This weekend I decided to buckle down and finish the Jane Greenoff sampler I started on holiday. It’s drawn thread and hardanger, I’ve really enjoyed stitching it but it’s all new to me and I haven’t found the instructions particularly user friendly, so I do have to concentrate.

Last weekend I stitched a band of drawnthread embroidery and some buttonhole bars, all that was left was the hardanger sample design at the bottom.

In hardanger connecting  blocks of satin stitch, called kloster blocks, are sewn to make an enclosed area (three diamonds in this design) Threads are then cut to leave a grid within the design. The grid lines left are filled with needle weaving, extra stitches such as dove stitch can also be used. I enjoyed the needle weaving bit, but I found it a bit nerve wracking cutting the threads- there’s no second chance if you snip the wrong one! I also found it difficult to get a neat cut, how close can you cut before you risk catching the embroidery stitches! Dove stitch is the ‘spiders web’ bit in the middle!

With the embroidery complete I then had to decide whether to stitch the drawn thread hem. I carefully read the instructions, read them again…and decided to stop whilst I was ahead! I couldn’t follow them confidently enough to try, they may have made more sense once I started, but I chose to send the sampler off to the picture framers as it is.

I have enjoyed stitching this sampler, I’ve learnt several new stitches and techniques and I’m really pleased with the result, I think it’s beautiful. However…I have also learned that this type of embroidery is not for me, we can’t enjoy everything!

I like Women’s Institute workshops for this very reason, I can try a new craft out without lots of investment, see if I like it. I think of them as taster days!  I tried goldwork once, I made a picture I was proud to frame, but it was hard work, not the relaxation I want from embroidery!

Linking up with Kathy’s Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday