Perfect Days

It's windy as and stormy AGAIN today. We sure do seem to have had a bit of unsettled weather of late. But then it is nearly mid winter here and a tad more than a week past the shortest day or winter solstice for us who live down here in the lower lattitudes. Of course it is not all bad, loads and loads more time to stitch, stitch, stitch while it is blowing a gail outside. So cosy!!! I love the change of seasons. Hope the power stays on!

School breaks up for the end of the second term on Friday so I have been mindful of getting plenty done and prepping some stuff for some easier stitching projects for a couple of weeks. Luckily my girls are pretty good at amusing themselves so I won't have to stall altogether...lol

I am stoked  that I have now finished the canopy and drape pieces for one door of the mirror. This was fun seeing the needle lace come alive and a raised pattern emerging.

Here's the canopy piece still mounted on the support canvas, ready to be removed and the buttonhole edging done. Now that was one mega fiddly job as the thread catches on all those seperate tabs and the bows. The result as you will see in a minute is worth the effort as the pieces look so much nicer once they are edged.

The needle lace pattern used is an alternation of up and down buttonhole, a space  and then two buttonhole stitches followed by a space. The stitches alternate each row and so a diagonal raised ridge develops across the piece as you stitch. Fab. Now doesn't that buttonhole edging grand the piece up somewhat?

Here are the side drapes and the canopy pinned in position. Now this is really starting to look like a stumpwork piece. 

Just look at how much depth we have going on here now. Awesome.

The next task is to complete the long satin stitch underneath on the surface of the design. This will be done in the same shades but with only the lighter colours. Then it will be time to assemble all the pieces ready for attaching. This will include the leaves I have already completed as the branches of them hold up the canopy. Looking forward to that bit.

I decided that I would finish the whole canopy on one side before starting the next as I may just do the canopy and drapes on the Queen's door in a different colour. Oh yeah!

The quilting side of my world has seen the introduction of a new project to the mix. I know, I know, like I really need another WIP!!! And I haven't even started the third installment of Di Ford's/Quiltmania's mystery Mountmellick yet. I think I am secretly putting that off as it is chocka block with broderie perse on all four borders so will be mega time comsumming.

When I went into Patchwork Passion a few weeks back I got totally hooked into wanting to make Lucy Boston's Patchwork of the Crosses. The ladies there have been working away on this for a little while now and are having loads of fun with the honeycomb hexies and fussy cutting. So of course I wanted some of that fun for myself not to mention an excellent excuse to start diving into that rather large fabric stash I have. 

I have made a start. There are 56 blocks in this quilt and 8 metres of fabric for the background hexies alone. It is a labour of love and not a short term goal. I am doing the EPP method, same as the PP ladies. This is the sort of plain stitching I can do when kids are on holiday. It's very portable. I need to fussy cut some more blocks this week. It's a great way of looking at your fabric in a whole different way and it's fun.

Here's my first completed block with background. Each block is made up of 24 hexies and the background is another 24. Then there will be all the joining squares. I haven't decided on that fabric yet.

I have another one glue basted and awaiting piecing....

.... and here's the background hexies for that next one....

This is what the quilt will look like after a lot of hexies, a lot of squares and a lot of hours....it's a biggie!

Winter casket Keepsakes is nearing a finish but I will share that one next time....

Rae H