Mail Call and Chikan Embroidery

 During the last couple of weeks while I was ill with bronchitis, a few things appeared in the mailbox to make me feel a little better.
My book order arrived, and I spent several happy hours leafing through the pages.
The Chikankari book is filled with wonderful patterns, but no stitch instructions, so I'm glad I'm taking Anita's  Chikan Embroidery SAL

The book on needle -made laces is a replication of the work first published by "The Woman's Magazine Office" in 1938. It contains some stitches in various types of lacemaking, and even a chapter on tatting!

I'm looking forward to reading more on Schwalm and Mountmellick  embroidery.

 From Jillayne, I received a beautiful surprise-- a tag with a hand-stitched heart and a secret word stitched onto the back.
Thank you Jillayne. It certainly brightened my day!

And then came a thread parcel from a secret friend. Lots of wonderful colours to use in my embroidery and CQing!

 Hidden underneath the thread is a tatting shuttle. This is the third shuttle I've received as a gift this year!
Do you think someone is trying to tell me something? To tempt me from the needle to the shuttle?
Hmmmm....ya never know....wink

Thank you so much, Secret Friend! This will supply many happy hours........

 I've completed the first 2 lessons of the Chikan SAL that Anita is teaching.

Stitched with a hand-dyed variegated embroidery floss in 'pink grapefruit' on white muslin.
I'm having fun learning some new techniques. Anita's lessons are very well written, and there has been so much interest, she's decided to start a second SAL with the help of her Mother, so, there may still be an opportunity to join in.
Lesson 3 has been posted. I wonder what I'll learn this week?

We've had such beautiful weather the last few days, with lots of sunshine, and temperatures around 20C. 
The lake is still mostly covered with  ice, and each morning, there are layers of mist rising above its surface.

Such an eerie atmosphere!
Turtle island appears through the mist, then is gone a moment later as the layers swirl, lift and dance with the slightest breeze

The ice has melted along the shore, and open areas of water are appearing here and there on the lake

Spring has arrived! Yay!


I hope you are enjoying wonderful weather wherever you are.

Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz