Monday 11 September 2017

Slow stitching baskets at the ready.













There is something about this time of
year that makes me so happy.
I love the days with scented candles
and making one pot meals
and watching nature paint our
landscapes with incredible colours.




I am in full Autumn mode right now with a dusting of Christmas, I know it is only September but when you are cutting out Christmas trees from gorgeous old pieces of pre-loved and and time worn quilts then it happens ....

I have a cinnamon spiced apple candle in my stitchery room and thoughts of pumpkin pie and pecan pie being made to serve with coffees here... yes full Autumn mode.  Also in our road on Friday 29th Sept is the Macmillan Day here again and I always help.  So my thoughts are of what to bake to contribute ... I always go over to help my friend an hour before it starts and all the way through.  It is also the day this road remembers my lovely neighbour Ray, the one who fought cancer fiercely and with bravery.  He is the one who worked for Coates and we miss him very much.  Me being the stitcher around here misses him daily because we would talk thread and sewing all the time, he loved it and I loved learning about way back when.

So I have cut out four Christmas tree fronts and backs and have stitched on some patchwork pieces on top of some on the machine.  Started to write on the words for stitching and I feel six will be good to take to sew.  I also want to take some red work or indeed a cross stitch piece.  I just can not decide
which one right now.

The Christmas trees will have red and white bakers twine to hang them instead of ribbon and I have made them slightly wibble wobble as I wanted them not to be so triangular or a perfect triangle, so I drew them free hand which worked really well and I found the effect I wanted.

The trunks will be cinnamon sticks so they smell good and I think there will be cloves inside with stuffing too....

The weather has changed quite a bit and we had our annual chimney sweep come to clean our chimneys last Friday.  We have an open fire in one room and a log burner in another and both are now safe to use and it feels it will not be long either.  I will assume my position by the fire in my cuddle down chair and be stitching by one of them I think very soon.





Today I have got out my cinnamon syrup to have with warm apple juice.  Its not as good as you get in America because they used unpasteurised apple juice but its not bad and this time of year it is rather lovely as a early evening drink, we have a great coffee machine here and it has the steam heater spout on for frothy milk but you see I heat my apple juice with it as well takes but a few seconds and I have a lovely Autumn drink ... so quick I am not away from my stitchery for too long.

This picture of a tree cut out has now got the words Angels Gather written on ready for me to embroider.  I put that on the blue side.  I am still undecided about the button I covered so we will see what I think after the embroidery has been completed.  It is lovely to be doing this and yes a sprinkle of Christmas has taken over me.... No good trying to do all that Christmas stitching in December with so much else to be done and the shopping we all have to do.  No I like to do mine now and then its ready and waiting for me.  These will be tied on to presents as decoration and a extra little gift.



The blue half of the above tree had some patchwork put on from little bits of antique fabrics and I
thought it turned out rather well.  I put some on another of the trees. ( top picture)

I may write snowflakes softly fall on another of my trees but I will see if that will fit on. I think it will on the white side of this tree, each word on a different strip will look good I feel.  and some white embroidery on the red with patchwork side, little snow flakes?


The urge to get them done before I go is getting to me but I am going take them and be good.  It is easier to take little things on a plane.

Today I am going to get on with the cutting out of two more trees and then concentrate on the mixed media picture and because I have had the fairy dust of Christmas sprinkled over me it is now going to have a Christmas theme .. can not help it - sorry!

In readiness I have got out my water colours and old papers and letters and a gorgeous bundle of fabrics and threads ... It is exciting.  Of course if it goes well I might jump back a season and do something with the Autumn feel too.  This week is about experimenting and designing new things and I am having a great time thinking about how to do things.

Well that is it for today I hope you all have a great day and forgive my excitement of the season jumping.

Happy Stitching! XX









8 comments:

  1. I forgive you......... It's September, then October........ and it will soon be here...Christmas....
    Today here is a day to snuggle down to stitch, its very windy and very wet here today.

    Julie xxxxxx

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Julie! Yes we are not far now from Christmas, not when sewing things for it.
      The weather is not nice here either so best place to be today is at home in the warmth and creating!
      Take care

      Sarah xxxxxxx

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  2. Morning Sarah,
    Oh I do love your trees and I'm doing something similar when I can get to it. I'm in exactly the same place as you and am unashamedly thinking of Christmas. I've got cinnamon scents on the go here and I'm totally going Hygge.
    Lots of love Dawn xxx

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    Replies
    1. Hi Dawn
      Nothing wrong with embracing our seasons I feel. Hygge is the way forward!
      Our chimneys are swept .. coal hods filled. Log baskets too.
      Throws and quilts are over chairs and our winter blankets out for out Winter b b q days ( when it's not wet and a fire pit!) is fun and cosy!
      Candles alight! Yes I am totally with you !

      Loved cutting my trees out - just have to wrap them up other wise I will get itching fingers to embroider some!

      Have a good day and kive those gorgeous doggies a kiss from me.

      Sarah xxx

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  3. Your little trees look lovely and will be perfect for doing on the flight over. I must admit to being glad that autumn is here. The air has certainly changed up here in Scotland and the leaves are starting to turn to browns and reds. I had the burner on tonight. It was cold and wet and I just sat and knitted and watched the GBBO. Bliss! I had earlier decided to rdomthe edge on a Christmas runner I made last year, but because I have so little time at the moment I was rushing and will have to pick it off and reposition. I am so looking forward to having time to take my time with projects instead and of trying to get them crammed into a short space of time. Hope you day went well. Mo xxxx

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    Replies
    1. Hello Mo

      Lovely to hear from you, gosh you have had your log burner on already! I have to say we did have a rather cold evening the other night but we opted to snuggle under a quilt as we decided to watch some tv which for us is slightly unusual!
      I am trying not to light the fires until November we will see!

      It will be so lovely when you finally have the time to create, be careful though it gets to a point where you will have not time for anything but! lol.

      I am pleased with my trees, the flight is only 6 hours so I think they are just right for the journey. It is daylight so all will be well for tiny stitches.
      Did you enjoy Goodwood, thought about you.

      Sarah xxxx

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    2. Oh Goodwood was brilliant. Weather a bit iffy, but we still had immense fun. We both enjoyed dressing the part and in fact when I started to gather things together it was amazing just how much stuff I actually have from that period. Will certainly be back next year. Hadn't realised quite how far down it was though - 9 hour drive !!! Xxx

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    3. How fabulous Mo! I saw photos looked great!
      That's quite a drive! But it was good so it's worth the effort then.
      Sarah xxx

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