Other things I've made over the years

I have tried a lot of different craft projects over the years. Some projects I have enjoyed, others I've tried but wouldn't do again, lots finished and a few unfinished.

Here is a collection of some of the things I've made.

Cross Stitch Sampler. I had always wanted to make a cross stitch sampler so when I found this kit in a little craft shop in Sunbury I decided it was just what I was looking for.


These flowers are another cross stitch piece that I made.





I made these two 'Sit and just bee' wall hangings - one with applique and stitchery and the other without the applique. While they are from the same pattern they look quiet different.

I had made the appliqued 'Sit and just bee' for myself. My mother wanted one as well so as I didn't want to make two the same I made one for her without the applique. It turned out well however she decided that she preferred mine as 'it doesn't show up as well on her wall' so I ended up with the stitchery one. Luckily I like them both so it didn't really matter which one I kept for myself.


I enjoy stitchery and applique and so far have made two pieces which I have framed and have hanging up in my lounge room. I have been given some beautiful patterns of other stitchery that I am looking forward to trying one day.

The 'Garden and me..'


'Home is where the heart is'




There is a series of applique called 'Be Yourself' by Millamac creations. I made this hanging for my mother called 'Be Yourself... there's no harmony when everyone signs the same note'

I've tried several pieces of long stitch making these three pictures as well as Jim's Bowl of Roses. While I love 'Jim's Bowl of Roses' long stitch I don't think I will make any others.

These are the other pieces I have made.






Tapestry is another craft that I have tried. I've made the tapestry of the 'Pioneer' by Frederick McCubbin as well as two small tapestries of flowers. I have been given another four tapestries that one day I might get around to making.



Apart from the quilts that I am making I also have a silk ribbon embroidery that is nearly finished. It's called 'Roses at Dusk' and is made from silk ribbons, silk cottons and beads using different embroidery stitches. The picture of the ladies is copied onto a piece of silk material and then different parts of the picture are highlighted with the silk ribbons, cottons and beads.

My mother brought me the kit to make and has taught me how to sew the various stitches using the silk ribbon and cottons. It's quite hard pulling the ribbon through the material and you often need to use pliers to pull the needle through material but it looks beautiful and is well worth the effort. To help me learn the different stitches I was given this embroidery book "A - Z of Embroidery Stitches' from my mother for my birthday this year.

Homemaking Sampler

A few years ago I was given a book called 'The Gentle Arts 200 Years of Australian Women's Domestic & Decorative Arts' by Jennifer Isaacs. The book covers a wide range of arts and crafts including knitting, embroidery, painting and quilting. It's a beautiful history of arts and crafts in Australia.

In the book there was a picture of a cross stitch sampler called the 'Homemaking Sampler' with Sunbonnet Sue doing a chore every day of the week. I really loved the pattern and as I had been wanting to do a cross stitch sampler for a long time I thought this be be a nice one to make.

The pattern was available through McCalls in the early 1930's and being so long ago it is no longer available. After trying to find a similar pattern on the Internet I decided that I could create my own pattern based on the photo. I enlarged the picture in the book and then using an Excel spreadsheet I set about counting and mapping the pattern and colors. It took me a few weeks create a pattern and although it's probably not exactly right it's as close as I could get.

I tried to keep to the pattern and match the colors as close as possible to the photo in the book. It was a challenge to create a pattern from a picture but also very satisfying. I finally completed the cross stitch in 2006.

School projects - Bracelet, Leather belt & Doily

Craft was one of my favourite subjects at school. It's no wonder I used to enjoy it so much when I look back at some of the things we made. The same year I made the penguin I also made this blue enamel bracelet.

Another year I made this leather belt using leather making tools to decorate it with this pattern. The belt measures 43 inches (110cm) and I remember it took a long time cutting the pattern into the leather.

When I was 15 and living in Costerfield I made this cross stitch doily at school. My teacher suggested that I should enter it into a show so we entered it into the local show at Heathcote. I won equal First place which was pretty exciting.

Some of the other things I remember making include a Kimono style bath robe and a latch hook cushion.