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Sunday, July 30, 2017

July 30th is World Embroidery Day

World Embroidery Day

Invented in Sweden in 2011 a local group belonging to Broderiakademin, Sweden’s Embroidery Guild, took the initiative to plan and create a special day to celebrate embroidery. World Embroidery Day was born. It is now celebrated annually, each year on July 30.


I plan on making this day a happy stitching event joining in spirit with others all around the globe to celebrate in small part World Embroidery Day.

I'm working on the Zenbroidery piece today what are you working on?

Monday, July 24, 2017

July coming to and end

Well here we are in the last full week of July and my needle and floss seem to be flowing along at a decent pace.  Late last week though I hit a snag when I was hit with some type of pain and some rather nasty dizzy spells,  I had plans to spend time with my sister and niece at our community pool however I spent the entire day sleeping.  Saturday morning I didn't feel as dizzy or sore so I spent the day reading and crocheting.   I managed to do 7 rows in the Ruana  pattern  I purchased a short time ago.

I didn't feel much better yesterday when I woke so I found myself once again lying around on the sofa managed to finish reading The Hideaway and finally started on The Beach at Painter's Cove.
A Good Read
I had planned to read the Beach at Painter's Cove while I was away but started another book instead.  I really enjoyed The Hideaway.

I did manage to get some hand embroidery stitches in on Friday while resting, I used a split stitch on the Flower Power portion, I have to say I really like the look of the split stitch.
I didn't get as much done as I had hoped to on the Summer of Love piece as I had hoped so I have plans to get some stitching done on it today, it is nearly complete, I just hope I can focus on the stitching.
Yesterday I added another 3 rows to the Ruana pattern and I love the loose, soft feel it has using the Shawl in a Ball yarn, I also changed the stitch from half double crochet to a double crochet for a lighter airy look.
10 rows done
Here is the pattern I am making The Playa Ruana, from Two of Wands website.  I just love the soft flowing look it has.
I am using size "N" crochet hook and Shawl in a Ball metallics yarn from Lion Brand in the Om Opal colorway.
The metallic threads are very subtle throughout but it does give a nice little sparkle to the overall piece.  I have this yarn in other colorways and I plan to use it with beads on the next piece I make. I also ordered a few other colorways last week.

I'll be linking my post to Super Mom No Cape today I hope you will stop by and have a look at what other bloggers are embroidery today.
http://www.supermomnocape.com/vintage-embroidery-monday-stitchery-link-party-120/

Sunday, July 16, 2017

Mid July

July is just moving along, mid month came so fast though this week the days felt long and exhausting.  The heat and humidity are taking its toll on me this year.

I put in more progress on my Zenbroidery piece
moving long
I love the look the variegated threads I'm using, I'm also using 3 strands of floss, I have seen a few using the full 6 strands and for me it just looks so heavy and too crowed.

Progress on the Summer of Love project is going well too, I still have more to finish on the figure at

the bottom before I  move on to the next area,  I removed the stitch and wash fabric so the piece looks a bit wrinkled it will all be pressed after the piece is complete,

I will be linking up to Kathy's Quilts today https://kathysquilts.blogspot.ca/2017/07/slow-sunday-stitching_16.html   and on Monday I will link up at Super Mom No Cape please check out the  links and see what other talented bloggers are hand stitching. http://www.supermomnocape.com/

Sunday, July 9, 2017

Beaches, Books and a Birthday too.

July is moving along at a fast clip, do you ever wonder where the time goes, it seems it was just yesterday I was blowing out the candles on my 62nd birthday cake on the first of July and here we are 9 days into the month.

I have been slowly making progress on the Peace symbol Zenbroidery and I am happy to say my satin stitch is looking much better as I work, for some reason I always struggled with that stitch, but not nearly as much as I struggled with the french knot.

Several members of the stitching challenge I am in have made this and told me that once its nearly done it will be very hard to get the needle through, I had noticed how dense the stitching looked on photos they had posted so I am using back stitch to outline some of the motifs rather than have it all filled in,  I like the look of some white spaces.

My time on Sanibel Island was lovely, though as it is with vacations too short. The weather was lovely sunny and hot, I forgot the further south in Florida the hotter it gets though it did seem less humid being on the gulf coast enjoy the balmy breezes. 

Spent some time shelling on the beach and browsing bookstores during the afternoon rains, the water so clear and the shells abundant.
perfect beach day
hunting shells low tide
thousands of tiny shells 
a lovely morning
I didn't take too many photos, I was too busy picking up shells and walking along the shore and wading into the water.  I will post some photos of the larger shells found eventually.  After an early morning of shelling I brought out my beach chair and spent a few hours soaking in the sun.

I located two book shops on the Island, one of the bookshops had 3 buildings and books everywhere.
These are some of the books I bought.
a little of everything
City Guide Discworld 
two books in one
I also found a bookshop in Fort Myers and purchased a few books but I haven't unpacked those yet.  I have just started the Terry Pratchett  Discworld series so I am picking up the books not available at our library, and I just thought to grab the City Guide complete with map.  Wicked is the first two novels for a friend. The Randy Wayne White books are written by a Sanibel author and the novels take place in and around Southwest Florida.  Now I can start this series too.

On the first of July I celebrated my 62nd Birthday with a little cake that just makes me smile, it was so colorful.
basket of  flowers cake

I have to tell you those flowers were amazing and quite sweet, I don't like too much frosting so I scrape most of it off, it was a delicious white cake inside. 

One of the new projects I am working on is a witch bonnet Sue quilt, here is a look at two of the blocks waiting for embellishing, I will be embroidering the blocks and adding some beads too.

Here is a close up of one of the Sue blocks, they are appliqued on using fusible web, don't you just love the spider webs.

I'm thinking may be using some metallic threads around the block.  Here is a look at a traditional Sun Bonnet Sue block I made years ago.


As you can see the black threads are all the embroidery I added around the edges, added the lines for socks and umbrella handle and her hands.

Here is an up date on my  progress. for the Summer of Love Challenge piece. I will be linking my post up today at Kathy's Quilts and on Monday at Supermom No Cape.
Summer of Love