Glorious June!


I came home from having my new hip on 11th June
--- a new woman!                                                
The sun is shining, the garden aglow and I can enjoy it and look forward to pottering there soon.
Unfortunately our web connection was down and we only got back on line yesterday - really frustrating.                                                


Well, at last I can thank everyone for all their good wishes and messages over the many months I have been grumpy and unwell! My family, so many lovely friends, and crafting, have kept my spirits up.  
I'm walking well, improving each day, and now only have a couple of nasty blisters on my foot to get rid of
--- big smiles all round!                                                                                       

2010 Year of Bio-Diversity










Hearing about this on a TV programme from the Chelsea Flower Show inspired me to stitch my own garden of Bio Diversity!
I used three stitches from TAST 2007 re-visited, on linen coloured with fabric crayons,
23 Wheatear Stitch,
24 French Knots,
25 Long & Short stitch.

Many thanks all for such lovely comments about my previous 'Veldt' picture.

At last, after many painful months waiting for a hip replacement, delayed by other investigations and treatments,
tomorrow is hip-op day.
I'm sure it will be very successful and though I'll probably be having another later, and my spine could be better, I'll be a new woman in a few days time!
I'm looking forward to getting out and about and maybe a bit of gardening.
Stitching has kept me going for months - I'll probably do less as I widen my horizons!

TAST 12
Sorbello Stitch










For many years a visit to see the wonderful vibrant Springtime flowers of Namaqualand has been on my wish list.
I know that I won't be going there now so I'm content that we have seen beautiful Fynbos on Table Mountain - and I've made my own mini Namaqualand 'Veldt' picture!

A mixed month of good and bad days, but still lots of stitching as I'm doing TAST 2010 and the re-run of TAST 2007.
I was 75 on 11th May and had a lovely day with lots of flowers, cards, presents, and best of all visitors. My best 'present' will be on June 5th when, after many months waiting and having other things sorted out, I should be getting my first new hip. I'm counting the days!


TAST 8 Fancy Hem Stitch

TAST 9 Raised Herringbone Band

TAST 10 Cloud Filling Stitch

TAST 11 Bullion Buttonhole Stitch ...'Catkin Twigs'
This is my favourite so far.
I am up to TAST 20 in the 2007 re-run - too many to post here but they are on my Flickr stream. http://www.flickr.com/photos/23261611@N04/4615816401/
Stitching and Flickr keep me going, especially on the bad days!

TAST 5, 6, & 7











Knotted Buttonhole Stitch








Buttonhole Eyelet Flower Stitch






Rope Stitch






All new to me - I enjoyed doing the small picture sampler of Knotted Buttonhole and found Buttonhole Eyelet Flower more challenging, though I got into doing it after a time.
Rope stitch, done in wool, is effective and can be made quite textural - also quick to use. I think I'll use this again more than the other two.
TAST group is at http://www.flickr.com/groups/56846286@N00/
I'm not blogging often just now - but I do make time to look at and admire many other blogs. Hopefully I'll be in better health soon and have more energy to keep up with things!

TAST 3 & 4


3. Beaded Hedebo Stitch


Basic stitch on a narrow Aida band - maybe I'll make a similar one to use on a postcard sometime.







4. Portuguese Border Stitch
A mini sampler in chunky wool on Rustic Aida.





I haven't attempted variations - which are really intended in the challenge - as I'm catching up the first four weeks.
I'll make more effort now that I'm on time target and with a week for each stitch.
Each of the stitches is new to me - I enjoyed doing them and think I can use them in future freehand embroidery.
TAST group is at http://www.flickr.com/groups/56846286@N00/

TAST

This week I decided to focus so joined Sharon B's group Take a Stitch Tuesday.
As it started four weeks ago I have to catch up - though there is no pressure to stitch every week.
The first two are Diamond Stitch and Knotted Loop.
They are less than perfect but I enjoyed the stitching.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/56846286@N00/












Also this week I was told that after a year of investigations and treatments for various health problems I can now have my right hip replaced.
I'll be on a waiting list for 3/4 months but hopefully things will start to improve then.
Ooooh! I need to lose weight and I do love food - just another challenge.
Ironic that I joined "TAST"!

We had a lovely holiday in Spain with some hot and sunny days and cool evenings sitting by the log burner.
I couldn't walk well so relied on a wheelchair (I hate that!!!)
Lots of time was spent relaxing, with a glass of wine, & stitching - I was inspired by the 'face flowers' I saw in a 'point de croix' magazine, tried to do Bullion Knots which I've not done a lot of before, and made this Garden in Stitch & Buttons postcard.


There are various threads, buttons, ribbons and a textured wool border here ...

When we were house bound on several cold and snowy days I explored machine auto stitching with hand embroidery over laid - another picture for my collection ...


.... but Spring is around the corner!




..last day of February
..what a cold and dreary month it has been.

We are looking for the sun, visiting family in Spain, for the next two weeks.
The small picture is a "quick stitch" for a birthday card, from a design by Elizabeth Foster.

Winter Posy

There's not a lot to see in the garden today but I picked this small posy -


I made a jigsaw from the photo and I'm doing it this afternoon.
Most days I spend some time "jigsawing" on line as a change from crafting and word games.
www.jigidi.com/puzzle.php?id=2HI6EFA6