Sunflowers

Just the thing to brighten up these dreary days.  I've done lots inspired by sunflowers in the past, here's a couple  ............ my first ever box adorned with a stumpwork sunflower .......

Gosh, look at all those french knots worked in one strand ................ that was a long time ago!  The box is 4" square and has a subtly quilted sun inside ........

and shanked buttons for the feet .............

A sunflower inspired tudor style headpiece (one of my C & G pieces) designed to be viewed from afar (drama costume) but here's a close up .............

With so much to do, I'm taking a shortcut with inspiration from this book and coloured up some silk ............

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Needleweaving

Needleweaving changed my life .............. well kind of.  A needlewoven carnation (I'd never even heard of needleweaving) was on the agenda at the first ever adult embroidery class I ever attended.  Then came the woven picot leaves and raised chain band stems.  Here is that very sample from those first few weeks all those years ago.

Over the following weeks, I learnt various other raised embroidery & stumpwork techniques.  They were just perfect to frame a photo of our daughter as a bridesmaid.  I call this my first real creative embroidery project (sorry that the photos aren't so clear)

So there it is ................. the day that changed my life.  There will be some of this on the "Journey" quilt.  I think that's enough of the past for now ................. I have some serious tidying up to do then to sort out some threads to start embroidery.

Thankyou for all your comments ladies, they are very much appreciated and I will make some time to respond to them all personally this week ............... it's hard work trying be creative, blog & read all the blogs that I'd like to read - I like to read them all properly!!!

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