My New Blog - Patra's Other Place!

But it is not replacing this one. I decided to create a second blog for things other than my stitching and my linen collection, as Patra's Place is becoming a little unwieldy. So Patra's Other Place will now be the home of other interesting stuff such as swap cards, autograph books, photos of pets, Australian wildlife, etc., etc., etc. Please drop over in a few days time (give me time to scan and download stuff!) and let me know what you think.

Calling all Apron lovers!!!

I finally got around to putting Linda's CD in my computer, logging into Picasa, and attempting to transfer the images direct from the CD to my blog. It worked! Well of course - there is no reason why it shouldn't have - just another example of my lack of confidence in high level technology - lol!! But back to business...
I have put nine aprons here - with sincere apologies to those people on dial-up. I'm afraid it will take a while to download, and probably use up your monthly allowance of megabytes or whatever..sorry. But once I started, I thought I may as well put a few online, otherwise I would be fiddling around for weeks on end if I did it one at a time. There are another 10 or so on the CD, but I will put them on in a few days time.
Enjoy! And please feel free to comment. I notice while actually in the process of downloading, Maggie Ann was sitting at her computer watching, and commenting as I went!

Stunning crinoline lady. I found this in an antique shop and was happy to pay an exhorbitant amount of money for it!
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Captain Cook's cottage, Melb. Australia. This is quite a talking point in my lectures. Part of it has been very nicely stitched, but the rest is very badly stitched - I tell people it must have been a mother/daughter effort...very small daughter!
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Unusual design, very fine stitching.
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Swan. This is about 75 years old. It was given to me by a lady who is now in her 80's and stitched this when she was about 12. It is all done in tiny, exquisite chain stitch.
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NOT applique! (or machine stitched) One of my favorites, due to the high quality stitching.
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Boy with donkey - looks like a European design.
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Not quite a crinoline lady, but still very pretty!
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Horse and carriage
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My latest Chicken Scratch apron - doesn't the red thread give it new life!
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Table runner. Notice how the embroiderer has used varied shades of one colour for the dress - this is an excellent example of how my Colour Change sampler can be utilised.
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Second Lavender Girl cloth (only part of design unfortunately - can't fit it all in on the scanner)
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One of my new "Lavender Girl" aka Crinoline Lady tablecloths.
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What a week that was!

Last week was one of the good ones so far this year. The Antiques Roadshow ticket arrived, and so did a number of goodies I had won on eBay: Three stunning tablecloths - two Crinoline Ladies and one very unusual Scottish design, featuring bagpiper, Celtic dancer and scottie dogs, surrounded by a cross stitch pattern that looks just like a tartan. A table runner with an exquisite Crinoline Lady at each end, more assorted doilies, and two half-aprons, one embroidered with the ubiquitous chicken scratch/Swiss/Australian embroidery (!) This last one is really one out of the proverbial box - on dark blue gingham, the cross stitch is in white thread which has been laced with red thread - quite startling in appearance, but very pretty. 90+ year old MIL was staying with us this weekend, and she was most interested in this last apron - she said it was just like the ones she and her friends used to stitch for their glory boxes.
OK ladies - just be patient! I will scan everything in the next few days for all to see and enjoy!

It doesn't take much to make an old lady happy...

Remember the birthday card I stitched for my elderly Japanese friend? I put a picture on here a few days ago. Well, I took it around to her this morning, on my way to work. She was surprised to see me at first, but her face lit up when I gave her the card and wished her a happy birthday. Then she opened the card and said "ooohhh! You make? You make for me??" and when I said yes, she had tears in her eyes. It is nice to think such a small gesture can bring so much joy..

Chicken Scratch or Swiss Embroidery?

While I was looking for some inspiration for Pam Kellogg's teatowel challenge, and was leafing through a small book called "Easy To Embroider" by Anna Griffiths, I was astonished to find four pages devoted to what everyone here refers to as Chicken Scratch! To quote the first paragraph: This clever but simple technique - called Swiss Embroidery - is both pretty and practical. Here it is used for a table mat, but it can be used to decorate all kinds of household articles made of gingham. I have scanned the first two pages, then a close-up of the first page giving the instructions, but as you will see, I didn't do a very good job. I couldn't figure out how to rotate the scan so it would appear here the right way up, and as well as that, it isn't very clear - sorry! But I was quite excited to find this in one of my books, so I had to at least try! The book was published in 1991 by Anaya Publishers, London.

Close up of item about Chicken Scratch. Upside down - dammit! sorry...
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Article on Chicken Scratch in one of my books. Sorry this is sideways, don't know how to rotate it here.
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This is my Colour Change Sampler - showing the effects of blending four or five shades of a colour from darkest to lightest. All stitched using three strands, and mixing the shades to achieve subtle changes.
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