The Treehouse

Clamshell Report

My poor clamshells have been badly neglected over the summer. Even worse, when I looked at them last Friday - I decided I didn't like what I'd done so I started again! I'm not very far along, I had wanted to get the first 'square' of them finished but these are the last days of the childrens' summer holiday and the sun is shining so we've been out and about in the boat.

 

I'll make better progress for next month's report.

I stitched up the bottom on this cushion last night  -  I'm really pleased with how it turned out. The cross stitch in the centre is Geranium House by Country Cottage Needleworks which I finished a little while ago.

 

It's going to live in our bedroom.

 

 

My Garden and Clamshells

Almost missed my posting, have been super busy running around trying to find extra players for tonight's cricket match today and then ferrying boys to the cricket match this evening. Now I'm back home and have managed to iron and photograph this week's creations. 2 flowers for my garden and sadly, in spite of my determination to put an outer ring on each week, the sporting schedule has been so full that I've just not managed it - perhaps I will aim for two next week.

 

On the clamshell front things turned a little peculiar - to say the least! I spent a good portion of time printing and cutting clamshells so I knew I wasn't going to get too many stitched together...and actually, I was a little worried about those curves. Part way through the cutting, I could stand it no longer and had to get started stitching and I was hooked straight away - these little shapes go together unbelievably easily. Unfortunately, I was stitching at not the best time one evening and got a little distracted and before I knew it - I'd stitched a clamshell in the wrong way round. Well, I sort of liked it so I thought I'd keep it like that and see what developed! So - instead of rows of different blue fabrics I ended up with this...

 

It looks a little odd for two reasons - the grass isn't flat and there is an unstitched between the bottom bright blue clamshell and the cream/blue flowers one. I'm not sure whether to right this off as a practice piece or continue as I'm wondering whether this sort of shape requires a little more planning in the placement of colours than rows. The jury is out on the matter now but I need to decide soon because I want to get some more stitching done (when the sporting has calmed down a little!)

Poor klosjes aren't making an appearance this week either - soon though, very soon!

 

 

Washing Day...

 

I had a couple of blue fabrics left to wash and then I had a root around in my stash and came up with some more. The sun's shining today - perfect for drying so I decided to get everything washed. I'm going to cut out clamshells tomorrow :)

 

My Needle and Thread have been...

busy stitching on LHN Needle and Thread! I've been itching to stitch this since it arrived a few months back and I determined last week to get started on it. Well, once I'd started I couldn't stop! I didn't actually have too much stitching time last week as it was 1/2 term but when I did get time this is what I stitched and I enjoyed every minute of it. I've also made a start on Blackbird Designs Snow Garden as part of a SAL...I want to get those lovely houses stitched and not have them sitting in my stash basket gathering dust. As you can see I did make a solitary, rather lonely klosje but at least it's one more to add to my total :D

 

There was a sale on at my LQS last week - it was their first anniversary of opening so I had to pop along and see what was what! I had thought to get some blue fabrics for the Clamshells and these are what I came away with...

 

Look at the cute kitty - I'm going to try and fussy cut her for the clamshells. Over in the far right hand cornder of the picture is a lovely blue fabric with some golden leaves in it, I almost cut it out of the picture altogether! I need to have a little visit to the stash because I recall a few blue fabrics from the last time I had a good tidy up in there. 

I've one more little task that I want to play at this month - Jenny's Jeans Challenge I knew as soon as I saw it that I wanted to make a bag...I think there are some dilapidated jeans in John's wardrobe that I can make use of so I think I'll go and hunt those down.

The weather is just awful here today - very humid and on and off rain...not a good day to have washed curtains and bedding at all, I've run out of indoor drying space and I fear that my hexagon stitching time tonight (cricket match) may be cancelled altogether if much more rain falls :(

 

 

Today's Blooms

I made 3 this week! No klosjes at the weekend but I did do a huge amount of cutting out so there is hope for a good quantity this coming weekend :) I've been having a lovely cross stitch the last few days - I got really behind with my various projects recently when I had a trapped nerve in my back - the pain was just too furious and nauseating for me to concentrate on a chart and count and my first priority as soon as thought was restored to my brain was to get Karen's birthday present made. I made good progress on Mary Wigham's wardrobe, started an Anniversaries of the Heart and now I'm enjoying a lovely treat by stitching up the LHN Needle and Thread pincusion bed and scissor keep...so cute, I love it!

Beautiful sunshine here today so hopefully we won't freeze tonight at bowling. If we're blessed again tomorrow we're going to head off for a day out somewhere :)

 

 

I bought a new Inklingo this morning - Clamshells. I was rather smitten when I saw the design done in shades of one colour, looks fabulous!