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Just after new year I started this picture of a Wren on Evenweave:



Yesterday I found out on this piece that some of the presorted threads were not in the right holes and have had to spend four hours unpicking some of the snow and then this morning spent another 4 hours re-stitching using the correct thread.

Before this I had been working on an Yin/yang dolphin kit purchased from China:





This one is now completed but I need to get around to framing it

Jo

What lovely pieces you have done or are in the process of. I especially like the wren piece, but I am especially fond of wrens as we usually have Carolina wrens nesting near the house. The colors of the Dolphin pieces are beautiful.

Carole

What lovely stitching! But how aggravating too have to do all that

The dolphins are so colourful!
The other is a lovely image, it's a shame you had to do all that unpicking because of the wrongly sorted thread, but it looks like it will definitely be worth it in the end.

Love the Wren piece - so lifelike and beautifully stitched. WOW those colours on the Dolfin stitching are fabulous. Thank you for sharing them with us.

Beautiful pictures.

Thank you

I find that most pieces of cross stitch I choose to do has a reason behind it and this is the story of this one:

When the first lockdown started last March I made the decision that I should learn the bird songs. I found a set of British bird calls on line and when I sat down for a cuppa I would listen to them. The first time I did this was a nice day so I had the doors open and at first I did not relise what was happening but every time I played a bird call the birds in my garden were replying. As I knew which bird call I was playing I knew what was replying, most replied from the trees and bushes surrounding my garden so I got to know where they hang out - the exception was the smallest bird in the garden the Wren.

The Wren was having not having an imposter in his area and it would only take a couple of plays of the Wren bird call and he would be on top of my bird feeder pole about 8 feet away from where I sitting singing extremely loud. How can such a small bird make so much noise? Clearly he was determined to drown out the bird call coming from dining room and I am sure if I was not there he would have been in looking for the intruder. This went on for a few weeks until I assume he took on nursery duties. Hopefully in a month or so I can start playing the bird calls again and the brave little chap will be back giving me the evil eye. Sitting on the pole of the bird feeder he looked just like the Wren in this piece.

I don't want anyone thinking I have been sitting around doing nothing since the beginning of the week so I thought I better show you where I am now before I go off and prepare my celebration dinner:



If you are in the pub later you are welcome to a glass of bubbly to help me celebrate and I might even show you the new cross stitch kit that has just arrived to commemorate the very special occasion

Jo

Wow, you’ve come a long way with it.

Such a sweet story. We don’t have many birds where I live.

That is coming along in leaps and bounds Jo and it is gorgeous.

Thank you for the lovely story of the wren. When I first came her to Brisbane there used to be wrens down near the Plaza Mall but I not seen a 1 for the last 5 years which is sad. The only birds we see regularly are noisy brats, crows, parakeets,etc. Not pleasant sounding at all.

As well as prettier birds, we have a hedge full of house sparrows (known as the Spuggie Ghetto), who are fractious and always famished. We also have a disused chimney full of Jackdaws, rather handsome in an oily way, and very vocal. I've grown accustomed to the other corvids around here -- magpies, carrion crows, rooks, and I've seen ravens here too, but not in the garden. It is said they are as clever as 3-year-olds, and they will talk to you -- or mine talk to me. I think I'm glad I can't understand. My brother is the best at this. He and my SIL nursed two juvenile crows they found injured in the garden back to health then released them. The whole family of crows now consider him part of the flock, it's very strange the way they talk to him. Yes, he also talks back, but I presume they just think he's a Canadian crow not quite getting the lingo right.

There are some fabulous embroiderers, like Trish Burr, who are able to bring birds to life through stitch.

Steam.Jo wrote: ↑Fri Feb 05, 2021 3:08 pm Thank you

I find that most pieces of cross stitch I choose to do has a reason behind it and this is the story of this one:

When the first lockdown started last March I made the decision that I should learn the bird songs. I found a set of British bird calls on line and when I sat down for a cuppa I would listen to them. The first time I did this was a nice day so I had the doors open and at first I did not relise what was happening but every time I played a bird call the birds in my garden were replying. As I knew which bird call I was playing I knew what was replying, most replied from the trees and bushes surrounding my garden so I got to know where they hang out - the exception was the smallest bird in the garden the Wren.
Jo

Where did you find the link for the Bird songs?
I was given a CD of Bird songs. Unfortunately I didn't realise that it was a pirated copy made in the Far East!
It not only played badly but was birds from the Southern Hemisphere. I think that the Kookaburra gave it away!
I binned it!

wendywombat wrote: ↑Sat Feb 06, 2021 10:14 am Where did you find the link for the Bird songs?

Mine came from the woodland trust: https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2 ... bird-song/

But there are lots of pages of bird song available for free

Jo

Serinde wrote: ↑Sat Feb 06, 2021 9:59 am We also have a disused chimney full of Jackdaws, rather handsome in an oily way, and very vocal.

Yes I had a family of Jackdaws that moved into my Chimney four years ago. The first I knew about it was in the Autumn when I came to light the fire for the first time, no draw and lots of smoke. Clearing out the nest was very messy

The following year I kept an ear out for them and at the beginning of May around 6am I would hear those "appreciative" sounds coming down my chimney followed by a bit of scratching as they put a twig or three into place. I found the answer to this was to get out of bed scrunch up some newspaper put it in the grate and set light to it to smoke them out. They appreciated me even less when shortly after I had the chimney wrapped in chicken wire so they moved into my neighbours pot before he had it capped off to stop them.

I have not seen a Jackdaw cross stitch kit yet but I have done one of some Magpies .

Jo

I love your Wren story that's an amazing thing to experience!
What lovely stitching too...

Thanks

My Wren is finished and ready for framing:



I have a lovely Robin and a Kingfisher to go with this one but I have decided to do something easier on my eyes first. During lockdown I have been attending Zoom classes in Tai Chi and Qigong so I thought it would be appropriate to do one by Design Works which has Orchids on it entitled "Harmony and Tranquillity"



While deciding which piece to do next I also discovered I have a few part way through and a jumper to finish

Jo

That Wren is Superb!!

I love it! We have Wrens here...hopping in and out of the hedge.

Isn't funny how we have UFO's (unfinished objects) lurking in the shadows waiting to be finished!

I love that Wren! So much detail and looking forward to seeing your orchids bloom under your needle!

The wren is beautiful!

The wren is beautiful! And I have way too many projects "on hold". Makes me feel better to call them that then admit they may never see the light of day again.

Carole

The Wren is very life like and a beautiful work of art. Well Done on finishing it.
Looking forward to seeing more of the Orchid. You have made a good start on it.