Embroiderers Guild Workday

 Once a year our Guild has a Workday when other guilds in the region join us for a day of stitching and chat.   There is always several sales tables where we can offload excess stash (and pick up new stuff) as well as a Merchant = a nearby needlework shop brings supplies to sell to a captive audience.  Also Mr Sharp comes and we have scissors, pinking shears and garden implements sharpened for a small fee. 

Today around 90 women joined us for Workday.   I refrained from purchasing a Raffle ticket as I had supplied much of the hampers contents from my stash cupboard clean up.   And although I looked at the sales tables several times I didn’t part with any cash there either.   Indeed, all I paid for was to have a pair of scissors sharpened by Mr Sharp who was fascinated by them and only charged me half price.

While in London, Little Sister and I were browsing in Divertimenti in Knightsbridge and both bought “pen scissors” only to find that they were not sharp at all.  

Hence I took mine to Mr Sharp today and yippee they are now fit for purpose.

And chatting with the other ladies I was inspired, tempted and intrigued at many of the projects.   One lady was stitching (I must get hold of the pattern) a beautiful Quaker Pouch in My Colours.  She told me the source of the floss but she’d got the chart from a class she took so I will have to contact the designer and see if I can purchase direct for that.   Anyway, this is the thread.

Silk N Colours. Finnegan’s Fog. Isn’t that a lovely name?  

Preparation

 I’m just about completed the preparation for a gift for my niece who is expecting a baby in October.   This has been a fun knit while I decided on what stitching project to do next.  Only the bands and hood to go.   They know the sex so I can put the button holes on the correct side.

And I’m preparing the linen for a piece of Naversom.   While clearing a cupboard recently I chanced upon a piece I had stitched years ago, the notes from the class and the book I bought about this technique.  

As this is stitched on a grid where threads of fabric are drawn out to create an open weave, I decided that I would use up a piece of 36 count linen which is too fine for me for any other stitching.   But my oh my, the preparation of the grid is both mindless and time consuming.   

So I prepared the fabric for another stitched box - souvenir of my days in London when we stayed very near Kensington Square.   

I was really intrigued by the rows of beautiful porticoes and decided I could happily live in an area as pretty as this!   

The designer has done well to portray that wonderful area and I’m happily reliving memories as I make crosses.

Door hangers

 Three of my great nieces need a door hanger for their bed room doors so Aunty M has come up with the goods.  I hope they meet with approval:)

Now I need to decide on another project - there are plenty in my stash cupboard to choose from!

I’m building Westminster…. A box!

 I have been busy stitching and now am on the construction phase.   This is never my favourite part of stitching but so far so good.

The lid is done.

The base is done.

Now the inner rim and then all will be well.

Do you like what I did in the inner lid?

But still the conclusion is that I’m not fond of 3D embroidery and I still have two other kits to do.  Maybe a palate cleanser in between?

Into routine again

 Last week was cold but fine days so the lawn got mowed and the garden got a general tidy up and I managed to get out for walks so all is good with life Down Under.

The city where I live is bordered on one edge by a large river and the council have provided a well maintained and safe river walk.   Yesterday I remembered to stop and take a photograph.

And the mailman brought the package of kits I had ordered from The Nutmeg Company so of course I had to make a start.   Before that I carefully packaged up the other projects and the linens and charts I had sorted out.  They are back in the cupboard and I’m well on the way to box number one, “Evening in Westminster”.   I’m currently working on the outer lid.  The red bus, building and lamp are on the inside of the lid. 

It is many many years since I have stitched on Aida but I can see that the stiffness of the fabric make it totally suitable for box making so I’m doing my best to ignore my preferences for pure linen and so far so good.   The instructions for both stitching and construction are very detailed and all necessary ingredients are supplied so I’m hopeful of success.

My meal plan for this week has been written, my grocery shopping is done, the daily schedule is full but not too full and next Saturday is an embroidery get together at a small town a short drive away so I intend going to that.   Yes!   I’d say that normal routine is re-established!

And so life goes on

 It is now almost three weeks since I returned home and I’m still in the midst of a “back to earth with a bump” syndrome.   Adjusting to the cold and wet of winter is a work in progress but it is good to catch up with family and friends again.

After indulging in too many Cream Teas in the UK and cafe outings in The Netherlands I’m trying to eat more healthily and exercise regularly.   So far so good!   Im working through my collection of soup recipes and this week it is a particularly delicious pumpkin one.   Roast pumpkin, carrot and tomato flavoured with herbs and then maple syrup and yogurt are added when it is served.  Yum!😋 

The only ball of wool I brought back has been knitted into a pair of winter socks.   Thank you to the Blue faced Leicester sheep and the West Yorkshire Spinners.   Every time I wear these I will think of my wonderful trip and how Little Sister and I collected Knitting Shops!   

I brought home this bookmark kit too and enjoyed stitching and remembering the little grey squirrels who kindly played with me in the park on York.   They were such fun and a really happy tick on My List.

And I have decided on my next embroidery project - a hardanger runner for my coffee table.   I’m currently tacking it all out so that I’m sure it will be the correct size and this activity also fills in the time while I wait for my order of the necessary DMC Perle thread to arrive.

Next week my neighbour wants to come for a cup of tea and a chat so I plan on making a Ginger Crunch slice and  indulging in some nostalgia of my visit to Sarah Nelson’s Gingerbread Shop.   That was heavenly gingerbread!

And home

 June 28  - June 30

We left Amsterdam in the evening of a beautiful warm day 

and arrived in Dubai in the morning to a much hotter temperature.   At that vast airport we had to step outside the terminal building briefly to enter a bus to go from Building C to Building A.   The instant we opened the door both Little Sister and I gasped as our glasses steamed over.  It was already 33 degrees Celsius at 6:30am!

At Terminal A we found the gate and with energy batteries all but exhausted we also found a place selling cold ginger beer.    The instant the assistant passed me the card reader machine Little Sister and I gasped as for two bottles of Ginger Beer it was 78 AED.   I’d never heard of AED before let alone a conversion rate but let me assure you that is $36 New Zealand dollars for two small bottles of Ginger Beer.   Such was my exhaustion and thirst that despite good Scottish ancestry which taught me frugality, I really didn’t care and quaffed it as if the price was merely a few cents.

Then began the loooong haul back to New Zealand where somewhere along the way of the safe and comfortable journey we lost a day.  It was good to see the shores of home and now safely back I’m dealing with the unpacking, the washing, the cold (it’s only 14 degrees Celsius today) and the jet lag.   Hopefully I will soon feel like picking up a needle and finding a new stitching project.