Time

While we're here, on holiday (hooray!), I have a couple of projects I brought with me to start on. One is the embroidered firescreen! Urban Cross Stitch sent me my fantastic customised design (complete with canvas, pattern and all the threads I will need) a little while ago but I was busy finishing some knitted commissions so put it to one side to bring with me. And if I'm honest I wanted to be able to at least start it using my full and undivided attention.

I can't wait to begin it but am aware it will be an enormous project! The pattern does strike some fear into me (I'm an embroidery beginner) but Phil from UCS has assured me he is on email happy to help with any pickles I may get myself into.  Plus The Big One's mum is a much celebrated patchwork quilt artist so I'm sure she'll be of invaluable help.

My plan this holiday is to simply relax and absorb. I want to return to London with a clearer head, shake off this fatigue which has been muddling me and return to form.

It's been an intense couple of months and I look forward to just stitching and reading, digesting everything in my own time.

“Learn everything you can, anytime you can, from anyone you can - there will always come a time when you will be grateful you did.”

- Sarah Caldwell

Home is Where the Hearth is

So you may remember that I am on a mission make the most of my badly boarded up fireplace. 

I had bought a fireplace surround on eBay

and painted it 'vintage white'.

Now I am hunting for unusual tiles to place in the surround which I will then have candlesticks on. So far I have found one (again eBay).

I also bought a WW2 Fire Guards Handbook (eBay) which is awaiting a red frame and then will be hung below the mirror.

After that it's just the embroidered firescreen to go in - I have seen my Urban Cross Stitch customised design and it's fantastic (I'm waiting for the pattern and threads to arrive before I share)!

 Then it's transformation will be complete - from ugly boarded nothingness to lovely room feature.

Hurrah!

“Home is the place where it feels right to walk around without shoes”

- Anon

All Fired Up

I found the firescreen design I wanted to be amended!

After trawling through embroidery websites, google images and eBay I finally found a Home Sweet Home Sampler pattern that with a little adapting will be the finishing touch to our mock fireplace.

The text I want is a quote from Fahrenheit 451, the cult sci-fi book about a world where books are illegal and the fireman routinely seek them out and burn them.
Guy Montag, one such fireman starts to question the logic and morality of this and the book follows his journey of self discovery.

'If you hide your ignorance, no one will hit you and you'll never learn.' - Fahrenheit 451

I want the borders to be flames and the house removed and instead a bonfire on the top.

So next I had to find someone who could amend the pattern for me, I started calling embroidery companies, posting comments on embroidery online forums and just when I started to despair I went to the BUST craft fair and saw the Urban Cross Stitch stall!

Urban Cross Stitch design and sell contemporary patterns (and even full kits with the pattern, canvas, threads and needles) so you can create your own urban embroidery pieces.

I went straight over and met Phil, explained what I was looking for and he wasn't phased at all.  A few emails later and I should be able to see what Phil's come up early next week. How exciting!

So watch this space....

"It destroys the craft not to learn it"
- Irish proverb