I enjoyed stitching The Gawthorpe Needlecase by Jenny Adin-Christie so much that it was only a matter of time before I worked on another of her kits. As with the previous kit, The Peacock, is beautifully packaged and contains a selection of delicious threads, crystals, and beads. The design employs a number of different techniques, all clearly explained in the instructions. The peacock was a joy to make and I am really pleased with him. The Mariner’s Compass was made during a six week on-line course by Cynthia Jackson.

Peacock
© Carol-Anne Conway

The Mariner's Compass
© Carol-Anne Conway

Pam's Fish

Finally, finished and stuffed.
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Fish
© Pam Blackley-Goble

Lynn's Elephant

I really enjoyed making the elephant and adding lots of embellishments including old earrings, beads and sequins.

Elephant
© Lynn Pilgrim

Jane's Tulips

Finished. I really enjoyed doing these and I’m currently searching for a box frame to present them in. They are too floppy to hang on their own. I might end up making a bouquet!

Tulips
© Jane Treavis

Ticia's Bird

Another finished bird started with Nikki. However I struggled with the tension on my bobbin so the back is not neat in parts, especially the tail!! Good fun though!!

Bird
© Ticia Lever

Meryl's Tulips

I’ve finished stitching my tulips! I’m trying to decide how to mount/display it, so haven’t stuffed them yet

Tulips
© Meryl Bird

Sue's Bird

My first proper attempt at machine embroidery! Not sure what bird this is but colourful.

Bird
© Sue Hollebone

Amanda's Fish

Finished, with the addition of a dragonfly, and now hanging in the window.

Fish & Dragonfly
© Amanda Smith

Jo's Oxford Bird

An Oxford lockdown bird....a rare breed created after the Workshop with Nikki....I had to dig out the hand sewing machine and after some serious backwards and forwards this bird arrived...I decided to stuff the body a little and back with paper. I really enjoyed doing this so thank-you Nikki and the Oxford Guild.

Bird
© Jo Edwards

Margaret's Seahorse

Here is my completed seahorse. I decided not to stuff him, but to make him virtually double-sided so when I hang him up in the window both passersby outside and we inside get a good view to look at! The first image is the front view, followed by a detail to show the beading by the eyes etc. The final one shows the back view. Really enjoyed doing this workshop even though I didn't do as much surface stitching as was suggested.

Judy's Butterfly

I have not yet cut between the wings. I will look at hanging in a window to see if it will catch the light. A fun project.

Butterfly
© Judy Siemers

Karen's Seahorse

A great workshop. I spent a lovely afternoon, snug in my workroom and finished the stitching. I think it might be a ‘Daddy’ seahorse as he has a little fat tummy (holding all the babies!) I took several photographs on different backgrounds and under different lighting – amazing how different it looks!

Seahorse
© Karen Rowe

Another Inspiration from the Maria Thomas Workshop

Another jacket! Completely different, but kickstarted by Maria's workshop. I am a big fan of old denim, stripy shirt fabric, and fish! And kimonos. This is a long overdue project, a Hanten jacket, using a whole lot of favourite fabrics. In kimono design a river symbolises continuity and the future so I have stitched a red river up each front, across the sleeves and they join together to flow down the back. I've started stitching over some of the fish in orange. Koi are a symbol of good luck and perseverance in adversity. I dyed a tablecloth indigo and used it as the foundation fabric.

Indigo Kimono Jacket
© Karen Rowe

Robin and Swift

Worked in free machine embroidery.

Robin
© Lynn Pilgrim

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Swift
© Lynn Pilgrim

Church

I was asked by my aunt to do an embroidery to celebrate one of her bridesmaid's 50th wedding anniversary. I decided to capture an image of the church where she married in Gloucestershire. The image was taken from a screen shot of the church which my aunt found on Google Earth and sent to me from Alberta in Canada where she now lives! It is hand embroidered with a little free machining for the golden tree. As I was also a bridesmaid (the little 10 year old one!) for my aunt it was rather a fun piece to do as it had a personal link.

Church
© Lynn Pilgrim

Carnation and Cornflower

Many years ago, one of my favourite designers, Amy Mitten, started offering a range of kits called Castket Keepsakes. These small, three dimensional, items where inspired by antique enbroidered items found in 17th century caskets. I have collected several of these kits but had not begun to work another until this year. The first four kits are named after the seasons. The first in the series is Winter but I decided to do Spring first as that was the season when I started stitching it. The first Keepsake in the Spring Caskets Keepsakes kit is a little silk drawstring bag which holds a thread winder. The petals of the Carnation are worked in 17th century techniques. The size is 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" not including the finger loop drawstring. The second keepsake is a tape measure in the form of a Cornflower. The tape measure is revealed by pulling on the stem and rewound by rotating the spindle. It measures 2 1/2" x 3". There are twenty petals made using the same technique as the Carnation. Both keepsakes are made using Amy's hand-dyed threads and antique metallics.

Carnation
© Carol Anne Conway

Cornflower
© Carol Anne Conway

Another Autumn Glory

I wanted to preserve eucalyptus leaves from my garden, but the glycerine darkened the leaves and they lost definition. Painting dried leaves with acrylic wax kept the detail. I tried a slightly ‘leafy’ stitch, which I didn’t like. The simple cross stitch was more successful. Eco-dyed silk and cotton fabrics, threads and buttons.

Autumn Glory
© Karen Rowe