A Change in Colour

This week I have been stitching something in colours  that are a little different for me. Baby boy colours.

I am trying something out and it involves using some of these lovely ribbons. All will be revealed shortly. It is handpieced and I am handquilting this block. It is around 16 inches square and is not intended to be a cushion although if it doesn't go according to plan  a cushion may be a good fall back. It is going to a friend and a baby. The baby won't mind the stitching quality but the friend knows how to do it right.

This week I have also been indulging in a spot of beading. I had a pack of mixed beads and thought that something extremely simple would do them justice. The beads were strung just as they went onto the needle, no dithering over what should be placed where and a couple of evenings and the odd 5 minutes here and there saw it finished. I have worn it and I am pleased with it although, daughter no1 hasn't seen it yet and I know it will end up around her neck.

  
Close up so you can see that it really is very simple. So that you know pink is still my favourite.

This was the view from Stitcherydo HQ one night last week. The sunset was so beautiful. The weather had been hot and sunny and as it should be for an English summer but sadly it was short lived, no wonder we are like the mad dogs out in the midday sun. Blink and you miss it.

Back to stitching and watching the Olympics. May the best teams win. Who could not have been wowed with the opening ceremony. The event was outstanding and the highlights for me were James Bond escorting The Queen to the games as the ultimate Bond Girl. What an exciting time in her Jubilee year. The thought of Mr Bean and his dreams of  winning a gold medal and playing in the orchestra - so funny. What a fantastic concept of the torch being handed over by Sir Steve Redgrave to the next generation of Olympians and the lighting of that truly amazing beacon. I cried at such beauty. Now  I need to take up beach volleyball so that I too can have a fantastic body like the competing ladies, only in my wildest dreams will that happen.

Happy Stitching.

Love Shirley.

My Red Home

Red makes my heart sing. It is a glorious colour and it cannot fail to make me happy. When I saw the cover of this new book by Natalie Bird I knew it would have to be mine. It is simply beautiful, and I want to turn my whole house red.

First thing I had to make was the pincushion. It is so pretty and I can take it with me wherever I wander for an  instant uplift. It has everything you could wish for in a bit of sewing. Teeny, tiny hexagons, applique and a little bluebird of happiness. Easy to make with good instructions. Natalie Bird you are a goddess.

The fabrics came from Dotty Dolly and are from The Lakehouse Collection. The web site is up and running if you wish to order some or just phone them.

This bundle arrived from Coast and Country Crafts. Almost too nice to use. May just have to sit and stare at them.

Progress on the hexagons. All strips are assembled and now it is just a matter of sewing together three sections, that means just two more strips. Time  then to think about the borders. I plan to applique the edges down onto the borders which will be the plain red. I am seriously thinking of calling this quilt Blood, Sweat and Tears.

A little bit of progress has been made on the Petra Prins Providence quilt. So far, so good.

So, what else do I have in my home that is red?

This little toy sewing machine came into my possession after a spot of bidding on e-bay and cost me a grand total of £16.50. Isn't it a beauty. It also comes with a small work table  and a clamp to attach it to a table top. The work table is a little worse for wear but on the whole is in quite good condition for something that is 50 years old. A nice addition to my sewing room. Notice the red spotty curtains inside the cupboards.

 My living room curtains are a very pale green  with a large floral pattern. I hope to bring out the reds more.

My collection of glassware in the window. Have to have a bit of pink. Did you think I had gone off it?

Chocolate and Raspberry Roulade, a healthy version. I will let you into a little secret. Shhh, come closer so I can whisper. I joined Slimming World. It is slow progress, losing the odd pound here and there, some weeks staying the same, but, I am now 19lbs less than I was when I joined. Have a way to go yet before I can say that I am done.  One evening we had to take a healthy pudding. Yes, a pudding can be healthier with a few changes. This was in one of the recipe magazines and it didn't look anything like the picture but when I got it there someone else had made one and hers looked just like mine. Phew! I am not known for my baking skills but it all disappeared.

I also took Kate's handmade cake stand filled with fabric delectables and someone said that I had a warped sense of humour. I thought it was funny whilst there was much discussion as to what the syn value of each cake would be. One slice of the roulade is 3.5 and as you are allowed 15 syns a day that means another slice, or two. For those not familiar with Slimming World and its Syn values, a syn is a unit of points that you are allocated as extras to the huge amount of healthy food. It stops it from being boring and means you can eat naughty things in moderation.

Happy Stitching.

Love Shirley.x