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Mr B is certainly going to make a statement!

Got some lovely stitching time today (although cut short by a visit from the grandchildren) so managed to do a fair bit on Mr Badger. (More detail, for one thing about his different eyes, on FoF)

After a while, spiralling round wasn't possible anymore, so I had to work short lengths in, plunging them in a fishbone pattern.

Well, THAT'S impressive!

Card for two friends' combined 80th birthdays

Great idea

My Sister is 50 next month and is famous for sending people birthday cards after their birthday. So I had planned to cross out the 30 put 40 then cross out the 40 and write 50, with the message "Better late that never" Sadly that card did not turn up so I am having to use the back up card.

Jo

A card for friends of ours who have just welcomed a new granddaughter

Spot on, Mabel! Really lovely, and I'm sure they'll treasure it.

I needed something simple to take to a family weekend so quickly transferred a tulip based on one by Dick Bruna (who drew Miffy). Outline only, worked in stranded Caron silk; the leaves seemed a bit empty so I added a central vein, and then the main petal of the flower was a bit empty as well so I added a blended inner line. Quite pleased with the simplicity of it! It'll probably become a birthday card.

Love the Posy card.

Final prep for the Spring Fair in our village where I have a stall - this is my demonstration piece, which I will invite visitors to have a go at, trying a few stitches.

I'd bags stitch the Bee

Jo

Bags me the lion!

He's actually being made into a stand-alone design, Serinde, under the name of "Henry the Harmless Lion"

Isn't that lucky!

A bit more work on the badger - the small empty bits above and under the nose filled in, the black eye unpicked and re-done to match the other eye (using a spangle and black Jap thread), and one of the ears given its white fringe in cutwork:

He's really coming alive now!

Not much work on Mr Badger - well, actually none at all, he needs concentration so I can't really take him to our Cake & Craft meetings, so I took this tulip-in-wool-on-wool. I'd started a small version of this in silks, but I got bored with it and decided to abandon it. Life's too short and time too precious to stitch something I don't enjoy! But this wool version is actually quite relaxing. Just part of a leaf so far, but I'll stick with this one

Life is too short to spend it doing things we don't enjoy: Good for you finding a version that is fun to do in company.

I have not seen that type of hoop before, it looks substantial. Do you know who it is made by?

Jo

It's a Nurge hoop, sometimes sold under the Prym brand - I love them
They come in three depths (8mm, 16mm and 24mm) and eight diameters, named no.1 to no.8, which go up in steps of 3cm (10cm, 13cm, 16cm, 19cm, 22cm, 25cm, 28cm and 31cm; not every supplier stocks the biggest two). I have several sizes in both 8mm and 16mm, and a 25cm one in 24mm. They are very sturdy indeed, and lovely and smooth. I FoFfed about them here.