Friday, April 22, 2011

Royal School of Needlework on "Sunday Morning"

Last week on CBS on "Sunday Morning" they had a story about Hampton Court Palace and the (click here to see the video) Royal School of Needlework. It is worth taking a few minutes and watch this. Get a cup of tea and enjoy the video.



It made me want to go back to England to take another class. We have the same tutors and the same instruction in San Francisco that we have in England, but it is not the same as being at Hampton Court Palace seeing Henry VIII walking around.



Classes are being offered in May and October in 2011 in San Francisco with the (click here to see the classes being offered) RSN.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

The New and Old . . . .


I haven't been very good at updating my blog and won't promise that I will be good in the future. I have been stitching and knitting a lot, just haven't been sharing. . . . .

This is a picture that I made for my Dad for his 80th birthday in 1995. It has memories from his life, it is a great project for a parent, grandparent or a dear friend for a special birthday. Some of the memories included are baseball, pets, places he lived, the freight train he traveled in back in the 1930's. I started by making a list of the things I wanted to remember, then searched books to find the pattern or make one up if I couldn't find what I wanted. I did not plan the placement or chart the entire piece, I just started stitching . . .

I had fun stitching this, but the best part was giving it to my Dad. His birthday was on April 24th, "Happy Birthday Dad" I miss you!





This project is a picture of railroad tracks near Seelow, Germany. My Husband took the picture and I loved it. The white houses in the distance with the trees stood out and I just had to stitch it. It is done on 24 count canvas cloth with DMC and Anchor cotton floss, some overdyed floss and a little metallic, the size is about 3" x 5" and it is framed in a shadow box frame that is 5" x 7." It is for sale at the Chamber of Commerce in the "Treasures in Miniature" show.






This is a garden scene. I was waiting in the eye doctor's office looking at a magazine and saw this picture. Well, first I thought I could remember what it looked like, but then decided I wouldn't by the time I got around to stitching it. So, if you go to the eye doctor and there is a page missing out of the magazine you are reading I have it. This project is also stitched on 24 count canvas with DMC and Anchor floss with some overdyed threads too. The size is about 3" x 5" and framed in a shadow box frame that is 5" x 7". It is also, in the "Treasures in Miniature" show.

Both pictures have a million French knots and Colonial knots, fly stitches, basketweave, alternating cross stitch, chain stitch, stem stitch, satin stitch and a few more stitches.




This is the first time I have entered anything in a show for sale and it will be pretty exciting if one sells, but it is fine if they don't too.

I loved making them and I know someone in my family would like to have one.


Thank for coming back to see what I have been doing . . . . . There will be more someday.

I just completed a stumpwork piece to teach in June and I am getting ready to take another class with the Royal School of Needlework, so stay tuned.