Corners

I can't believe how quickly time is flying by (or how long it is since my last post) but here is a bit of progress on my Castles project.
This is the penultimate part of the chart and it is to work a design in all four of the corners. Each one is slightly different.

I have only completed two so far. I will be working the others when I get back from a visit to friends in Essex this weekend.
The drive down to Essex will take us around 3 hours but as I am sure I have said before I can't stitch in the car so I have a new book to read and I am quite excited.
I am not taking any stitching with me at all so I hope when I get back I am raring to go with my UFO projects.
I hope you enjoy your long weekend.

A finish!

Do you remember the cutwork mat I was doing in my sewing class? Well here is the finished article along with a canvas work scissor fob that I did on 18ct interlock canvas with perle thread.

The mat needs a good press but I have to say I am really pleased with how it turned out.
Our class ends next week untill September so I won't have much to show you that is "new" just progress on the other projects.
I have stitched some more of the blackwork peacocks and hope to be able to update you soon.
Bye for now.

Tales from the potting shed

It's been a busy week here at home. Loads to do in the garden and no time to do it!!
Anyway, this is what has been keeping me (us) busy over the weekend.

Steve and I put a water feature in. He did the electrical work and I did the grafting. It is granite plinths on a pebble puddle and it trickles merrily away all day long now. The sound it makes is heavenly.

I promised other pics too so here they are.

Here you can see potatoes and broad beans.

Here is the salad cress and peas growing up the trellis and in the foreground some cavelo nero - a dark, rich, leafy vegetable that is gorgeous steamed and splashed with balsamic vinegar.

Savoy cabbage just starting to heart up.

Finally, some carrots that are just coming up. They need thining in the next day or so.


My stitchy bug has left home at the moment so I have nothing to show you I'm afraid. I do have an urge to start something new but as I promised myself I wouldn't untill something was complete then I will have to restrain myself.

Well, back into the greenhouse. I have tomatoes to pot on and cucumbers to plant into the beds in the greenhouse.
Bye for now.

Bent Creek Snapper Year - May

Here is the May snap.

I love how quickly this comes together, it is all in cross stitch and a couple of evenings can see each segment complete.
I'm going to get some more of the blackwork peacocks done, it would be nice to have at least one finish during my self-imposed UFO year.

My garden is blooming, I have flowers on the broad beans, the peas are climbing the trellis, we have had so much broccolli that even I am starting to get fed up of it and I have 3lbs of rhubarb in the freezer. The tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers and courgettes are almost ready to be planted into their final growing positions (be that in the greenhouse or bed) and the salad leaves, radish and spring onions are only a few days away from being ready to eat.
We have some very cheeky pidgeons that won't leave my cabbages alone and what with them and the cabbage white butterfly, I am not sure any of the Midge's will be eating cabbage this year - I guess I should expect at least one disaster crop. Photo's of the veggie plot soon!
Bye for now.

Needle case in Canvaswork.

I have never had a needle case before, I have always kept my needles on a magnet in the lid of a tin box. In my class we could make a needle case or scissor keep (I don't have one of those either)
The work is done on 14ct interlock canas with perle thread and finished with a piece of quilting fabic and felt.

I hope you like it as much as I do.
Bye for now.

May TUSAL

Here is my ORT jar for May.

I hope to have more progress to show soon but the light evenings draw me out into the garden to pot things on, deadhead and water.
Bye for now.