My response to recent comments.

Because there are several comments on my posts that I wish to reply to, I am creating a new post to answer them, otherwise my replies get lost in scrolling! Maggie ann: I think most of the bloggers in our sphere are of a similar age group - somewhere between 40 and 60, with a few either side. We seem to have similar opinions and interests, that younger generations would not understand. Pam: I'm happy that you're happy! A peacock stitched by you?? That would be FANTASTIC! Lee-Ann: Ken and I are sorry to hear that Rob caught the bug so badly. Don't mind about the opshop day - there are sure to be many more opportunities to do that! Judy: I have done most of my cross stitch on 14ct Aida, because that is the material that is suppplied with most kits. But I am happy working on 28ct or 32ct even weave, as I love the effect of the material.

Gifts to and from blogging friends.

Pam K and I have been happily swapping this past year - she likes our Aussie magazines and lace, and I like her cross stitch magazines! Today I received these beautiful even weave coloured fabrics 'to play with' as Pam put it....PLAY with? I don't think so - I'm already planning what to stitch on them and it will be in deadly earnest!! And here is some more lace that I found today at Savers - it will be on its way very soon, Pam!

Check this site out - a great tutorial resource!

Whilst surfing everyone else's links, I discovered this fantastic blog which shows video clips of how to work embroidery stitches. There is lots of other embroidery related information on Mary's blog as well, but I know I will be returning to the video library of stitches over and over again, as I've already figured out some of the more complex stitches that I couldn't pick up from books. So if you are like me -love to embroider, but can't get to grips with some of the stitches, visit Needle'N'Thread - I'll bet you will spend much time there in the future!

Crinoline lady traycloth.

One of my closest friends gave me this gorgeous little cloth for my birthday - thank you Sandra! The design is the same at each end.

Flying Ducks centrepiece.

Found this beautifully stitched centrepiece in an antique shop today for $2. They had a couple of table cloths there as well, but not as well stitched, so I left those.

A very profitable month!

This past month has seen my linen collection expanded quite substantially by various means: Ken's Mum, Opshops, eBay and on Tuesday a gift of UFOs from one of my colleagues at the Embroiderer's Guild. The first Tuesday of each month is my volunteer day in their office, and there are usually one or two other ladies with me. We each have our own tasks, but once the gallery is tidied, and the phone isn't ringing, we sit and stitch, or check out the latest books and magazines in the library. Most of the other ladies know I collect vintage linens, and one of them is also a collector, especially of aprons. On Tuesday she handed me a bag full of items, explaining that she was having a clean out of her stuff and thought I might like some of it. I was so pleased - especially because the two unfinished cloths had all the stranded cotton needed to finish them! Here they are: An unusual centrepiece - quite old I think. One end nearly finished, the other end about half done. It will need to have the edge crocheted. Half finished supper cloth. I'm confident of finishing off this little piece. The only stitches are buttonhole, stem and satin - easy-peasy! And the crocheted edge is beautifully done. Funny how some people used to work the edge before they started the embroidery...a lot of my vintage UFOs are like that. This cloth has only a small amount stitched. The material is a light brown coloured kind of rayon - it doesn't feel like linen or cotton. Closeup of the corner that has been nearly completed. I doubt if I will ever complete this cloth - I couldn't match that fantastic stitching! This is a 'new' completely unworked supper cloth, with a Robin and apple blossom in each corner. Unfortunately, no instructions for colours or stitches, but W. said she will help me work that out. This is a close up of one corner. W. collects aprons like I do, but she decided not to keep this one, so I gained it for my collection.

I've been op-shopping again!

Remember the one I left behind on Tuesday, because I'd run out of cash? Well it was still there today. Now I couldn't leave it behind again, could I? ..and look at what I found today! (Sorry, yesterday - it was Wednesday, and is now Thursday, 1 a.m.) Lace for Pam, ties for Barb, books and linen for me!! I tried a couple of times to photograph this lace, but this is the best of a poor lot. There are two lots of apricot coloured lace, one of pink, and a couple of rolls of white. These are the ties all on the clothes line. Ken has since added a few of his own that he no longer wants - I'm just glad he didn't want any of these in exchange! Pam, I've put close-up photos on Patra's Other Place for you.

Op Shop finds - Vintage UFO's!!!

I hadn't been to our local Brotherhood Opshop for a few months, but decided to check them out today, looking for lace for Pam and ties for Barbara. There was no lace and only a few ties, but surprise, surprise! I found these, for $1.40 each - bargains! Especially the two with the original instruction sheets - very hard to find these days. There was one more, but I only had $5 in my wallet, so I had to leave that. I doubt if it will still be there if I go back in a day or two, but it might be worth checking.

Nothing of any interest here, but..

..I have been taking lots of photos, but not of linen! I'm all linenned out at the moment. I have done a little on my Indian UFO Challenge, but not enough to photograph for an update report. There is actually one new cloth, but because it has a peacock on it, I've put it on my Peacocks blog.
The other photos are all of furred and feathered friends, and they can be found here.

Bluebirds tray cloth.

A nice little traycloth or centrepiece doiley, hand stitched with bluebirds.

White table topper with violets.

This is a delightful little cloth, all the more so because it only cost about $2! I say 'about' $2, because I bought three items for $5, and this was one. The detail closeup doesn't show the stitching clearly, so I will scan one section of the cloth one day for a better picture. It is stitched on Jobelan even weave (according to the label still attached to the cloth).

Orange bordered supper cloth.

I love these old cloths which have a woven coloured border and hand embroidery in the centre; I've accumulated quite a few now. This one is beautifully stitched; almost looks like machine stitching, but no, it has been handstitched by an expert.

Damask cloth with embroidery.

This is a most unusual cloth; well, it is the first one of its kind I have in my collection! I have heard of people stitching on to Damask cloths, and I have always assumed they would be embellishing the woven design. But in this case, the stitcher has obviously ironed a design from a transfer on to each corner and in the centre of her damask cloth and simply stitched it regardless of the completely different woven pattern! A very pretty cloth - I was very pleased to pay just $5 for it!

Blue cross stitch table topper.

Nice clean little table topper - blue cross stitch on white evenweave fabric.

I've been op-shopping!!

Do you know that old saying "It never rains, but it pours"? Well it certainly did for me, and I'm not referring to the wet stuff that falls out of the sky occasionally! Pam K. and I have been swapping craft magazines and other goodies, and I know she loves lace, so I decided to look for some yesterday. Another weird thing that happens (it's called Murphy's Law!) is that you see a certain thing all over the place when you don't want to buy it, but when you do want it, there is none to be found! I have always seen bags of old laces in most of my regular haunts, but yesterday - ZILCH. However!! I got lucky in linen. This is where I went, and what I found: Savers Charity Store: No lace, two tablecloths. Brotherhood of St. Lawrence: No lace, no cloths. Vinnies: One roll of lace for 50c. Red Cross: No lace, two supper cloths and a doiley. Local church op shop: No lace, one suppercloth. And I haven't found any linen in any of those op(thrift) shops for months! Here is one of the cloths on my line, and a closeup of the detail. It cost me all of $5. The others are soaking overnight, so I'll have piccies very soon!

Unusual vintage item.

This natty little shoe brush/polish embroidered holder arrived via eBay recently. I have several auctions going at the moment on eBay - old damaged or stained linen, a few UFOs, books, swapcards, etc. Most of them have bids which is heartening! I hope to put some of the proceeds in our bank account, but you know me - there is bound to be some nice linen eBay that I will try for!

The remainder of MIL's embroidery.

The following three posts are the last items that Ken's Mum gave me last week. Because they are larger than the previous posts, I took a photo of each piece to show the whole thing, then scanned them for closeup detail. If you are interested in seeing the person who did all this embroidery, go to my other blog to see a photo of us taken on the weekend!

Traycloth and close up detail.

Table runner and detail.

Pillowsham and close-up detail.