There is so much green everywhere – after months and months of muddy walks, bare branches and short cold days at last there are leaves on the trees, flowers in the garden and seeds germinating in my cold frame. The days have been bright and sunny, but the nights are still cold. Even so I have taken the plunge and decided to plant out my broad beans….
Although my courgette (zucchini) seedlings remain tucked up under glass until I can be certain the frosts have finally departed – perhaps in a fortnight or so I will be able to take the risk. We are high up here and it’s noticeable when we go into town, Bath, Wells or Frome, that the temperatures there are several degrees warmer than in our sometimes rather windswept garden.
The May Magazine has a bit of a gardening theme too as you can see from the cover above. There’s the Spring Chicken hoop which is an easy stitch, as well as a Posy of Herbs which is a little more difficult, together with a classic from the past featuring the well-known quote from actress Audrey Hepburn – “to plant a garden is to believe in the future.”
The most challenging project this month is “The Gardener” which features some more unusual stitches and is also (slightly) 3D. Her hair is ghiordes knot stitch, her basket is padded and covered with surface darning stitch, and the plant leaves are woven picot stitch. I think she’s carrying some chard or spinach she’s recently harvested – mine are still tiny seedlings of course. The colours in this design were inspired by the picture of Rhubarb and Custard on the left – sky blue, blossom pink and the fresh green of the new season’s grass.
If you’re a subscriber the May Magazine will be delivered direct to your inbox on Thursday. If you’re not a subscriber and have been thinking of trying a subscription to the Bustle & Sew Magazine, now is the very best time to give it a go. This is because for the next 72 hours only when you subscribe you will receive your first TWO issues for the price of one.
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