Finishing projects

Now that the napkins for my daughter are completed I've moved onto the next big project which needs to be finished - a rather spectacular cross stitch kit which my son bought for my birthday last year. I did start it last summer but then with one thing and another it got put to one side but now the light has improved it's come out of storage to be worked on again.

It is a design by Thea Gouverneur entitled 'Mother of God' and uses 54 different colours of thread!
I saw a stitched sample in a shop in the Yorkshire Dales last year and instantly fell in love with its watermarked, weathered appearance - so reminiscent of some of the beautiful icons I saw in Russian churches.

This is how far I've got. Can you see where this bit fits? Right in the centre.The little piece of blue is the top of the dress. Worked on very fine aida fabric with one single strand of thread it is going to take a while.

I'm taking a trip to London shortly with lots of exciting things planned - a trip to the Spring Knitting and Stitching Show at Olympia, a visit to the British Museum to see the Dorado exhibition, and to the David Bailey photographic exhibition at the National. We're also going to the Country Living Spring Fair and finally a trip to the theatre. I shall be exhausted when I come back! but should have lots of things to show you on my return.

In the meantime I thought I'd share photographs of a favourite peaceful oasis in the centre of the city. This is St Dunstan's in the East - a church which was bombed in the second world war and, instead of rebuilding, it was turned into a public garden. Once inside it's hard to believe that you're in the centre of London as it is so peaceful.

Enjoy your Sunday everyone!