Tuesday 23 October 2012

Well Here Goes

Well Here Goes.....

....and it has been a bit like that.  I never thought about setting up a blog of my own, until some prompting by my new stitching friend, Nicola, from http://stitchingbyacornishseashore.blogspot.co.uk  Then, what to call myself?  Well, the three things in my life, outside husband and family, are my stitching, my cats and my chickens.  I like the play on words, which conjurers up visions of the hens sitting on the roost, their needles flying....and the stitching part covers most of my life.

During the day, I run my own soft-furnishing business,  which involves A LOT of sewing by hand and then I also enjoy patchwork and embroidery.  The latter I think I inherit from my maternal grandmother, as she was a big embroiderer, the patchwork, is completely down to me.  I just LOVE fabric and was totally inspired, when on our honeymoon, we went to Intercourse in Lancaster County and I saw the beautiful Amish quilts.

So I flit between the two.  At the moment I am on a big sampler crusade.

I have just finished the Blue Ribbon Sampler, by Olwyn Horwood.  A giant sampler, which finishes at about 1m square.  Mainly, cross stitch with some double running and two amazing drawn thread panels.  A perfect way to become familiar with drawn threadwork.



This is not the best of pictures, but I have yet to get over to the framers.














At the moment I am working on the Victoria Sampler Alphabet series,  24 small samplers stitched as one giant wall hanging.  It is a fantastic project for trying out loads of different stitches.  I have just started letter "I" so nearly half-way there.

Watch this space for some pictures.

I do tend to do big projects.  Not really a small project kind of a girl.  So was delighted to be asked by
 Nicola, (http://stitchingbyacornishseashore.blogspot.co.uk) to join her on a SAL.  We now have in total a possible five participants.  So exciting.  The the sampler we are going to stitch is SDW from The Scarlett Letter. This is an early beautiful German band sampler, quirky and big enough to appeal.   Just kitted out and ready to go.


I try, as a rule, not to have more than one project on the go but this was too good an offer to miss.  I have decided to stitch in Au Ver a Soie, which is such lovely silk.  I figure that if you are going to give your time to something, then you should buy the best materials possible.  Can't wait to start.

Oh and the cat part....well I named my business after my two tabby cats  sadly now departed and catching mice in a better place, but they were such an important part of my life, that I include them whenever I can.




18 comments:

  1. Welcome to blog land and what a superb stitch to start your blog with.

    Many, many congratulations on an amazing finish, can't wait to see how you frame it.

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  2. I too look forward to seeing how you frame it. I like big projects too although I do anything that appeals to my taste at the moment. Can you say lots of UFO's at my house? Welcome to blogging!

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  3. Welcome to the land of blogging. What a wonderful complete piece in Blue Ribbon and I cannot wait to see how it frames up. I'm a follower of Nicola's and she did mention on her blog that you had completed it so I had to come and have a look. Looking forward to seeing your Victorian Alphabet Sampler and I will enjoy seeing how your SAL goes.

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  4. Beautiful stitching!
    I just found Nicola's blog, then yours
    Welcome to bogland
    I'll be back

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  5. Gorgeous finish!!! So glad you started a blog-- it will be fun to watch your progress on SDW. I think I am going to have to officially join the SAL :

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  6. What a beautiful sampler! Thanks for showing so many close up pictures! I really enjoyed looking at them. I will enjoy watching your Alphabet Sampler progress as well. Welcome to blog land, please pop over to visit my blog when you have time.

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  7. Beautiful Sampler you completed. What an achievement!

    Look forward to following your progress on your new Scarlett Letter SAL.

    Welcome to Blogland:)

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  8. Hi welcome to the blogging world, and I hope you have lots of fun in it. Your sampler is simply stunning, congratulations. Enjoy the new projects. And how wonderful for you to live close to the New Forest, such a lovely part of the world.

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  9. Hi welcome to Blogland. Your sampler is really lovely. I have often admired this sampler although you don't see it that often. Your SAL looks wonderful, I would love to join, but I have to many things on the go at the moment. I am also mainly a one big sampler girl at a time, but seem to have got myself into a bit of a pickle lol. So I shall enjoy watching your progress along with Nicole's.

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  10. Wow! What a stunning finish, Michele!! Welcome to the wonderful cross stitching/blogging community--looking forward to seeing more special projects from you :)

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  11. Welcome to the wonderful world of blogging. Take care with Nicola... she'll just encourage to attempt even bigger projects. Your Blue Ribbon Sampler is gorgeous and I look forward to seeing your Alphabet Series and SDW.

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  12. Welcome to the blogging world! Your Sampler is so beautiful. Will enjoy seeing more of your work.
    Happy Stitching
    Denise

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  13. Welcome to the blogging world! Your sampler is amazing! Beautiful work.

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  14. What a beautiful sampler!
    Lovely stitching!

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  15. Beautiful stitching Michele! Welcome to BlogLand!
    looking forward to SALing with you ;0)

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  16. Hello! Popped over from Nicola's blog to see your stitching.

    Your finished sampler is amazing, I can see why Nicola is so keen to get started.

    I like your blog name too, it shows the importance of a correctly placed comma so we know it's not about cats and chickens who stitch or people who stitch cats and chickens LOL.

    Looking forward to seeing your progress on the new SAL.

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  17. Love this piece and love your stitching. Can I ask what materials you used for this
    as this is possibly next on my list of things to do!

    Rebecca in IA
    blake@cfu.net

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  18. Hi Rebecca, many thanks for your kind comments. I did this in 28ct Belfast Linen, with DMC threads, although if I did it again I would use 35ct and AVS as I am very envious of the finish that Nicola is getting. xx

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