Serindë's Stitching adventure 2024 31 December

[Mabel Figworthy]

Impressive! Do I spot early bluebells?

[Serinde]

You do indeed! And seals in the water...

[Mabel Figworthy]

Hmm, I'm obviously overlooking the seals can you give a hint?

[Serinde]

It really is an eye of faith thing, but look at the April image and find the harp towards the top. Now go down slightly to your left, where the arch is. It's not an arch, of course, but the back of the island's hill. There is the larger seal (I know, I know), and in the "water" there are (if you squint and enlarge it) three little seal heads. These represent the beasts that came out to listen to us singing Gaelic seal songs to them, which is a thing, apparently. Quite the experience. Seals are very curious about their environment, not unlike cats.

[Mabel Figworthy]

Could it be to the right rather than the left? I did wonder about the grey slightly curved shape as it has a distinct seal-ness about it but hadn't spotted the teeny seals' heads bobbing about - got them now!

[Serinde]

Ha! never could tell my left from my right (which is why I only ever wear one ring; suspect I'm actually ambidextrous, with a slightly more dominant right hand).

[Serinde]

I’m using Caron Wildflowers “Aurora” (043) to stitch… the aurora (not that I saw more than the streams of particles — looked like clouds but wrong — too straight. This is in the stitch journal. I’m using long (2in) strands, a sort of satin stitch, which keeps the colors together well, but I still have to figure out how to secure it down. Perhaps bayeux? But with what? Perhaps a green?

[Arianwen]

I absolutely LOVE watching this coming together Serinde - its beautiful! and so expressive! I get excited each time I see an update

[Serinde]

Aw, thank you so much. It’s such an interesting exercise. I find myself paying more attention to my surroundings, and I enjoy the serendipitous nature of the whole thing.

[Serinde]

I'm thinking this will make a great quilt.

Jo

Now there’s an interesting idea.

[Roland]

This is fabulous.

[Mabel Figworthy]

Did you decide on how to secure the Aurora threads? Something laid-and-couched sounds like a good plan. We've just been to an exhibition of soldiers' embroidery and there was a banner with the most exquisite silk laid work, with incredibly long laid strands.

[Serinde]

Yes, I did couch it down --- not particularly well, it must be said, and I may try to sneak a few more "aurora" threads in where it's a bit thin. But it did the job. (Is brighter in real life: the colour is Caron threads "Aurora", spookily enough.)

[Mabel Figworthy]

Very effective!

[Serinde]

I thought so, but I'm always happy to have a second opinion. I am now over a quarter of the year done -- indeed, over a third -- am I can't say each day comes naturally to me yet! I often think I should take my time, except that I already stitch slowly. Let's just say I'm probably overcomplicating the thing, because it takes a LOT more than 20-30 minutes to do a segment. Still enjoying it, though.

[Serinde]

Here is May. Lots of purples and lavenders I see.

[Mabel Figworthy]

Lovely variety!

[Serinde]

Today is our local horticultural show, and I took a few bits up to help with our stitching group's area. Then realised how few entries there were this year -- usually some creative thinking is needed in the craft section to mount the number of entries. Not so this year, and it's so, well, wrong! So in an effort to fill some gaps, I rushed home (luckily just down the road) and took a few things off the walls which I'm fairly sure I've never exhibited. Might get a 3rd!

[Mabel Figworthy]

Good for you! What a shame there was such a meagre offering - had it not been advertised properly?

[Serinde]

No, it's very widely advertised -- this is the 158th year! There were more youth entries than previously, which was really good, and the quality of the fruit, vegetables and flowers was up to scratch, considering the weather, even if there weren't as many entries. Baking entry numbers looked ok, but it was just the dearth of embroidery of various kinds. So I thought the least I could do (having once been on the committee) is help out. Ended well for me, anyway: two Seconds and a First (for a piece of hardanger). And -- drum roll please -- I won the J Wright Cup for most amusing craft entry. Why? Well, it seems that my Mary Hickmott stained glass rose window tickled the fancy of the judge, as this section was staged in the kirk, which had a stained glass rose window. Everyone was bemused, including me.