Miladys Little Quakers Ruler Pocket

Success!! The construction of the pocket over which I almost had palpitations is now almost complete - only a twisted cord to attach to finish the edge. But I can't resist a a photo at this stage. Do you like the lining fabric? I thought it went really well with the brass ruler. This was a fun stitch, a worrying construction and a very satisfying finish!!

I have started another piece- a gift for an unsupsecting friend. It is to be another Quaker Chicken Pincushion. These are a little addictive! I think this is the third or fourth that I have stitched but they are immensely rewarding and quite therapeutic.

Hope you are all well and stitching productively.

Winter Quaker Exchange received

Shay's fantastic parcel arrived today - all the parts beautifully wrapped.

And wow! What a fantastic winter exchange - a wonderful blue strawberry. Certainly lovely winter colours and so beautifully stitched and stuffed. Amazing! And Shay spoiled me with some gorgeous extras - linen, cotton fabrics and silk threads in beautiful tones (I wonder what I will make with those - watch this space!) some coloured marking pens and an amazing decorative tile showing the flowers of Texas. Shay, this tile has given me a great idea for finishing the piece I am stitching on now :-)Thank you so much Shay. You made my day!

Little Quakers Ruler Pocket and an award

Well, the stitching is now finished on this and I am really pleased with it. At the same time I am nervous about the finishing although the instructions are well written. I plan on lining it in navy blue as the ruler is brass and that should look good.

My new job is proving to be really busy. It has been a real shock to the system to change jobs after nearly 21 years and to go from knowing everything about the office systems to knowing virtually nothing. The other staff are very kind and although I was so busy I forgot about morning tea and lunch until 2:30pm today (!) I am enjoying the challenge. A large part of the job is Accounts Receivable and you can imagine what it is like extracting money from some people in this day and age. We have a four day break for Easter Holidays next month and I am looking forward to the time off - although I have a busy schedule planned of sewing ( a couple of new skirts?) and stitching, walking, baking and all the lovely jobs I don't have time for now. Do you notice the lack of mention of chocolate Easter Eggs! I don't intend to put on the 5kg lost through this redundancy if I can help it :-)

My friend Taija gave me an award - thank you Taija. Ilove your blog and your friendship. I hope you and your family are well. I'm supposed to nominate 8 others. Well - what a hard job. All of you deserve awards. So I will name just two.One is The Peacock's Feather as it was through this that I got introduced to this wonderful world of blogging. The other is Spinster Stitcher as her blog always gives me a real laugh and a lift to my spirits. Thank you very much Taija - I hope you are well and welcoming Spring. I love your blog and your friendship.

Look what the mail man brought!

I told you yesterday that the mail man had brought a card for me to collect a parcel at the Post Office. Well today my Mother (isn't she too kind!) went and collected it for me. No it was not the Winter Quaker I had expected but a wonderful book on Japanese Kogin Embroidery that my friend had mailed to me. For those of you who haven't heard of this type of embroidery there's a great explanatory web site here. Do go have a look.

The book has lots of different projects from bags to bookcovers, mats and even covered buttons - and there are charts as well as the written instructions. I am looking forward to trying many if not all of these.

But naturally I am not succumbing to temptation tonight! I have almost completed the Little Quakers Ruler Pocket and have the Weihenberg Quaker Christmas Sampler underway too so won't start anything new until I've finshed one. Somehow when the WIPs start growing in number I lose control so am trying to be self disciplined!

The farewell is over and the new job has begun

Last Friday was my final day at the job where I had worked for nearly 21 years. It was quite a wrench to say goodbye and I didn't sleep much that night. Although a long day I received lots of flowers, gifts and good wishes. This is the bouquet from the Company and the lovely crystal earrings I received.

On Monday I started work at my new job and have been totally exhausted ever since!! I work 8 till 5 with only a half hour lunch break so its all go! But I do get home a lot earlier than I did from my previous job so once this initial tiredness has worn off I look forward to more stitching time. Currently there's no great news on the stitching front but ....

this came in todays mail so I think my Winter Quaker Exchange is waiting for me at the Post Office. Watch This Space!

Voila! The Biscobourse

The biscobourse is finished. Do you want to see how it is done?

First you make the bottom and two tops. I got this chart and the idea from Les Chroniques des Frimousse here. You need to scroll down.

Next iron on stiffener to the reverse of each piece - keep it inside the backstitch outline.

Cut lining of your choice and slip stitch it to the reverse of each stitched piece - again keep inside the back stitch outline. You will end up with three separate pieces "finished".

Next whip stitch the three pieces together (just like a biscornu) so you get something like this.

Now following carefully each of the rectangular pieces get whipped together (just like a biscornu!!) This photo shows only the two remaining "sides" to whip together.

Attach a ribbon or a fastener of some sort in the middle to close up the 'bourse' and voila! Here is the biscobourse. I think they would make a lovely gift with maybe a voucher hidden inside???

This was quick and enjoyable and I plan on making more.

An update on the Little Quakers

Hello there. My computer has been ill and had to visit the computer hospital! But I am back on line again now. I finally have a photo to show you of the Milady's Little Quakers Ruler Pocket. It is coming along well. Only half of the last section to do and then the construction. I already have the navy fabric needed to line it so once the final stitching is done we are away!!! The colours on this are lovely and it is only the long rows of navy crosses that test my patience - and the effectiveness of the painkillers.

My shoulder is getting more and more movement but the pain is still a good brake! I find that I can only do 15 minutes at a time and need a break before going back to the needle. Such a difference from the marathon sessions I used to have:-)

Have also completed the stitched panels for the biscobourse. During the weekend I went to a quilting shop and got a lovely piece of cotton fabric for the lining and the ribbon for the ties so once I get a free evening "the finishing" will begin. I love the colours for this but confess to some nervousness with the construction. The original was in a french blog and I can only read the pictures, so plan on lining each piece and then constructing by whipping the back stitch together. Wish me luck!

Friday is my last day at work but thankfully I have found another job and start there on Monday so currently I am both happy and nervous! Wish me luck for that too!

A view of the biscobourse

Yesterday I told you I had started a Biscobourse. This is a very bad photo of the base part. I really love the thread and have high hopes that this will turn out well - the photo isn't the best. Perhaps its true to say I am better at stitching than photography!! Also had word from Ellen in Singapore that her package had arrived. Ellen was my partner in the HOE Winter Exchange. I had a great deal of trouble with this one. the thread was the DMC Pearlescent and it was so difficult to stitch with. But the finished result pleased Ellen and thats what counts. I forgot to take photos so have "borrowed" this from Ellen's - do go and have a look yourself at her blog. It is stitched on confederate grey 28 count line, backed with a wintery white patchwork fabric and edged with a chain of small winter white beads.

February was a lousy month!

While visiting blogs (and I can't remember which one it was) I stumbled on this web site and was inspired to try something similar. The author of this blog made little creative art cards - one per week of the year. They are amazing. Do go have a look.

Not being a really artistic or creative type I thought that a weekly challenge would be too much but during 2009 am going to make a small card per month showing one thing for which that month was memorable. And I will put all twelve in a stitched envelope and keep them.

No problem with January - after all Mr Wright and I met, the shoulder was operated on and all went well. His stitching leaves a little to be desired and the scar is not pretty but the end result is great - so far:-)But February was a lousy month! After twenty years with this firm I was given notice of the big R. It was a shock. I had thought that loyalty and bilingual ability would have been of some value. But anyway you can see why this card is so blunt! I am hopeful of good things for March and that the card will be softer and more positive.

Anyway there was good news over the weekend - I received a lovely package from Sally S with a beautifully stitched biscornu. Sally and I were partnered for the Lizzie Kate Exchange and again for the biscornu - we're old friends now. Sally has excelled herself with this beauty which she tells me is designed by her friend Judith of Twisted Oaks Designs and is named after Sally! How cool is that! Sally obviously read my wishlist too and included a chart I had been hankering for. Thank you so much for a wonderful exchange Sally.

I did some stitching on a Biscobourse. What is that you ask? Well I found the instructions here. Scroll down a little and you will find it. Admittedly the instructions are in French but the photos are in my favourite language and I am having great fun stitching this on 28 count Confederate Grey Cashel linen in a Threadworx floss which is beautiful navy and blue. Its sunny today so Iwill take a photo of progress and promise to post tomorrow. Meanwhile do go have a look for yourself at the Biscobourse!!

And I did go to the LNS but with the redundancy hovering over me Wallet wasn't at all cooperative. She squealed loudly when told that DMC threads have all gone up 15%! We came to a compromise however on three hanks of floss, four balls of DMC perle and some Mill Hill beads. Not a bad haul considering Wallet was a really reluctant shopper. So guess what I did when I got home? I found another wallet, a really pretty red one and after a major indoctrination I fed Red Wallet with an LNS Fund. Red Wallet has agreed that she will never complain when I require her to open her mouth and I have promised to only require that when I really need something!!