I'm currently working on...

This is the start of a box top. I signed on for the When Pink Matters blog and have just started a Quaker Odd (month of May design) using Needle Necessities thread that looks like strawberyy icecream and opalescent lugana fabric. These two go well together and I'm enjoying stitching this in memory of my Aunty Mary who lost her long and courageous fight with breast cancer at Christmas time three years ago. My aunt was a mathematics teacher and loved things geometrical and precise. Also she was a vibrant Christian and so I was drawn to doing something in the Quaker tradition which seems an apt combination of both those facets of her life. Her daughter is a history academic and so I intend to present it to her in memory of her mother.

Recently Becky K and I have been exchanging through the HOE and I find that she and I are kindred spirits when it comes to gadgets, so last night I emptied out my sewing box to introduce you to some of my gadgets! From left to right they are Janet's Boo Boo stick (for brushing away the dust of floss after "reverse stitching"(I's like to say never used but in fact so well used that I tucked the longer brush end under the sewing bag out of sheer embarrassment!), the thimble bag (contains my grandmother's Dorcas thimble), scissors (of course), thread wax, a "quick unpick", tape measure, DoLally, needle gripper (useful when threads are thick and stubborn in canvas work), Lucet, set square, ruler, several needle threaders, a wooden needle holder and at the bottom centre is what should probably accurately be termed "a frogger" - it is a needle whose eye end is stuck carefully and permanently into a turned wood handle which makes it easy to hold and greatly assists with reverse stitching (well lets be frank its for unpicking mistakes). An embroidery friend has an inventive husband who made one for her and was then begged and bribed by several others who wanted one too!!

Becky sent me a thread winder which when extracted from its plastic bubble container will join the gadget family. My Clover thread cutter and various other pins and needles have their own stitched books which you can see inside the sewing box.

The heavy duty stuff is in this photo. When a needle gripper just doesn't do the job these pliers are essential as is the screwdriver. Embroidery hoops and screwdrivers go together!

Tomorrow I am going to visit my LNS and fully intend to satisfy any cravings! At least that's how I feel today - perhaps tomorrow my wallet may close its mouth and refuse to part with any hard earned dollars. Watch this space for further updates.