Spring has sprung – a trip to Wells

At last the rain seems to be drying up and everywhere is bursting into life – as if to make up for time lost during the cold and dreary weather last month.  Freddie was spending the weekend with me so we decided to take advantage of the (somewhat intermittent!) sunshine and head off to the Medieval Falconry display at the Bishops Palace in Wells.

The Saturday Market was in full swing and it was lovely to see the different varieties of herbs on display – I had no idea there were so many different varieties of thyme to choose from!  Spring work was well underway in the Palace gardens and allotments and it will be fun to watch everything grow away over the months ahead.  I was particularly impressed with the beautiful pleached magnolias (bottom right above) I spotted on the way back to the car – just a few blooms now, but next time I come into town I think it will look amazing.

Spring blossoms and blooms have also inspired my first design for the May edition of the Bustle & Sew Magazine….

A little kitten looking very surprised to find herself wearing a garland of blossoms!  I had such fun stitching this design, embroidering fur is one of my favourite things to do and though it looks complicated it really isn’t, once you’ve mastered a few basic principles.  The pattern will include lots of step by step photographs, and of course my free guide “How to Embroider Fur” has lots of useful hints and tips as well.

This little bear also uses a variety of embroidery stitches for his coat and hat – back stitch, blanket stitch, cross stitch, chain stitch, French knots, ghiordes (or turkey) stitch and satin stitch. If you don’t want to try your hand at stitching fur, then he’d look nearly as nice with his face and legs simply outlined in back stitch, as are his coat and hat.

If you’d like the free tutorial (with full instructions and step by step images) please just click below and we will send it to you right away!