Tuesday 27 March 2018

Threads of time .. ..


















.......  There is something about combining new
threads with some of your old ones  🎇












When rummaging around my stashes of vintage threads I like to see if any will go with a current project.  It is a great way to loose yourself and I have to be careful that I do not go down the rabbit hole for most of the morning!

A piece that I have started this week cries out for the correct antique thread with just the right texture and I am sure I must have something that I feel will be just so.  If not well I can go truffling at my next vintage event for just the right colour and texture.  So basically I am looking for twist as Beatrix would say ... or her dear little mice anyway.  It just so happens I have one of them who lives with me and is so apt for who I am and what I love to do..  🐭


Thank you for well wishes over Mum she is doing lots better today and I am off to spend some time with her later today.  I have a jar that I bought and I have filled it with little different Easter eggs for her and have her card.  Through this week my sister will take her in some grapes and other goodies too.  I took her in lots of daffodils that were in bud and put them in a jug in her room to say hello Spring!!

I am looking forward to some rest and relaxation coming up and I have some catch up of letter writing to do and lots of little slow stitching bits to tackle as well.

It will be nice to have my husband off for a few days as well, his hours and my hours plus other things we have been like ships in the night so I am excited at the prospect.

Design days have been on hold for so long now and I would like to get some the ideas dancing around my head down on paper properly.  I like to sketch a little something with notes in the margin truffling in my paisley drawers!! - you all know what I mean don't you!!! it does not sound good --
of ideas or different thoughts.  I love those hours where thinking of things become a reality that jumps off the page at you.  I sometimes get water colours out to look at colours and then of course it is that delicious past time of

Gorgeous fabrics and gorgeous threads it is something that I love and feel lucky to be able to do.  It brings happiness and peace to me and I am grateful that I adore what I do.

So many little things that I need to get doing to clear my mind and I have written a list which helps me see I am achieving something as I put a neat line through each task completed.

I must just tell you one thing we managed at the weekend was to collect all the bird feeders in from the garden and clean them.  Taking out any old seed at the bottoms and my husband being who he is took them apart, unscrewing every little bit.  All washed and dried and put back together along with
all filled with brand new seeds, mealy worms, crushed peanuts and sunflower kernels.  Nothing very remarkable I guess but it took a few hours.  The commotion in the garden however was unreal!

Where was their food?  What had happened? Must alert the humans to our plight?  We could starve? yes that is what was going on and top of the chorus was Miss Muddy Beak who was far from amused!  Anyway yesterday they were ignoring it all but today it was too much to for them and they went back to feeding - I think they thought they were punishing us by not feeding.

Today all is back to its normal mad self out there and the sun has been shining and they are indeed happy again.  With the snow and the thaw plus the rain we had seed had got wet and stuck in the feeders and little tufts of grass seemed to be growing out so we actually sorted it all.

As I am sat typing this to you there is light mornings and I know Summer is on its way soon there will be stitching in the garden and I am so ready for that to happen now.  It seems to me it has been such a very long Winter this year.  Time to beach comb and sketch down along the shore and to walk through the forest for inspiration.


 Well today is my last working day as I am going to take some time off for Easter.  I will be back here on Tuesday 3rd of April.   I hope you all have a lovely Easter and that the sun shines for us all. Although I have heard there could be some snow - I know I wanted some, but now I would like Spring, I am still cold as I am a chilly mortal but it is only just coming up for April and my darling Dad used to say to us ' Don,t cast a clout til' May is out' and I am beginning to see he was very wise in his words that he borrowed.

The rhyme he got this saying from was from  In 1855, F. K. Robertson’s Whitby Gazette and  published the following rhyme


The wind at North and East
Was never good for man nor beast
So never think to cast a clout
Until the month of May is out.

So all that is left to say is have a very Happy Easter whatever you are doing and enjoy your time off as well.

Happy Stitching! XX



Monday 26 March 2018

Worn, Weathered and stitched with love ...




















     ............... words to inspire, to plant a thought
 or place a picture in someones mind, just  
adds to a piece of hand stitchery. ♡











Sorry that I am later this morning unfortunately my mum is very unwell and its been a very worrying few days.  I was sat with her for hours yesterday waiting for a doctor that came at 9pm in the end.  I am going to phone later today to see how her night eventually was.  She was very agitated as well she has two infections and a temperature...  I will let you know tomorrow how she is going on.  Now to stitchery ..

It amazes me, still, how a needle and thread can embellish and add to beauty on vintage fabrics and antique pieces of quilts.  To watch as your work grows with each tiny, slow and deliberate stitch the change of a already beautiful piece of textile unfolds in front of your eyes.

Even something like visible mending can be beautiful in my eyes and the fabric may not need a mend it seems to bring another dimension to a piece of fabric art I always think.

My needles are threaded today and time to stitch some more work for print - inspiration has taken hold of me and I am looking forward to a quiet day of slow stitching with my thoughts and bird watching.  The garden is all of a buzz with the sun that has appeared and the birds are flying  around with there busy day, sorted it seems.

My little wire basket has been sorted also and a very neat and tidy work basket it is too or was until
this little lady popped up in it  with family - helping?!  It seems all the wild life is nesting and getting ready for the Summer months ahead and of course about families that will fill our beautiful world with more nature and keep that all important cycle going for future generations...

French knots are my favourite thing to embroider right now and I enjoy doing little clusters to bring interest and texture to a piece.  The things that you can make with these tiny and easy stitches is outstanding ...

The joy of the way that fabric art is going is that it does not have to be structured or indeed represent anything in particular, just stitching and adding fabrics and interesting stitches and texture to a piece. Words for me are all important, I love them, its the wordsmith in me.  If I feel a piece of my work will benefit from even one word added or indeed a saying or quote, then It makes me happy.  A word, just one, can inspire or induce thoughts and there is magic in a word and language. 💮


Sometimes when just adding some hand quilting like stitches to some fabric or old quilt it is lovely to be intentionally random, yet form a pattern to add to a piece of textile's story....

Something about worn and preloved fabrics with added little stitches and texture from this decade to go along with the original and already mended or added to stitches over already past decades.  History - at its best for future generations to look at and wonder at all over again.

Also loving mixed media pieces as well and have found the most gorgeous of books when I went to see a friend in Bridport last week it is delicious.  I can not break up this book it is too special but oh the beautiful images ..  Also I like combining old papers, stitching, calligraphy and dried flowers too.  The glass calligraphy pens in the picture are my tools of choice they are amazing and one good dip and they holds ink for a good sentence so its not dip dip dip every few seconds ...


With so much inspiration that surrounds us in nature and architecture and the beauty in places that we see in our everyday lives.  The ocean, countryside, towns and villages.  Road sides with flowers and the shapes of trees.  I noticed trees more in the snow with it settling on their branches as if it was outlining their beauty.  Each tree so very different from the other with branches that looked like a labyrinth of pathways reaching into the sky ... such everyday beauty that we tend not to see and take for granted yet it is there in front of us to wonder at.  🍁

On this Monday morning I am going to enjoy my stitching and wondering's and see what inspired
piece I can come up with.  It is a short week as Easter is upon us .. can you believe it.  I am not sure where this year is running off to.  Soon enough it will be April and this seems so fast to me.  We are forever wishing our time away, can not wait for Spring, can not wait for Summer and so on but it really does come around too fast and therefore we should just enjoy our moments in time as and when they appear and make the very best of them and enjoy our seasons ...

Well I hope you enjoyed my ramblings and that they have inspired you to pick up your own needle and thread today.  I hope  you all have a wonderful day.   All that is left to say is I will see you tomorrow and of course as always Happy Stitching! XX






Thursday 22 March 2018

Create your own happiness ...











....... With gentle threads of love, slow stitched
and woven into the old weaves of gorgeous
linens and fabrics - add to its story.






Gently Spring is arriving here, I had a walk up to our seafront yesterday to blow away the cobwebs and was able to photograph a few things along the way.  I saw a few little wild flowers along the pathways and green parts of the seafront ( at least I think they are because some things considered weeds can be very pretty indeed) and later I will get my dear little wild flower book out and have an investigation.

It is still cold and only in single figures temperature wise but I can see the signs and smell it in the air.  I am not sure though if Winter is ready to give up her season yet.  Reports are there could be a cold snap over Easter next week.  Still my snow drops are still hanging on and the daffodils are nodding there beautiful heads in the breeze.  There are buds on our pear and elderflower trees and encouragingly enough some great looking buds on my fig tree that I have high hopes for this year.

I have started to see the birds busy themselves and I am thinking they may be getting ready to feather their nests for the new families that will appear in our garden this summer all fluffy feathers and playful.  I have been keeping my tiny scraps of soft eiderdown and paisley fabrics for them ... they seem to like it and I hope it keeps their young warm and cosy.

The weekend is upon us and I have some relaxing stitching planned today.  I have sorted out my little basket of stitching and have printed out my dates of when I need to have some designs ready so this weekend I can get thinking and sketching out.  We are at home this weekend and we are going to see where it takes us with no firm plans and some relaxing time together.  In addition I am writing up my family history and feel I can afford myself several hours doing that as well.

Sorting out some beautiful fabrics is on the menu and I will be using some and putting some aside for packs.  I realised how much stunning fabric I actually have in my cupboards and drawers here in my sewing room and some delicious hand dyed threads to use with them and I feel so lucky, they have to be used though as I think it is a terrible waste for it all to be nestled snugly out of sight.  I am going to use some today and it will hopefully see my large needle case finished  for me to put in my sewing
basket.  I am enjoying embellishing it for me to use and there is a bit more work but I have more time now and then of course there is Easter coming up and a long weekend for us and for me to continue my personal stitchery.

I have got back into my reading at night before going to sleep and I am engrossed in a book at the moment, also I have heard the new Kate Morton book will be out this year and that is a must.  When I get one of her books they are hard to put down and I may take a few days out to just have a few book worm days .....Hopefully it will come out this Summer, there is nothing like reading outside with the wild life busying about and the sweet smell of summer flowers in the air.

Life in the slow lane and hand sewing is my order of the day and I was busy early this morning sorting through my treasures and truffling happily away and it struck me that I am no longer doing this in the dark .... Summer time hours are creeping in and the promise of warmer days a head and slow stitching outside. Normally I have all my lamps on in my sewing room and a torch for looking in backs of cupboards, today at  6am it was not needed .... 
The vintage fair season has kicked off and my dairy is starting to fill up with wonderful events all over the country with goodies not discovered by myself yet.  So a few days going through all my
fabrics is a must. There is The  Fair in the Square on the 14th April in Midhurst and there are always lovely stalls there and more often than not gorgeous fabrics on offer as well.  So it is a must to have a stock check and see what is not needed anymore and make way for new/very old treasures for me to work with.

I need to get to the framer as well because I have some gorgeous button cards to get framed to hang on my sewing room walls.  As tempting as it is to use some I think these are complete and need to be saved for prosperity.  You saw the button card I bought at the VB and you have seen the others in historical blogs, I can not resist such history.  I am always afraid they will be cut off and used and never seen as a whole again.

Well that is it for today as I really must get on with my working day.  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and I will see you back here on Monday.

As always Happy Stitching! XX








Truffled goodies ... treasures for sure.









The wonder of The Vintage Bazaar
It never disappoints and always has
so much vintage treasure ...










Well it was a wonderful day as you have already read this week but what did I come home with you may be wondering.  Well in no particular order of purchase you understand here is what I plundered!
Isobelle has always got some gorgeous haberdashery as I showed you earlier in the week and there were some wonderful milliners flowers there and some gorgeous little antique mother of pearl buttons on their original cards.  Some were pink but I was interested in the cream mother of pearl and pick up a few cards for my collection and use.

I use the little milliner flowers in some of my mixed media designs and I always use buttons as you know so I was really pleased with my purchases.




Daisy Darling had the most beautiful vintage lovelies on her stall but I had seen some brooches that she had made and she had photographed some prior to the VB on the Saturday.  I was hoping I was in time to buy the one I had my eye on and to my joy she did as we were there early.  Later in the day it was a different story as I believe she sold most of these.  They are all hand made by Clare and she has hand painted on a delicate face to each.  I loved the one with the pink flower petals around this 1930,s chic lady and I adored the colours.  Her face is just beautiful and the care that has gone into each brooch!!  Hand made takes so much time and I am proud to be the owner of this beauty.




Then I was at Ginny Vintage Pink had some beautiful quilts, fabrics and quilt pieces for purchase on her stall.  I was very good in the fact that I walked away from the quilts on offer but she had this stunning piece of vintage fabric and it is fairly large so I am going to cut off what I would like and pop some in some fabric inspiration packs. It is a favourite of mine in the fact that it is fabric from an antique eiderdown that had probably seen better days.  Eiderdown and paisley fabric is my think and I can not resist it.

It is so me!









Leagrave Antique and Vintage had a beautiful collection of vintage goodies and on Tuesday I asked if
you could guess what I picked up and brought home with me. Now knowing me as you all do by now I am sure most of you guessed correctly.  Who could resist this book.  Well clearly not me.  It is the most darling thing and is as beautiful on the outside as it amongst its antique pages.  So many gorgeous paintings of flowers and the wild flower kind as well.  I am so happy with this beauty.






I had not even looked inside when I said yes please to this little book.  It is a great reference to wild flowers and some are very rare now so when I am hunting around the hedgerows this summer I will be able to identify them if I see them and jot down where and when I did.  I love wild flowers more than the cultivated ones .

I have photographed a few for you to look at and they are hand painted as well ... I am beyond thrilled with this treasure!







I bought a most gorgeous antique, hand painted button card as well from Linda Campbell it was such
a beautiful thing.  I already have a mother of pearl button card with flower shapes all present and correct and a button card with the tiny buttons that would go onto boots and dresses in all the most gorgeous soft colours and all mother of pearl which is framed and on my wall.  This card has a seaside theme and of sailors ... It would not normally be my thing but with the hand painted art on the card as well it just had to come back home to my wall of buttons... What do you think.?












Then I was at Vintage-On-Sea and as you may remember from the photos there was some gorgeous
china  and some fabrics as well as other beautiful goodies.


I did buy two china plates and I will photograph them on my dresser later on, I want to change it around a bit and pop them up so it will not be today.  However the fabrics are really beautiful and I was over the moon with them.  They are all nicely tucked up in tissue waiting to be stored but I have not
had time yet.  My sewing room needs a good sort out as I have been busy as you know.  I am now busy wrapping kits to send around the UK and America so tidy will have to wait until I finish that this week.

This fabric had my name on it and again what I do not need might end up in some fabric packs to move on.

I have some gorgeous fabrics and I use what I would like and keep a little for my personal use and then to make room for other fabrics still not discovered by myself yet.  It is the way forward I think.













The as you know I had made an order from Sarah of The Blueberry Patch and it had been some
weeks ago.  I had asked if she had any more primitive images and I wanted them on bigger cushions but with a matt image and not shiny.  As always this wonderful and lovely lady stepped up to the plate for me  once more.











I had ordered three and I love them so much.  Ready for the season later in the year around September when I like to decorate for Thanks Giving and go on over into Halloween.  Sarah is not at every fair so I wanted to be sure
I had these in my arsenal and ready.  I love primitive and my new designs are going that way a little.  I love the simple nature of them.

The old painted houses that I have loved for so many years and which feature in one of my Shaker inspired designs of late.  These on a cushion are just the right look for September time.






Then who could resist this image?! I ask you ... with the sheep and the old timber clad farmhouse ... It was perfect for what I was looking for.


So these were my treasures I brought home with me from the March Vintage Bazaar.

I am pleased to tell you all that they are doing it all again in April and this time it is in Frome.

It is on Saturday 28th April 2018 at ....

The Cheese and Grain
Frome
Somerset
BA11 1BE

The doors open at 9am and close at 3pm and is only £2 Admission to walk into wonderland.  Frome is a beautiful town and there is so much to do and see so this is a great day out.  Needless to say I will be there.


Today for me is wrapping parcels and doing a little slow stitching along with a little tidy in my sewing room.  
Mrs Muddy Beak and Mr Robin are chatting away in the garden and they have been fed so I must go and see what is the matter.  It could be a cat in our midst so it is time to investigate further.

I hope you have a wonderful day and I think the sun might make an appearance for a little longer today.

Happy Stitching! XX

Tuesday 20 March 2018

Wonderful way to kick start the vintage fair season ....








. . . . . . . .  The Vintage Bazaar!
gorgeous vintage goodies all under
one roof and a great truffling session.






What can I say .... it was a wonderful way to start of the weekend of rest for me, meeting up
with friends and being surrounded by gorgeous vintage goodies in the beautiful market town of Devizes.  We were starting here for a few hours then we headed to our friend in Devon to his cottage so that I could be cooked for and generally pampered by him.  To say I needed it was a under statement. We spent the night and had a wonderful dinner party. The snow was falling hard and I hoped that it would be wonderland in the morning - it did not disappoint, over a foot fell over night and it snowed all day and evening again.  We left there around 5pm to go home, having 4 x 4 I am afraid it does not snow us in for a few days!!  I digress, back to Saturday first ......
When you walk through the Corn Exchange doors you are greeted by the lovely Jack and Mike and the anticipation of walking around, chatting to people and other wise catching up with great like minded friends, it was a tonic.  There was snow falling and it was rather chilly but oh so magical. It was bitterly cold outside but inside was toasty and warm and the music was playing in the background.  Lots of people I knew and lots of catching up and chatter it was so wonderful and a pure tonic.

I had my list, basket and purse, camera for photos I was set for a great few hours of vintage rummaging and relaxation.  The work that goes into this event is enormous and both Liz and Clare along with their respective husbands really do work hard to make sure every detail is just so,  so that everyone who walks through the doors can have a wonderful time at such a great vintage fair.

There were lots of lovely people dressed for the occasion and I was able, with their permission, to take some photos for you to see.

As I walked through the door who should I see but the lovely Liz of The Washerwoman fame! As you all know by now she is one of the  co organisers of the VB.  There was her beautiful French fabrics and vintage goodies all laid out perfectly.  It was a very cold day on Saturday and the wind was whipping up and the snow was falling, Liz was right by the door in the foyer and as cold as it was she was smiling away and chatting to all the lovely customers walking through the door.






Then as I wandered along who should be there a little way down but Jane of Kiss the Book and her always gorgeous stall with antique books all laid out beautifully.  I love books as you know and this is one of my favourites to have a jolly good truffle.  I had asked for her to find me some bits and as always she had come up trumps.










Then I wanted to find Clare of Daisy Darling, she is a co organiser too but she had been putting pictures out of some gorgeous goodies and some stunning hand painted and hand made brooches too.  Clare is a milliner and her cloche hats were there, as well as some most beautiful antique goodies, her stall as always was really a feast for the eyes ....


There were gorgeous eiderdowns, books, hats, handmade brooches and some gorgeous original prints that were for purchase, sometimes I do wonder how she can bare to part with
them ... treasure indeed!

We had a coffee together and a general catch up and also I got to see her two gorgeous girls as well.  Worth the visit just for that alone.

Isn't her work exquisite!  who could resist that face! .. well not me ..







Now ladies and gents you are in for a real treat because who should be there but Lucky George and his lovely wife Gracie.  They were both dressed beautifully as you can see from the photo.  However I would like to pay extra attention to Gracie's outfit, it is a 1939 ski suite that was made for Fortnum and Mason's and there were a very limited addition of them.  On the day when the wind was howling and the snow was falling it was a perfect day to wear it out.  I was thrilled they were kind enough to let me take a photo of the handsome pair.








Then I spotted Laura and Phil of Savoy Art Deco Collectibles with there most beautiful pieces.  I was taken with the gorgeous lamp you will see in my photo, it was so unusual.  I am trying not to buy pieces for a house we have not moved to yet or indeed found as you know, it took every ounce of restraint I can tell you.  Look at the pieces that I photographed ... stunning!



Bumping into friends who were there to buy as well and the music that was playing had everyone, even the stall holders jiggling,  It was impossible not to.


Then it was time to find Sarah of The Blueberry Patch as I had made an order some weeks prior and it was time for me to pick it up.  It was lovely to see her and hear all about the excitement of one of her very talented children who had been to see the university of his choice to study medicine.

Always lovely to catch up and always lovely to bring back two bags with my pre ordered goodies in them....






Vintage-On-Sea was there and oh my there were some gorgeous fabrics and some rather beautiful vintage china as well.  I was able to not only take some photos but have a great little truffle about it was wonderful.

Look at that china!  all set out beautifully so you could see all the details on the pieces as well. I might have come away with a few bits!












Then I bumped into Cate who as always looks amazing, I love the way she does her hair especially
and her choice of outfit on this cold snowy day looked cosy and warm.  I asked and she said yes so here we are ladies and gents - how lovely does she look! The coat with the collar that on a day like Saturday kept her looking and feeling cosy and warm.












Susie and Russell Needham were there with a large stall full of fabulous fabrics.  There were checks, stripes and floral.  All set out so well you could see each piece.  It was a large stall and so I snapped away at some of the neat stacks just to show you the variety and quality.

If you were a dress maker you would have had a hard choice choosing what to purchase.












Right next door was Leagrave Antiques and Vintage now just feast your eyes on some gorgeous hats and look at that Victorian gown as well.  I was in heaven looking around here and truffling about taking photos for you all to see.

Button up boots and a gorgeous brooch too, it really was an eclectic array of goodies at its best. Notice the hats for sale with a handbag and shoes ... Such gorgeous goodies.










Belinda Sharples was there and she had some really beautiful things on offer from fabric, antique quilt scraps, haberdashery and so much more.  I did not know where to start or what to look at first it was a really lovely display of vintage goodies. I spent a long time here looking and snapping photos.

Was I tempted, indeed I was ......









Jack of  La Camionette Bleue had some great antique linens there on offer and they are European.  I have bought several bolts of them and will be using what I need for two of my vintage dresses being made and I will sell the rest by the metre ....

The stripes and checks and in some really beautiful colourways and patterns too. I have a bolt of blue an white and a bolt of red and white.. So gorgeous and such a beautiful soft linen with age and beauty rolled into each metre ....







Fenela Sadler Vintage was there and you just had to stop and stare, with some really rare and beautiful finds on offer.  I was in heaven truffling about on this stall.  Gorgeous bridal head dresses and veils, handbags, shoes, vintage stockings still in their original packages ... it was outstanding!











Linda Campbell was there and as always their was so much to see and look at from very old and rare toys to buttons on their original cards and hand painted designs and so much more.  Shoes and cards with trimmings and lace.  I spent a long time here trying not to miss anything.  Such a pleasure to truffle in and yes I picked a little something up!











Isobelle was there this time as well and always has such gorgeous haberdashery and fabrics on offer.  There were cards of tiny antique mother of pearl buttons as well as feathers, beads, milliners flowers to name just a few bits of boxes and baskets of gorgeous vintage goodies. Now can you guess some of what I purchased on here?













Then I bumped into this dapper chap, Rowan was there and as always looking wonderful in a warm looking 1940's outfit complete with coat and hat.  We had a little catch up and he was happy for me to take a photo for you all to see.

Honestly there is something about this era and the way men dressed, call me old fashioned if you like but I think it looks so good.











Ginny Vintage Pink was there with piles of beautiful quilts and baskets of gorgeous fabric and quilt piece packs.  Now I love getting the chance to look around her gorgeous stall.  You may or may not remember last summer my husband bought me a Dresden Plate quilt from this lovely lady.  It is one of my favourite treasures and will be going on our bed when the weather warms up a little.  It is in summer colours ....








Leagrave Antique and Vintage was there and I had personally never seen this stall or the lovely lady who was the owner but wow what an ecclectic array of goodies.  I had so much fun looking on here and taking fabulous photos for you to see. We were chatting away and both of us were jiggling along to the music playing...

I did pick up a little something on here and it is photographed and I wonder, can you guess what it was?  It will be in a show and tell later in the week ...







It was such a wonderful event and such a great way to spend a few hours on a Saturday.  The snow was falling and it was time for us to go and get some lunch before heading to our friends in Devon.  The snow was coming down fast now and we had a quick lunch and headed on our 2 hour journey.  We arrived safely and dinner was prepared for later and the snow kept coming.

We had such a great evening and did not head back until Sunday afternoon and a great Sunday roast that had been cooked for us.  There was way over a foot of snow that had fallen and it was winter wonderland there.  I actually did not want to leave but having a 4 x 4 meant it had to be more that a few foot for us not to be able to get out of Devon and home to the South Coast by the sea.


As you can see it really was coming down and yes I did do yet another snow angel for the second time this year.  I have had my wish of snow and now I am so ready for Spring and some warmer weather.

I hope you have all enjoyed your little peek at the Vintage Bazaar and that you will be back here on Thursday for a look at some of the treasures that I managed to truffle there.

I will leave you with another photo of Lucky George and Gracie in her most gorgeous skit suit ... I think it has such a wow factor, don't you?

Happy Stitching! XX




Monday 19 March 2018

Bundles of linens and goodies ....












............  And under it all there is me somewhere!





As the stitching process has come to an end, so the creative part of photography and combining all the elements to make a slow stitch kit has been done. I keep thinking did I really say I would produce these.  I am not a huge business and I do not have employees, it is just me! I think I am going to have a launch party with just me, myself and I as well, or maybe just have a good sleep!

So the first kit has four designs going out as a series, Hare seasons.

The kit comes in a custom made box with a contents sticker printed on the inside.  It is all beautifully wrapped. There are four of my own hand drawn  illustrations which been professionally printed as iron on embroidery transfers. There are  four pieces of  hand cut antique French linen circa 1900, and it is gorgeous. Each piece of the linen is approximately 6 x 6 inches  There are also four antique mother of pearl buttons in their own little glassine envelope and still on original card.


I have included instructions  and a note from me. Each kit is numbered. 1 to 40 as this a strictly limited run.  They will never be re printed, and they are a one off series and unique to Homespun Stitchworks.

I have had photos taken of the four designs that have been hand stitched in the colours I personally like, but of course when I did my survey the majority of you said you would prefer to use your own threads and colours so it is just an example for you to see my finished designs.

The kit is offered at £49.50 and that includes postage within the UK however if you are outside of the UK I will be glad to post to you at cost.

 I am going to let my readers  have the chance to purchase this limited addition before I make them available to the public.  So any orders received before Friday 23rd March will be honoured on a first come first served basis.
You will need to comment with the word  SOLD on my blog or on FB Homespun Stitchworks page and send me your email address for a pay pal invoice.


I had such a week last week and it was both fabulous and gruelling .... Manufacturing my first kits has been a wonderful journey and I just want to thank you all for your encouragement, inspiration and for asking so nicely for me to design for you.

So, to my designs ...  there is Hare in Spring with tiny snow drops looking up at the stars and the button moon.  Then there is Hare in the Summer looking up at the button moon and dandelions with tiny little spores floating in the Summer breeze.  Hare in Autumn is looking at leaves blowing under the button moon  and the acorns on the ground and lastly Hare in the  Winter is gazing at the snow flakes falling under the Winter full moon and she is watching the flakes dance around her in wonder.




The little Hare is called Harriet ,  I have fallen in love with her over the months and she is very special to me.  There is a little of me in every design .  You can make a wall hanging of all four or indeed cushions.  You could frame them.  The other idea if you would like is to keep the vintage linen for other projects and iron the designs or design onto  a piece of clothing and then embroider it  to make your chosen item unique to you.  The choice is yours.  Harriet is going on one of my dresses.


Other news is that I went to The Vintage Bazaar on Saturday and took photos so I will be reporting about that this week, it was amazing as usual.  I love the VB and it is such a great way to kick of the vintage fair season!  The snow was falling in the gorgeous market town and was bitterly cold.  Not so inside the lovely music was playing and everyone was smiling and happy.

The madness has now stopped and normal service is resumed here at Homespun HQ.  Can you believe we have had snow again!! its madness, Mr Jack Frost is trying so hard to kill my Spring flowers in the garden and Miss Muddy Beak is all of a dither

We  spent Saturday night in Devon at our friends ( after the VB in Devizes) and there was a way over a foot of snow so we did have fun on Sunday watching the deer in the woods, walking all through it and yes another snow angel was done by myself.  It was stunning.  Back here in Bournemouth there is snow but not as much as Devon.  The birds were very pleased I was home this morning for feeding and as I say Miss Muddy was very vocal about no feeding on Sunday....  I did leave lots out on the covered bird table so she should have been good...

I bought a few treasures at the VB and I will show you later in the week.  I must collate the photos and I will report on the the Vintage Bazaar as well.

My little basket of hand stitching is by my chair and the fire is ready to light, I feel much calmer and happy now that the kits are ready to be offered for purchase.

I am now going to make a warm drink and snuggle up in this  further cold weather spell and resume my other slow stitching commitments as well as do a little of my own stitching as a celebration. Ahhh!

I will be back here tomorrow morning  so I hope you will all join me then.

Hoping that you all have a wonderful day and as always Happy Stitching! XX