The First Post...

Well, this will be my first blog post, the purpose of this page is to collect and share pictures and writing about my embroidery and needlework.


I suppose I should start by sharing how took up sewing! The story begins on Ash Wednesday this year, when I decided (for better or worse) to give up all forms of TV for lent. This is quite a big thing for me, I wouldn't say that my favourite thing to do was to watch TV but I just seemed to be sitting in front of the computer screen for evenings on end watching TV on demand. Not fulfilling. So I gave it up.


The first night, I actually did my ironing for the first time in I won't tell you how long. But there isn't enough ironing to last me 40 days so I had to find something else to do and one of the things that sprung to mind when I was thinking was to take up embroidery. It seemed like a good idea so...


I popped out after work to get an embroidery hoop and some threads, and I downloaded some antiquated volumes about needlework from Project Gutenburg, and set to work on my first project. I started by embroidering a pillow case with some flowers and leaves, and sent it to my Grandmother, I thought she would appreciate being the first to see my work - by this time, I had made up my mind that this was not going to be a one off!


Since then I have been working on a couple of other projects, I have given my newly married brother and his wife a rose that I designed and embroidered for them and have been endlessly working on a white skirt, working extravagant flower motifs - you'll see that soon I assure you but today I want to show you my Grandad's sparrow. 

This little guy is on his way in the post to my Grandad, who enjoys watching the birds.

This was mainly done in encroaching satin stitch, which I learned here, with a little couched satin stitch on they eye, which I was taught by none other than Mrs Beeton. He's probably not ornithologically (which isn't a word) correct. But he has a lovely colour scheme, and has made me fall in love with browns and grays in an altogether new way!

So I will try to keep you updated with my endeavours in embroidery and quilting {my even newer hobby!} and show you some of the inspiration behind it.

God bless,

Naomi