Christmas Stocking for Nate

It is hard to believe that our gorgeous little grandson is now 9 months old.  He has become a very busy little man, crawling everywhere, walking around the furniture, and at last to the relief of his parents, now three teeth.  He is just such a joy to us.
This is Nate last week getting up close and personal with my Charlie Bear stock, I think he thought it was Christmas time.

As is the Christmas tradition of our family, each family member has a stitched Shepherds Bush stocking stitched by me, including David and myself which now our three children take in turns to fill, which has become another fun aspect to our Christmas celebrations. 

Of course Nate has to have his own, and for the past few months I have been happily stitching up one.  I chose the Reed pattern for Nate, which depicts a Shepherd in lovely shades of blue and grey, highlighted with burgundy and of course featuring a sheep, which are such a hallmark of the Shepherds Bush company. Also sheep are very much part of Nate's Dad's family as Dane was bought up on the family sheep and cattle property in remote N.S.W. I have no doubt that the land will be very much part of Nate's upbringing, as he has had several trips to the family farm already, so the sheep is very poignant.  I haven't quite finished the stocking, but all the stitching is done and I am about to attach the trinkets, which gives the stocking it's individual look, then I will choose the backing fabric and cording and  have it made up.  Once finished I will update here with the finished product, just in time for this Christmas.

Rapt Up have all the Shepherds Bush patterns, kits, materials and threads to have you all stitching your own family heirlooms which our stockings have become.  Shepherds Bush release a new stocking each year, this year it will be a boy stocking.  Expert advice is always on hand, I am more than happy to share my knowledge.  The stockings are easy to stitch as the linen used is quite a large count, and the beautiful overdyed colour threads that Shepherds Bush have chosen, make it a joy to stitch.

Once I have finished this stocking I will be looking for my next project, but I think it will have to be Nate's birth sampler which still hasn't been started.  Something for me to share with you at a later date.

These are two of the latest I have stitched.  David's being Thomas stocking and mine is Anna's stocking.

Family Wedding.

We are all very excited as a family, as we have our first wedding.

Our eldest child and son is tying the knot in March in Margaret River area of W.A.

He has been living and working in the area for many years and that is where he has met his future wife.

To mark the occasion, I have got my embroidery skills into action and I am stitching them a wedding sampler. I am using a Shepherds Bush kit called "Mothers Heart". It's a beautiful sampler with lovely wording pertaining to Mothers, obviously the wording is inappropriate but I will change the wording to be more appropriate for a wedding. I will then add there names and marriage date.

The sampler is stitched on 32count white linen and uses very soft colours in pinks, mauve's and cream. It is quite pretty, and it has some embellishments on it to enhance the stitching.

I am still several weeks away from completing it, and so every spare minute is spent adding a few more stitches.

Our sewing bee recommences next week after a break over the Christmas period. The girls will really get me motivated to finish it. It's lovely stitching in a group as they keep you to task, especially when you have a deadline.

I will keep updating you on the progress of the sampler over the coming weeks.