Sunday 26 July 2015

embroidery

I fully intended to blog last week, but ended up having the week from hell and so it just didn't happen.  We had some computer problems at work and in the midst of it all my spreadsheet, which has all my vital work information, became corrupted.  Even IT couldn't save it and so I had to start again.  Cue a double-sized work load and a new responsibility I also took on and I was at work until very late every night.

I did manage to start a little embroidery though.  I bought the kit at Festival of Quilts last year, so that's almost a year.  Pretty good going for me to get started that soon after buying it!  It's by Rowandean and is called Scottish Beach.



The kit comes with design pre-printed on a cotton/linen fabric and the threads all sorted.  They're mainly stranded cotton but there is also some crewel wool.  The needle for working with the crewel wool was provided.  I assume it's a crewel needle.  It is pretty cruel, it's stabbed me several times already and I didn't do anything to hurt it.



The instructions are basic and the cover photo is tiny, minute even.  I realise it's probably about life-sized, but it needs to be bigger if we're supposed to be following the direction of stitches!  It's smaller than these photos I'm showing you.  I messed up those purple hills.  You can probably see that the one on the left sticks out more, like it's padded.  It was the one I started on and I hated my stitching, I soon discovered a better way of doing it and so instead of unpicking, I stitched over the top.  Yeah, probably shouldn't have done that.



I added some grass, a mud bank and the tree.  The leaves are done in the crewel wool.  The photo is a bit blurred as I took it on my tablet in the light of the living room.  If I'm going to do progress shots of projects (and I want to), I kind of have to take them as I'm going along, in situ, with whatever is to hand.  Yes, I'm lazy!



I added french knots with the multi-colours of crewel wool and this is my second mistake.  I wrapped twice.  I should have wrapped once.  There is no way I'm taking them all out, this, as you've probably guessed by now, is not a piece destined for perfectionism!  Rather it's a piece for me to enjoy stitching, and I really am enjoying stitching it.  I've already put some more Rowandean kits on my wishlist!

14 comments:

Christine B said...

Hello Wendy! Sorry to hear you have had such a bad week and I hope you have had a nicer weekend! Love your new project.... mistakes and all! Very pretty! :)

Pamela said...

You've made a lot of progress on this one already! I think it's good to add your own creative touches to a kit.

Sandra :) said...

Sorry about your rough week - it's exhausting going through crap and then trying to get past it. I hope things go smoother for you :) I like the voluptuous hill - I think you should do something similar wherever it might look cool in the project - it's very dimensional :)

margaret said...

Rowandene makes beautiful kits and this is coming along so very well. Bad news re computer, they are fine till they go wrong then all hell breaks loose!
Are you going to FOQ this year, I will be there friday and satuday

Deepa said...

Agree with you totally - enjoy stitching the kit rather than nitpick

pennydog said...

Urgh, sounds like you need an enjoyable project. Looking good!

Rachel said...

So glad to hear you have a project you're enjoying to help you recover from the week from Hell!

EHP said...

That is so super cute! I think the hills look fine!

Anna said...

Beautiful...
Have a nice week !
Anna

quirkyhannah said...

Ohh am liking this! And it's beast to put your own spin on it especially if you are enjoying it! Think I might need to look for some of those kits at FOQ this year too :)

SuperMomNoCape said...

I think the hills look great... the added layer gives the piece some texture and depth.

I'd love to have you link up to this week's Stitchery Link Party.

Sarah in Stitches said...

Sorry you had such a crappy week! I've never tried crewel, though it's certainly tempting. Your stitching looks lovely! Soldier on :D

Sheryl said...

I like this, it is very pretty. Sorry about your bad week, I have had a bad month, roll on August.

Jane said...

I love Rowendean designs, so glad you're enjoying it, that's the main thing. Hope things have settled at work now