contrast...

At the moment my days are white, my evenings a riot of colour. Daytime consists of piecing white, embellishing with white, typing about white, creating white titivations.....evenings....colourful and bright, additions and work onto my second toe wrap. The day job is in preparation for my class, which is rapidly filling up and will be closed for registration this coming Sunday. If you have been in a cupboard and it has passed you by there is more information HERE. I have to say that for it to have passed you by you would need to have been in a cupboard...I haven't stopped banging on about it for a week!! Sorry about that...

I am way behind on my blog reading and comment responses. I am once again prostrate at your feet begging forgiveness and promising that you will see me over the weekend so get the kettle on and make some cakes.

Home is quiet, my son flew to the U.S. on Tuesday so it's just me and the other half who is never here because I send him to work every day and when he is here he takes me out to eat, so I have no excuse other than I am doing teacher like stuff...

Yesterday I made some more Rouleau Loops for this piece and am hoping to show you those next time. I have also been stitching little 'bumps', tiny padded circles which you can see on the picture above edged with French Knots...they are sooooo cute! So I'm busy but in the best possible way and believe it or not I even managed to do a bit of housework....I will take a pat on the back for that and count my blessings that I am able to do what I love and occasionally clean up too.

32 x 28 inches

no words today...just a picture show....

FAQ!!!!!

Yes, it's arrived, the FAQ page is up and running just look up at the bar on the top. I should possibly have called it ''questions I have only been asked once, last week''!!

If you want anything else answered just let me know. It was good fun putting it together actually.

Not much embroidery for you today. I spent so much time playing with the unmentionable and roaming and enjoying the quiet of my little house yesterday that there wasn't much time left for my needle. I did manage to add the crazy patchwork piece from last week to my throw though and here it is. One lemon buttonhole stitch seam and one turquoise cross stitch seam, the final, final piece of this particular puzzle.

Since posting these pictures I have spied a couple of tacking stitches that escaped me so I had better get on to that quick sharp. This now needs to be backed and I decided against Marimekko. Somebody pointed out to me that this little toe wrap will one day be an heirloom and we wouldn't want future generations presuming that it had come from the house of Marimekko would we?? Oh no, definitely not, so gingham it is and pink I think.

the final piece...

Here it is, the final piece in the jigsaw puzzle which is my throw or my ''toe wrap'' as some of you have begun to call it. This is an edge from a very old table runner that was all but shredded with holes and rips. The lace edge will most likely be placed inwards on the throw as it will hopefully form another petticoat like section by being on the inside so to speak.

I have a busy weekend ahead of me so may have to take a day or two off. It's not definite, I will see how much progress I make with things. The unmentionable project is calling, I am determined to finish it as I don't like keeping you hanging. ( or maybe you couldn't care less) Ideally I would like to work on that for two full days and then of course I have a wedding cloth to make along with putting my throw together, backing it and making knots and puffs for the edge and the surface. I would also like to make headway with my FAQ page...phew, I've got a lot to do....what a shame I can't do any housework!! and thankyou so much to everyone who sympathised re my hand injuries and for all the suggested remedies, much appreciated. Time to put the kettle on....
p.s.  6 p.m. I was looking through my stats and discovered that a few people were coming form a site called ''topics best' after having apparently voted for me. Voting for what I don't know, next Prime Minister?? Ayway I've got a button, top left, so please vote for me too and I will keep my fingers crossed that it's not a vote for worst blog, best person to deport, most annoying English woman etc....

additions....

Since last sunday I have made four pieces to add to my throw...the piece I showed you yesterday and the one from the day before, both white. There were thirty ginham hexagons too, remember them? Then there was the piece I made with the applique cotton lawn...phew...sounds like a marathon but hasn't actually felt like one at all. Last night I joined all four to the main piece and oh how different they look...one section gained a broderie anglaise trim for a seam. That created a kind of petticoat effect which is so very pretty.

Yesterdays white piece was placed, together with the gingham hexagons at another edge, near to a row of tiny white buttons that I think may have been one of the very first pieces I made.

One of the pieces created with the fine cotton lawn has been attached to the cross stitch alphabet, I think it looks really good here, almost as if it was made with that in mind. I can assure you it wasn't, I wish I was that well organised!! Now I think I have only another two sections to make and then the backing can go on. Re the Marimekko debate...yesterday I wan't saying that my throw wasn't worthy of Marimekko, only that I wondered if it would ''match'', such a prominent and quite contemporary print on the reverse of something so homely...answers please...

I am making notes for my FAQ page....If you have any questions you think I should answer on there then please help me out. As for my ''secret'' project.....I  am going to be working on that as soon as I have pressed the publish button for this post...wish me luck!

text....

This morning I whiled away an hour waiting for the sun to come out by reducing my pile of ironing. Very productive I hear you say, well yes, but, when the sun did come out is was an inferior sun and only wanted me to have wishy washy photos. Once again I am apologising for images..

The text panel of white silk was damp stretched overnight. This is the start of my wedding piece for''A''. The second white piece for my throw was also damp stretched overnight so I would say all in all a good days work.

Later today I am going to add these finished pieces to my throw. It is getting exciting now, the end is almost in sight. I think there is another, small piece to make and then we are ready for backing. I don't think I will put rouleau loops on the edge. I am thinking more along the lines of knots and puffs. They are still to be made though so It won't be completely finished for a while yet. As for the Marimekko v gingham debate for the back...I adore Marimekko as you know but part of me wonders would it actually go with this? Is this not a little too ''homespun'' for a designer reverse? Oh dear, decisions, decisions....

I am also working on something that excites me yet scares me...It may not work but if you all cross your fingers (and those of you who can, your toes too) who knows. I can't wait to share but not yet, just incase it all goes horribly wrong!!

monday into tuesday...

The little white panel with the fine cotton lawn peep holes was finished last night. It's good to get stuff finished just before bedtime, it can be damp stretching whilst you snooze. This morning has been spent trying to get decent photos and then pinning the piece to the larger cloth.

I'm not sure how much bigger I am going to make this. I mean... it could go on forever. I could be in my old folks rest home before we get to the backing stage at this rate. There are still a couple of ''filling'' pieces to be made and then I might call it a day. Will keep you posted on that one. As it's for me it doesn't matter how big it is does it, it is after all just going to be something for my feet in the morning when I first get up and am having my ''return me to human form'' coffee. Another consideration...are you sick of seeing it? I know I post about different sections yet when I show them added to the whole thing you are seeing it all over again. I can imagine you all thinking, ''pesky throw, sick of it, same old same old, yawn , yawn''. The next big decision, what do I back it with? Pretty gingham? or do I raid my Marimekko stash and have a very precious reverse? Oh dear, raiding my Marimekko stash would be painful. I have lots of it but I like having lots of it, knowing it's there. I will ruminate on that one....

as for ''jacketgate''...haven't seen a sight of it on the street yet today. Mine is still on its hanger, reminding me of her next door......

(she is very nice really, probably deserves a better neighbour than me poor woman)

embroidery

just sewing, adding to edges, tacking, pinning, thinking....