TAST 2010 week 12 and week 1

I've been very lazy so far this year, and have let the TAST 2010 parade almost pass me by !! I've decided to tag along when I can, and am saving and printing all the stitches each Tuesday. Week 12's offering from Sharon B was Sorbello stitch so my first attempt at this stitch is pictured below.


I found this one relatively trouble free, and like the texture that knot in the centre gives to cross stitch, which is not one of my favourite stitches I will admit.


On week 1, so long ago now, I cut a piece of evenweave linen and zigzagged the edges ready for my sampler of stitches. I stitched the first stitch, Knotted Loop Stitch and then patted myself on the back !!


I liked the rhythm this stitch has, and tried a tricky thing with some weaving through it on the end of the row.
Little did I know how hard it would be to get back to that sampler, but over the next few weeks I hope to "fill in the gaps" both on the sampler and in my stitch repertoire. And along the way I hope to re-discover my love of stitching, something I hope to be able to do while babysitting 2 days a week with my dear little granddaughter Amelie.

Catching up

I'm the busty one in the top row, right with the short blonde hair

This photo was posted recently by a long lost school friend Rhona. We found each other through a social networking site, I didn't even know this photo was still around. What a hoot, we were dreadful at volleyball, we never trained, and we never won as far as I remember. We were all too interested in boys by 4th form (now year 10). I recall my boyfriend in the beginning of this year was much older than me, 8 years in fact. By the middle of year 10 I'd "dropped" him and taken up with a friend of Rhona's boyfriend. Frank was the complete opposite of Clive and in year 12. He didn't last too long either. 10 months later I was going out with my husband-to-be and we're still together after 36 years on May 11th.

The last few months have been a blur of babysitting Amelie, visiting with Riley and other family events and committments. Middle daughter moved back home with boyfriend for 6 months while they saved for a home together. They moved out at Easter. Not a lot of stitching or sewing is going on, apart from the regular making of ATC for swapping in my online group. I went to Wagga Wagga in March for an Embroiderers' Guild Convenors' Meeting and had a great time. Then on Easter Sunday DH and I flew to Norfolk Island in the South Pacific for a week's much needed R and R. I'd won a travel voucher in a charity lottery, you know the kind where they phone you to buy a ticket or tickets? First time I've ever won something, so we had to choose a Pacific rim destination. Norfolk seemed like an idyllic location, and my SIL has visited and recommended it to us. As soon as I can fire up the computer which has the photos saved on it I'll post some to show you what I mean.