Peacocks...if you are interested!

Just in case you've missed it, there is another Peacock table runner on this blog.

Update on Assisi project.

This would have been better if I'd scanned it instead of photographing it, because the flash has washed out the colour. Never mind - you can see how far I've progressed from my previous posts of this item. I've been busy stitching quite a lot lately. Since Ken has been ill, apart from work and shopping for essentials, I didn't leave the house for a couple of weeks so I had lots of time to do some work on various projects. This one doesn't have to be finished until September, but it is so easy now that I only have the cross stitch to do, I tend to pick it up if I'm not in the mood to concentrate on something more complex.
When I have been in a better frame of mind, I've done some work on the 50th birthday picture (for December) and another surprise which I can't mention here in case Someone reads this blog and guesses it is for her! I've also nearly finished that old doiley with the black kitten. I was showing it to one of my new personal care clients the other day (she used to do a lot of embroidery so we hit it off immediately!), and when I said I'd nearly finished it (meaning the last lot of stem stitch around the couch), she said "No you haven't - all those French knots will take you a while!" Pointing to the dozens of daisies of which I'd stitched the petals but forgotten to do the centres! Who says old people aren't on the ball??!!!!

Vintage Pot Holder

I had to take three pictures of this cutie that arrived today from one of my favourite eBay sellers in N.S.W. The first one (on the kitchen floor!) shows the pot holder full length, while the other two are close ups. Isn't that sweet?

Vintage embroidered picture of Japanese origin.

Lee-ann gave me this beautiful piece last time we were visiting their home. I hadn't put it on the blog before because I wanted to find out more about it if I could. Dammit, I forgot to take it to the Guild on Tuesday! but I did show it to one of my Japanese friends, and she seems to think it is of Japanese origin because of the significance of the cranes and flowers on it.
It is very large - 5 feet/152 cm long, by 27 inches/68 cm wide. Unfortunately but not surprising, given its age, the stitching is badly worn in some places, and some of the dyes have run when it has been washed at some stage. But it is still a magnificent addition to the collection - thank you Lee-Ann!

Quilters Companion 2008 Calendar.

I discovered this on the 'help yourself' table at the Guild yesterday. Members bring in unwanted magazines, fabrics, etc. and put them in a particular spot where other members can take what they want. As I don't have a strong interest in quilting, I don't particular want this lovely calendar, but I brought it home in case one of my blogging pals would like it! First in, best dressed - leave a message here, or email me!

Child's sampler

This arrived from the USA today. I suppose you would call it a sampler, but it doesn't look very old. The eBay seller told me they bought it from an estate auction, and it is in good condition, so maybe it has been stored for a few years and not exposed to dirt or light. The words are in cross stitch and the little motifs around the edge are neatly embroidered. I suspect it was done for some small person but they never got around to framing it.
By the way, there are two new peacocks on my Peacock blog, and a new apron recently listed on the apron blog, for those readers who are interested in these things!

Some more eBay wins.

Look at this exquisite old centrepiece - what perfect work in both embroidery and crocheted edging. What a treasure!
I have a supper cloth with a similar design to this, as well as another doiley, but what caught my attention again with this centrepiece was the beautiful crocheted edge. That's not to say I am any less impressed by the detailed stitching of the Scottish piper!

Update on Assisi Mint Leaf

Here is where I am up to with my EGV project - a mint leaf in Assisi work. It's not taking long! Just as well, because I want to get going on the other two projects with timelines this year: Anniversary sampler for mid year, and 50th birthday sampler for November. Both have been started, but have a long way to go!

Two new additions to the Collection.

I was delighted to spot this doiley on eBay, because I have a UFO in the same design! Now I'll know which colours to use when finishing off the UFO :-) I am so lucky to have TWO friends who work in opportunity shops! This doiley came from my friend Pam in Hobart:

New stuff for the collection ex eBay.

Would you believe I bought all this for the paltry sum of $15 plus $8 postage?? Maybe it was because less people are checking eBay over the Christmas period. This first cloth is a stunning whitework on linen with gorgeous crocheted edge.
This item is unusual for me to keep, but I suspect it is very old, and the stitching on the net is exquisite. I would never attempt this kind of embroidery, but going by my reference books, it was something quite common way back when.
Cutwork is something else I don't keep a lot of, but this is such a nice example, I think I will keep this one.
Finally, yet another cloth in one of my favourite embroidery styles. I have about eight of these now - all different colours and patterns - lovely!

Request for help with an old Myart or Semco design.

I have received an email from a fellow-embroiderer, asking for some help with a project she is working on. Rather than me re-type it all, I am reproducing her email here, with one of the photos she attached, and if anybody reading this can offer suggestions, please do, by leaving a comment in the usual way. I am aware that many people who read blogs, cannot always respond by commenting, so if you are in that group, just email me direct, and I'll post your words here.
Hello Gina, I came across Patra's Place whilst looking for traced linen resources on the net. In Sydney there used to be a shop in George St that sold traced linens and threads. The lines were Semco, DMC and Myart. I bought a heap of them, runners and doilies and a few tablecloths. I've got all the charts (eg colours and stitch methods) for them all - except one of the tablecloths, which I've started... and now want to finish!!! This particular tablecloth is not pure linen - it must be some sort of poly/cotton mix because it doesn't crease and feels light and soft. I'm writing to you in case you or others of your stitching pals might know what this particular pattern is supposed to look like. For example, the blue daisies are inside a frame, and I don't know what colour this is supposed to be nor what stitch it should be done in. I've enclosed a coupla pictures of it in case you or your pals can help me!! I'd love to finish it!! If you'd like any pictures of other kits (Myart) that I've got just let me know!! Myart seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth, as does the embroidery shop in George St Sydney!
Many thanks in advance for any help you can give.
Deb

My last posting for 2007

Happy New Year to all my Blog friends!

Photos of 2008 projects.

These photos relate to the previous post...I did them in the wrong order, didn't I..
This is the picture of the Assisi project I am doing for the Guild Challenge.
And this is what I've done so far. One strand of DMC on green 32ct. Pam K, if you're reading this - this fabric is one of the pieces you sent me ages ago!

This is the picture provided with the kit I started for a friend. And this is all I achieved!

I forgot to mention this goal. It is a Semco supper cloth started by my M.I.L. 70+ years ago. She gave it to me to finish about 15 years ago...
And this is all I have done so far - one rose! It took me two weeks. There are 12 of these roses on this cloth, as well as assorted buds and daisies. I make no promises about finishing this by December 2008!!

What is on the drawing board for 2008?

It is such a great feeling to know that the Indian won't be glaring at me from the corner of my stash room! I found a notice with the last EGV magazine, giving details for entering the Challenge for their September show. It is to embroider a leaf. Yes, just a leaf. I thought: I can do that. After looking through about 200 books and charts, I decided on an Assisi pattern, and have made a start on it already. Tried to scan it, but that didn't work, so I'll take photos of my work so far as well as the book, and post them later.
I had a blue and white teacups cross stitch sampler on the go before Christmas, to give to a friend who turned 60 in December. Sadly, it wasn't finished in time (just as well she wasn't expecting anything!), so I'll just play with that during the year and perhaps have it ready for another birthday or even Christmas 2008.
Another friend turns 50 next December, and had hinted that she would love to have me stitch something for that occasion. We went through my books together, and she chose four designs, and left it to me to decide which one to do. One was a bunch of Aust. native flowers which would be stunning when finished, but the chart had heaps of those nasty little quarter and half cross stitches, so that went back on the shelf. Another design was a Japanese lady in a kimono, but I thought it wouldn't really suit my friend's home, even though she liked the design. The third choice was a lighthouse - fantastic picture which would look fabulous anywhere...and the fourth one was an English thatched cottage with hollyhocks etc. and a pussycat. I chose the cottage because these friends are Anglophiles - is that the word? They love everything British, and have been there several times.
Other than those projects, I have some UFO's (kitten doiley, peacock duchess set..) that I would really like to get finished instead of carrying them around with me to stitch when I'm in a waiting room somewhere!

Crinoline lady doiley.

This picture does not do the doiley justice. I should have ironed it first of course, but as usual, I was in a hurry to photograph it and show it off here! Isn't it a warm and fuzzy feeling to be given a gift that has been hand made just for you? The lady who stitched this knows my love of Crinoline Ladies, and bought the stamped linen doiley with me in mind for Christmas. Thank you very much, Anne, if you're reading this!

Christmas gifts of vintage linen..

I am very lucky to have not only a darling husband like Ken, but his equally darling sister as my SIL. She keeps an eye out for vintage linen for my birthday and Christmas, and these two cloths were found at an antique shop no less (I told her to go to op-shops, they are cheaper, but she ignored that!) This first cloth is a card table cloth, designed specifically for the purpose of one of those small square tables, with ties at each corner. Each corner design features one of the four card suites; I've photographed two closeup.
This gorgeous supper cloth is absolutely perfect in every detail. I think I have a similar one in my collection, but haven't checked it yet. Doesn't matter - I'm definitely keeping this one as well!

Merry Christmas to my Blogland Friends

This week's other goodies.

Ken did not believe me when I told him I found this beautifully embroidered bag in a Salvation Army thrift shop for $1. I replied "Well, I actually bought two bags for $1 each - this one and another suede bag - both in excellent condition!
This lovely table runner is my latest eBay win from one of my favourite sellers in Qld.
These were found in an opshop in Bulleen (not far from Eltham). I had one of my senior friends with me and we stopped for a coffee at this little shopping strip. The opshop was next door to the cafe, so we had a look before we went home. B. found some wineglasses for 20c each, which, she said, at that price, I don't care if they do get broken in the dishwasher! In the meantime I was fossicking around in a plastic box full of material scraps and found these napkins. Sadly there were only three, not four as one would have expected to find. But at $1, who's counting!!

Semco English Churches stamped linen.

My very dear friend LeeAnn included this set of vintage Semco stamped linen in her Christmas gift to me. She has some fantastic finds around the opportunity shops she haunts - I'm just so glad she doesn't collect it for herself, and I am VERY glad she collects it for me!!

As you can see, one of the six panels has been neatly stitched, so even though there are no instructions with the linen, it is easy to see the way it was intended they were to be embroidered. Will they (or one of them) be my next project? It is all straight stitch and stem stitch - very simple and quick sewing.

The Indian is framed and home!

I didn't wait for Ken's birthday or Christmas to give this to him. It was never intended for that purpose; I just kept stirring him up over the years by telling him he might get the Indian for his next birthday, etc. It is sitting on the floor in this pic because it was the only place I could get a photo without the flash reflecting off the glass (even though it is non-reflective glass). Ken has been busy since he got home from work, trying it out in different spots around the lounge room. I'm just glad it's all over!