Second block of FMTM

Hi everyone,
I managed to finish the second block of FMTM. This block I changed the main colour to green and moved around the diamond motifs. This is a really fun project. The bling in this block is the upright crosses in the darker purple triangles and a little cross over the centre stitches.

I did manage to stitch a little on an older project Laura Perin's Independence Day. Not enough yet to post a photo, but soon.


Sorry this is a quick post, it's time to do the weekly grocery shopping, not my favourite thing but one of life's necessary tasks.


Happy stitching, bye for now, Carol

A near finish

Hi everyone,
During the Guild exhibition I needed something small and portable so I stitched on a small canvas piece "Scheherazade" by Michael Boren. It is stitched on 8x10 stretcher bars so it fitted into my stitching basket easily and clamped to the table with my Lowrey table clamp. There is only the background to fill in with 4 way continental using Waterlillies Royal Jewels silk to complete this piece.
Royal Jewels by Caron has been a long time favourite overdye so it was great to be able to use this thread especially on black.

Scheherazade by Michael Boren
Copyright 2003

In the postbox this week was the Colour of the Month threads from Homestead Needlearts. I realised I hadn't posted last months either so here is February Pinks and March Yellow/Greens. Aren't they yummy lots of soft interesting threads to play with.

Still working on FMTM but I have slowed down now as to not get to far ahead with the class. My threads for Moorish Splendor cyberclass by Jane Zimmerman should arrive soon from Needle in a Haystack in California, although the class has started I am hoping to catch up with the class soon.

In closing here is a photo of my special furry friend, Baxter. The cuddliest cat I have ever met.

Happy stitching, bye for now, Carol

First block FMTM complete

Hi everyone,
Finally finished the first block on FMTM. I added some blue/fushia pink metallic as a hi-light. I just love bling so there will be a little bit added to each  block.

Sorry about the dismal photo it was taken indoors near my front window. We have workmen laying a new walking path in our back garden today so photographing outside wasn't an option. You can just see the start of the second block. This one is stitched with the main colour as green. I have decided to alternate the colours throughout the project and then bring them together with the sashing and border.


I found a wonderful new blog by Joni Stevenson called Creative Stitch, it has been added to my bloglist do take a look. Joni is a very experienced stitcher, teacher, judge and is discussing lots of ways to improve your stitching technique. Welcome Joni and thanks for sharing such interesting ideas.


On a sadder note, please drop by Ro Pace's blog to give your warmth and  heartfelt commiserations on the loss of her husband very recently. We are thinking of you Ro.


Happy stitching, bye for now, Carol

Embroiderers Guild of South Australia exhibition

Hi everyone,


Just a quick post to let you know,that although no photos were allowed of the Members' exhibition pieces on display, the Guild has posted some photos on our Facebook page. Just click the Guild link and click the Facebook logo there. The exhibition was stunning and I was able to meet so many lovely people stitchers and non-stitchers alike. 


Hope you enjoy.
Bye for now, Carol

A few more tiny stitches

Hi everyone,
I managed to get a few more stitches into From Molehill to Mountain. Still playing around with the colours and placement. Thought it needed more green so I chose green as the backcolour for this block and moved the block to the top left hand corner instead of below the blue block and moved the motifs around. Hope this works if it doesn't there is going to be lots of unstitching and some very unsavoury mutterings.

 I was hoping to share with you some photos of the Members exhibition at the Embroiderers' Guild of South Australia, but I found out that there is a strictly no photos policy. There are over 300 entries executed in lots of techniques on display. The colours are dazzling and the standard of work is very high indeed. Congratulations to all members who contributed and to the dedicated members who set up and are making this display such a success. I have lots of friends who have entered pieces including Lisel with a beautiful mulitcoloured sampler almost a metre square, Anne, with a ANG cyberclass canvas work piece called Journey by David McCaskill, Denise with a pretty interpretation of my canvas work class piece Twisted threads and Margaret with a beautiful chinese silk embroidery of a coloured parrot. Just to name a few. If you are in Adelaide hurry to Hughes Street, Mile End and enjoy the display.


The very clever Kathy Rees has been designing some more and I enjoyed Tahiti so much that I couldn't resist buying her latest piece Rio. The colours are very bright and happy. Here is a photo of the design. It is stitched using Overdyed Vineyard Silks by Threadworx so the shine will be beautiful.

Happy stitching, bye for now, Carol

First stitches on cyberclass

Hi everyone,
This week saw the first stitches completed for my cyberclass through Scarlet Thread. This is the first time I have used congress cloth 24 count canvas and I am liking it. The stitches are delicate and tiny so the shine on the laid threads is lovely. This project is going to be a long term one, making decisions on what thread/colour is keeping me busy. Pam's (the designer) notes and on line help are excellent but I still can't help tinkering and tweaking little bits.

From Molehill to Mountain by Pam Gardner
Cyberclass 2012 thru Scarlet Thread

After my copy of Needlepointers arrived in the mail recently with the 2012 ANG Philadelphia Seminar book, I spent quite some time trying to decide which classes to enrol in. One is Ro Pace's Atlantis Rising and the other Micheal Boren's Shenandoah, but I am very sad to find out that the classes with Michael Boren have been withdrawn. I do hope he is okay. So back to the book and I have chosen Susan Reed's Graphic Expressions. Now all there is to do is wait and hope that I am successful in the class ballots. Have you chosen your classes yet?


Happy stitching, Bye for now, Carol

Today's news

Hi everyone,
I have just had a lovely 3 days with a group stitching Chinese silk embroidery. Me being a counted stitch person I was purely there to listen as someone new to a quite different technique. It is absolutely stunning work, the realism created by the silk is amazing. If you would like a feast for the eyes check out Margaret Lee's work.


I did get a little stitching completed while there but not enough to show yet. This week I received a photo from friend Nicki of a beautiful finish of Laura Perin's "Winter Sky" and I thought you would like to see what a fantastic job she has done.

Laura J Perin "Winter Sky"
Original colours

It is a lot more sparkly than the photo shows and the colours are lovely. Great job Nicki, congratulations. Looking forward to seeing the next piece.

Thank you so much for your comments on my colour choices for FMTM in my last post, several people have asked for the thread colours, so here they are:

Overdye thread Dinky Dyes silk no. 40 'Daydream',(blue,green,mauve mix)

Purples, Anchor stranded cotton dark 101, medium 98, light 103

Greens, DMC stranded cotton dark 986, medium 988, light 369

Blues, DMC stranded cotton dark 3808, medium 3810, light 3811

Wool/silk mixes, Dark Purple Gumnuts 'Poppies' colour 279 and Dark Blue, Caron Impressions colour 8121, Dark Green Impressions 5120 (not in photo)

Metallics Kreinik #8 Purple 1223, Green 088C, Blue 011hl plus an extra for a hi-light 2094hl a mixed colour

I would love to see progress on your pieces, so don't forget to post photos on the group site.

Happy stitching, bye for now, Carol