Sunday 4 December 2011

Rain, Rain, Go Away

I made good progress yesterday on The Lace Garden even though I had to rip out a section. I'm afraid that I was distracted whilst watching Strictly Come Dancing (the UK version of Dancing With The Stars). I don't watch television too much but I do enjoy both SCD and DWTS. J R Martinez was a worthy winner of DWTS this year.


The Lace Garden by Cols Creations

I usually listen to audio books whilst I stitch. We are very lucky in Cornwall that we can download audio books free of charge from the public library.

I finished listening to John Grisham's "The Litigators" last night so I will have to choose another book this afternoon.

My favourite book of 2011 is "The Help". Listening to the audio book and the southern accents really brought the characters to life. I hope that Kathryn Stockett publishes another book soon.

I also enjoy listening to the BBC IPlayer whilst stitching. Radio 4 and 4 Extra have some wonderful dramatisations of book and plays. As  I had finished my audio book I checked out the IPlayer and they had Nancy Mitford's "Love In  A Cold Climate" (one of my favourite writers), that was it, I had to listen to it all so it was very late when I went to bed. That explains my good progress with The Lace Garden yesterday.

Earlier this year I worked another Hardanger piece - Victoria Sampler's Ring Bearer's Pillow.

Ring Bearer's Pillow by Victoria Sampler


The Back of the Ring Bearer's Pillow by Victoria Sampler

Ring Bearer's Pillow by Victoria Sampler



I was very pleased how it turned out. I made a cushion from some Champagne shantung silk and machine embroidered "Kate & Chris, Two Hearts, One Soul, 21st April 2012" set in a circle of  flowers and attached the piece to the front. Chris is my son and this will be used at his wedding next year to Kate.

After the wedding I intend to detached the Hardanger from the pillow and have it framed. It will be nice for Chris and Kate to be able to display this as a keepsake of their special day.

I don't know yet how I will attach this to a backing fabric for the framing. Any suggestions will be appreciated.


We have put up some outdoor Christmas lights on this tree which my kitchen and TV room look out on. It is heavily ladden with red berries this time of year which is so festive.

I hang bird feeders from this tree and we enjoy watching the birds feeding.



The weather remains unsettled with grey skies and lots of rain. We were lucky to get back from our walk yesterday before heavy rain came down.

Here are some pictures from yesterday's walk.

Dollar Cove

Church Cove

Church Cove


We walked to the coves through the golf course. Because of the weather there were very few golfers out. We found six balls in the hedge rows, a sign of the strong winds that we have had this week (blowing balls off course). DH was pleased as these balls will top up his own supply. We never seem to find the balls we loose ourselves!

No walk today, Blue and Poppy are curled up on the settee (!!) snoring away.

Warm wishes from Stitching By A Cornish Sea Shore

Nicola xxx