An update...

well, not quite finished as I thought it might be tonight...I have enjoyed sitting and stitching this as I could see the progress growing at the end of my needle... Late yesterday afternoon I sat contentedly in the warm and stitched away while watching the telly - not something I do often.  

I have decided to use pink ric rac around the outside edge where there is the satin stitch... My satin stitching is not very good and I found doing the flower centres hard work. I will attempt the smaller circle and hopefully make a reasonable job of it - fingers crossed. :-) As you can see I have also used French knots instead of Rosalie's original pattern of cross stitches. In my mind there were French knots and I had done them before I realised that there weren't if you can follow that one... 

 I thought that I might turn this into a needle case or a round purse instead of using it as a motif for the front on the little drawstring bag which was part of the original design. I might even use it as a doily or a mug rug... But who knows I could change my mind again...

Rosalie also had a bigger version of this same design - while at Urban Stitches I bought some variegated threads in browns and golds and russet tones - I have this sneaky little idea that I might  stitch it with them instead of these colorways and use an orange ric rac around the outside edge... But you know me you may never see them again they could be lost in the 'layers' I lovingly call my sewing room...

My eldest daughter M and I had a slightly hysterical afternoon discovering all my stashed away treasures... My little sewing space yielded far more than one would believe possible and the look of sheer disbelief on M's face as layer upon layer of 'treasures' were unearthed. E, my younger daughter was standing in the doorway with a look of "this is what I have been talking about". Do I hoard? Well, I didn't think so and still don't but I know that I am now very firm with myself about what I buy. With the very real prospect of moving again in twelve months none of us want to have to go through what we went through the last time. I think M thought coming here was better than a visit to Spotlight. 

In our 'excavating' we found a dolly pattern which was a design I bought an age ago - as it turned out it was a Rosalie Quinlan - Melly & me design - called Freya. I remember at the time when I bought the pattern I thought she was so cute and bought a selection of fabrics to make her IMMEDIATELY - that obviously didn't happen...

M thought it might be fun to make her and challenged me to join her BUT using only what was in our respective stashes... M has a stash??? I am so glad she is taking after me - a dubious honour!! So stay tuned!!! My stitching life could be turning in a whole different direction...

So, until next time keep those needles threaded and take care...

Sharon x x