We have photography here tomorrow so that I can send your next magazine off my desk and on to Vivienne’s! By the way the CSG magazine is changing its name. From now on it will be called Itch to Stitch – because I hope that it does! We are also having a few simple changes made to this web site over the next few months – nothing too drastic but really to keep me on my toes!Watch this space……..

Isn’t it cold? I am sure it is not just because we have been away – I was out getting some framing done today and it was perishing in the cold wind. The best place to be is snuggled up on the sofa in PJs, slippers with a log fire and a pile of urgent stitching!  (If it is urgent all those other jobs have to wait…..)

I am afraid all my plans to write to you every week fell apart in November after the autumn shows. As I am sure you are all aware, unless I am very careful I can include spelling mistakes and other gremlins and it all takes so long to check all the text and the pictures – as a result I put off writing Journal entries until I have time! How silly is that? Well, today I thought I would just get you up to date with happenings here ……

Bill and I fly to Vietnam tomorrow morning and we are away for two weeks. I have bought yet another camera so that I can bombard you with all the glorious textiles and embroidery common in Vietnam and Cambodia. I will try to stay in touch whilst I am away if I can operate all this clever equipment.

Photography for Issue 89 of your magazine is booked for Thursday 2nd Feb so we are roughly on target. We are changing the name of our magazine to Itch to Stitch-because I hope that is the effect it has when you receive it….. I am beavering away on a new project called Fleur Antique which will be available to buy next month with luck – I hope you like it……

I am still working for Create and Craft TV and during this month I have shown off my lovely  Flower Sampler Book – I showed the version stitched for me  by group of very special ladies  after my original version was stolen at the Festival of Quilts…….Thanks yet again to Jean Strange,Fiona Dunbar,Suzanne Spencer, Su Maddocks, Justine Waugh, Sandra Harris, Christine Berrett and Jane Herbert. I might add that this was a second replacement given to me as a surprise – Jane Herbert had already organised stitchers to replace the stolen version but this one will NEVER go to a show….

The Sale Bin is finally open to members today – We have had a real purge on the shelves and made room for all the ideas that fill my head whilst awake! As I have said in the past – when they are gone they are gone…….

I will try to add a bit more to my Journal before I go on holiday but if I don’t, take care, keep stitching and I will be back soon.

Jane G

My Beautiful Sampler Book

I was so  overcome when I received my gift whilst on our Scottish mini tour at the end of last year that I  did not read all the paperwork in the parcel! So now to put the record straight here are the details of the wonderful bunch who took on the task of re-stitching and making up my book after the original was stolen at the Festival of Quilts. I cannot thank you enough for all your hard work – I shall treasure my book and it will not go to Fairs!

Christine Berrett – Hardanger with Violets; Hemstitch Fiona Dunbar – Contents Page Sandra Harris – Assisi Patterns Jane Herbert – Pattern Darning; Pulled Thread; EnvelopeSu Maddocks – Little House Sampler Suzanne Spencer – Fritillary Alphabet Jean Strange – Cover Justine Waugh – Blackwork Pansy

At Pinks Barn

I have had about a fortnight of playing house whilst doing “Christmas” and I must admit to enjoying myself very much indeed.I found a pretty table for the hall and spent a day painting and distressing it and hunted for bits and pieces for the house – This can be a very expensive exercise……. Thank heavens that I need props for  for photography!

It is also lovely to be back in my lovely tidy, clean, organised studio!It feels clean and fresh and so it should. I have cleared lots of stuff and will start adding goodies to the CSG Sale Bin very shortly. Watch this space…..

It is always a bit of a wrench to discontinue designs – I am always fond of them but there comes a time when the shelves have to be pruned and the range needs refreshing!

My head is simply busting with ideas and new designs – why can’t  I have some more hours in the day?I will be taking my sketch pad and notebook with me when Bill and I leave for our holiday on 14th January. I am going to keep you guessing about the destination – all I am going to tell you is that we are flying from Gatwick and will be away for two weeks…….

I am going to close now and have another play with our new Phone App – I will publish some pictures and more details about it shortly.

Happy stitching

Jane

I have so much to tell you and when I have learnt how to use my iPad I will be able to do this from the show in Harrogate!

The phone app is up there and is marvellous -lots more about this next week when we are back from Knitting & Stitching. The links you need are as follows:

iPhone/iPad

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/cross-stitch-guild/id479653228?ls=1&mt=8

Android:

https://market.android.com/details?id=ilsoft.crossstitchguild

We have taken delivery of my Hardanger for the Horrified enhanced ebook so again more of the next week……

Must go to bed now as off in the van first thing.

High View of Florence

Bill and I had just under a week in Italy last month and had a really good time. The first part of the trip was a couple of days in Florence and it was really blissful. We took the city tour on the open topped bus and climbed above the city to San Miniato al Monte I took the picture shown above from the terrace below this wonderful old church – it must be close to heaven up in the hills overlooking the city of Florence.

One of the most famous sites is the Ponte Vecchio, one of the bridges crossing the Arno – very much a tourist destination but still an unforgettable place. I might add the the two vast ice creams purchased nearby were also unforgettable both in delight and in the cost!

I will be in touch again shortly after our Scottish weekend- off tomorrow at 8.30am

Happy stitching Jane

]]> http://janesjournal.thecrossstitchguild.com/index.php/back-from-italy-and-off-to-scotland/feed/ 3 http://janesjournal.thecrossstitchguild.com/index.php/wonderful-trip-to-italy-now-back-to-work/ http://janesjournal.thecrossstitchguild.com/index.php/wonderful-trip-to-italy-now-back-to-work/#comments Mon, 24 Oct 2011 19:23:54 +0000 fowlerjane http://janesjournal.thecrossstitchguild.com/?p=1423 Hi everyone,

I am at my desk ploughing through my post and thinking warm and fluffy thoughts about Italy…..I will load some pics tomorrow and am going to design my Italian Collection this week.

Back on Create and Craft TV on Saturday 29th October and it is all  on Freeview…….

I will be back  in the office on Monday and will not be allowed to move till we have caught up with your emails and letters.

Happy stitching….

As I mentioned a few days ago, I bought some embroideries ( 3) in Berlin and now I need to earn some money and stop spending it! ( Ho Hum! I wonder who said that!)

I am going to sit down tonight and ignore the packing for the Knitting and Stitching Show and draw the border from this old sampler from memory (or one a bit like it) and put something else inside it…. More of that anon.

Have a lovely weekend – we will talk soon

Now about washing lines…..

My friend of over twenty years, Barbara McNaught has combined forces with Janie Hextall  and produced this gorgeous little book Washing Lines, inspired by washing lines and all things laundry.  It includes sixty poems about washing, washing lines and more. It is also illustrated with sixteen exquisite black and white woodcuts that Barbara and Janie had collected over the past few years. The perfect gift!

Washing Lines

I have always loved the old fashioned washing line and even have an old clothes prop made for me by Clem Peyman over twenty years ago. I am not grown up enough for a rotary dryer. When our old dog Charlie was still alive, he used to jump up at white sheets blowing and I would have to rewash them!

Cross Stitch Forever

I thought I should remind you about this funny little project – Cross Stitch Forever has been around for such a long time but is still so popular. Both the book and the kit are available in the shop. Just click on the links to go straight there.

Front Cover of Issue 88 Stitch That

Issue 87 of Stitch That will be posted out to members on Tuesday next week so you should all have your copies by the weekend. This is our bumper issue with 48 pages including a festive motif library as well as lots of stitching.

Flowery Mead Trio

The Flowery Mead Band Sampler was illustrated in a previous Journal entry and I had such positive feedback that I went straight back to my desk and produced these three themed stitchers’ accessories. These are included in Stitch That this time with the charts and detailed instructions. There will be a materials pack available to members…..I will let you know as soon as they are ready….

Issue 88 is well underway including the first part of a two part project designed for us by Jane Napier who must stitch in her sleep! Inspired by the Goodhart Collection it is a simply divine band sampler and you will love it!

I think I am surfacing after a hectic fortnight and then Bill and I had a few days in Berlin. It was just what we needed – a few days away from our offices and time to think. As you may well imagine, I lasted only two days without hunting out any Berlin woolwork but then it had to be done! We found a street of antique shops and one of them had a wall of Berlin woolwork and counted beading…..Bill just looked on patiently and checked that they took credit cards and waited to see what I was planning. You will have to wait until Issue 88 of Stitch That! I am not going to show you my purchases yet!

I am now back at my desk finishing off all the words for Hardanger for the Horrified which should be published next month. Advance order forms will be included in your mailings…… I thought you would like to see some sneak previews from this amazing enhanced ebook

Wildflower Collection

Antique Flowers Project Pocket

This enhanced ebook is used on your computer and is just so clever. We have been able to include video footage of the way the stitches are worked and how to cut the fabric threads safely and create divine projects like the two in the photographs above. You can worked from the computer screen but you can print of the projects you are planning to stitch with all the relevant diagrams.

I will let you know that day my copies arrive from the publisher …….

Happy stitching…..

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