I’m way behind with both reading and writing posts as there’s a lot going on at home at the moment, I’ve had a few medical tests which although they were all as out-patient, it still takes up a lot of time, though thankfully everything has come back fine so far. We’ve also made the difficult decision to put our house on the market, I love my garden but it is too much for me to manage and I’ve also had more falls this year from my lack of balance, whilst I’ve only ended up with bruises, we do have areas which could result with a five foot drop onto concrete… With a big garden like ours I think it’s also better to try and sell whilst the garden is still looking good, rather than waiting till it’s run away without me!! The house is also bigger than we need with five bedrooms and three reception rooms, we’re now trying blitz it as the photographer is coming tomorrow!
All this has made my garden book a little more poignant, it’s going to be my record of our garden in stitches. Three weeks ago I’d finished a Soukie Soo design…
I’ve now started one of the ‘map’ pages for my book, I’m starting with the patio area. I’m planning on three separate maps for the three main areas in the back garden, the patio, the Amber and Amethyst garden (AKA the beer garden!) and the top lawn with the summerhouse and pond. A while ago I painted some calico with background garden colours which could then be used as raw edge applique…
I drew a patio shape onto the brown area and started to stitch it. I used whipped split stitch round the outside and then just split stitch for the intermittent stitching to show the flags with a variegated thread which I found in my stash, it’s single ply and matt and not as smooth as DMC, it worked well for the patio. I was stitching from memory when I started it in the middle and only realised later that the there are actually eight segments on the first ring, with each row doubling the numbers. I think making so many to be true to life would actually have been too busy so I’m happy that my memory simplified it! I added a few French knots with a variegated DMC thread for the little self seeders we have.
I now need to mount it on bondaweb and stick it to the main page. I’m hoping there’ll be enough plants and structures overlapping the edge that it will be secure enough. I stitched it separate to the background as I wanted it to look slightly raised as it is in real life. It should only be getting light handling in a book anyway. I’ve just got to sort out the background now!
I got a lovely squishy parcel in the post this week too, I follow Soukie Soo on instagram as I do like her designs, she draws them onto linen with a heat erasable pen so all I have to do is stitch them. The page above was one of her designs. A couple of weeks ago she had a sale on for a mixed bundle of goodies for £25, I ordered one and I was really pleased with my bundle, there’s stamped fabric, drawn designs, flowers, butterflies, bees, thread, lots of things I’ll be able to use in my book.
Hopefully next time I’ll have started the patio page properly, I think once I start I’ll be OK, at the moment I’m prevaricating as to how to portray structures such as the arch or the arbour, never mind the mass of plants!
This SAL is organised by Avis, we post our progress every three weeks on our chosen project, please follow the links to see everyone else’s progress…
Avis, Claire, Gun, Constanze, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Megan, Deborah, Sharon, Daisy, AJ, Cathie, Linda, Helen, Connie
thecraftycreek 
Good luck selling your house. I know how hard a decision that is. I think the garden book will be fabulous.
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Sorry you have to leave your gorgeous garden, but it’s always better to make the decision yourself rather than having the decision made for you by unhappy circumstances. I should think you’ll have no trouble selling, and the garden will make somebodies very happy indeed.
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Not only will your embroidered book be beautiful in itself but it’ll also be a wonderful memory of your garden to treasure forever. Good luck with the house sale 🙂 Just think of all the extra hours you’ll have for crafting when you get settled in your new place.
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I love the start of the patio page. Your book will be a wonderful reminder of your garden. I wish you all the best with the sale of your house and finding a place that makes more sense for your current life.
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Good luck with the house sale! Are you looking for another house too? This stitching journal as well as your blog will be a special memory keeper of your garden.
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The garden journal book is so wonderful and will be such a treasure! Best of luck in selling your home. I understand the need for something smaller to manage.
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Leaving your garden is a very sensible idea, but that doesn’t make it easy. However you will take your green thumb with you, and your next place will be alive with plants, even if they are in pots. I love your book, perfect timing.
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Another life chapter is about to begin for you and your husband. Good luck with house selling and house hunting.
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Oh wow, that’s a big change for you Margaret, but I believe that wherever you move you will fill it with loveliness inside and out. Your garden book will be a treasure for you!
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Wow, Margaret! A new adventure awaits and your garden journal will be a fab keepsake! 🙂
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I am so sorry to hear of your health concerns and my hopes are with you for Good news. The decision to sell is very hard. I still miss my old garden a lot, but there will be another one waiting for you. Do start to look for a new home immediately , these things move fast at the moment. Best of luck. Meantime your garden book is a wonderful way to remember.
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This is gonna be a beautiful book, filled with memories!
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good luck with selling the house! and trying to find one you like enough to want to move ^^
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It is hard to move, but I hope you will feel lighter when you are settled in a smaller space with less work. Your stitchery is lovely.
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I’m glad to hear your medical news is good, but sorry about leaving the house and garden which hold so memories and into which you’ve put so much work. But I know that whatever smaller space you decide on will soon be stuffed full of glorious colour…
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Delighted to hear all testing has been good news, but sorry to hear you’ve decided to get a smaller garden. Still, it will leave you more time for other things, like more of your glorious needlework. I watch “Escape to the Country” over here and judging by what they’ve said, you might not have much trouble either finding your next garden, or selling this one. A tough decision we all have to face, but am so glad you’ve made it. Hope all goes well & do keep us posted, as you have time. xx
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The book is going to be delightful. Good luck with the house move when it happens;
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The path looks great and I love the little bursts of colour. Your goody bag looks like it will have lots of exciting little projects
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Strength and luck to you with the sale of your house. I think it is a good idea to capture the beauty of your garden in a book. Love the patio design
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Sending good luck wishes for your house hunting and move 🤞
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What a lovely keepsake this will be, its a shame when you have to leave a garden you love. Hopefully, however, you will have a smaller garden that you can start to make your own and maybe now is the time to take cuttings or split favourites and plant on in pots to take with you. xx
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