Stitchy Dreams

Do you have stitchy dreams?  Not dreams in your sleep, but dreams about stitching-related things that you'd really like to do?  I do.  Here's a hint:  "We are the international centre for embroidery teaching based at Hampton Court Palace in south-west London."  And another one:  "We run a varied programme of classes throughout the year at weekends and during the school holidays at Hampton Court Palace".  I would love, love, love to take a class at the Royal School of Needlework!  I think it would be so much fun and so very interesting.  The RSN is headquartered at Hampton Court Palace west of London; many of their classes are held there, so you can't beat the location!  Hampton Court was one of Henry VIII's palaces ("given" to him, if I remember my English history, by Cardinal Wolsey) and I believe was later added on to by William and Mary.  I've enjoyed the needlework classes I've taken over the years but a class at the RSN would be the ultimate stitchy dream for me.  How about you?  What's  your stitchy dream?

 

I've been doing okay with my stitching from my stash, although I did break down and buy a fat half cut of 40ct. "Bisque" from Lakeside Linens.  I want stitch Mary Beale's "Days of Advent" but I want to stitch it on 40ct. and didn't have a piece of fabric that was large enough in a color that I wanted to use.  I did have a piece of "Pearled Barley" that was the right size, but, much as I like Pearled Barley, I just didn't think it worked with the colors in Days of Advent.  So I bought the Bisque.

 

I've been subscribing to the e-newsletter from Broderie for quite a while now.  It's published weekly and I pretty much can't read a word of it because it's in French, but each issue has a freebie in it.  The freebies are often stylized animal designs and the one for this past week was a bird.  The design is only 86 x 86, so it should be a fairly quick stitch.  I found a piece of 32ct Bisque in my stash and decided on an old skein of Needle Necessities floss (color #154, I think).  I started it yesterday evening and this is my progress so far:

The color is lighter than it looks in the picture; it's more of a peach or salmon color and not quite so orange.  I had originally chosen a piece of "vintage" fabric, but when I unfolded it, I thought it looked not so much vintage as it did just dirty.  I considered trying to wash it, but I'm afraid that would make it look worse, so I'll just save it and use it for a piece that's more solidly stitched.

Here's wishing everyone a good week -- happy stitching!