Jubilee weekend

What a wonderful weekend of celebrations.  Being down here in Devon, I have been a somewhat armchair (or over-the-top-of-the-sewing-machine!) supporter of the Royal Family over the past few days - what a pity the weather couldn't have been kinder.  I joined my sister and her family in West Charleton for their Jubilee celebrations, including very energetic barn dancing!  However, two of the weekend days were spent at Cowslip Workshops on a free-motion embroidery workshop with Linda Miller.  Wow!  What an exciting and liberating technique - I seemed to take to it like a duck to water and had a fantastic 2 days with a lovely group of ladies from all over the southern half of the UK.  After making a small sample piece, we progressed to our own project of taking a photograph and interpreting it in solid stitch embroidery.  Here's what I produced......

After satin-stitching a border, we added a final edge of twisted embroidery threads..... Linda's box of threads was so organised, I spent today whilst watching the Queen's Jubilee celebrations, winding my own threads and getting them into a similar state..... very satisfying!

If that's whetted anyone's appetite, here are some useful links:

http://www.lindamillerembroideries.co.uk/
http://www.cowslipworkshops.co.uk/

There is a brilliant programme on the TV just now about the passage of Venus across the Sun...... I've an idea forming.... must grab my notebook.....    Bye for now.

Hello again.  I'll never be a habitual and frequent blogger, but hope my random jottings interest you.

On the creative side, I've just finished a cushion in silk taffeta as a leaving present for my friend Sarah at work.  It was stitched in almost matching thread with free-motion quilting.  The design was based on an idea from Linda Kemshall's "The Painted Quilt" (you might like to look at her website:  www.lindakemshall.com )  Sarah was thrilled with it and I was very pleased with the result.... another item for the porfolio for commissions, I think.

Spending some time with my sister and her family over the weekend, it was great to watch the Olympic Torch relay as it passed by right outside her house.  No fighting through crowds for us - a leisurely breakfast then out to the gate in time to see the passing cavalcade.  The lady carrying the torch at that point was beaming widely, looking rightly proud at her involvement.  Well done her, and good luck Team GB!

Thank you for reading - be back with you soon.

A lovely day out

Usng up a bit of holiday, it was a lovely day out in Cornwall with my sister.  She took me to St Clether where there is a tiny celtic chapel in the middle of a meadow, with its own Holy well.  All we could hear was the trickle of water and the song of birds.  Beautiful and peaceful, with a very apt saying carved into a wooden bench.

Next time, I shall bring a picnic and my sketchbook!

After a lovely lunch in Port Isaac, we "lost" an hour by watching the incoming tide at Trebarwith Strand.  What is it about watching water, wild or calm, that's so riveting?

Just goes to show the best things in life really are free - just get out there and enjoy them!