Ukrainian Whitework, Hardanger and ....

 I’m midway through another two Sewing Sets for the Great Nieces.   And I’m justifiably tired of this project!   The hardanger one will get completed as I’m currently working on the bag. 

 Pincushion, scissor fob and needle book are done - minus a couple of finishing touches such as scissors and a fastener on the needle book.  I put emery in the scissor fob to add weight - a satisfying touch that will also be useful for keeping needles healthy.

But the Ukrainian Whitework set has come to a grinding halt.   I finished the needle book and the scissor fob.  They too need the scissors and a fastener for the book.   In this scissor fob I put a New Zealand $1 coin - a satisfactory weight and a secret that may well go undiscovered into posterity😉.  I cannot summon up the enthusiasm at present to complete this sewing set so it will sit in the box while I work on my next “itch to stitch”.  

At the same time I have been working on a Quiet Book for my newest Great Niece.   She is only 3 months old so I have plenty of time to work slowly on this but I am thoroughly enjoying it.

So far 1) a zip up tent with a small teddy bear who sleeps inside fastened by a press stud (dome).   He's tied by a ribbon so can't get lost!

2) the centre page -  fruit in a bag that can be buttoned on to its matching pair 

3) threading a mouse through the holes in the swiss cheese from his little 'mouse hole'

My face is slowly recovering from the fall but my confidence to go out walking has completely disappeared.  I needed to go to the post box a day or two ago and it required the summoning of tremendous amounts of courage for just that 20 minute stroll.  Even the fact that I got there and back safely hasn’t restored me to the regularity of daily exercise so I think I will join a gym and use their treadmill - surely handholds on each side of me, even if not used, will be enough to get me back to my regular 60 minutes a day?

And I have the Downton Abbey movie to look forward to at the end of next week.  Yay!

 What have I been up to?   Well my eyes rebelled at the diagonal round eyelets in the newly started sewing set and after the third unpicking I put the whole thing into time out and started another piece in my favourite hardanger.   A small Christmas Ornament which I took some time to cut out very carefully.

The DBEM is much improved and in a far better frame of mind regards Covid so I can see that my “release date” will be soon and I can resume my small number of activities.  It has been very lonely staying away for these past four months and I will be happy to be back among people.   Our local Health Board tells us that ‘the Omicron Peak has passed but the Pandemic has not’ so we are still all being very careful. However now that the DBEM is less fearful I am much relieved.

I have begun yet another sewing set - this one in hardanger - and in a rare divergence from my usual tone on tone I decided to do this one in bright white on dark blue.   So far so good and I am hopeful that the final set will look as I envisage it.

At Embroiderers Guild a small group tackled Hardanger Tassels and of course I had to join in.   Someone asked how many I had made…I don’t really know but a quick estimate got me to about 60 and there are now another two to add to the total.   No more for a while.  I am rather “tasseled - out” 😉

Yesterday while out walking I fell over (again!) and this time injured my chin ( a deep gash), my left wrist (a sprain it seems) my teeth (two chipped and broken) and my iPhone (now replaced).   So I am feeling a little sorry for myself and am on pureed foods only until I get to the dentist.   That will be good for the weight loss.

Back again when I have more to report.

Finished….what to do next

 The small sewing set is finished - I even had a pair of small scissors to suit.   

And that is three sets complete.   

With six great-nieces in that branch of the family I am only half way!   But I am determined to use up my fine count linen and so what to do next.   Another sewing set of course!   

This one is on some 32 count blue linen from stash with DMC 932 in perle 8 and 12 ( also from stash).  Some years ago I did a course in Ukrainian Whitework with Gay Eaton and it seems fitting to be stitching that technique at present.  Her book is no doubt long out of print but it is a great resource and from it one can really teach oneself this technique.   Admittedly my eyes are complaining at the strain of diagonal round eyelets but I am enjoying this greatly.  I have started on the needlebook -  which since taking this photo is well on the way to completion.

The DBEM has been unwell with a chest infection which is not Covid as the doctor did a Rapid Antigen Test to check.   Currently she is on a course of antibiotics and seems to be improving.   We have been enjoying several audiobooks and are with Michael Palin on his Pole To Pole at present.  

And that's about all for tonight.   I've had a busy day with the DBEM's medical appointments and so will make a cup of tea and it's off to bed for me.

A finish or two.

 A dedicated effort on my hardanger tray cloth and voila, the end.  But wouldn’t you know it!?  I’m already dreaming of what hardanger piece I shall do next!

Several commented on my last post asking for details of the hardanger stocking.  I found the chart via Pinterest and the link to this blog.  Hope that helps.   It was really simple to do.  For the back I stuck two layers of felt together and stitched the hardanger (after all the beading was complete) carefully to it before trimming even more carefully.  

As a palate refresher I stitched this little Christmas Ornament.

And then as a result of gentle but consistent nagging by the DBEM I looked through my stash of fine linen.  The DBEM seems to think I will end up with macular degeneration like her and doesn't want me to "waste that high count linen".   There are no signs of any changes in my macular yet so I consider I have time but the nagging wore me down and I have tacked out the grid to do another needlework set for one of my great nieces on 38 count Graziano linen.   This one will be in Blackwork technique.   I have five great nieces and another due in August and with only two sets complete I'd better keep moving if all the girls are to get one:-)   So far there are only tacking lines to show so no photographs.  Perhaps tomorrow when I hope to make a start on the actual stitching.

Until then.

Christmas ornaments

 The hardanger bug has bitten again and I’m now absorbed in the tray cloth.   But before I got back to that I did finish off some more Christmas ornaments.

O Little Town of Bethlehem was from the JCS Christmas edition of  2021 and I’m pleased with how it turned out.  

The tree was Pinterest inspired but I did make a mistake and it is not as tall as the original showed.   Just as well because the linen scrap wouldn’t have allowed for more branches.   I want to try another with the correct height and have ordered some more beads for that.

The hardanger stocking was a joy to stitch and this one will definitely be staying on my tree.

Now I am back to the tray cloth and obsessed with it I must say.   So far so good and the rhythmical stitching is soothing as I have been rather unsettled lately.

Besides the stitching I have been busy in the garden removing a couple more rose bushes and bucket loads of ancient old bark from the corner of the back yard.   Then after spraying to ensure no weeds survived I laid around 30 square metres of black weedmat and have organised for fresh bark to be delivered on Tuesday.   My cousin obligingly lent me a shovel and I will use my wheelbarrow to cart the bark from delivery point to the back garden.   Once these Herculean labours are over that will be one less part of the estate that needs regular weeding/maintenance.  In late Autumn I plan to plant two dwarf fruit trees in super large pots in this area and to have smaller planters of herbs and flowers around the outer curve.  Pictures to follow when it looks less of a mess.

Meanwhile I’m off to keep the DBEM company with her audiobook - a biography of Barbara Bush.   

Christmas Stockings

 My thumb is almost 100% again and I’m back to practising picots.   I have the method firmly imprinted on my brain now so will have a break from hardanger and try some cross stitch again.   I'm making the hardanger sleeves into little Christmas Stockings -  here's one to show off.

Pinterest provided ideas for a couple of ornaments so I delved into my thread stash and made a start on this one.   Shouldn’t take too long nor will it use much thread but I rather like the effect.   Perhaps I will be able to use  some of my sparkly beads as decoration -  there are to be garlands of beads hanging from the branches and a star fixed to the wonky top of the tree.   A finished photo in a day or two.

Today I made some fruit for the first page of a Quiet Book for my new great niece Nell.   She’s only two weeks old so there is no hurry on this one😉.  I made some many years ago when my nieces and nephews were born but Nell’s mother didn’t get one to pass on so I’m rectifying that lack.    Surprisingly I have all the necessary sewing threads for this although I did buy some Heat N Bond and heavy calico for the pages.  No photos yet - I will show some soon I promise.

Our weather is cooler today and I spent 3 hours this morning in the flower garden and have scrapes to prove my tussle with an unwanted rose bush.  I won!!  

This afternoon is devoted to the DBEM.  We have discovered “LifeChanging” on BBC Sounds and are both enjoying episodes of that.   What amazing life experiences some people have.   We are both intrigued and inspired.

The thumb is healing

 Thank you for all your good wishes for my poor thumb.  I’m happy to report it is healing well but I’m still not stitching much yet and besides, it is too too hot.   I have been sitting in front of the fan with the DBEM and keeping her company while she reminisces.   She grew up in the very north of New Zealand and obviously experienced some very hot summers but now at almost 92 she doesn’t tolerate them so well.  Nor do I and even reading books set in snowy Scandinavia hasn’t helped!

Today I went to the next village which has a small sewing shop with a minuscule stock of DMC perle as I needed to replenish my stock of #8 in Blanc.   And I promised an ice cream as a treat if the DBEM comes with me for an outing.   Yes!  I’m resorting to bribery as despite taking care not to mix much during this Omicron outbreak she still needs to have some stimulus (and I’m a little tired of audio books).  No ice cream, which is better for my continuing weight loss but we had a pleasant outing together.

I found these at the little sewing shop.  I’m on the lookout for the whole nativity story in these buttons as I have a Christmas book planned.   Supply chains disrupted by Covid mean ordering from The States is out at present.  Just as well there’s no hurry.