March TIF challenge piece is finished!

Well, this started out as an exercise in using the colours suggested by Sharon. My original intention was to do a series using the same design but different fillings - blackwork and needlepoint as well as pulled thread. Foolishly I thought I could produce one a week! What a joke! This was only completed today.

While I steadily counted the threads on 32 count linen (using a magnifier) I thought about Sharon's theme challenge - "Do you ever notice the small moments, the details in life?" When you get to my age you appreciate these small moments even more - well I find this is so. Just the dew on the grass each morning is exciting. I could go on for ages. However it occurred to me that counting threads is definitely a metaphor for noticing those small details. So I decided that, while I did not manage to produce the series I had hoped , I had satisfied both sections of the challenge for the month.

Back to the embroidery - I think this could be used as a flap on a small bag. The pulled thread work is done in Gutermanns polyester machine sewing thread. The pink is ringed back stitch, the green 3-sided stitch and the deepest purple is a stitch that I did when I thought I was doing step stitch! It never ceases to amaze me how inept I am at following instructions. I had read the instructions for step stitch in Moyra McNeill's book so carefully. Then followed a day spent stitching one of the shapes before referring back to the book. Absolutely no resemblance to the one in the book! However I liked what I had done (and, besides, unpicking pulled thread work in doubled sewing machine thread is not for the fainthearted!) so decided to leave it as it was. The outlines are perle cotton in stem stitch except for the dark purple which uses 3 strands of 2/20 cotton weaving yarn. The yellow stitching is crested chain in 3 strands of stranded cotton.