Smalls SAL - July

Today is check in day for the Smalls SAL hosted by Heather at Stitching Lotus.  If you are interested in stitching a small design each month or just finishing off one already started, do join us and visit Heather for the details.  You can join anytime during the year.

I have got quite a lot of stitching done this month but only this little mirror case is completed.

I found the unknown design in my files and thought it ideal for a compact mirror  pocket or such.

The pattern was very quick and easy to finish and I used red fabric for the backing from my stash and black velvet for the lining.  Nice for a Xmas gift maybe.

The other small design that I have been working on is not proving quick and easy, in fact it is trying my patience.  No one´s fault but my own.  If I insist on getting the blue thread tones mixed up and getting the spacing wrong, I have no one to blame but myself.  In progress..

It is a pattern by V Enginger from a French magazine of 2009 and kindly sent to me by Irmeli as the magazine is no longer available.  You can see her beautiful finished version here.

and another addition to my thimble collection is from Margaret at Margaret my blog.  A gorgeous thimble from New Zealand and she spoilt me with a beautiful tea towel which I shall display in my kitchen and pretty Jobelan 28ct fabrics - we can´t buy anything like these colours here and I am eager  to use them.  Thank you very much Margaret.

  

I  can´t show what I have sent her as she will not have received my packet as yet.  Hope she will be pleased.

See you next week.

Linking to Supermom-no cape stitchery party.

Sheryl

High Seas

Hello stitching buddies,   When I last saw my daughter, I was pleased to see that a pirate ship cushion cover that I had made many years ago, was still braving the high seas and had not sunk into obsoleteness.  It was made for one of my grandsons as he was rather keen on pirates and the suchlike at the time, so here are a couple of photos of the rather old and faded cover.

Here you can see my grandson braving the high seas with our dear unforgotten pet parrot Bobby.

His only shipmate was his sister who was on the lookout for land.

..... or so she said.

of course he had his own flag

 They never found any treasure,

This month I also received some delightful goodies in the post.  Two private thimble swaps with sewing buddies.  Irmeli in Finland, sent me a lovely thimble from her home town Turku, she included postcards, choco and a gorgeous lavender filled embroidered sachet.

The other swap was with Kaye from Australia, who sent two beautiful thimbles from Melbourne and Phillip Island.  She also included an assortment of pretty and useful souvenirs from her part of the world...., just look at that pretty handkerchief.

Very thoughtful and generous gifts, thank you very much Irmeli and Kaye.

 Thank you for passing by.  See you next week for the Smalls SAL  check-in.

Sheryl

Hot hot

Hello friends,

We live on the North coast of Spain and our summer temperatures are never very high but last week we had a heatwave and we had to travel inland to Leon where the temps are much higher... higher! - 38 deg. C......  I thought I might melt and in fear of that hunted about for the little fan I bought a couple of years back. Of course it needed a holder.

I found a lovely little blackwork design by Lesley Teare called `Blackwork Lady´ and decided to use  DMC colours to match the fan 

and 32ct linen star sapphire which I had in my stash.

I added a few touches of applique to her head and to some flowers instead of the called for embroidery and added a couple of beads, - just love beads. I backed the holder with purple velvet and lined it with the purple satin.

As always I didn´t use the fastening that I want because I can´t find a shop that has small pretty snap fasteners, only large dark ones, so at the moment I have used a small transparent snap until I find the ones I want.

Thank you for passing by, see you next week.

Linking to Supermom no cape stitchery party.

Sheryl