I've just finished my first postcard for Week 4 - I ended up using Antwerp edging for the border. I started with the bottom row in variegated perle thread then did the rest with 2 threads - the variegated and a dark purple. I have used a very fine variegated crochet cotton (which must be about 30 years old) for the main part of the stitching, all of which are variations on buttonhole stitch. The 'mess' at the bottom right hand corner is also buttonhole stitch worked densely in various threads.

On Tuesday evening I started a course at work (nothing to do with embroidery) and we had to introduce ourselves by creating something out of a piece of card. We had to put our name on it and 2 things that would help people to remember who we were - with stitching in mind I drew my name in chain stitch and outlined it with 2 colour herringbone, with a nice flower with feather stitch leaves and stalk! Just shows how stitching takes over!

I've had a really busy week what with the banner making, C+G display on Saturday, marking students assignments and starting a course myself (as a student) at work on Tuesday, so I haven't managed to squeeze in a lot of stitching. I have however done one postcard sampler based on Week 3 stitches which were concentrating on lines. I really like the cable chain stitch at the left hand side of the picture and a knotted cretan stitch in the middle.

Hopefully this week I'll have a little more time to experiment with Week 4's stitches and design ideas although I do have a lot of stitching to do on the banner to get it finished to hang probably next weekend.

I have now finished my second sample postcard for week 2 - I did the border in portuguese stem stitch having realised that I did it wrong last week. Here is a close up of this weeks version.

And here is the finished postcard. This weeks lesson was about pointilism and using stitches as motifs to create points. I've not only used stitches but also beads, sequins and stitches based on buttons and brass washers.

I've just started the border for week 3 - this week is all about line, should be fun.

I've had a busy weekend - but forgot to take any photos of the banner making on Friday. I t was a fun event - hard work, but rewarding to do. The banner isn't yet finished - my sewing machine will be hard at work over the next couple of weeks topstitching and quilting it to get it ready for the beginning of December.

Yesterday, the local patchwork and quilting group I go to, Patchwork People, celebrated their 25th anniversary - we had a special cake, lots of silver around, a special raffle and Barbara Chainey talking about her visits and interest in the tentmakers in Cairo. I organised a display of some of the work that 4 of us did for our City and Guilds embroidery course - unfortunately I forgot to take any photos of it.

This is my first postcard sized sample for Week2 of the Library of Stitches class - it's done on pale green aida with blue variegated perle cotton and dark blue stranded cotton. I seemed to spend most of my time unpicking stitches to get everything even. I've done moss stitch, crown stitch, variations of fly stitch and cross stitch - good fun.

I have also spent some time on another sample this weekend using single motifs some based on brass washers and sequins - that one isn't complete yet - will post a picture later in the week when it is.

Yesterday afternoon, I spent a couple of hours developing a design for a church banner, using different coloured papers. A group of 8 or 9 of us at church are going to be making up the design on Friday afternoon in a workshop session which I am organising. This is the first time I've done anything like this so it's a bit scary - I am used to teaching and organising classes but not for sewing activities.

This is sample 2 which I have just completed for Week 1 using a number of variations of herringbone stitch.

I have finished the first sample of fly stitches for the Library of Stitches and am quite pleased with how it has turned out. I used a variety of threads including cotton perle in 2 thicknesses, embroidery floss, thick chenille and a metallic thread. The thick chenille didn't shred at all on the evenweave - I had to use a huge needle that felt like a poker to even be able to thread it.

Tonight is Bonfire Night and there was the most amazing sunset visible from our top floor. Jon is back from Uni this week and is planning to go off to the large firework display in the city centre tonight – they always put on an amazing display.

I have started an online course with joggles.com – Sharon Boggons Personal Library of Stitches which is kick starting my stitching again. I have started with a 6x4 piece of space dyed linen and so far completed the border in guilloche stitch. I have used some space dyed perle cotton, variegated thinner perle cotton, terracotta coloured plain perle cotton and 3 strands of plain embroidery floss for the French knots. As you can see I haven’t quite finished the French knots yet.
Then I shall work a variety of feather stitch combinations in the central part.