slow and patient stitching and unstitching

The quilter embroidery pattern! I almost gave up quite a few times. I’m not sure how many manifestations of this pattern I created and I’m not sure why I became so confused about it but now it’s done I’m actually really pleased with it. I’m hoping it provides more opportunity to play with stitches and colours of your own choosing. I have stitched and unpicked quite a few colourways and versions of this pattern. Even the plant has been purple, red and then green.

My favourite parts have always been the rose pattern on the armchair and the shawl pattern. I will have to try making myself an embroidered shawl for the winter evenings when I’m stitching. I seem to remember embroidered flower chairs and sofas from my childhood somewhere. This would be my perfect stitching chair!

The hexagons in the quilt are filled in different ways. Satin stitching each hexagon in a different colour is a lovely way to spend time if you love satin stitch. Satin stitch does take up quite a lot of thread but you could use all the scrap colours that are left over from other projects to make a scrap quilt. I like this idea as it reminds me of the quilts women would have made from family clothes that were worn out, a sort of memory quilt of your embroidery journey.

If you are not so keen on satin stitch there are other suggestions for filling the hexies and I am sure you will all come up with other ideas that I haven’t even thought of. I can’t wait to see.

The panel was designed as a rectangle, either to turn into a hanging or use as a panel in a cushion or bag or even frame in a wooden frame but I realised that it would work in a hoop if you just stitch the quilt to the edge of your hoop.

Finally, I was a little late uploading the angel panels last week so there are some left if you thought you had missed out on them. Unfotunately I can no longer post to Australia in time for Christmas as there are significant delays. For anywhere else outside the UK you will need to order over the weekend. I will get in touch if your country is flagged on the Royal Mail site as having delays.

For anyone following my winter swimming challenge the coldest swim last week was 9.3!!! This morning’s swim was in the rain, wind and dark but, surprising as it may seem, was still fun. We have green flashing lights attached to the backs of our goggles so we can see each other and it’s actually quite exciting getting in the sea in the dark. I can only manage about three or four hundred metres of swimming now it’s colder but I’m so glad I started, it balances all the sitting I do when I’m stitching and drawing!

If you are stitching the quilter I would love to see pictures on instagram you can use the hashtag lilipopoquilter and I should see them.

I hope you have a lovely week and manage to fit in a little bit of stitching where ever you are.

x