This week I finished "Hot Cocoa Cafe" - 7th from "Santa's Village" set.

I have started a new project - see you at tomorrow's FNwF!









©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2010-2019

FNwF - what playing with hexies can lead to.

Thank you, Cheryll, for hosting (yet again) our September FNwF;

September already, really? ...........

So, what was I up to?

I was putting finishing touches to my "Butterfly" wall hanging.

A while back I started playing with some large hexies in neutral colours; at that point I had no idea what I was going to do with them, but I like to play like this sometimes, just to see where it will take me.

I had this lovely batik fabric in my stash, which just lent itself to making some applique leaves.

The background fabric I used for the hexies has a butterfly pattern printed on it - OK, may be I add some butterflies!

And so I appliqued some and I embroidered the rest. For the stem I used a sparkly braid ( bought ages ago at a show - you know how you buy things and may be one day you get to use them!)

All the fabrics and threads came from my stash, which I am very pleased about.

And here it is - all finished - Butterfly Wall Hanging.

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2010-2019

circle play

The "stitching in the garden" weather has returned, warm and sunny, coming from the continental Europe.

So my blue "summer play cloth" has made another outing outside, and I filled in another small block.

A combination of needleturn and wool applique, and some embroidery.

Another small batch of "summer jam", 

this time a combination of strawberries, raspberries, plums and apricots - 

more sunshine in the jar for winter months.

It is a holiday here tomorrow, and more sunshine to be enjoyed!

I wish you all a very good week, whatever you are up to!

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2010-2019

summer embroidery

It is this time of year when I embroider most, I find it so much more enjoyable to do outside in the summer light.

This is a cushion kit by Nancy Nicholson, which I bought a couple years ago. All her kits come in their own canvas bag, decorated with a bonus design on the outside, which you can also embroider.

I did that right at the beginning. 

There is still lots to do here.

Today I managed to find (in the depth of my room) "Heartsong", 

a design by Rosalie Quinlan, which I bought ages ago. 

The pattern comes with two design options (one being Christmas), and two sizes; the smaller sizes have  iron-on transfers included, the larger can be traced on to the fabric.

 I don't really feel like Christmas, so I am making the "summer" version.

Which colour should I go for?

In the end I went for the pinks.

Yesterday we happened to be on the Somerset Levels, 

so we made a brief visit to Barrington Court (NT),

to see how the gardens are doing in this heat.

Like everywhere in this part of England, it is very dry here and desperate for some rain, but still there is lots of colour around.

In the old stable block are several small shops;

while DH was browsing in the secondhand book shop,

I "popped in" to the Barrington Patchwork shop.

Unusually I did not buy any fabric this time,

but I did come away with a selection of 

pearl cotton No16 (to add to my stash),

which I like to use for some colourful quilting.

I always buy some when I am this way, as this is the only shop in my area (that I am aware of),
which stocks it.

The lavender in our front garden is loving this weather.

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2010-2019

my version of the Scandinavian Rose quilt

is all finished!

I managed to take a picture outside this morning, before the rain came.

I loved this design by Rosalie Quinlan the first time I saw it,

but it was a very long time in making. 

Looking back through my blog, I can see that I started the first embroidery in February 2013!

I added an extra border, machine quilted inside the blocks and hand quilted the rest, and embellished with few buttons.

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2010-2018