At my house today

Come join with me at my house today for the

The Naxos Necessaire is finish-finished!
So a few photos to show off

I learned a few new techniques with this including how to make a small detached buttonhole stitch button which the tutor assured us would be unobtrusive enough to allow the splendour of the stitching to shine forth.  Huh?  A year after the class and I managed to finish-finish this and to feel happy with it.   Now all I need to do is to find a place in the cabinet for this.   Shall I displace Grandma's Royal Doulton bowl or the HD3QBEM's wedding present tea set???

And the Naxos Saga is almost over

If I am honest, the construction of this Leporello style Necessaire rather scared me and although the stitching was completed months ago the pieces languished in their bag while I plucked up courage. 

Now I wonder why!   The class may have been a year ago but Alison Snepp is a magnificent tutor and she gave such wonderful instructions that I have been able to follow step by step and, miracle of miracles, to feel 100% satisfied with my work.   Precise counting of linen threads may have made the pre-stitching a pain but it certainly pays off in the construction phase when every piece matches so well.

So here it is -  all the pieces ready to be lined.   That red gingham silk is what I will use for the lining.   Considering it is a year since I did this class I am pleased I still have all the pieces - even the floss ring, the piece of flannel and the hand stitched button.
Ah, this weekend I refuse to be interrupted by household chores or any such thing.   I will finish this Naxos Necessaire even though I have a hole in my middle finger from lacing the squares and sewing the pieces together.
Oh dear, I have just remembered.   We have dinner guests coming on Saturday evening :-(

Now what to do next....Some patchwork hexagons, a Sashiko Tote Bag, a piece of hardanger, the other sock??   No, I must make a start on the 'inner' of The Mermaid's Sea Chest.   From now on I will go back to one a time so I don't feel overwhelmed with too many projects on the go at once.

Half a roof, half a cottage and a whole fairy.

This week has been full of interruptions and plans gone awry.  At least the HD3QBEM is feeling better and now able to wash and dry the breakfast dishes so I am not late for work of a morning!

The Needlebook is finished and I even fond a tiny pair of scissors to put into it.
My Cottage has half a roof.  I used my new Clover Awl to make a hole for the eyelet and was so happy when it worked well.   Scrabbling through my fabric stash I found some gorgeous cream silk duponi which will make an excellent lining for this cottage.   My that does sound luxurious -  stitched in silk and lined in silk!  Hopefully over the weekend I am going to get the Cottage itself constructed and then I can check the fit of the roof.

Christmas is coming so I took time to iron on Giggle Cloth to these printed squares.   I have plans for these and if all the ingredients are ready then construction will be simple....I hope.   Note, these are not technically a new start just a preparation.

Some time ago, Kris sent me a stitched Fairy.   Last night I finished her into a small Christmas Tree ornament.   She is cute and will look good on the top of my tree.   Thank you once again.

Next is the Naxos for which I have all the ingredients.

So busy week it may have been but some small progress has been made.

Colour Coordination and Naxos Red

Yesterday the HD3QBEM and I went to Daruma Sushi and here's the proof.  Doesn't the HD3QBEM eat a lot!   I colour coordinated the pile of dishes to make it easier for the waitress to count.

On the way home we called at my LNS and I sneaked a couple of shots of Christmas trees.   Somebody else has made a Suffolk Puff tree!   I really like the idea of cinnamon quills for the tree trunk.   Might try that myself next year.   The button tree would be better in green and/or red I think but I doubt I will copy that idea as I couldn't be bothered sewing all the buttons on (^_-)

Last night I completed the final ornament for the 2013 Christmas Ornament SAL and the big reveal will be later this month.   This one is not a hanging ornament - it stands alone on its own one foot.

The Naxos Necessaire is coming along well.   I have one main panel, the wide hinge and the two narrow hinges to stitch and then I will have completed my target for this year.   Construction of this is complex and not suitable at all for the silly season busyness of this time of year so I will put it away, joyfully start a new project and finish-finish in 2014.
Yes, she says with a small jump of great happiness.  I can make a start on a new piece.  What shall it be?   I have already decided -  it will be a sampler so that I get a variety of stitches and colours.   While it may be traditional,  these monochrome Naxos inhabitants have created in me a total boredom and somewhat temporary dislike of red.  
 Weekend chores are now done and I'm off to put tonight's dinner in the oven and then read some more of my Henning Mankell e-Book.   Enjoy your weekend as I have enjoyed mine.

And a stitching update

All the little running stitches combined to make another side of my Naxos Necessaire but they gave me a severe case of "have a break start something new" sickness.  

So I looked in the 'want to do box' and found I had all the ingredients ready for another recipe and so made a start on what I am calling my "Dutch Hussif". 
You may remember I showed you the ingredients back in September?

I have made a start on the pocket for the cover. Surface stitchery as opposed to counting is proving surprisingly soothing.

What's more this is using up odds and ends of stash - threads, linen and fabric - so I am doubly happy.  A frugal new start.   What could be better?   Next will be two Dorset buttons and then it will be back to page three of my old friend, the Naxos Necessaire.
Have a good week.

There and back!

Last weekend I went to a weekend Stitchers Retreat.   Unfortunately the organisers were a bit sniffy about photographs so I have one only of the class in progress.  
The class I took was with an Australian tutor called Alison Snepp and was the Naxos Necessaire.   You can see a photo of the finished product on the extreme right hand side of this link.  She was an excellent tutor and considering the density of the stitching I felt I made reasonable progress.   This photo is of my almost completed fabric button.

On the final day a friend persuaded Sherelyn of Heirlooms to open her store and I got to visit.   The store is actually an old homestead and is like a museum with its antique furniture and fitments.   I secretly snapped a couple of shots as a memory,

 

 

Don't you think this avenue of ancient oaks looks like something from Anne of Green Gables?   It was beautiful and I enjoyed scuffing through the fallen leaves in the golden Autumn weather.  The friends with whom I stayed live at the end of this glorious line of oaks.   These were planted by an early settler in 1864 as the grand entrance to his home.   While the home may not have survived these oaks have although a bad storm at the beginning of the year uprooted one.

More on my trip tomorrow night when I will hopefully be able to show you my progress to date on the Necessaire.   For now it is bedtime in preparation for return to work tomorrow!