cherries, ripe cherries!

I've been experimenting again; wanted to see how the cherries on dissolvable fabric might work. I thought I might as well do several as there was room within the little hoop for more than one. I traced the design on with waterproof pen, then stitched the outlines and filled things in. I was so pleased with the result, and keen not to waste the rest of the fabric, so traced off a poppy from a book of Art Nouveau flower designs and had a go at that as well.I'm really pleased with them both; the camera has managed a reasonable job of picking out the different reds. I'm waiting for the Man to return from Cricket at Lords before putting it all in water to see if it all holds together; too much fun not to share.

Gosh! This is enjoyable ....

We've spent some good time in the garden this weekend, finalising the very fine compost bin, already being put to good use. We had been using one of those great big plastic mesh delivery sacks during the year, all the usual stuff chucked in and occasionally turned and tossed about. Now it is all ready to be transferred into the proper bin. A goodly portion of it had rotted down already and will help the rest to get going.

The blowsy pink rhododendron is really flowering its socks off this year. Last year a lot of the buds were frost damaged, this year it is awash with blooms,

so much so in fact, that we have a heart of flowers - can you see it?

It all works really well with the colour of the maple leaves

a beautiful tree, given to me at least 11 years ago by Mum, kept until I knew I was stopping. It really appreciates being in the ground now, having had a year of free root run, it is rewarding us now with these wonderful finely cut leaves.

The meconopsis has yet more delicious paper thin blue flowers. The colour and the fine hairs on the stems remind me of borage

and the tulips indoors, gifted  have reached the absolute end of their beauty, translucent, veins of purple and pink flowing across the surface like spider webs of colour

or dark and mysterious in the glimmering dusk, still holding a trace of memory of light in their petals

something for Her Majesty

Our regional challenge - note how I just casually drop in the "our", when in reality I'm such a new girl! Anyway, the regional challenge for the local Guild is to produce a piece of wearable art for the Queen's Jubilee. We, that is the members, are creating a series of  sort of "slips"; separate bits of embroidery, on a street party theme, to be carefully stitched to a dress that is being loaned to us for the project. In the past slips were on canvas, usually on a horticultural theme and made to be applied to hangings. We'll display our contribution, along with those of the other groups in the south east, and will be judged on the grand regional jamboree day out.You'll remember last year's was my somewhat whimsical Beezeyeview which does at least mean I've been a member for nearly a year, since that was for last year's challenge. I have been tasked with producing an ice cream dish with three scoops, some wafers and a cherry on top! The design has been provided along with clear instructions on how to proceed.

I've hunted down some fabrics in the right colours, and made a start with the dish. I did a couple of trials on some spare fabric - very useful as they helped me understand how the stitching would react with the fabric and allowed me to adapt the way I was going to work..

Talking of being helped to understand - my advice - please take it - don't include your finger in the piece you're stitching on the sewing machine, it's very unhelpful!

Anyway, inspired by the glitzy piece I did for Brodie, I thought a little celebratory sparkle might be in order since this is for a Jubilee celebration, so I've very carefully done a bit of reverse applique. First I got the fabric all pinned down, marked and tacked so I knew where I was going.

Then I stitched round the lines, first with straight stitch to stabilise the fabric, then with zig zag satin stitch to create an edge to cut against. Then I cut away the green fabric from the front, inside the diamond stitching.

Then I needed something to back the organza and bring our its glamour, a bit of a scrap I found while rummaging in Hastings Old Town recently - the best place to rummage I have to say. I stumbled upon a delightful shop, run by a delightful lady, with all sorts of scraps and bits of lovely fabric. She asked me what I was going to do, when I got home, with the little hoard I was clutching to my chest. "Probably take it out and stroke it" was my reply! I'll have to go back and tell her that a little bit became part of a Jubilee embroidery.

Anyway, where was I? Yes, I tacked this to the back of the piece, turned it over and stitched round the diamonds again and voila! A diamond cut green glass sundae dish ..... if you squint carefully!

I think I'll go round the outline with buttonhole stitch - I can almost recall Ganna teaching me how to do it - very useful for cutwork table runners, tray cloths, napkins and "dressing table doilies" ! It will allow me to cut the pieces out, so they can be assembled and fixed in pace with vilene on the back.

I'm also going to add some more embroidery to the stem and base, with perhaps a bit more of that exciting turquoise that reminds me of peacocks feathers.

Then there's the blobs of ice cream to do! Oh, and the wafers, and the cherries which I am going to try and do with free machine embroidery over soluble film to see if I can achieve something like a stitched badge, with perhaps a couple of silver beads of dew on the surface, and scattered across the ice cream. I'll use a scrap of salvaged silk to fill the in betweens. Hope I get it finished in time - it is jolly good fun doing something to a brief.

As I work, I sit at Mum's little kneehole desk, which she bought in her just post war youth. It used to house her typewriter, the source of countless letters to friends and loved ones; letters full of good humour, little rhymes, concern for and interest in all the various people around her. The ratatat tat of her fingers as they flew over the keys were the backdrop to my childhood. She bought it with wages earned shorthand typing in a dingy London Office, all the while longing to study music and play her beloved piano.

Foxy Mum perhaps?

Sshhh, who's there?

Who are you looking at?

me ? ....

do I look bothered?

Elsewhere in the garden

the gravity fed water collection system is in full working order - a masterpiece of urban technology, note the precision positioning of hose at top, that takes the overflow from the water butt at the top of the garden and brings it down to the vegetable garden - there's also a water butt to take overflow for the roof and a galvanized tank for the water from the shed - the Man is very serious about his water!

the slugs are slugging

the ferns are unfurling

the vegetable beds are filling up and the greenhouse is overflowing!

Rum is drinking puddles

whilst yesterday Rasin was looking pensive

Over the weekend we had a Small Boy to stay, along with with his Mum. They sat at the bottom of the garden waiting for baby foxes

One was kind enough to oblige, much to my and Brody's delight.

We  lunched in Bistro 45, spent time at the Jack in the Green, Hastings,which was as ever very crowded. At one point a rather bewildered looking lady said to me distractedly, "oh .... we only wanted to look at the shops in the High Street, we didn't know this was on  .... it's all rather Pagan isn't it? Absolutely!!!
Here's the start of the parade, courtesy of YouTube, down by the net huts with the cliffs behind ... close your eyes, turn up the volume and imagine the thrum of the drums vibrating in your chest!

Brodie also had a little piece of stitchery created, just for him. We had great fun, with me stitching while he told me, very definitely,  what to put where - it was very bling!

Another piece is still on the go - stitching finished I think, now to work out how to embellish the corners - something with organza stitched around the circle I think - here just thrown about the stitchery to get an idea of what and where

and another tryout just to see what if ..... layers and stitching and a little bit of batting to give contour

It looks curious in the flat light of the camera flash and is a "concept demonstrator"!


Outside in the night the rain is falling, falling, falling beyond my window