A Quaker Finish

Hi, Stitching Friend!

I mentioned in my last post that I’d found my turbo needles. To prove it, here’s another finished piece hot off the press. It is my  pleasure to introduce Willie’s Quaker Square 7, by Monasterium Designs (The Gift of Stitching Issue 29, June 2008).

Willie's Quaker Square 7; stitched with DMC 115 on Taupe Belfast linen

Willie's Quaker Square 7 - up close

Willie's Quaker 7 - love that cheeky little bird!

This one, together with my finished Kindness Sampler, is waiting on framing supplies that need to be purchased. In the meantime, I’ve started another quaker in another colour – will keep you posted.

Happy Stitching
Pokua

SALsuffit Finishes

Hi Friends.

Haven’t had much free time lately to blog or visit your sites and have missed you all very much. Last month I joined Tempus Fugit’s SALsuffit and I thought I’d show you what I finished for October.

My SALsuffit was to do some framing, which I haven’t done for quite a while, with all materials I already have. I’ve done a framing course and have all the equipment and materials. Because I haven’t done it for such a long time, it took me forever to cut my double mats and get perfect mitres on the frame. I finally managed to get it right, I think…

Framed - design: Bay View Estate (freebie); designer: By The Bay

Double mat detail: inner mat -chocolate; outer mat - off-white

Frame detail - simple mahogany look with black edge; perfect!

Oh – and we had a very quiet 25th wedding anniversary on the 14th of October – celebrated with a bottle of Champers! So far, I haven’t been certified and haven’t been charged with murder, so I guess here’s to another 25 Oops! Think I’d had too many glasses when I took this shot…

Celebrations!

More stitching coming soon – I found my turbo needles!

Happy Stitching
Pokua

More Fair Squares!

Last week I received my Fair Squares from NadiaB  in the Netherlands. She stitched me a great design from a Belgian stitching magazine called Handwerken, dated Nov 1968. Amazing! The design is as contemporary today as I’m sure it was then – see for yourself…

F&S Round 15 from Nadia

Closeup of squares from Nadia

 Did you notice the matching fob she added to the squares? Cute! Thank you so much, Nadia for adding to my collection with a beautiful and important reminder of the needlecraft heritage that we share today.

I also finished another set of fair squares I received from Linda B(no blog) in Round 11. This is a really striking quaker design stitched in quaker colours. I’ve finished it very simply to reflect this, and love, loove it. Thank you once again, Linda.

F&S Round 11 from Linda B - front

Back of ornament

Side view finishing detail

 More and more Christmas stitching is popping up on stitchers’ blogs.  A hint that I need to get a wriggle on if I want anything finished to display at home over the holiday season! I’ve selected a couple which I’ll show you next post. Until then,

Happy Stitching
Pokua

Stitching and Finishing

I want to start this post with a very big Thank You to you my stitching friends for your kind compliments and congratulations for  DD’s graduation. As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child and certainly it takes a very warm-hearted stitching community to share the joys that go with it. Life is so short, and I’ve promised myself that I will celebrate it in all ways I’m capable of. I truly appreciate having people with whom to share life’s joys  

Now for an update on stitching and finishing. The first is a small birthday gift for sister stitcher CindyF – a floss tag I made with using the design from Carriage House Sampling’s Alphabet Series:

Floss tag front - CHS Alphabet Series T-Threads

Back of Floss tag

Floss tag with matching pincushion

 

I finally finished my first heart-shaped ornament. Would you believe that I stitched this desig in 2006? It was a little tricky to get the shape right with the foam core board, but it turned out all right once the fabric and ribbon trim went on. It’s a well known design from the December 2005 edition of the Australian Better Homes & Garden magazine. Rather large for a a pinkeep, but beautiful nonetheless.

Pinkeep - Australian BHG Pattern Dec '05

Detail of trim/pins/beads

Close up – stitched with DMC variations 4020

And in the works is  a needlebook (my first) for Tiny Treasures Exchange Too. Nita has kindly taken on the role of coordinating the group (thanks, Nita ) but it appears no-one has heard anything from Sharon for a very long time, which is a source of concern. If anyone has news – no need for details – just to let us know that she’s OK – it would be reassuring.

Wish you all many Happy Stitches as we hurtle towards Christmas
Pokua

Proud Mum Moment

Dear friends,

I’ve mentioned in previous emails that this year is a BIG year for me in terms of milestones. One of them is that my Darling Darling Daughter Abby graduated from the University of Western Australia with a double degree in Arts and Economics. It’s been 5½ years getting there and the ceremony was held a couple of weeks ago. Needless to say, I’m a very proud mum and I wanted to share it with you all!

Abby Graduation UWA

Abby Graduation UWA 2

My children are everything a mother and parent would want – gentle, loving, confident, happy and successful. I’m truly blessed. Thank you Abby for bringing so much joy into my life

Happy stitching
Pokua

Drawn Thread – MOTM Update

Hi friends!

I’m sure you’re wondering what progress there’s been with my 25th anniversary stitching of DT Marriage of the Minds. I must admit that things have been slow – I’ve been ‘distracted’ by other little projects, I think, mainly because I’m not 100% happy with the results. I’ll tell you why after you’ve seen the photo updates below…

Marriage of the Minds

Marriage of the Minds close up

The truth of the matter is that I’m not happy with it because there’s insufficient coverage with the one strand thread and I can see too much fabric behind it

Bottom line: it’s a toss between 1) unpicking what I’ve stitched and starting again with DMC threads on the same 32 count fabric OR 2) getting 36 count linen fabric and starting afresh using the NPI/Gloriana threads. My decision? Option 2. Means a bit more of a delay until I get in the 36 count fabby – but that doesn’t worry me too much. Instead of frogging, I’ll finish what I’ve already stitched into a little commemorative pillow with our initials on it. I’ll be happy with that! Problem solved

Talking about Drawn Thread, if you fans out there haven’t already seen the new releases, pop over to Cynthia’s blog and check them out!  She’s also designed a new freebie for us to stitch – thank you, Cynthia.

Happy Stitching
Pokua

Fair & Square Round 15

Hi, Stitching Friends

It’s been a little while. I’ve been stitching, but haven’t been able to show. NadiaB  my exchange partner for Round 15 reported that she’d received the squares I stitched for her, so I thought I’d show you. It’s an adaptation of Prairie Schooler’s Q is for Quilting pattern. Nadia loves quilting and I think she’s planning to incorporate her Fair Squares into a quilt, so I thought it would be the perfect design for her.

Prairie Schooler Q is fo Quilting - with slight modifications

Close up of Prairie Schooler Q is for Quilting

I moved the motifs around a little so they’d fit into a square. Really enjoyed stitching this pattern, and I’m delighted that Nadia likes it.

Happy Stitching

Pokua

The Sisterhood Pattern

I hve been trying very hard, with little success so far, to get my hands on the Travelling Sisterhood pattern. After a short sojourn at Jill’s place, she’s ready to travel again.  So I’m letting you all know, but I’m hoping she agrees to come visit me in Perth, Western Australia. Fingers crossed!

The Travelling Sisterhood Pattern

 

So far enjoying my new job.  Lots to learn and find out about! My Myer-Briggs Type is explore-promoter, so you’ll guess that I’m all eyes and ears at the moment.

 I’ve been stitching a gift or two and the Fair Squares for my Round 15 exchange partner Nadia – so can’t show you anything yet!

Hope you’re all able to get a few more stitches into your WIPs

Happy Stitching
Pokua

Good News!

Hi Friends

2 weeks ago I interviewed for a job. After the interview I was so annoyed with myself ’cause I thought I’d stuffed up and could have answered the questions in a much more sophisticated manner. Somehow, my brain switched off and I couldn’t control what came out of my mouth  I thought there’s no way I’m going to get the job! So after a weekend of mysery, I decided to go on a quick holiday to visit my brother and  family in Canberra. Here’s a photo I took of them when we went to Margaret River together a couple of summers ago:

L-R: Linda(sil), Kojo(brother), Sarah(neice), Kobby(son) and Middle: Reuben (nephew)

I’d been in Canberra only a couple of hours when the phone rang – my husband said it was urgent, some people were trying to get in touch on my mobile phone (which was in my bag). So I called back and guess what? Good News! I got the job   I’m still in the vocational education and training sector, but my new job is now related to regulation of the sector. I’m really chuffed and look forward to a new stage in my career. YaY!

I did manage to do some stitching and finishing:

1) Carriage House Samplings Virtues series framed in a rustic frame I made and painted

CHS - Love, Faith, Hope & Charity

Close up of frame

 

2) By The Bay freebie – stitched and ready to frame

Bay View Estate

Back to work on Monday. Can’t say I didn’t enjoy my break

BTW, my new look is in celebration of Spring, which officially begins on 1 September. My garden is saying it’s spring already, though it’s a little cool today.

Happy Stitching
Pokua

A Tribute

Today 18th August marks the 5th anniversary of my Dad’s passing. He was  79 and became progressively ill due to complications with Parkinson’s Disease. I started stitching Twisted Thread’s Irish Blessing 2yrs or so after he died and all but finished it, but couldn’t bring myself to stitch his name in – the emotions were still too raw. Time heals, they say and today I present my tribute to him.

Irish Blessing framed

Irish Blessing closeup

Irish Blessing frame detail

Dad may be gone, but he’s still very present in my life and  I was very close to him. I’ll tell you a short story to show you how near he still is to me…Earlier this year I bought a new car,  a Holden (Opel) Astra hatchback. I had to get it registered so I could drive it out of the sales yard. A few days later, I went to pick it up. It was Friday 30 January, my Dad’s birthday. I waited for the number plates to be fitted on the car and what a surprise  had when I saw them…

Close up of number plate

 Dad, you may be gone but you’re definitely not forgotten Needless to say, I love that car!

Happy Stitching
Pokua