Tuesday, May 25, 2010

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.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

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.