Redwork Embroidery in a basket & other projects!

Sewing :     fills my days!

and my cupboards, drawers and 

baskets in my sewing room !!

Firstly this morning I have been checking my project journal and looking at things that I have sketched.  When I was in America I sketched a seagull who was perched on a large wood pole near the ocean.  He sat there quite obliging and my brain and thoughts turned to what he may be thinking.  It could of been something like "Don't you have seagulls in the UK then ?" but he was such a fine specimen and the back drop of the ocean and they way he was sat just made me want to capture the moment.  When I was looking through my journal I came across it and the memories came back to me so I am going to design something around that and that fine fella as the star!

So I have ear marked that to do some work on it and see what I can come up with.  Then I was looking at other designs and that started me on the road to project baskets as I have finished three in the last two weeks which is wonderful.  I want to make up some more baskets.

Then I decided to cut out some more diamonds and hexagons for my Winter Star project so that I can take a few pieces with me at the weekend when I go to the Cotswolds vintage fair so that I can look at other fabrics to blend in ... so that got me going for a while.  All of this before 7.30am this morning.  I love going into my creative space and bumble about with this and that it is my favourite part of the day, whilst sipping my coffee and watching the birds.  Miss Muddy Beak was out there this morning very busy indeed and I opened the window and said good morning to her.  She stopped and looked up
at me ... then carried on very non impressed it seemed to me !

We had some bad news from our friend, his buyers have pulled out!!! He was packed to go on the 23 of August... the money wasted on his survey the other end and Solicitors fees and his phone was cut off ready and internet not to mention loosing his house the other end!!  So he has asked for the lines to be re connected ... unpacked some boxes and we are going to visit him for a weekend in September.  He had signed before he came here but they had not and decided to pull out and rent instead .... Its been so stressful for him.

As I said we have changed our plans for holiday and when it is booked I will let you know but now it is October ....

When I was awake earlier than our friend last week I took my coffee and juice into my sewing room and sat in my chair and looked out of the garden.  One day I decided to look on You Tube to see if there was a little film on Redwork embroidery and to my great delight there was.

I have decided to get a redwork project basket together and so I can pick it up and start stitching.  I think a red work sampler would be really lovely  and I want to design it myself not get a pattern so it is something that I will be working on really soon. But I had a go on some linen and decided to draw

a jug and do it in red work, I have only stitched the outline so far and I am going to do a red work design in the middle of the jug .... It is so effective even at this early stage I think.

Red work embroidery looks so stunning and it is so easy with one colour and just little stitches.  It is so effective ...

If anyone is looking to start a easy project to be added to anything then this is very good way to start especially for C........... Stockings .. I know I keep mentioning it lately but if you want to stitch something for then as a gift or for yourself as decoration for the house, you need to give yourself time and not be starting it in December so I thought I would show you all a great little You Tube film to get you inspired.

I am stitching little squares to attach to a table cloth for that time of year.

Indeed you can stitch things for bags or for a hanging hearts as it shows you in the following You Tube video and it is only short just over a minute but it will hopefully inspire you like it has me.  I am going to design some little ones just for red thread and use my precious hand dyed shaker thread in Holly Berry colour.

Also whilst off I bought some fabrics from two friends over the internet and I am very pleased with them and have taken pictures for you to see and look at on here .. First picture at the top of this blog is two pieces of fabric I bought from the lovely Yvonne of Absolutely Evocative and the second picture of some gorgeous eiderdown fabric again is from Clare of Daisy Darling ... thrilled with all three pieces.  Yvonne also made me a heart out of some of the same fabric and it is hung up in my sewing room as it is filled with lavender ... muncher repellent !!!!

Well I will leave you with this little You Tube video to watch it really only a few minutes long but it inspired me to design some redwork and I hope you enjoy it.

Have a great day and Happy Stitching!