Time on my hands!

Bluebell Heart

So, what do you do with all those extra hours that lock-down has imposed upon us? I suppose that question is incorrect in its essence. We don't have any extra time. We just have unfilled hours when would normally be doing something else. In my case that something else is usually family centred. Going to do my Mother's shopping (she's 92), or taking her to the hospital, or helping my son. I feel like I have abandoned them - I haven't of course, I still do loads for them remotely, but it's not quite the same. But that's what a good Catholic education gives you: 'Guilt and good A levels'.

I have a very low boredom threshold, which is oddly complimented by almost limitless patience. An odd combination, but mostly it works. So I can spend tens of hours completing an embroidery, but when the actual embroidery bit is finished, I lose interest. So I have many such projects in which the sewing is finished, but they just need framing or making up. Well the framers are shut, so that leaves the items that need making up. In this case, it was a needlepoint heart, worked in blue, based on the original designs by Sue Hawkins. Her 'Pansies' and 'Snowdrops' are finished. Pansies has been up in the dining room for about six months, Snowdrops still needs finishing off (Guilt, Guilt - my next task, I promise).

Anyway, yesterday I decided Bluebells, my version of Sue's design based in blue, was going to be finished, so I set to carefully sewing round the edges of the canvas with a sky blue backing material (This is the trickiest bit: sewing close enough so that the canvas doesn't show, but not too close that you can't see all the stitching). Then the nerve wracking bit - cutting off all the excess canvas so that the work turns right way round properly, without cutting the embroidery accidentally and ruining months of work!. This morning the heart was stuffed and the tassel made and attached. And, hey presto, it's finished. It will look very nice in one of the guest bedrooms!

If you fancy having a go at needlepoint, Sue Hawkins kits are quirky, well put together and very reasonably priced. Support our local arts and crafts makers; you won't regret it.

Stay home, keep alert, and wash your hands!