Lilac: Elaine’s Botanicals

Dionne    Embroidery and Crewel, What's New     double running stitch, Elaine's botanicals, embroidery, french knots, stem stitch

These heady scented flowers are almost past their best at this time of year.  Their rich aroma fills the night air and the colours are those of romance and passion with soft pinks through to purples with a few lovely blues thrown in.  Stitching this little design means you can enjoy it all year round instead of just in early spring, or mid spring in the highlands.

With mostly stem stitch, double running stitch and a few french knots, Lilac is one of the easier embroidery designs amongst the range from Elaine’s Botanicals.

The 8th Little Sublime book is here

Dionne    Knitting and Crochet, What's New     649, 8th little sublime book, baby cashmere merino silk dk, hand knit, sublime

Bright, cheery and irresistible!

649 The 8th Little Sublime Hand Knit Book has arrived in store, along with Sublime’s usual accompanying new palatte.  This bright cheery little book features pretty purples and trendy retro blues and browns for boys.  There are textures, cables and fair isle patterns for your precious little bundles.  If book 7 is anything to go by this will be incredibly popular.

Cheery new colours, Little Miss Plum, Ragdoll, Caterpillar and Puffin are mixed into the existing Sublime Baby Cashmere Merino Silk dk palatte with these patterns to create lovely fair isle designs.

Calling all knitters, Viva La Gong would love your help

Dionne    What's New    

Viva La Gong has created a project to bring knitters together, recognising artisans, to create a sense of community and the biggest blanket knitted in one day.  All you need to do is show up at McCabe Park, Wollongong, with 5mm and or 6mm and knit a 20cm square, … maybe 2 for you quickies.

Want to get involved in Viva La Gong and have a fun day out with other knitters, here is your chance on November 12th, 2011

Click here for more information.

Gertrude enters our Hall of Fame

Dionne    Embroidery and Crewel     hall of fame

Gertrude came in 9 months ago and asked me to help her choose the materials to create a cushion.  She was inspired by her trip to Spain last year where she visited the Cathedral and former Great Mosque of Córdoba, known to the locals as the Mezquita-Catedral.  More particularly she loved the wall panels of the Cathedral that was inserted into the Mosque following the re-taking of Spain by the Christian Church.  Her inspiration was the beautiful moulded marble and she showed me pictures of it from her guide book.  We selected Eva Rosenstand linen and matching DMC Perle 5, 8 and 12 for Gertrude to plot its recreation.

I am unable to share a copy of the images she showed me due to copyright but I have included some online links to images from the Royal Chapel to give you some idea of what she was aiming for.  Both are from the official Art, Culture and Tourism in Cordoba site. Mosque Royal Chapel 09, Mosque Royal Chapel 04.  While these are not exactly the same, they give you some idea of the complexity and ambitious nature of the project.

Last month Gertrude brought in her masterpiece to show me, and here it is up close.