Update on Chief UFO

See? Nearly finished! If you click on the photo, it may bring it close enough to see where I've done back stitching around the face, and also the beads I used to embellish his jade adornments.

Chelle and more stitching time.

My blogging friend Chelle over the Pond in the U.S.A. went raving mad today, posting comments all over my blogs about my latest linen finds! I caught up with her while she was in the middle of posting them, and we hooked up to each other on Instant Messenger. We chatted online for about an hour - 4 to 5 pm here in Melbourne, and 1 to 2 am over there in Illinois! What fun to catch up with blog friends online around the world. It cheered me up no end after a traumatic day jobwise - thanks Chelle!
Which brings me to 'more stitching time'. Anyone reading this who also reads my other blog Patra's Other Place will be aware of the problems I've had with my workplace. I'm not going to go into details here, but the good thing to come out of it is that I've decided to have an extended holiday from work, if not actual retirement (Ken's not happy about that option!). I have been so tired all the time this year and recently under more stress, so I am looking forward to being at home or out with friends from now on, and more importantly, having more time to STITCH! I'm going to get moving fast on Chief Indian UFO, so watch this space for developments!

Close ups of MIL's embroidered treasures.

I love this little treasure! MIL said it might have been to slip napkins in, but I have seen them elsewhere used like this, putting cutlery in the little pocket,
MIL said she remembers enjoying stitching this, until she had to do the border, where the edge had to be folded under twice, then stitched into the spoked edge. She got one and a bit sides done, then gave up!
I was delighted to see this familiar face! I have this tray cloth already embroidered in my collection. It will be fun to stitch this one myself and then perhaps give it to Ken's sister or niece.
These last two look much like the hand embroidered cloths that have been made in Asian countries for years, but MIL said she did these herself. Perhaps they were sold in kit form?

Mum-in-law has been tidying up again...

Yesterday after I'd been to the Embroiderer's Guild, I stopped off at MIL's house for a cuppa and chat. She said (as she so often does, bless her heart) she had a sudden thought about a box at the bottom of a drawer in a back room. This is the box she handed me: With the ribbon still around it, it looked like it may have once contained biscuits or chocolates, or lingerie perhaps. She didn't remember. But this is what she had been storing in it for the past 50 years:
There is a suppercloth, tray cloths, doilies, crocheted collars made by her grandmother, embroidered handkies, a crocheted sauce bottle cover, and a beaded necklace, which she had made herself when she was in her twenties. She said she'd done a lot of beading, but given most of it away as gifts at the time. I soaked the material items overnight, hung them out to dry this morning, and thanks to strong winds, they are now inside waiting to be ironed.
Finally, she handed me a plastic bag containing these two small tapestries, complete with wool and needles. She'd bought them only a few years ago, but couldn't finish them once arthritis had got its cruel grip on her fingers.

Goodies waiting for me at The Guild!

When I arrived at the Embroiderer's Guild yesterday for my monthly volunteer stint, I was met by the other volunteer I work with on this particular day. She reminded me that I'd missed their Paddy's Market Day, but she'd seen some aprons and other small items she thought I'd like, so she grabbed them for me. Thank you, Wanda! Here are two items; you can find the aprons on my Apron blog. This is a very old Fautleys design. I always wish people would leave the instructions attached to the linen - the staple is still in the material, but the piece of paper has long gone!
Not sure about yellow daffodils and green leaves on this green traycloth...I wonder how it would look if I just stitched the outline in black instead of filling it in with colours?