Well I’ve finally finished it! Two years in the making but my embroidered garden book is finally finished. To say the least, I’m well chuffed with it 🙂
Three weeks ago I’d just finished making all the pages, I was planning how to finish it and had more or less decided on exposed binding…
I changed my mind and decided to do a full cover instead, mainly because I think it will protect the pages better and I hope this will be treasured for many years so longevity is important. I stitched the pages together using my mock Coptic stitch, I say ‘mock’ as Coptic stitch is designed for double page signatures, so I’ve had to adapt it for single pages. I also made an extra page front and back to act as the book lining, making attaching the cover much easier. I used perle thread as it’s a good weight and strong, stitching five rows across the spine.
I’d been mulling over the title of the book for a couple of months, The Garden Book, My Garden in Stitch…none of them inspired me. Then it came to me in the bath! A Stitch in Thyme. Gardens are ever evolving, so some plants have already changed since I started this book, this book is really just a snapshot of our garden. Changing ‘time’ to ‘thyme’ just emphasized the garden theme.
I embroidered the title on a scrap of linen and stitched it on the fabric I’d chosen for the cover. I’d originally bought some gorgeous watercolour style flowery fabric for the cover, I still love it but when I put it against the actual book it was just too colourful, especially as the first couple of pages are fairly muted. I’m hoping to use it to make a book bag to keep it in instead. I chose an equally beautiful floral in duck egg blue.
I used bosal to make the cover, it holds it’s shape but it’s a bit flexible too, I like it for book covers. I just used 505 spray to hold it in place whilst I put it all together. Having attached the fabric to the bosal I realised my calculations for where the title needed to be were a bit off, not central where it was meant to be but not far enough to the side to be there either. I unpicked it but of course it left a mark. I decided to mount the soft green linen onto some off white linen, making a bit of a border. I stitched it back on in the centre and actually I think it looks much better for the extra layer.
I added a strip of cover fabric down the inside where the spine would be as I realised there would be a fabric gap between the front and back lining pages.
At the last minute I remembered I rather like a ribbon or thread to close the book, I found a perfect button in my button drawer and some organza ribbon, I felt the organza ribbon worked well as it doesn’t dominate the cover, it just sort of blends in. I used clover clips to hold the cover and the lining together whilst I slip-stitched it round…
…and that was it, finished!
I knew I couldn’t share photos of all the pages, so I’ve made a little video and put it on instagram, here’s the link…
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C80_GwUKdNI/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
If it doesn’t work for anyone, just send me a message and I’ll send a copy.
I want to say a huge thank you to Nicki Franklyn of The Stitchery who started me off on this journey with her Stitching your Garden course, I did her first one which was live, it’s now been fine-tuned and honed to a recorded class called The Garden Sampler
This SAL is organised by Avis from Sewing by the Sea, we post our progress on our chosen project every three weeks, perfect for keeping us motivated and moving forward on a long project. Please follow the links to see what everyone else has been stitching.
Avis, Claire, Gun, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Jackie, Sunny, Megan, Deborah, Sharon, Daisy, Cathie, Linda, MaryMargaret, Cindy and Helen
thecraftycreek 
Just lovely. A beautiful piece of work. I hope you book is enjoyed for many years.
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Thank you, I’m really pleased with it.
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It looks lovely! And that is 2 books finished in quick succession! I shall look forward to seeing your next project.
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Thank you, I’m trying to get a few things finished before I start yet another big project!
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It has been wonderful to see this magnificent project in the making and now to see it complete. An absolute heirloom!
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Thanks Claire, I’m well chuffed with how it’s come out.
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I have so enjoyed watching your progress on this beautiful project. I love how you bound this book. The title page is perfect. The ribbon closing is a great idea.
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Thanks Cathie, It’s all come together nicely.
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wow this is so precious !! I’m so glad you finished it and it’s just so beautiful to look through!
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Thanks Linda, it’s taken quite a while, but I love it!
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The finish is just stunning Margaret! Congratulations 🎉. I’m off to see the video!
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Thanks Kathy, I’m really pleased with how it’s come out.
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Fabulous keepsake Margaret! I am not on Instagram, but I was able to watch your video anyway! 🙂
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Thanks Laura, glad the video worked.
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I can see why you are so proud, what a fantastic keepsake
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Thank you, it’s turned into a rather nice record of the garden.
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So beautiful! You have really done a great work!
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Thank you, I’m pleased with it.
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Wow! What a fabulous heirloom!!
I must admit, I did chuckle when I heard the tune. Here Comes the Sun?? Where? It hasn’t appeared up here for a while 🙂
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Thank you, I’m well chuffed with it. Are we going to see any sun this year!!
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It’s raining here again today. Maybe “climate change” for us means wet and windy! It’s certainly not global warming. I’m not complaining though. I prefer cooler temperatures.
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Margaret this is such an amazing project — I love the pages and I especially love how you bound it all together. Spectacular work!
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Thank you, I love it too.
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well that is lovely and inspiring to boot. Interesting about the bosal. Since pelmets are now out I was able to get a roll of ten inch cotton pelmet lining. Finishing off is always the worst part for me. Amazing how you got a button closure to work with organza ribbon.
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Thanks, the organza ribbon just wraps round the button and stays in place.
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just realised that you have freestyle machine Stitch of a plot site on the back . Carumbo
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The map of the neighbourhood was done as part of a embroidered maps course by Leah Day, at the end of the course I planned the map of the garden too.
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Wow!! Two books finished in what seems like one go. More congratulations and salutations. I am spellbound by your fine work.
What is next?!
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Thank you, it was a busy few days getting everything finished!
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Amazingly and absolutely beautiful.
This is sure to be a treasured heirloom
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