Good Morning. How is everyone? What a miserable day, I think they promise this for the week don’t they? Wonderful.
I was in the shop as usual on Monday, we are starting to tidy up in hope that Mr Drakeford will allow the doors to be flung wide open very soon. We have packing tables set up and stock in boxes instead of on the walls to make it easier for us to process all the online and telephone orders. For which we will be forever grateful. It will be nice to get some order again and the shelves to be tidy and to able to let everyone back in to share some laughter, to put the kettle on and bring out the biscuits for a good catch up.
Chaenomeles or Flowering quince. I have always though that the name of this shrub sounds like a Roman soldier. Try saying it out loud. See it does doesn’t it. He who built Hadrian’s wall. Maybe it just me being silly.
So this is my piece of Spring art, Flowering quince in the garden here at Tredegar House last Spring, the warmth of the red brick wall bringing the flowers into bloom in February. Isn’t it such a pretty flower?
I used crystal organza and dyed the ribbons to match the colour of the flowers. The hardest part of this is hiding the ends of the ribbons behind the stitches so the flower float on the organza.The first time I made one of these I was nervous of cutting away the excess organza when I had finished, but you just got to grit your teeth and plunge right in and go for it.
If you would like to do this yourself, you need a 5 inch wooden hoop,don’t use a bamboo hoop they don’t have the looks, organza, 7mm silk ribbon for the flowers and leaves, silk embroidery threads for the stem and french knots. I did mine freehand but you could you a heat erasible pen to mark your design out beforehand, the flowers and leaves are ribbon stitch, the stem in stem stitch and the buds and centres in french knots. If you do have a go and get stuck you know where I am.
I will be in the shop tomorrow, phone me after 11 if you are in need of some pretties, anything at all, the smallest of sales soon add up, we are happy to help and of course you can collect anything if you let us know. Beccy is in on Friday too.
Have a good week, see you all very soon I hope.
Ann x