A Creative Time

I don’t know why it should be, but I always seem to feel especially creative as the days shorten and the weather grows colder outside.  I wonder if it’s perhaps there’s so much more clamoring for my attention in the summer months – the garden (of course!), long walks with the dogs, time at the beach, and even in these difficult days, visits from family and friends (within coronavirus restrictions of course).  But when the activity lessens and my days are quieter again, I return to my sewing re-energised and full of new ideas.  Which is a good thing really!  I’ve been busy working on designs for the November Magazine – including this little baby reindeer head…

I’m planning to revisit a number of my older trophy heads over the coming months and rework them to suit more current trends, and this little deer is the first of these.  She’s super cute and would make a great addition to any nursery – in fact Rosie has snaffled her up for Florence’s wall already!  I’ve also been stitching Christmas designs of course…..

A snow globe for Christmas!  It combines applique and embroidery and was the design that inspired me to step outside my comfort zone for stitching.  I don’t know about you but I have a number of “go-to” stitches that I use frequently … satin stitch, stem stitch, French knots, back stitch and split stitch to name just a few.  But I wanted a fairly wide (but not too wide) stitch for the outline of the snow globe and so I turned to my trusty Mary Thomas’s Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches.  I have a 1930s edition that once belonged to the grandmother I never met that was passed down to me by my own mother and it’s one of my most treasured possessions. Anyway, I digress – after some consideration I decided to use Whipped Chain Stitch, which gave me a lovely solid slightly raised line – just what I wanted.  But I was amazed to discover SIXTEEN different variations of chain stitch between its pages – I had no idea!  And this discovery inspired me to try something just a little bit different for the magazine….

I’ve used mellow autumnal shades inspired by the countryside around me and I’ve used Picot Ring Stitch, Stem Stitch Band, Couched Filling Stitch, Basket weave Stitch and have plans for a couple more unusual stitches including my first ever attempt at long hair. She will be in the November Bustle & Sew Magazine with lots and lots of help to stitch these unfamiliar choices.  I hope you like her!

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