Fresh Start and embroidery Inspiration!

I know many blogs I read start with an apology that they haven’t written for such a long time and I may have to follow that tradition this time too! Life just gets in the way, despite our good intentions …

Since Christmas, life has been a bit topsy-turvy medically ending in my diagnosis for bowel cancer in March and subsequent tests and scans etc. and then a month ago I had surgery to remove the cancer which was all successful though now there will still be some belt and braces chemo in about a months time. Having been through breast cancer 10 years ago I thought it would be familiar territory, but I am hoping this chemo will not be as long drawn out as the breast cancer treatment and I will not lose my hair! I also hope now to be able to work again (though taking the odd nap) a bit more regularly! But I must urge all of you of a certain age to be rigorous in doing the stool test by post … do not let it sit on the doormat or in your in tray for long … just do it quickly and send it off. It could make all the difference, it could be nothing as my first one two years ago was, but it is so much better to know for sure… x

Thank you all for your patience waiting for kits to arrive as it has been very difficult to maintain business as usual, but now I’m really enjoying the short burst of activity in the studio and it feels more like normal life again.

Before I went into hospital I have been working on some pages for a book that I’m planning for publication hopefully before Christmas this year (but there are always things that get in the way!) But I am producing some new merchandise for you which will use the artwork from a few pages from the book made into cards notebooks and maybe gift wrap …. I give you a little sampler below.

These cards show how only a few stitches are needed to create wonderful rich, textual effects and can be used to great bring another dimension to any project. I want to encourage you to experiment with confidence as you can do so many things with maybe only three stitch types. Initially we have a set of 4 postcards (as shown) but I am working on a set of greetings cards which will have the stitches used as diagrams on the back of the card, leaving the inside free to write a message to your fellow crafter! I am just researching the gift wrap options … These will be on the website in about a week …

The stitches used here are: Detached Chain, Chain, Running Stitch, Star Stitch, Fly Stitch Herringbone Stitch, French Knot … and variations on these stitches.

Stitches used here are : Fly Stitch, French Knot, Detached Chain Stitch, Buttonhole Flower Stitch, Buttonhole Wheel Stitch, Satin Stitch, Thorn Stitch, Couching Stitch, and variations on these stitches.

Stitches used here are : Straight Stitch, Fly Stitch, Detached Fly Stitch, French Knot, Detached Chain Stitch, Thorn Stitch, Cross Stitch, and variations on these stitches.

Stitches used here are : Straight Stitch, Fly Stitch, Detached Fly Stitch, French Knot, Detached Chain Stitch, Weave Stitch, Thorn Stitch, Cross Stitch, Herringbone Stitch, and variations on these stitches.

Also we are now selling our large tote bag for £7.50 pounds

OR … FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY!!! … if you buy two cushion kits you will get one for FREE!!!

The bag measures 40 X 36 cms

and it is perfect for keeping your current craft project in while you are working or, on a trip to the haberdashery to put your goodies in for the next project and of course it is stitchable if you so wish!

This is where I have been sitting in the sunshine recovering … I know how lucky I am! The scrap of crochet was started a few years ago and has come out agin to be finished!