Cross-stitch

Last weekend I had fun on a blog-hop looking at lots and lots of amazing cross-stitch..... I was so blown away with the work that has been done.....  This was hosted by Chookyblue and you can go HERE if you missed them last week....

Looking at them reminded me that I had experimented with cross stich a couple of times in my (umm ....... rather long ......)  lifetime......

~ so off I went a'hunting down ~

When I was a young thing still at school we had to learn a certain amount of needlework.... I decided my mother needed a table-cloth for Christmas........

I must have been about 13 or 14 and I clearly remember my Mum saying to me that she thought I was having problems and angry with her because I sat in my room on my own every night prior to Christmas..... the tablecloth was why.....

It is a regular 1.5 by 2 metre cloth and has 24 of these roses and 24 of the fancy square things.  The stitches are quite large and the fancy work is shocking!!! (haha says my discriminating eye!) 

But Mum loved it.

Mum moved into a small cottage after my Dad had passed on and she never had a dining table.... and when she went to join dad - I was very touched to find she had kept this table cloth ......  I had forgotten all about it but I claimed it and of course it had to find it's way into a suitcase and stay with me.....

~ I often use it ~ 

My other piece is of some local Australian birds

~ Crimson Rosella's ~

In between international and interstate moves I needed some quiet reflection .... stitching seems to help that

I have to admit I struggled with completing this - I do find the small stitches difficult

~ must frame it ~

~ one day ~

Hope you all have a lovely weekend

I will be spending some time over HERE to see what other people are showing this week.....

Thanks for hosting this Chookyblue - great idea