Spring Sampler

Finally complete!

Spring Sampler

A lovely design by Lorna Bateman

I have so enjoyed working on this piece 

I have chosen some different threads and ribbon colours for this piece and some of the stump work details, such as the watering can, and I added cuffs to the leather gloves. 

I have mixed feelings now that have no more little bits to do on it 

Delighted its complete sad it's all done. 

Lorna now sells this as a kit.
Working on something new....and a bit different for me, pictures to follow soon :)

Spring Sampler ...a little progress

to show....... have worked a little on the insects, 

ants, tiny bees and the ladybird in stumpwork

spiders web is stitched in a double thread of lilac and silver but not sure I like it,

think it needs redoing, 

beginning on the dragonfly.....

stitched wings in fine metallic teal, and legs.

Looking forward to the EG Scottish Regional Day in Dundee tomorrow.

Spring Sampler WIP

There is a little progress on the spring sampler

I re stitched the border where it was supposed to go

 under the beehive and insects row ....

 then I stitched a double knot row under the letters,

 I used a Caron 'Autumn Leaves'

on the row above I stitched a row of beaded blanket stitch, however the beads covered up most of the stitching, should probably have used a darker colour, I used the Caron 'Lemon and Lime', so I whipped it with another, more colourful thread just above the beads called Chameleon 'Summer garden'

You can also see I have completed the birdhouse and grasses below and began stitching on the flower basket next to it, the next stage of this bit is the basket which will be done in bullion knots so I might leave it until I have completed all the other more flat embroidery and put it back onto the larger frame.

EG Airdrie branch meet again tonight, I was supposed to have some stitching on my Cretan door to show you but I found it difficult to concentrate on it with so much chat and demos going on so I only did a small amount, tonight I will probably do some more on the sampler or my needlepoint nest which I worked on a little at Tuesday's meeting with Fife branch while we discussed ways to display all our 'Houses'.

Spring Sampler & Easter offerings

A little progress on my spring sampler 

I decided to try my hand at Portuguese Border stitch using this lovely Caron Wildflower thread called Raspberry Sorbet.

along the third line 

I enjoyed working the stitch which looks similar to Heavy Chain
 but is worked in a completely different way,

very enjoyable and easy going, 

most of this is worked on the top of the fabric

 love the effect of the thread too

this is the underside,

Unfortunately, once finished I realised that I had in fact stitched along the wrong row :(

so I had to snip it out 

not too laborious, 

quite quick really .... now I get to stitch it all over again ! 

in the right place this time :)

 Primroses on the top row I stitched the stems in overcast stem stitch

and leaves in buttonhole stitch  DMC 3348 lt yellow green thread 

*****

As Sunday was a busy day for us I didn't get to post a picture of the little Easter gifts

which we put together for our family

 Charlotte and I made some more of the little nest that she made at Nursery

We used High Bran cereal  mixed with melted chocolate cake covering, spooned into cupcake cases and topped with sugar coated eggs, delicious!

These were popped into little bags with foil covered eggs and little fluffy chicks and rabbits. 

The Azalea I bought for my Mum.

Spring Sampler WIP

This is the Spring Sampler I am working on, I was fortunate to pick up a good printed linen 'second'  from Lorna Bateman's stall at the SECC creative stitches show about 2 years ago.

It was nice to catch a chat with her at the show this year, where we discussed the stitches she had used and the thread widths etc. I also bought a selection of the beautiful Chameleon Threads that she sells.

The piece measures 9 "x 13 "

Working on the A~Z stitch tags for Tag Tuesday has prompted me to make a start on the sampler, 

I'm not one for doing pre-printed samplers usually but the tempting mix of freestyle stitching, stump~work and ribbon work, which I have never tried before, appealed to me.

I began with the words I used white French floss and stitched them in whipped back stitch.

Next I did the borders, for the sides, I choose Anchor Pearl 5 thread in  variegated greens ( No 1352 )

   The outer and inner lines are worked in double knot.

 I beaded these two leaves to try out the beads I bought for size, Lorna advised size 15 but I couldn't get the colour in that size so I bought size 11 and used 6 beads on each leaf instead of the 10 she used. I will wait till later to bead the rest of leaves. 

for the smaller leaves in the top and bottom borders I used  'Lemon & Lime'  one of the Carron Wildflower threads. 

Daises ~ stems in DMC 3052 Green Grey Med

petals white french floss, centres DMC 744  pale yellow

 & a  herringbone border 

now adding french knots I'm using one of the Chameleon threads 

'Spring Garden' (79)  Perle No 8 

I originally put the piece on a large frame but found in the end that it's easier and more portable to work in a hoop, I will transfer it to the frame again when its time to do the ribbon work and stump-work to keep it flat.

more soon as I progress .....