Hand embroidery swap challenge

This is the first swap I have ever done. This little butterfly will be spreading it's wings and leaving for South Africa this afternoon. It is sewn on dupion silk. I have appliqued the light blue on the wings and body. Outlined in chain. Filled the wings with coral stitch and beads. The flowers in chain, stem and straight stitch. I couldn't get a great photo of it but the beads and appliqued sections glitter and pick up the light beautifully. Only hope she likes it.

TAST Running Stitch

TAST Running Stitch

Stitch Sampler
Fabric Calico
1. Running stitch
2. Running stitch variations
3. Whipped running stitch
4. Threaded running stitch
5. Tuareg double laced

Danish flower thread pink & black

Koala or Possum

Not your average photo I know but we've had a visitor. Found these droppings on the road this morning under our gum tree. No sign of life in the tree though we'll have to keep our eyes open to see if it's nocturnal activity. Koala or possum I wonder.

Just relaxing with a cup of tea. This was sewn at football trial games. I have three boys all of whom play footy so I usually take something easy to do along, even if I just do a few stitches. Any way this was my pre season effort. Tomorrow is the first real game of the season, we start with a home game. My husband was the secretary of the club last year, but this year he's taken a step back to just a committee member, as the committe for this year is all new we've been helping them get started, and boy is my head spinning. I've made eight sets of goal flags this week, plus ice bags that they needed sewing up and have picked up vouchers from sponsors, cooked barbecues. It's a huge day tomorrow we'll start at 7.00am but on top of all that it's also our 30th anniversary so after all the games doing the barbie and after preso's we've got a live band so we'll dead on our feet. Sunday this week will be the same as our mini's start and our under 14's have a second side. We'll be recruiting parents to help because as usual it's always the same people doing the work, too many jobs and not enough people, and don't worry I'm used to all the armchair critics they can say what they want it won't upset me, so wish us all the best. There are some very nice people at the club, but you get all kinds, we'll stick with nice and go in with the right attitude. Anyway I've got 5 kilos of onions to cut up so I best get on with it.

TAST

Palestrina stitch. A few experiments with this weeks palestrina stitch, just trying some beads not totally successful. Following a curve which it does beautifully. Trying two colours again not that successful. "You'll never know if you don't have a go"

Deerfield Embroidery. This is a sampler I completed a while back from a magazine but I don't know which magazine. Again it's been shoved in the cupboard for ages. Although it's pretty and the stitches are good (it was a great way to practice and get buttonhole stitch sitting in the right direction) and I enjoyed researching the history of Deerfield embroidery, instead of thinking it through I've put the design right in the middle of the material so if I did use it on a table the lamp or bowl would sit on top of the embroidery so you couldn't see it. I suppose I could do some add on's in the corner's giving it a bit of flow, or again it could go in a frame. I'd like to thin it down and add it to the border of a nice pillow case. It was really quite relaxing to do once I got the hang of the curves. Turning your work and holding it towards you really helps.

I am a chronic unfinisher. This piece of stumpwork, learnt from Jane Nicholas's book Stumpwork Embroidery has been sitting in my cupboard for ages. I finally mounted it and put it under glass. It's my first piece of stumpwork and I'm quite pleased with it. Next time I'll take a photo before I put it under glass to avoid the reflection.

Tast Oyster Stitch

This is one that I've used before. I'll play around with it

during the week. It's a pretty stitch if you can get it right.

Today I had a play on another piece of material but just

couldn't get it right. I guess I'm out of practice for this

one.

Bonnet stitch

Tast bonnet stitch . Not much time to work on this one this week
as Easter was busy. Have managed at least to have a quick
try. I did however like the way the stitch could be manipulated
on the curve.

Sampler

Have been playing around with felt, layering and dyes just lately. Had an attempt at needlelace, this was the result. It's probably worth another try, I might follow some instructions and do some samplers in needlace first instead of being so ambitious. When I drew him I forgot his fins poor fellow. Anyway he kept me busy and out of trouble for a while.