentrate on some work for publication and for my new and up and coming on line shop.

I have been experimenting with natural dyeing techniques and colours for dyeing bits of my precious vintage French linens, one of which is Circa 1898 SO VERY CAREFULLY! does it.

With this wonderful weather we are having here in England I am able to do this in my garden.  The warmth of the sun and the changing colours around me are sparking off wonderful new designs for 2015.

I have also been studying my garden over the weekend to see where I could put a raised vegetable patch to grow some for eating and some for dyeing fabric with!!  The thought of growing, dyeing vintage linens and then designing and stitching some things really appeal to me.

In addition I will be making some samplers to sell and I really do enjoy stitching these.  They are becoming very popular for people to buy as gifts or for their own homes.

There are several projects I do need to complete before my 3 weeks in the states so I must away.

Have a great day and Happy Stitching!



Monday 15 September 2014

Filling my design book with new idea's



Design is not just what it looks like and feels like,
design is how it works.

Steve Jobs



Last week was filled with designing and natural hand dyeing of linens and also deciding 'how to' make it work....  The butterfly design is coming together and today I will be playing about to see how I am going to make them.  I have some scrap fabrics to play with so that when I make them for real there will hopefully be no mistakes at all.

I am also playing around with other ideas, some for publication and some to sell on my long awaited for on line shop.  I hope to get it launched early next year.

I also have some other ideas that I want to sketch out and with fabric ideas and designs as well.  My head is full of ideas and with that comes working out how to do it and what embroidery stitches may look good.

I have a seaside sampler to to and I am looking forward to stitching all the seashells with my wonderful variegated embroidery thread, that has all the light seaside colours in it. I have high hopes for the thread and hope it will look as a seashell looks when caught in sunlight.

The Autumnal sampler is nearly finished just a few little touches left before framing and going for publication..... But I do have to write the instructions as well.

My new design book will be coming to America with me so that I can do some sketching, as I am away for 3 weeks and very much looking forward to it.  I may take a small stitching project to do on the plane IF I can take a needle and small scissors, I do have to contact the airline to see.  I find the 7 hours flight will pass quickly if I can do some embroidery....


Well I am away to my sketches and my practice butterfly making......

Have a great day and Happy Stitching!



The details are not the details, they make the design!
Charles Eames

Saturday 13 September 2014

Turkey Work Hand Embroidery Stitch



Good Morning all!


I have found this wonderful tutorial by Mary Corbet on an embroidery stitch called Turkey stitch.

I had never heard or seen this before.  I think it would be amazing as grass in between a flower border on an embroidered piece.  I am going to be practising this one later.

You could make a fantastic garden in embroidery with this...... Or a bee! yes I found an amazing picture of a bee worked in this stitch, it is not my work and I am afraid I do not know who to credit it too but Wow!

Take a look and have a go yourself...







Look at the detail on this bee, I do not know what the actual size is but 
if you could scale it to be stitched around a flower sampler it would look
amazing!

Watch the tutorial it really is worth learning this stitch.







The possibilities are endless!.... Happy Stitching!

Friday 12 September 2014

The Goodwood Revival, Pretty Nostalgic Banner


Good morning all

Well today is the day that the banner I made will be carried around the Goodwood Revival weekend.  The Pretty Nostalgic team will be wandering around and carrying it high.... It is over 5ft in width and 3ft in length.... Lets hope that a gust of wind does not make them take off!!!

I am very pleased with the result as they did not really give me any instructions and it was left to my artistic nature to conjure something up.  Worked from their own designs on the magazine I scaled it up and went about drawing and cutting out the letters and hand stitched it all to a 1895 vintage French linen sheet.  The linen is very shear and stunning.

The borders are stitched on a machine for the broom poles to slide into so that it is sturdy for carrying around.  The bottom of the banner as a scalloped edge with white work embroidery, which is the orginal stitching.

I enjoyed the challenge and enjoyed being able to be given the opportunity to do this commission.  I would like to thank Nicola who is the Editor of Pretty Nostalgic for believing in me and wish this fabulous magazine all the very best.  It is a fabulous vintage read and you can subscribe to it by mail.

The Goodwood Revival special is out now and there is a little bit about my banner and myself in there on page 8.


Have a wonderful day and Happy Stitching!!

This is the front of the banner. Each letter is made from vintage eiderdown fabric and each one is different .

This is the back of the banner.



This is the close up of their motto which has been hand stitched in hand dyed thread.



The heart is made from vintage eiderdown fabric and I have made a flag from vintage linen and hand stitched my company name on there.  There are two hand carved vintage mother of pearl buttons stitched to the  flag.


This is a picture of page eight in the Pretty Nostalgic magazine, the Goodwood special.  It tells you about the banner making.  Look out for further bits about me and my business in up and coming issues.  I wish this wonderful vintage magazine lots of luck and 
look forward to doing more work with the Editor Nicola and her team.

Thursday 11 September 2014

Duck Egg natural Dyeing results.


Good Morning all

After yesterdays post I decided to do some research.  I came up trumps!

'Woad' is the answer to my dyeing dilemma. Woad is a plant that you can dye things blue with and I think if I can add some saffron (that is yellow in colour) to my mix I may get a form of duck egg for my butterfly project.

Woad (Isatis tintoria) is grown from seed and harvested around July/ August time.

I am really becoming very interested in all this and think I am going to start a patch in the garden growing some plants and vegetable for dyeing purposes....

In the meantime because of missing the harvest of this year I have found a place to sell me some for dyeing and I will show you the results when I receive it and I dye some vintage linen with it.

I am so excited with this project and hope that the end results are worth all of the preparation that has gone into it....

I am going to buy some seeds for next year to grow myself, but have just ordered some woad dye for this project and hope that it will be here for next week.  I then would like to do a light blue colour as well with out the saffron.  Then I have a raspberry, duck egg and blue and the decision will be probably a tea dye butterfly to complete the design.....

I think that this project will then be a go! fingers crossed that it looks good.

My research has not ended on plant and vegetable matter for dyeing fabrics, this has really caught my attention and I will be posting more about this as my research grows.




The woad plant and its seeds




Look at the results that were achieved in this workshop! Amazing!


Happy Stitching!

Wednesday 10 September 2014

Time to do more vegetable dying next week.....



Good Morning all

Well having spent some wonderful days so far thinking of new designs for next year, I have come to the conclusion I would like to hand dye a few more bits of my precious vintage French linen.

I am thinking like a beautiful duck egg colour so I am researching what I can get these results with.  I may have to go foraging in the New Forest near us for some plant life or see if I can buy a plant to do this.....

I really would like to do some butterflies with embroidery for a sampler and really believe that with some shear vintage linen dyed and embroidered it will look life like and beautiful....

I can see the colour in my head and have mixed it with water colour paint to see that it can be possible.  I really need three of me and four would be nice..... although not sure my husband would agree!!!  If I did not have to sleep I may get lots more done...



Slightly lighter like the eggs above but with a colour that will show white embroidery.



Have a wonderful day and Happy Stitching!



Tuesday 9 September 2014

Sunny Autumn days spent with my design book.



Morning all

Well having completed the Pretty Nostalgic banner last week and doing my hand dying of some vintage French fabrics, it has been a very busy few months.

I have now to get back on track making things for my on line shop that is ready for me to get things loaded up for people to buy......

I am going to be selling inspiration packs and some vintage china made into bon bon plates and teacups with candles as well as some of my stitchery ( which is bespoke and one off's)

I have to get designing and stitching but I am giving myself a few days to sketch and do my lists of what needs to be done.  I will also as you know be going to America next month, although my blog will continue whilst I am away with my IPad......

I have a few more things to be made for publication as well so I will be very busy when I return.

I am getting ready in my sewing room and having dyed my vintage linen some wonderful colours (naturally) I have just got to get my ideas from my head and onto paper and work out how it is to be done.

Do not forget that Friday I will be loading pictures of the banner up on here for you to look at.

Whatever you are up today I hope you have a great day!

Happy Stitching!



Monday 8 September 2014

Autumn stitching and dying vintage linen

Beetroot is the most intense colour!



Hello all

Sorry for the lateness of my blog but I have been doing some house keeping on my stitchery room and also dying some precious vintage French linen to use for butterfly wings!

So having never done this before it is rather fun....

I peeled some beetroot's and then boiled them in water for several hours this morning and then drained the liquid off to put my fabric in.

I also made my linen wet and soaked it in water with a little salt so that it would take the dye.





I am hoping when it is dry it will look wonderful.  I would like to embroider it with white hand dyed shaker thread so that it show up..... I am hoping for great things.

This is a slightly messy process compared to tea dying but I am very happy with the raspberry colour results.

So now it is drying and I can report rubber gloves are needed and one of my wooden spoons will never be the same again!! but I am thrilled with the results.  So you can give it a go with confidence.

I hope you all have a great day!


Happy Stitching and Dying!




Saturday 6 September 2014

How To Make Dye From Plants


Hello and Happy weekend!

I thought instead of stitch of the week this time I would show you a wonderful little film on making dye from plants..... with me dying wonderful pieces of vintage linens with tea and beetroot, when I came across this I was thrilled.....

Let me know what you think!......

Pictures next week of my efforts with beetroot, I am mighty pleased and with embroidery on it, I think it will look scrummy!

Have wonderful weekend and Happy Stitching!





Friday 5 September 2014

Embroidery butterflys!



Yesterday when I was stitching away in the sunshine, I was deciding in my head what to do with my beetroot dyed vintage French linen....

Then it came to me, butterfly wings in raspberry colour hand dyed (in beetroot)  and embroidered in white shaker threads....

I will make it like a sampler with a little rhyme or saying on there and think it will look very pretty....


I have my sketch book at the ready for next weeks designing and I will be able to sit in the garden whilst I do it with this wonderful weather that has appeared again in England!!

I am going to have a little play with doing butterfly wings and will show you hopefully in a week or so.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and do not forget to read the blog tomorrow it has some great hand dye plants on there for different colours...

Happy Stitching!



Thursday 4 September 2014

Its finished!!!!...... Pretty Nostalgic banner for the Goodwood Revival!!

Hello All

I am so pleased to say that finally yesterday the banner was finished and washed and ironed.  I will be wrapping it today and sending it off to Pretty Nostalgic head quarters for them to carry around The Goodwood Revival next week.

I will put pictures up on the blog next Friday as to to so before it is unveiled at the show would be a naughty NO NO!!!

So in celebration I have been getting my lovely Autumnal sampler out to complete and I am so very pleased that I am working on something that is not over 5ft by over 3ft big....  My stitching seems a doddle now!

I am going to finish that and then do a few days design work... to give my fingers a rest.  I can not work with a thimble somehow and I am afraid my fingers have suffered a little, being stabbed and bleeding ( not on my work, may I add!)

The sun is shinning here and I have already laid out my lovely stitching to finish...

Have a wonderful day all......


Happy Stitching! 






Wednesday 3 September 2014

Last minute finishing!

Good morning all Well today is a very busy day for me as I am on the last leg of the Pretty Nostalgic banner which has to be sent on Friday. Today there is a few more stitches to do then a little wash and press and the wrapping of it. The wrapping will be fun as the banner is three and half foot by five foot with 7ft poles in each each so it can be carried! I will be sending it UPS and fingers crossed that it arrives safely!! I will be loading pictures up of it next week on the actual day it is revealed at the Goodwood Revival, so next Friday! Pictures will be taken tomorrow before the wrapping up! Then its eyes down to finish a Autumnal sampler that is for publication NEXT year!! and I must get on with some hand dying and other bits that I have to stitch before I go away next month to lovely New England in the Fall. My blogs will continue whilst I am away as I have a new toy!! an I Pad. Although the weather has turned a bit Indian Summer ish, It really does have that Autumn feel to it out there, especially early morning. The leaves are changing colour in my garden and the fruit is being picked in. I can not wait to show you some of my work and I hope that you will like it....... For today I am off to finish this very important project..... Happy Stitching!

Tuesday 2 September 2014

Wheat Weaving: Heart-shaped Wedding Favor


Hello and good morning to you all!

I thought this was a great video tutorial on making heart shaped wedding favours!  If someone is getting married in this month what a beautiful and different keep sake from such a special occasions!

Take a look, I am actually going to go for a walk and get some wheat and give this a go.  It is said it is a good luck charm for a home, so I will be hanging it up somewhere in the porch for just that reason.

I will be continuing with my stitching today and preparing for the beetroot dying session that I am very excited about.

Have a great day and if some of you give this a go let me know the outcome, I would love to know.

Happy Stitching!







Monday 1 September 2014

Hello September!....

September 
Gemstone ... Saphire
Flower.... Aster


Good morning all!

I can not believe where this year has gone, We have had a wonderful summer and now we are moving into autumn.


It will not be long now before I am heading off to wonderful New England in the fall.  We will be visiting New Hampshire as well as New York and Boston....... I will be picking up my wonderful hand dyed threads and also a wonderful prize for Octobers give away at the Shaker village in Canterbury.... So if you are reading this and have not become a member, then now is the time!!

This week I will be giving some more hand dying a go, this time with beetroot.  I would like to dye some vintage French linen a sort of a raspberry colour and I want it to be natural not from a packet. I have bought myself some thick rubber gloves for this operation, as I do not want to go round with red hands for weeks!!

I thought I would give a few colours ago, slightly darker and lighter so I will load up pictures of my efforts later in the week.  I am also working on some embroidery with flowers using lots of different stitches to see if it looks like a wild garden..... again when it is complete I will show you.

I have opened my order book for next year for samplers for Weddings and Nursery pictures but would be happy to talk about other commissions for samplers that may be required, just message me.

This time of year is a favourite of mine, although it is sad to see summer disappearing, sitting inside stitching in a cosy chair is always welcome.

I also have to pick in all my pears from my tree and grapes from my vine.  The grape vine has produced quite a few bunches and will be lovely with pear chutney and some cheese.  I have had great success this year with tomatoes as well and planted all sorts of colours and varieties....

So I am away now to organise my week and get on with some sewing.

Have a wonderful day and Happy Stitching!