Just a little bit of work on the sampler to report back on today. As you can see, I've done a couple of sessions of inserting the purple roses into the spaces in all the greenery. I haven't got a great deal done owing to a few social engagements and another jolly old virus! These two photos are rather like those 'spot the difference' quizzes, aren't they??
Sometimes I really do wonder how long it's going to take to finish this piece. I seem to have started it back in early April last year, I posted my first WIP report on the 9th of that month and have fidgeted with it during breaks from other projects since then. I suppose that's part of the key - crack on with it instead of letting other things push it out of the way, but I *want* to start something new now! Look at these:
They're from Helen M Stevens' 'Embroidered Gardens' (the same book as the lovely pool design in my last post) and I confess to being most tempted to have a go at one or both. I was even considering how I could turn the white cat picture into a raised work piece!! I haven't done an animal for a long time and these are just so much simpler than the first one I did - a large, thread painted dog! I think I can manage to embroider from the sketch above, esp. using the embroidery photo as a guide.
Then I found these in some of her older books:
I especially like the second one, although the blue butterflies in the first are most attractive. Maybe I could combine the two concepts into one piece. What would you say?
Anyway, I thought I'd try and set some needlecraft goals for the next month and a bit and see how I get on with them.
* Complete all the surface work on the sampler (i.e. sampler then about 75-80% complete)
* Complete all the remaining mending tasks
* Put in from 30-60 minutes per week on the peacock feather piece
* Order more Pipers silks and a storage box for them (not the hardest item on the list!!)
* Make a start on one of the HMS designs
That seems achievable, health permitting, so let's see how it works out! The sampler and the feather will continue to feature in this WIPW series, the cat(s) will be separate, as will those glorious silks when they come and I also hope to share one or two other articles.
What are your stitching plans for the rest of the (northern) summer?
Text and images © Elizabeth Braun 2013
