Here in the UK it’s Mothering Sunday today, or Mothers Day as it is usually called these days. My mum is in her 80’s and her birthday is in a few days time as well, so you do get to the point of wondering what to buy…

A few weeks a go I saw a post from Faby Reily on Facebook about her lavender card, it was perfect for Mothers Day, even better, if I didn’t get it finished for Mother’s Day it would suffice a few days later for her birthday!

I’ve managed to finish it, together with her present, a lavender sachet from the same range…

I really like these designs by Faby Reilly, I’ve stitched a few of her patterns now. I love the way she uses lots of different stitches and how the back-stitch outline doesn’t necessarily follow the line of the cross-stitch, the eye sees what it wants to see. This design uses cross-stitch, eyelet stitch, tied cross-stitch, french knots together with a few Mill Hill beads to add a bit of sparkle.

I stitched the card first, the main trauma was stitching the writing, mainly because my eyesight is not what it was! The letters are stitched in ‘petite stitches’ otherwise known as MINI cross-stitches, these are stitched over a single thread, they do give a lovely smooth script. I particularly liked the french knots on top of the cross-stitches of the lavender, it gives like a 3D effect. I decided to make the card up like I did for our Wedding Anniversary card (Sweet Roses) I backed the embroidery with some felt and then found a decorative paper that co-ordinated beautifully.

I stitched the lavender bag next, the chart is very easy to follow and clear, but I’ve decided I’m no good at long distance counting!…

I stitched the front and back and then started pressing the sides under as per instructions. This is when I realised the sides of the front and back missed by two stitches! I worked out in the end that my error had been between the lavender and the butterfly. When I counted from the butterfly to determine the height of the trim round the top, I was two out before I started…it was time to reacquaint myself with my stitch ripper! I decided to stitch one seam together before I tried to re-stitch the border rows, I was still one stitch out as for some reason I’ve got two rows on the left and three rows on the right between the blue line and the border!!

Faby has tutorials on her website on how to make everything up, including the lavender sachet. The sachet is made up by whip stitching the back-stitch outline, it gives a really crisp finish, I add lavender mill hill beads every fifth stitch, I also used the same beads to make the ribbon holders. I threaded a flower charm onto the ribbon as a finishing touch.

Faby Reilly Design

I gave it my mum this morning and she loved both the card and the sachet, as a needlewoman herself she appreciates the work that went into it, she laughed when I gave her a photo-frame too so she can frame the card, I told her it took me too long not to get framed!!

I’m linking up with Kathy’s Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday, why not follow the link and have a look what everyone else has been stitching.