That photo was taken the year we received workbaskets for Christmas. That red and black dress was my favourite. The sleeves and skirt were tartan and the bodice was plain red. My sister's dress was bright blue. Mine was definitely handmade and I think her's was too. In the background you can see the Modern Sampler I was talking about in The People's Choice at the weekend. If you zoom in you can just about see the cityscape at the bottom.
When I was 9 I had a lovely teacher. He had all sorts of good idea to engage with a mixed age, mixed ability class including his party-piece of breaking a ruler using a sheet of newspaper. To demonstrate air pressure. He was allowed to break one ruler per year as per the school budget!
It's been a year of consolidation on the blog. Very few new followers, slightly fewer comments but page views increase each year. Bloglovin seems to acquire me Silent Followers. If you follow via Bloglovin, please do leave a comment. You seem nice people from the profiles Bloglovin shows me!
Here are the stats:
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9 years
972 posts
660 followers
19,784 comments
1,189,254 pageviews
WOW
The focus on my stitching over the past year has continued to be Reduce The WIPs. I am gradually working my way through my older projects. Last year saw me complete my third oldest WIP; My Lovely Sewing Tools. Now if only I could get it framed, that would be nice!
Started 14th October, 2011
Finished 6th September, 2019
I have my oldest WIP on the list this year, the Noel Letters by Ernie Bishop. I wonder if they will be finished by my 10th Blogaversary?
I looked back at my 8th Blogaversary and all the projects there have been completed except one. Here is Nora Corbett's Gathering Eggs then:
and now
Again, it would be nice to see her finished by next year.
The other pieces in my current rotation are:
Winter in the Square by Just Nan
Fox Few by Plum Street Sampler
Bitter Brew by Hands on Design
Discworld Mappe by Lyndisfarne Designs
I also had a new start at the weekend to join in with Rachel Ten Hours and Tiff Stitches and their Spring into Summer New Starts Binge. I wasn't planning any new starts but I do want to take part in Stitch Maynia in May with my Just Nan smalls. I have completed 8 of them since last May so need 8 new ones to fill the gaps. The first one is Beach Roses:
stitched on 28 count pale blue linen
Thinking about it, I should really start 2 each Friday in April! So I have all 8 in place on 1st May.
I will be hosting my usual Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop this Friday as it is Good Friday. I have emailed all the participants with their letter and further instructions. If you have not had an email, please let me know so I can sort something out.
Finally, a very Happy Birthday to my Blogaversary Twins - Susan Yellow Flower Meadow and Calamity Jr! Hope you both had a happy, stitchy day.

