Back in the saddle as the end of the year draws close

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.  

This was my first Christmas at home since my mother died and it was Very Quiet.   My brother and sister-in-law invited me for Christmas dinner with them which was lovely but her in New Zealand the days from Christmas Eve until after January 2nd are pretty much one long holiday for most folks so it is very quiet.   I have used the time to read, clean, garden and generally potter around.   Our weather has been awful with a lot of rain and yesterday and today are gale force winds.   I fully expected to see my garden uprooted when I woke this morning but fortunately the only damage was the rubbish bins tipped over in the corner and some debris from over the back fence.   Easily cleaned up.

 Carpel Tunnel surgery put stitching in the “no go” zone for a couple of weeks but I’m back into it now and in these in-between days am making good progress on a new project.

First up I stitched a replica of my friends Barbara Jackson Pocket using only threads and fabric from stash.   But I really want Liberty Lawn for the lining so will need to wait until the shops open again after our long holiday break.  Here’s a partial finish photo.

So I set to and tidied out my stash cupboards and with everything sorted into order and appropriate containers I am so pleased that with a wide smile on my face I open the doors in self-congratulation at least once a day!   One of the plastic boxes contains 9” squares of various pieces of linen and I am mentally planning a patchwork bedcover of embroidered squares which will hopefully use up this excess and much of my DMC Perle collection too.

And in the great sort out I found thread (silk floss at that!) and fabric to make a good start on a small Blackwork Box.  While this technique is not my favourite, it is surprisingly satisfying and the effect is lovely.

This afternoon I have a visit to an elderly friend scheduled and this morning I need to do some necessary housework.   Becoming absorbed in the audiobooks of Val McDermid’s DCI Karen Pirie series has meant that cleaning an and cooking have pretty well been ignored.   So first up is a necessary supermarket excursion then the cooking and cleaning.  

See you later.