Isn't this absolutely gorgeous? Such fine stitchwork too. I took a photo to share with Tam, and then tried Lens on it, where it came up straight away. Jacobean "Tree of Life" pattern, usually stitched as crewel work. Found it in a (probably up market!) antique shop with a price tag of £150!!! It will be less when it appears at my next little Fair. I think it came from Malvern (or possibly many years ago at Carmarthen Fleamarket) and has been with a pile of my personal lovely textiles since - out of sight, out of mind.
Meanwhile, I have been labouring (and mucking up, unpicking had to be done!) the little patchwork cushion for the stool I painted. FINALLY finished this afternoon, with the shaped bit needing hand-sewing (and bodging! Shhhh!!) Fortunately a strategically-placed teddy will hide a multitude of sins!
Yes, the bottom edge got messed up either side but do I care? Clearly NOT! The colours are actually much brighter and prettier than they appear. I may just straighten that bottom edge as it's hand-sewn.
Charity shop bear to dress it and show it's a teddy or dolly chair and not a child's one.
I changed my library books today. I think the library is the only place to carry on getting Kate Ellis books as they just don't seem to turn up in charity shops round here.
Photographed in Tesco - a teensy Quiche, which looked as if it had as much flavour as cardboard! When I make mine they would feet an Olympic team and rise like Souffles! These are £4 each!
I forgot to mention that I was out late last evening, listening to the screaming of the Swifts as they flew overhead, feeding. Accompanied by my Swallows and the House Martins who are sitting on eggs in one nest, and others building a 2nd nest. There are Spotted Flycatchers nesting under the eves on the cottage next door, in the same spot as they were in when Keith was so ill and I would watch them daily as I sat with him. On my walk yesterday, Merlin recorded some Pied Flycatchers in the woods on my walk along the valley - well I say valley, but it's along the side of the hill really.
This won't do. Not sure if I can face my mince/veg/rice throw together for a 3rd night in a row. Time to peek in the freezer methinks.
OH treated me out to lunch today as we had a 40% off voucher for our local. We had the 2 course lunch meal, both had steak with all the trimmings, then a trio of ice-cream. Didn't want much for tea, so I had a slice of bread and butter, a yogurt and a cuppa. That embroidery is beautiful, and teddy looks very comfortable on the chair. Its too hot for me and I've been gardening in the shade, but my hanging basket is out! Hugs. Xx
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely meal. Haven't had steak in a month of Sundays. I bet you didn't want much for tea after that. We are back to 13 deg. today and overcast so that was a short heatwave here!
DeleteBeautiful piece of embroidery, I can't believe it's in such good condition for it's age, have a great weekend :-)
ReplyDeleteIt has obviously been put away carefully after being sewn. Which is what I did with it too!
DeleteWhat a beautiful piece of embroidery! I have never done crewel, so a lot of the stitches are foreign to me. I am just about to attempt a mixed media art piece with a dense watercolor wash laid on a prepared cotton duck fabric which I will then attempt to embroider queen Anne's lace plants over. I saw a photo on the computer but no identification as to the artist but since I am only copying it for my own pleasure i don't think I can get into trouble for it. Also, I don't even know how the original picture was done (what midium was used) so highly doubt it was a watercolor/embroidery mix.
ReplyDeleteThere are stitches there I have never done, that's for sure. I am a very basic embroiderer. Then I look closer, and there are French knots, stem stitch, blanket stitch etc - and I can do those! I love the swooping shapes of the design.
DeleteYour mixed media plans sound interesting. I love the Umbellifer family - you probably saw the painting I bought at the last Fair, of wild carrots, which is now hanging on my bedroom wall.
Such a lovely embroidered piece. I hope you get a good price for it.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
We shall see. I'll try and find a good way of displaying it and take it to the little Fair in June.
DeleteThe embroidery is stunning. So many hours of work must have gone into it.
ReplyDeleteSwifts nest on the houses in the street behind ours. 4 appeared 3 weeks ago and I was beginning to despair that the rest hadn't made it back, but they reappeared 4 days ago and now it feels like Summer.
Yes, I am sure the lady who made it was pleased with the finished piece. I am so glad your Swifts made it back. I counted about 20 overhead the other night. I presume the females are on eggs, so hopefully there will be lots at the end of summer.
DeleteThe embroidery reminds me of the one I saw at Bacton, I do see desists and swallows around here but we had lots of young sparrows and blackbirds being fed and last night we saw a young robin. Not seen any great tits though I known they are nesting one of the boxes I made
ReplyDeleteBlackbirds and Thrushes are the birds which I always hear here and on my walks. More of those than anything else. Chiffchaffs a bit quiet this year but perhaps because they are brooding eggs now. Great Tits plentiful roundabout.
DeleteThe showground is busy this weekend with the Bikers' Bank Holiday festival so I'll probably hear some music from the town later.
Our Martins and swallow haven't arrived. I'll have to ask my neighbour if they are in the barn at the farm where he works
ReplyDeleteOh, I hope they do turn up, better late than never. I get sad when mine go back to Africa in September. At the moment I can be putting my makeup on and the House Martins swoop up to their nest above the bathroom window and I can watch them flying about when I'm in the bath.
DeleteBeautiful embroidery.
ReplyDeleteHope the chair and cushion sells well as it looks perfect for a doll or teddy
It is, very inspiring. The little chair is greatly improved by that lick of paint! The "shabby chic" look on it just made it look tatty and dirty!
DeleteLovely embroidery, and the teddy's chair looks really cute, I'm sure it will be snapped up. Bought quiches always seem very expensive when you consider the sum of their parts don't they.
ReplyDeleteI do hope so. It looks better than it did anyway.
DeleteI am not a great quiche eater, but will have a piece when I make one for family - at least it tastes of cheese and whatever else is in it and rises beautifully.