Happy 4th July

Hi everyone,   I hope all of my American visitors and followers have a lovely day, and the weather is kind to you   :)

......as for us Aussies, let's just say it was a tad 'fresh and breezy' today....lol... :)   Being an ex-Victorian, I frequently laugh when people complain about the winter weather up here...lol...!

Before I get too involved in this post, thank you to   Karen  for the lovely range of pics I had to choose from. Being a craft blog,  I thought this one was very appropriate!

I have been feeling rather guilty for my lack of posts lately.  When I started this blog,  I decided on one post a week unless I see or make something that I feel can't wait.....lol...!!   I have just visited  Chris at her blog, and it seems she is feeling the same way......it's nice to know we are not alone in this :)

Where does my week go?  Apart from my shop and making most of my stock,  I  visit my blog followers, along with embroidery blogs, and other blogs I see mentioned along the way.  I have also been doing more of  my embroidery journey , hence the embroidery blogs :)    I have come across some lovely blogs along the way, and  have put them on my 'to visit' list.   I will share some of these blogs with you over time, and you can let me know what you think.  

As to comments, I love  receiving them, and, as most of you will know, try to leave a 'smiley' type comment where appropriate :)   I also reply to your comments via email....admittedly, I don't always do this the same day.....not out of bad manners, but sometimes I like to leave it until later in the week and make it more of a chatty letter, than just a 'thank you' .

Phew!!!  I can't believe how long this post has become!   For those of you have made it this far...a very big thank you, and I will try to 'post' as often as possible.

May you have a lovely week, and Happy Crafting,  Jenny

Chain Stitch

Hi everyone,

how are you coping with the weather?  Our days have still been dry, but not too cold....yet....lol...!!

As I mentioned in my last  post ,  this post is to show you how I did my chain stitch.   The first three pics here, show a basic chain stitch........

CHAIN  STITCH

                 

......this is where chain stitch can vary......

.............for a flower petal , insert the needle close to the outside of the loop as shown below........  

.....for a continual chain stitch,

..........see where the needle came up through the fabric in the picture above.......pull the stitch tight,  then insert the needle back down through the fabric close to where the thread came up (inside the loop), and use this as the start of your next chain.   

Continue the above step until you are happy with the length of your row of chain stitches  :)

If  the description for the row of chain doesn't make sense, I apologise big time!   Please, write in via comments, or email to let me know,  and I will try to do better on another post  :)  

Happy stitching,  Jenny

Stitches I used for my Redwork Project.....

Hi everyone, I hope your day has been a good one.

In this post, I am continuing  My Embroidery Journey  .  In the first post, I mentioned some of the stitches I used.

Admittedly, we all have to start somewhere...... and I am not trying to say my way is the right way, or the wrong way .....but here are my instructions.......

STRAIGHT/RUNNING  STITCH

........continually threading needle in and out of fabric.

BACK  STITCH

........similar to straight stitch, but bring needle up, and go back.....

.......then bring needle up ahead of last time.

STEM  STITCH

........work similar to straight stitch, but bring needle up so that stitches overlap a bit.

I have also used a version of chain stitch, but it includes a number of photos, so will leave that for another post.

I hope my pics are helpful to someone.....apologies if adding to the confusion  :)

Happy crafting,  Jenny

Tins finale......and.....the start of 'My Embroidery Journey'

Hi everyone,

I hope you have been having a great time crafting lately.  I thought I would share my embroidery journey with you, now I have filled you in on the contents of the tins.

From here on in, I will refer to these posts as 'My Embroidery Journey' .

As mentioned in an earlier post, I have been working on this doily with red thread, and stem stitch.......

........I have used a version of chain stitch on the edges of the gumnut blossoms.........all that is left to stitch, is the centre of the blossoms, but as yet, I haven't discovered which stitch would be best to use....!!

I have already commenced on the 2nd half of this duchess set, so will show pics of that soon.  Unfortunately, the centrepiece had some holes, so I making good use of this piece to practice my stitiches....not necessarily the right stitch for where I use it, but we have to start somewhere :)  

I look at craftwork this way.....who can say what is the right way, and what is the wrong way?  As long as you enjoy what you are doing, keep it up!  We all have 'nightmare' pieces lurking in the backs of cupboards of our very first attempt at something...lol...    

Remember, every piece is an original!   :)    

 Happy crafting,  Jenny

Time for a commercial break.......

Hi everyone,  hope you are all well.

For those of you who are familiar with my blog, you know I mainly 'chat' about something I have made, or used as backdrops, but it has been an exciting day at the shop today, and worth the mention here........

.......I know it's not handmade, but imagine where it could lead to.......

........the ideas are endless.......over 500 fat 1/4's to choose from......

.........and no, I haven't chosen any for myself....yet....lol...

......thank you to  Margaret  from Patchwork Avenue (Childers) ,  for your helpful guidance.  

Well, that's the commercial over....lol....... back to some sewing of old projects....not new ones....yet....lol...!!!!

Happy crafting,  Jenny    :)