Garden surprises, slow stitching a goddess and a wonderful book to end off March

The flowers on the Milkweed are nearly devoured by very hungry caterpillars. I was hoping to get caterpillars this year and I was not disappointed. 

I finally have the name for the little purple wildflower its a lyre-leaf sage.

The Lantana along the driveway is doing quite well after the rains we had this week. It sprouted out a few weeks ago where the Holly tree used to be. I'm going to cut a piece to see if I can root it and plant some in another area. I would love to have some along the fence. 

I finished week 13 piece for the K3n.clothtales SAL it is a Friendship Star. I was reminded how much I love hand piecing.

I am working on another slow stitched Goddess this one in shades of purple fabrics

She is almost ready to be cut out along her template lines so I can put her on a backing fabric to continue working.

The Spring goddess is waiting for me to decide how I want to continue with the piece.  I'm so glad I ventured into slow stitching in this way. I feel more creative with each piece I make.

The Untamed Thread by Fleur Woods arrived a few days ago while I only had time to browse through the pages I will be taking the time to read over the weekend.  

The full color photos are breathtaking to say the least, the fiber art among the pages are so beautiful I ache to run my hands over them.

If you were thinking of buying a copy and haven't taken the plunge yet do it you will be so glad you did. It's a great addition to your fiber art and needlework library.

If you aren't familiar with Fleur Woods her Instagram and Website links are below:

https://www.instagram.com/fleurwoodsart/?hl=en

https://www.fleurwoodsart.com/

A quick update, about 5 hours after I snapped the photos of the caterpillars I found them starting to spin a cocoon.

Nature is amazing.

Happy 1st Day of Spring

 

Spring arrived today with cool dry air and plenty of sunshine.  I noticed where the holly tree was lantana is sprouting up and I need to cut back the regrowing holly so it stays a shrub and not an overgrown tree.

The orange hibiscus continually blooms these stunning flowers every day, the plant is full of buds just waiting to open. 

One of the azalea plants is blooming, and to my surprise its a fuchsia color, I had thought it was either a white or purple.

I love the larger flowers though after all the rain yesterday and the drop in temps last night I noticed all the flowers were deflated. I sure hope it bounces back.

The Marigolds care doing well and I  need to pick up some potting soil so I can put them in a larger pot.

I may actually have a garden of sorts this year.

Slow Sunday Stitching the Goddess

  So yesterday I made a thing, a little birds nest with some eggs I want to add to my Spring goddess piece.

Today I attached it to my goddess, along with a few other bits I've added this week.  I just knew I wanted to put the bird nest on her head.

I added a small dragonfly I cut from a piece of fabric I came upon when I was looking through my stash bins.  I made the little bunny by drawing an outline on a piece of fabric scrap and added a black French knot for an eye.

I stitched the spirals along the side last Sunday at the beach, it was a beautiful sunny day with dry air and a nice breeze. 

I didn't get to much stitching done on the beach a few minutes after I stitched the second spiral the wind picked up and my fabric was flopping all over the place, not to mention my needle kept unthreading.

Last weekend I order this nifty embroidery bag from Missouri Star Quilts I saw on one of the YouTube channels I stitch along with. Not only is it a bag it's also a kit and came with some wonderful items. The bag has 3 inside pockets and one outside zippered pocket. 

In addition to the pre-printed sampler fabric, there are 2 full size stick and stitch pages printed with designs to stitch and the guidebook for stitches and colors suggestions. 1 blank print, stitch and wash full size page (its a product I use quite often). 8 full skeins of DMC 6 stranded gloss, a water soluble pencil, embroidery hoop, scissors, needles and needle threaders, a needle minder and floss bobbins. Oh and a tea towel.

Here is the list 

There is quite a lot of room in the bag even with all the things it came with, there is room for several hoops of various sizes.  I have wanted a bag to take along my projects where I could actually fit the hoop.  I was using a small bag for supplies and a separate tote for the hoop which can take up space when packing for a trip or even for a day out stitching, now I can have everything in one place.

I have also pre-ordered the Ingrid's Wildflowers Hand embroidery kit which isn't due to ship out until the end of July.

It comes in a beautiful keepsake tin box and includes:

• 20 wildflower preprinted Peel and Stitch Washaway embroidery sheets
• Instruction cards including 20 stitch guides for the printed wildflower designs
• 10 balls of 10oz Perle Cotton embroidery floss
• Notions including: 2 needles, 1 needle minder, 1 needle threader and embroidery scissors
• a gorgeous 7″ Beechwood embroidery hoop

Here is the link to the unboxing of the kit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SB1G9NKna4s

They sold out of the kit so pre-orders are being taken for delivery in late July.  Here is the link if interested: https://www.missouriquiltco.com/

I am signed up for the April SAL with Stitch Doodles, this time it will be Round and Round the Woodlands, I opted for the pre-printed fabric.  Info can be found here:https://www.stitchdoodles.com/

I am currently working on week 11 of the K3n.clothtales SAL piece, it's a Kawandi style piece that I am just about finished with, and later this evening I need to start my Kathy Schmitz Woven Wreaths SAL I need to watch the video again  for March.  I am posting today at Kathy's Quilts here:

https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/2024/03/slow-sunday-stitching_021451573.html 

My banner for St. Patrick's day has been up since March 1st.

A few weeks ago I was looking for some butterfly fabric and came across Deborah's Garden from Northcott fabrics,  Michel Design Works.  I loved the butterflies framed by the lavender and the coordinating florals are just stunning.  I have a project in mind and if you look closely at the Spring goddess piece you will see the bunch of lavender and the small butterfly was used.

It is also St. Gertrude's Day today, she is the patron saint of cats and gardener's, Simon waiting for me 

to toss about his favorite toy so I can walk up and down the hallway while he chases it but doesn't retrieve it, unless I stop playing.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!