At last some progress on Beatrix Potter SAL. I was worried that I would not have enough fabric for the bottom motif but I managed to fit it on with just over an inch to spare.

I have not been able to stitch any more on my SWiM with Valie and this is the reason why. Whilst her mum and new dad are now honeymooning in Cuba, Georgia has been our house guest. Today we decided to visit with Auntie Nicola who has a hot tub in her garden!

Not much else to report except I am exhausted. I wonder why? So ...

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And now ... look away if you are of a nervous disposition ... a picture of the groom and his mother! Yes folks it's me! You don't often see photos of me as I am usually the one behind the camera and besides I hate having my picture taken.

No stitching photos today although I did stitch a little on Beatrix Potter. It needs ironing before I can take a picture as it looks like an old tea towel at present.

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Introducing my dear son Justin and his very beautiful bride, AnnMarie, who married on Saturday. Congratulations to you both. It was a wonderful day, warm but not too hot and the sun made an appearance at the appropriate time. There will be more pictures to show, obviously much better than my effort, but I thought you would like a 'preview'. Justin's son, Thomas (aged 12 years), was his best man and he did an excellent job and enjoyed his dance with the Chief Bridesmaid! There were three pretty bridesmaids Rachel, Megan and Alex and one adorable little flower girl, Georgia. More to come later!

I stitched a bit on my Dutch Band Sampler over the weekend plus a little 'secret' stitching. I love the colours of DBS - quite soothing! I need to pick up Beatrix again but I feel like a new start - maybe a Christmas ornament? We are six months into the year already and I can see, yet again, a last minute panic in December!

I was surfing around on ebay last week and discovered a 1934 copy of Mary Thomas's Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches for sale. I made the initial bid of 85p and promptly forgot about it until I received an email saying I had won. I had already seen this book on someone's blog (sorry I cannot remember who) and knew that it contained the most delightful illustrations.

Tell me some of your favourite stitches and I will post the accompanying illustration if there is one.

On the inside cover of the book there is a label marked the Wolverhampton Education Committee showing that it was awarded as a school prize on Speech Day, January 25, 1935 to Vida Griffiths of Form Va for Senior Needlecraft. It's old and a bit musty but what a find!

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A week or so ago I won a giveaway pattern from Cindy's blog (here) and it arrived this morning, together with a postcard of San Antonio, Texas which I will put in with my collection of worldwide postcards - my first from Texas! Thank you Cindy.

I have been stitching the BAM (Brode Avec Moi) project that I am doing with Valie and it will be ready for showing very shortly. Suffice it to say that I like it! I am not sure how I will finish it yet but will probably opt for framing with maybe hemstitching it first.

I had an appointment with the eye consultant yesterday at 3.40pm. I waited and waited and thought he was running late but then started to realise that people that were arriving well after me were going in. I checked with the desk and then with the nurse who told me my appointment was 5.10pm! I showed her my letter, she apologised profusely and I went in next. A hiccup in administration maybe? He said my eye is doing well and that the puffiness and numbness I am experiencing is normal at this stage. I thought he would remove what's left of the stitches but he says they will disperse on their own accord. My next appointment is in 4 months time. I will bore you no more with my surgeries.

Almost forgot, Gaynor of Stitcher's Anon is having a 10,000 hits giveaway (here) - the closing date is June 13.

I thought it was summer. I thought summer meant sunshine. Why is it raining - again?

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Jacqueline at Needleprint is offering the Mary Wigham sampler as an SAL download. This sampler is under the care of the Ackworth School and the chart was to be released for sale with the funds being returned to the School for conservation. Unfortunately the sampler was charted and sold commercially without licence or permission so it has been decided to release this as a freebie SAL with a voluntary donation payable on each download ($1) or a one-off donation payable either by paypal or by cheque directly to the School (see here). The first part is available for download (here). There are 'Head Girls' appointed in different countries who are setting up blogs for the SAL - the UK blog is headed by Hazel (here). Other countries can find their own 'Head Girl' here.

I have downloaded Part 1 but will not be starting this beautiful project just yet; I need to think about fabric and threads. 

Thank you Jacqueline for this lovely gesture. 

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... a tiny needle sampler! I didn't originally stitch this as a needle sampler though. I remember buying the fine silk threads from a shop at a Silk Farm; a very interesting place where there were exhibits showing silk worms in their different stages and silk screen printing processes. There wasn't much to buy in the shop but I picked up a few spools of thread and, of course, when I got home I had to try them out. The linen fabric looks like 32ct and the letters and dividing bands are stitched 1*1. This must have been a very early attempt at miniature stitching for me and although it's a little grubby, I think it's charming in it's present condition so I will leave it as it is. 

I stitched a little on Beatrix Potter yesterday but not for too long as it made my bad eye water after a while. Patience!

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Take care