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I have just finished the first weaving:



As expected the colours did not match at the end of the final few stitches. Luckily I had started behind Nori's left wing tip so you should not be able to see the colour miss-match. On the bottom I am started just after one of the slip under parts of the weave to try to hide the problem

Jo

Looks perfectly perfect.

Carole

Thank you Carole,

I've used DMC 3836 to outline the weaving:



Just started on the Nun stitch around the outside. It is done with a single strand but two stitches in each place, the second pulls the fabric tighter to increase the pattern holes effect.

Jo

He's looking good!

Yes, indeed, he is!

I agree with both ladies (who would argue with either Mabel or Serinde) that he is looking very good indeed!

Carole

I've finished the white work and the lettering:



And I realised, after I had carefully wound up and put away the Dinky Dies thread, that I had missed the pattern under the writing


This time I have showed you a wider picture of the piece on my elbesse roller frame and you will have noticed that the piece is mounted squiffy . This is because the tapes on these rollers are like the last one I brought: they have not been mounted correctly along the rollers but spiral I know how to repair these now so while I have the stapler out I will probably correct them.

Jo

You'd have thought they'd had enough experience with these frames to be able to make them correctly - good thing you're handy with a stapler!

Nori is looking good - I'm definitely lagging behind but encouraged by seeing yours grow so speedily. (Must find a name for my dragon...)

Oh my gosh! Your butterflies and your dragon are absolutely gorgeous!!!!

Metallic threaded and beads on:



That's it for now as I want to take it along to my sewing group on Friday to both show them and discuss if there is anything better than just putting a couple of felt pages inside.

With the enthusiasm of success from completing this I went outside and managed to finally remove the seized on clutch from my Lawn tractor If everything goes well I should be able to get the second belt on and fit new blades this afternoon and then I will allow myself what ever is left of the day stitching

Jo

Good luck with the lawn mower - if it is as much of a success as the dragon you'll be fine!

I saw one lady on the internet who didn't want to hide part of the stitching at the beack of the needle book so made a large one with this complete design asthe front. I've got rather a lot of needle books kicking around already so don't know yet what to do with him...

What a beautiful design! Stitched perfectly between all the repairing of so much equipment/furniture and not sure what else who have been busy with!

Carole

Thank you ladies,

I did wonder about using this just as the front of a case. As I now have 250 size 28 JJ needles I could use this to store all of those but a plastic tube is smaller. I was also wondering about housing all the tools I use for cross stitch in it like my layering tool and the pair of Tenartis scissors in it. Too many decisions I will take my time thinking about it

I have finished phase 1 of restoring the Lawn Tractor: Front Axle repaired, top of the cutting deck de-rusted and painted, new belts fitted (after fighting with getting the clutch off for days ) and finally new cutting blades . I then realised I had not de-rusted/painted under the cutting deck but that is for another day I have had enough.

Once my Conservatory is cool enough I will be off to do some work on Rome. And I have just remembered I need to realign the tapes on that roller frame. I wonder if it is big enough for one of those Butterfly kits I was "given" for my birthday last year

Jo

I am still thinking about what to use Nori for

I have done a bit more on the Wild Flower meadow:



And I think I may have found another Butterfly hiding amongst them.

Jo

It is such a lovely piece with the flowers and wildlife looking as we would like all our gardens and verges to look!

Another one of the lovely, delicate pieces that you stitch!

Carole

That is so beautiful and delicate. Lovely work.

Looking closer down near some Plantain seedheads I have found a female Large Skipper



A common practice of the female Large Skippers is for them to rest in the sunshine between laying their eggs under the blades of grass. For this reason it is important we leave some large clumps of grass in our garden uncut well into the year to allow the young Skipper caterpillars to emerge and thrive.

Jo

All these things I'm learning. We have wild places (grass, nettles, a bit of water), but I don't ever remember seeing a Skipper. Actually, haven't seen many butterflies since the hot weather really kicked in, but the jackdaws sure argue!

Oh, and your stitching is as lovely as always, let me hasten to say!

This is one of my favorites of the different pieces you are working on. I used to see a lot of butterflies around, but seems like there are less now, then again I have less flowers in my back yard than in years past. Like Serinde, I'm learning a lot and enjoying it.

Carole