It has been a funny week -

a rather stressful time on Sunday, and lots of interruptions to routine which have left me feeling very uncreative. Fortunately I had some odds and ends to finish off, including the pincushion – which has become a needlecushion. I have several needlebooks but find the needles usually fall out – I hope this will be safer.

And yes – I know what it looks like – not intentionally! I suppose it is rather pervy to have a boob full of needles. Wensleydale said it looked ‘defensive’ but those needles point in, not out!

I have completed the embroidery for the bag - almost - I think it need an extra row or two of cream along the left hand side. Now I have to find some fabric for the rest of the bag - which will probably call for a visit to Fabric Warehouse, although I may wait till I go to the Knitting and Stitching Show.

This is also finished - although as the recipient is doing some modelling later this month and will receive the clothes she models, I suppose she won’t want the things her granny knits or acquires from charity shops any more. [Only joking, Mrs Cheese Minor!]

I think all this procrastinating is because I don’t know what to do about this.

This started as a sample of a technique from Maggie Grey’s book ‘From Image to Stitch’. The original was a photo I took of autumn leaves, which I Hockneyised.

If you don’t know about the Hockneyiser [sorry – Hockneyizer – US spelling!]– it is great fun.

http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/hockney.php

I used the ‘no frames’ version and ended up with this.

Then I printed it on to cheapo drawing paper and stuck the print on to Vilene Funtex – probably not a good idea as it gunged up the needle but I didn’t have any felt in the right colour.

Then it was machine embroidered, cut into strips, woven and painted – and it looked too good to be just a sample.

So – I found a piece of felt for the background and embellished it because it was a bit boring. Then I found a serendipitous piece of hand dye for the background to the background. [I don't know why this photo looks so blue - the other one is more accurate.]

And now I need to add some hand stitch and it is not telling me what it needs.

Anyone got any suggestions?