the tast stitch for this week is needlewoven picot stitch,  I have used this a few times so thought I would post a couple of photos from the past in case I do not get around to a new sample.

these lilttle bags are worked using the casalguidi technique which I enjoy, you work a block of 4 sided stitch first and them use various stitches, woven picots, bullions, cast on stitch,couching,buttonhole bars and padded raised stem bar to name a few.



Yesterday I stitched a little butterfly for Helen, just to let her know she is in my thoughts whilst she is feeling so poorly, will pop round to her house today, a couple of buses away and leave it as she is at uni for the day, will not be surprised if she has been sent home but she does not want to miss her course, doing a diploma on palative care, she is a nurse and wants to care for the terminally ill.  Her favourite animals are cats but butterflies are a very close second followed by ladybirds, think I will do a ladybird next,   cats are a bit more complicated!

buttonhole wheel cup

this week Sharon had us stitching the buttonhole wheel cup for the week 43. I have done two pieces, the first is the sample piece I usually to see if I can stitch the stitch

as you can see there are quite a few of the stitches here but please do not ask me to name them all.

Here is my second attempt, a small pot plant, the pot has been used on another tast and you will probably see it appearing again for another stitch


Now for a few photos of things in the garden . Some of my plants are confuse, rather like me really and seem to think it is spring,  not sure why as we had a few snow flurries yesterday.

yes they really are flowers in october.

 this magnolia also is confused, have since had another flower but no sign of any more buds.


Some trees have realised autumn has come, beautiful colours here.

not sure what this is and hold my hands up it is not in my garden but next door,they keep chickens and  think the chicken manure has done this a lot of good.

 Thus is my rehder tree, has autumnal coloured leaves in the spring along with tiny very pale pink flowers and then the leaves go green only to revert to autumnal now.

 This one I took on wednesday, I was at the hospital with Helen my younger daughter, she has chrons disease, out of control at the moment so had 4 injections in her tummy on wednesday at a cost of £1600 to the good old NHS, will have to have one injection a fortnight in future which she will administer herself, fingers and toes crossed they will help her along with a very large dose of prayer.Once again I am not sure what tree it is, maybe one of you bloggers can tell me.
Think that will do for now.  As I think I mentioned in my last blog I like to thank you all for your comments but when there is no email address I cannot, please do not think I am ignoring you.

sampler

Thank you all for your suggestions for my stitch sampler

I decided it would look good on my coffee table but when I tried it changed my mind it did not look right. Not sure still thinking but knowing me I will either put it back in the drawer or end up framing it.

Or maybe taking Shirley`s idea and crochet an edging around it, I could then have it as a wall hanging,  yes think this idea is now top of the list,will have to tea dye the thread first or it will look too new against the rest of the sampler. will ponder for a little longer.

Thanks for all your replies, great to be able to have blogging friends and share all our bits and pieces.

Stitch sampler

I came across a piece of work I had done a few years ago the other day when I was half heartedly having a tidy up of the room where I store most of my stitching paraphernalia and thought it is time I did something with it. It was stitched on 28ct antique white evenweave with an assortment of threads but turned out to be rather bright and in my face so decided to soak it in some tea and rather like how it turned out. It is slightly darker than the photo shows, my camera does not believe the saying the camera never lies especially when it comes to colours!  Anyway I now do not know what to do with it,  has anyone got any ideas, I can not get past having it framed but my house already looks more like a gallery than a home and the cost of framing is so extortionate these days,   thinking caps on  please ladies.

Italian knot stitch

here is my rather rushed effort at Italian tast stitch for week 42.
There has not been much time for stitching this week, seem to have been out a lot so I hurriedly dashed this off early this morning.

Some good news to share re Sal my granddaughter (she has decided she does not want to be known as Salma anymore)   We were at the hospital yesterday for her removal of some stitches following having a screw removed 2 weeks ago,  is now wearing her ordinary shoes, the boot has been given the boot, we go back in 4 weeks as the ankle is still very discoloured and swollen and Sal is not allowed to run ,dance or do sports but the specialist was pleased with her . Seems to have been a long journey as she shattered the ankle on july12th but we are getting there.

dyeing

On friday morning I decided to produce some more coloured fabric.  I call it dyeing but it is just colouring cotton with silk paints. Have not mastered the art of dyes      yet!

I usually dampen the fabric slightly then sponge on the silk paint, sometimes watered down to make it go further,  like to use more than one colour, it does not always come out as I would like as when the colours bleed into each other things can go wrong!  On the samples I have posted here most have had rock salt sprinkled onto them to make the colour run into the salt which produces lovely patterns.

These pieces I use to do some of the tast stitches on but now I am doing a bit of crazy patchwork they will be popping up there as well.


I have also been playing with a small block  6" quite a lot of tatting, think I will remove the pink gathered ribbon,  have my crazy blocks pinned onto a board so I can stand back and look,   admire is not the right word! The 4 other blocks posted the other day will remain on the boad till I feel more confident

tast

Well I have lost it  this morning, I could not remember how to add a new post to this blog, was convinced whatever I had to click on had gone but no it was me so her goes with the latest tast stitches.

I am adding 2 stitches beaded hedebo edge and knotted loop stitch. The knotted loop is on the same fabric as the knotted buttonhole. Must admit I did not enjoy this stitch but maybe I will learn to love it!

Her is the first stitch   beaded hedebo

here is the knotted loop, as you can see it is the stitch on the left

crazy and tatting

I seem to be rather lazy at the moment. Tast I am struggling with, both the beaded hedebo edge and the knotted loop stitch have caused me problems. Will not post a photo yet but will have another go and fingers crossed get it right this time.


Have also been doing more tatting, tension not very good yet but practise makes perfect they say. The tatting I am not happy with was done in artificial light so will try and do in daytime.

I have also made 4 crazy blocks in colour ways, they need embellishing now but I am thinking about how to do it.