Thursday 23rd July

Just met up again with my stitching friends, sitting in a conservatory with the doors open and socially distancing as best as we could.  Had a lovely walk along Scarborough north bay last Sunday.  We went quite early in the morning so it wasn't too busy, people were being reasonably sensible about distancing, the sun was shining on the sea, a cool breeze blowing and an ice cream at the end!  Yesterday I spent the day helping Lindsay tidy her office after using it as a classroom all through lockdown it was looking as though there had been thirty students in there.  We took all the books off the bookshelves and dusted them and put them back, there must be about 400 of them.
  |Haven't got much in the way of photographs, just this little bead rope using the pieces of canvas work I have done with animal prints.  Just need to tidy up the ends so that I can hang it up.

Think this will need some tassels or something similar to finish it off.

Thursday 16th July

A quiet week this week, had a nice walk with Lindsay on Sunday from the clock tower on the Esplanade along the Cleveland Way until it joins the main road and then coming back the same way.  We went early in the morning and it was lovely and sunny with quite a few yachts sailing in the bay, you just can't beat the Yorkshire coast.
I have been working on my table runner and got the borders on today.

The border fabric is one of the Indian pieces I brought back from holiday last year.  Looking at this picture I can see I need to trim the bottom right corner!

I have also been knitting a tiny sweater for a 'Fish and Chip' baby.  Apparently in Mali there are no clothes or wraps to take new born babies home in so they are wrapped in newspaper to keep them warm.  These little sweaters are being knitted to send out there.  They have to be in dark colours as they will probably not be washed.  I have put the instructions here for anyone who wants to do one.

The sweater takes approximately one ball of wool.

Thursday 9th July

I have just spent a lovely day with some fellow stitchers sitting a metre apart round a table in a conservatory with the door open (a bit chilly on the feet) and we have had a lovely chat, looked at the work that we have all done over lockdown and read the books we have bought/borrowed to fill our time.  It was so good to get back to talking face to face again, you can't beat it.
I have been doing some stitching this week but it is tiny little pieces of canvas work so I will show them next week when I have three or four I can photograph together and you won't need a magnifying glass to find them.  I have also started back on the table runner I was doing, now I have got fabric for the sashing but this has been a busy week and I haven't had any day time to get on my sewing machine (always got a good excuse).
So I thought that today I would show you the work my friends have been doing - they put us all to shame.

Celia's 'Lockdown' sampler

Two more pieces by Celia, celtic work and 'Grannies Sampler'

These two pieces are Eileen's.

Thanks to both Eileen and Celia for letting me put these on our blog.

Thursday 2nd July

Have you all been out and about a bit more since the shops have opened.  I have had a quick wander through Next and been to B&Q but I actually don't feel I want to spend anything in them, the things that the clothes shops sell don't seem to be important anymore.  What is good is that the Sewing Centre is fully open so I have been in there today and bought some fabric to do sashing and bindings for my table runner I started weeks ago, AND I have a hair appointment for next week!!!! Currently, I look as if I have stepped out of a 1940's movie with my hair pinned back with grips and curling around my neck.  I have finally finished the jigsaw that was taking up my time so much.  It was really difficult, you can't really tell in the picture I have put up, but all  the pieces are made up of several different photographs and the picture on the box is not really any help unless you have a super strength magnifying glass.
Some years ago, when Lindsay was at Uni, I made her a little sewing bag with needles, thread, etc. in the hope that she would do any repairs required herself.  I made some canvas work pieces based on animal prints that I had seen (I can't remember the name of the embroiderer but Maureen will know who I mean) and made them into little pockets round the outside of the bag.  I have looked everywhere for my original patterns and can't find them so have borrowed the bag back and made some new patterns.  These will be tiny hangings, I can probably make three of the patterns fit into small pieces and I may do one of them with beads.  This is all putting off my India piece as I can't settle to the designing of it at the moment.

This is the jigsaw!

 You can see how small the pieces will be.  The giraffe print works OK but I must remember not to do a tiger!

Thursday June 25th

I don't want to make you all jealous but i have a hair appointment!! Not till a week on Tuesday but at least I have something to look forward to.
It's too hot to sew, my hands get sticky and must make the fabric grubby.  I have been looking at an Indian piece and choosing some colours and shapes that I want to use.  Not done anything with all that fabric I bought, so maybe I should consider that as well.
Lesley however, has been busy printing.  She has sent me pictures of the lovely work she has done using some inexpensive acrylics she got from the Works.  I have put a picture of them in if you are interested.  The prints on fabric just need ironing to set them then they can be washed.

These prints have been done on paper.

These two prints are done on fabric.  She has used a roller and the flower in the bottom picture is alchemilla mollis.

Thursday 18th June

Not very June weather looking out of my window at the pouring rain, still the garden looks happy.  Hope it eases off a bit before I go out to pick some rocket for my tea.
I have started working on my blanket stitch this week.  Not done much yet but a start has been made.  I am now going to leave the Africa work and maybe do a piece inspired by the photographs I took in India.  I need at least one new piece for the exhibition in November at the gallery in St. John's Road.  The picture framer there, Alex, is open again if you have work you want framing.
I haven't much to tell you this week as a jigsaw has occupied all my spare time.  It is about the hardest one I have ever done, a photomosaic of the Beatles and I wish I hadn't started it but just can't leave it now.
Roma has been much more focused and has sent these pictures of her blanket stitch pieces, done while watching TV.

I have finished some work on my Africa piece that I had started.

I am not sure where to take this now. I think I might make it into a hanging with lots of cords and beads hanging down the sides.  I'm not happy with the printed piece on the right, it feels a bit big in comparison to the rest of the pieces.  It will hang on the back of the settee for a while so I can think about it.
Keep the work coming in, I love to see what you are doing.

Thursday 11th June

Just been for my short walk around the village again and again I mistimed it and got a bit wet.  This week Lindsay and I finally had notice that our August holiday to Spain has been cancelled, which was what we expected really.  Shame they had to wait until we paid the balance before telling us, we now have a six week wait to get our money back or book for next year, which we might do.  We still have a week booked at the beginning of September to a holiday cottage in Northumberland and hopefully that will go ahead.  The only worry is that they will change the school holiday dates and shorten the summer ones but Lindsay says that will be a nightmare for planning the work.
I have been busy sewing but haven't got a lot to show for it as I have been doing hand sewing on an evening. However, Lesley has been busy.

She has made this sample piece from some of the off cuts of the scrubs she has been making for the NHS.  I think it is a lovely idea and something to remember.

This is the piece I have been working on.  The cream is just backing fabric and will be cut away when it is finished.  I want to try and hide some of the printed piece on the right, it is a bit big and bright so I think I will try and make this a hanging and add fringes, strings of bead, etc.  I have a few cowrie shells that I think will fit on the other brown piece and there are a few more bits and pieces to add to it but it is coming along.
Keep safe and well.