Two sets complete and now back to my first love

 Soon-to-be 1 year old and soon-to-be 4 year old Great Nieces N and V have their "sets" completed.   I think they look cute and am quite happy with them.

Each girl has a matching dress - N the dots and V the geometric blue - and I tell myself that even if they are not worn much I've had tremendous fun sewing love into these.  Once my sister can find her dress patterns I will make a set for the 7-next birthday and 8-next birthday girls.

But now I am back to my first love, embroidery, and am stitching an etui from Betsy Morgan's Willing Hands II .   Once again I am stitching from stash as much as possible and so far am really enjoying the rhythm of cross stitch while inwardly lamenting the lack of specialty stitches.  I don’t like the draw cord and tags either so will be constructing mine differently but will ensure that it is a complete etui when done 🙂

My vegetable garden is producing well and I am freezing beans daily.   I fight the birds for the cherry tomatoes and so far I am winning.  I am propagating Egyptian Walking Onions to give to friends.   I don't want many more in my garden nor do I want them 'walking' the length of the bed either.   Apparently they are expensive to buy so my friends have been keen to receive their first Walker.   In taste they are rather like shallots so are very useful in cooking.  My gardener neighbour was distinctly disinterested when I told him but others are happy to find a place in their gardens.

Quandary

 A recent day spent in the company of six great nieces and a great nephew was noisy but fun.   The oldest - nearly 8 - was happy to chat to “Great Antie” (sic) and I was telling her how I’d made one of her cousins a dress and a rag doll with a matching one.  Her wistful comment “cute” set me to wondering and now I’m in a quandary.   If I make her a set like that then I’ll need to do one each for her two younger sisters.  Question is have I the stamina to do three rag dolls??

Anyway the set for the soon-to-be-one year old is nearly complete.  Today the bodice and buttons will go on the dress for Baby Nell and the doll will get her knickers and face.  I rather think the black slippers need a ribbon tie too so while I’m out I will search for the appropriate very very narrow ribbon.

What will 2023 bring?

Happy New Year.   I contracted the dreaded Covid on Christmas night so was in self isolation for seven days from Boxing Day.   Prior to this I’d have said I was quite content with my own company but….I certainly felt the impact on my mental health and now although I’m really cautious I am going to try to meet up with friends each day for a while.

But I did manage to finish the Frisian Whitework and have begun the construction of the cushion.  Step one is as below.   I’m now puzzling over what to do in the ‘windows’ behind the cut work.   They need a dark colour so perhaps a small patch at each window?

And I’ve made a new start on a pattern from an Inspirations magazine last year.   I ordered the fabric especially from a New Zealand company.   It’s called Bay of Island Blue and will be all stitched in white so should look quite stunning.   

And I plan on working on Betsy Morgan’s Virgin Queen’s Stitching Pocket although I will substitute floss as Gloriana is out of my price range.

And that's all for today.