Winter’s still with us!

I do enjoy putting together our Bustle & Sew Magazine each month, but I must admit I do sometimes find it a little disconcerting to always be a month ahead of myself if you know what I mean!  The February issue was published on Thursday….

… celebrating the earliest signs of spring with pancakes, snowdrops, Valentine’s day and more.  But outside today winter definitely has us in its not icy but horribly soggy grip.  It’s cold and grey and hasn’t stopped raining all day.  My lawn has turned into a muddy lake which means I have to supervise my two water-loving canine friends closely when they put their paws outside the back door in case they decide to start gambolling around in the mud.  But even they have preferred to spend most of the day inside.  Daisy has, very uncharacteristically, been cosying up in front of the wood burner …

Whilst Ben has been snuggled up right in front of the sofa where I sit and sew.  This makes getting on and off very difficult indeed!

I have been doing quite a lot of sewing today – after all, what could be nicer on a cold grey day than to put your feet up, hoop in hand and a nice cup of tea at your side.  I’ve finished my little foxes – another exercise in stitching fur …..

And decided to photograph them with our felt Love Letters Blocks that I stitched probably two if not three years ago now.  The pattern is available in store if you’d like to stitch your own in time for Valentine’s Day.  I’m saving the foxes for my new pattern collection …

Along with my January Bear ….

I’m hoping to publish this hand embroidery collection later in the year.  I’m really enjoying stitching these two hoops, I’m not sure why I’ve waited so long to create some new furry designs as it’s a technique that I really enjoy – and that’s also deceptively easy as you can create a whole animal with just three, or possibly four, shades of floss.