The Stitch and Thimble : 06

Right, so here it is. The next issue of the Stitch and Thimble. And it's a goodie.

There are two projects in this issue that give a nod to the fact that it's the end of the year – a gift bag for the festive season, which you can adapt to any size really, and a pencil case for the new year, because it's nice to have something to bolster the spirits when the celebrations are over and a brand new year stretches out into the distance.

Geeky things appeal to me, well to my inner geek. And I've been determined to master circles, so they keep their roundness after stitching. My science sampler fills both these needs and it's my favourite Stitch and Thimble sampler yet.

You'll find a neck cushion and some fruity pot holders in issue 06 too, both of which are really easy to make. And the pot holders feature two of the stitch ideas I've been working on.

It's available now on my website, so head over there if you'd like a copy.

Catching up

I've been neglecting my blog. It's been over a month since my last post. Life simply got in the way for a while there.


Once again there have been major changes in my personal life, the biggest being our decision to settle in Johannesburg rather than Port Elizabeth. When there are two of you to consider, and two sets of dreams to try and achieve, things don't always work out as planned. But ultimately I think it's the right decision for us both, even though it took us a while (and an extended road trip) to work it out. So now the search for a home, workspace and income begins in earnest.


There has been some stitching going on between all the discussion and decision-making, though. My mom-in-law's birthday came and went:

My aunt bestowed a bag of buttons on me that she'd picked up for a song at a church fête:

And I got around to photographing the embroidered quilt my mom made out of her Bloomin' Marvellous squares:

I've been working on the next issue of the Stitch and Thimble, which also took a back seat on account of all the goings-on in my personal life but is still somewhat on track in terms of the deadline, all be it a self-imposed one. And I've made a fair bit of progress embroidering a new pattern design. My head remains full of ideas that just need time and space to germinate, and I'm hoping 2012 is the year in which everything comes together and gets done. After a rather tumultuous 2011, that'd be nice.