Down with germs!

Didn't manage much at all as it happened because I have been nursing a bad cold and it became much worse yesterday, so bad that I went to bed at 8pm. Had a lay in today but it's not much better and spent the afternoon in bed too, we think its flu, I am usually ok with colds but this is knocking me out. So the machine embroidery has been left scattered about and I know that Lesley will have taken over the class very well so I need not worry. I shall return when I am more like myself.

It's dry

Here's a close up of the really big flower which I had not shown before on its own.  I really need to make it up into something now and it looks like the cushion idea won.  I have some braid in a lovely pale sage green which I think will be perfect.  I do need to go and find something lovely for the backing though and of course a cushion inside too. Until then, I will leave it blocked out on the board with just a few pins to keep it still, it's the best place for it as I am teaching machine embroidery on Thursday at Keswick EG and I know I will make a hell of a mess tomorrow! I hope to have something to show you for it though as I am doing 'backgrounds' so need to make a few. I usually try and clear my mind and then 'go with the flo' so I surprise myself sometimes.

Blocked out



I have thoroughly wet the woollen embroidery threads and backing linen

This is it folks.  I have to wait about three days now for it to dry out and it must be kept flat like this.  It looks good at the moment but it was a bit scary at times when I removed it from the frame because some of the flowers were so heavily stitched that the linen puckered up around them, but it seems to have flattened out perfectly, phew! I am glad I am not making a full set of 17th century bed hangings though; imagine trying to block them out.......

Close detail of crewel flower

This is where I am tonight. I had hoped to finish this flower but tomorrow is another day and I only can work for so long in artificial light. It's photographed a little bit more orange than it is but I can't fiddle now and its getting late.  Anyhow, you can see how the soft shading is done, a double thread light pink on the outside with the needle going over the blue line and then the darker shade single thread is opposite, i.e. you push the needle through the stitches about half way down and then go down the flower with the thread.  But most of you probably know that better than I do! I might post tomorrow but I am not sure if I will finish it.

Creeping towards a finish

Yesterdays progress, today I have been working on a very large design, so it will probably be a couple of days in the sewing, then only one more intricate large flower.  Its looking good.