Stitch that Issue 85

Can it really be Issue 85! How time flies when you are enjoying yourself .This issue of our magazine is rather different this time with pages and pages of coloured charts to tempt you from the garden.

I thought you would like to see one of the projects our Members had in their magazine. If you are not yet a Member go to Join Us and become part of the fun!

Butterfly Garden Chatelaine

This delicious scissor chatelaine matches the design for the Butterfly Needle Fold available to buy illustrated in our Special Linen Collection

German Gems Trip

Our German gems trip was a great success and I know that many of this crazy group are planning to join us again in 2012 when we hope to be going to Norway if we are not defeated by the logistics of the journey now that the ferries have been withdrawn.

Our luxury 49 seater coach

We travelled from the UK to Celle in Germany where we visited a lovely lady called Lorraine Mootz who allowed us to visit her home and see her extraordinary collection of samplers – how kind she was and how I envied her!

You can see a tiny part of Lorraine’s collection behind us

From there we had a tour of the Sampler Museum in the town centre – We were not allowed to use our cameras so you will just have to take my word for it! What a marvellous collection!I do not think I have seen a better collection anywhere….

Onwards to Wuppertal to visit our friends at Vaupel and Heilenbeck and see their gorgeous linen band woven and to raid their gorgeous warehouse …. Below you can see pictures of this unique factory when linen band is made and I am sure you can guess that I bought loads back with me.

Vaupel and Heilenbeck in Wuppertal

Next stop was Freiburg where we were the guests of Madeira. Freiburg is a lovely city and we spent our first morning in the old town market when I had to keep my hands in my pockets at all times….Such a lovely shopping opportunity!

You know, of course, that I  prefer  Madeira threads for my kit production and for all my cross stitch designing and it was brilliant to see the threads in production and the reels of thread being dyed and twisted before packaging. Our hosts were so generous and hospitable- we even had coffee and cakes in the factory garden!

The computerised dyeing recipes at Madeira

A giant pressure cooker dyeing threads

Madeira’s unique spiral pack maker!

Our day with the folks at Madeira was made absolutely perfect with a wine tasting up in the hills followed by a delicious meal. Ho Hum and they call it work…..

Our taste of Sekt in the sunshine!

As if we had not been spoilt enough, the next day  we travelled on to visit the Zweigart factory at Sindlefingen near Stuttgart and spent many happy hours in the factory shop as if any of us needed more fabric!

Just a little more shopping!

Bill and I really enjoyed our trip and neither of us can remember laughing so often and so much. Keep and eye on my Journal for news of Norway

Happy stitching

Jane

Bluebell wood and more

Thank you for  all your lovely comments about the Create and Craft programmes at the weekend – I must admit that I am hoping to make some small changes to later programmes. Bill and I took some time off over Easter and he had a day at the cricket and I gardened like mad for a couple of days.

Bumble just before he rolled!

What did I say!

Yesterday we took the dogs to Badbury Clump (protected woodland) and I thought you would like to see the results!

Biggles looking for mischief

A lovely time had by all!

Last week we finished the photography for your next issue of Stitch That – I am hoping you will see this whilst I am on tour on the German Germs stitching holiday

Will chat again befire then

Sky 671, Freeview 36 and Freesat 813 this Saturday!

Sky 671, Freeview 36 and Freesat

4pm and 7pm Both live shows

I have had an idea for a competition. I have had some display boards made for the screens behind me during the live shows and they include pictures of projects from previous Stitch That magazines.How many projects can you name?Which issue of StitchThat features most of the pictures?

Prizes for the best answers as decided by Bill Greenoff.Entries must be with us by the end of May

This wonderful weather!

Today I am taking things very easy indeed – I won’t go in to details but I have never been far from the loo! Yesterday I spent a couple of happy hours in the pond – yes I do mean in the pond- The only way to sort the weeds and  get close and personal with my fish! Do you think the two could be connected! I am not aware of drinking pond water…….

I will be posting all the Tour letters this week so that all our merry travellers will have all the details – We leave for Germany the day after the Royal Wedding…..I cannot wait….

Happy stitching