It’s March – and though the weather remains decidedly upon the chilly side, the days are growing ever-longer and in the woods and along the hedgerows the snowdrops are being replaced by daffodils, the pale beauty of those early forerunners of spring giving way to joyous bursts of colour as the days advance.
Every month in the Bustle & Sew Magazine (you can sneak a look at the March edition below)….
there is a two-page monthly almanac that, as well as noting memorable dates, describes the changes taking place in the countryside that month. And, as part of my research for March a few years ago now, I remember reading that spring advances up the country from south to north at a walking pace. Altitude definitely plays a role too, since down in Wells the daffodils are blooming in abundance, whilst up here on the Mendip Hills, those in our garden are just beginning to come into flower….
Every year we eagerly await the arrival of the new season and the appearance of baby rabbits – they seem to pop up everywhere! And yet, in the winter months we hardly ever see a rabbit! I included a rabbit wreath in the March Magazine, using an old favourite template of mine that first appeared back in the June 2015 edition…
He’s the other way round in the Follow the Bunny Garland that appears in the March Magazine, and the new Bunny Embroidery (name yet to be decided) that will be included in the April edition ….
But still the same bunny! Which got me thinking about one of the reasons I enjoy freestyle hand embroidery so much, and love seeing other stitchers’ projects, particularly those worked from my own designs. It’s because, unlike some other embroidery techniques, you are free to alter, adapt and interpret to suit your own tastes, and don’t need to totally follow the pattern to every last detail in order to achieve good results – self-expression comes naturally in this technique. And so, in the spirit of making a pattern your own, I thought I would share a project from the March Magazine called “In the Green.” It’s unusual in that it gives only the briefest of instructions, and leaves it mainly to the stitcher to decide what colours to use where….
This pattern is available to all our free newsletter readers – please do check your inbox if this is you as the latest newsletter, complete with download link for “In the Green” should be arriving today.
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