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Last year I shared a free ebook of pantry staple recipes and pre-mixes, and inside was a simple herb stitchery template for you to make if you felt inclined to sew it.
Must admit, I do love stitching herbs!
The template I shared back then was just the line drawing I'd sketched, but with the intention of stitching it one day. During a break this year I finally got around to it, as one of my monthly UFO Adventure projects for 2026 (I shall get my Makers Journal up to date this week and show you - every month there has been a UFO make, so I'm very happy about that).
In my cupboard was an inexpensive cotton dress purchased from Kmart two or three summers ago, but after one wash it shrunk quite dramatically. The fabric was lovely so I cut it up and put it aside in my stash. After tracing my herb design onto a piece of cream linen it was this very fabric that came to mind as inspiring the thread colours and applique prints I would use...
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The fabric is very fruity and floral, so I'm deciding whether to make an apron and insert the completed herb stitchery into the bib section, or to sew a decorative tea towel from the dress fabric and embellish it with the herb block. It would be fiddly to make the apron because the dress fabric is in odd sized pieces, but I do think that's the direction my creative spark is veering closer to. What would you choose?
If you missed that free Pantry Staples e-book, it can be downloaded HERE.
If you would just like to make the herb stitchery download it HERE as a free gift.
Reorganising my sewing room last week, I remembered that I'd forgotten to show you a really sweet pin cushion I made last year, inspired by a block I saw on Pinterest. I don't know the source of the 12-patch block, but it really caught my eye when I saw the photo because of the way it had been fussy cut to create a wreath. Beautiful isn't it?!
(photo via Pinterest)
I spent time going through my fabrics to find one suitable for something similar, with the idea of making it into a pin cushion. I eventually chose this lovely floral with spots on a white background, and though perhaps not quite as obvious as a wreath, I loved the final effect.
(the fabric I've used is Barefoot Roses by Tanya Whelan)
In the last blog post I shared some yummy baked goods that will be made 'over and over' in our kitchen as they were so delicious, and many requests came for the recipes.
The recipe for the Lemon Kefir Pound Cake is HERE and the recipe for the Fat Rascals I chose from numerous ones online is this below -
The Fat Rascals recipe makes 8 large, but I made ours slightly smaller and got a dozen. Even then my hubby said "Gee, these are big". They are quite hearty indeed. :-)
Well, it is late Sunday evening now and I'm rather weary but satisfied after mopst of the weekend spent getting the front and back gardens in order, plus baking a delicious roast chicken dinner Saturday night, giving the bathroom a really deep clean, and reorganising all my DMC and Cosmo threads in preparation for spring sewing.
I did have numerous short rests between activities, but the weather was glorious, so many hours were enjoyed in the garden and I can truly say the aching knee tonight has not dampened my joy. Hubby is tired and sore too, but we have wide smiles and full hearts.
God bless, have a delightful week ahead and I'll write again in a few days.
PS: My Etsy Shop is always open, so please drop by if you are in the mood for something new to stitch.
So glad to read your post and hear you are doing well. You are on my heart and always in my prayers.
ReplyDeleteHugs!
Mary from FL
Ooh how sweet is that little stitchery! I think the dress fabric is just gorgeous, and would make a perfect apron – would an apron last longer than a tea towel? I’d want to hang onto it forever, it’s that pretty.
ReplyDeleteYour wreath turned out beautifully – the original is pretty, but yours looks like you, and it’s stunning. Well done!
Our weather has been hot and humid, the bees know winter will come and are frantically building hives; and getting aggressive like they usually do in the autumn. Not my favorite time of year, it’s also the time for big spiders. Ugh. Not a fan. Enjoy your garden dear heart!
Such a beautiful post. I think an apron would be lovely. 😊 I pray you’ll continue to improve and be able to post. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteYour pincushion is gorgeous! So fresh and the wreath stands out beautifully. Reminds me very much of an Averil Colby quilt where she used fussy cut hexagons to make a quilt with a large floral border. Sdly I can't find a photo to share at the moment - it's not on line and I think it is just in black and white in one of her books. These samples are in the QG collection though. https://www.quiltmuseum.org.uk/collections/all/colby-averil/1700-2026/averil-colby-samples.html
ReplyDeleteThe herb embroidery is lovely - I would go apron! xx
I love Tanya Whelan’s Barefoot Roses and have used the exact fabric you used for your pin cushion, for my quilt.
ReplyDeleteWe have heard any updates on Kelly dog - what mischief has been up to🤭?
ReplyDeleteI love your version of the wreath for the pin cushion. So bright and cheerful.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love your fussy cut pincushion & think I like yours more than the Pinterest one Jennifer. So pretty & fresh looking. Tanya Whelan fabrics have always made my heart sing. I have never thought to do this with fussy cutting but its just so lovely. It is wonderful to have you back blogging again. xx
ReplyDeleteI love your pincushion and the idea of forming a wreath like that! My pincushion is very old, but I'm not changing it, ever! It's something my daughter made for me many years ago. She must have been 7 years old (she's 18 now!). She made a little lidless box out of a cereal box, and a little cushion that she sewed and stuffed all by herself. She glued the cushion into the box and decorated it by gluing on pretty buttons and sequins! She even glued a big sparkly button on the cushion itself! It's a very practical pincushion, because it sits flat an steady because of the box. I use the big button holes to put my needle in, so I can easily find it between all the pins. But mostly it makes me happy that my little girl made it for her mama, when she noticed that I regularly dropped my box of pins all over the floor!
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful pin cushions - the original, and your interpretation of it, which to be honest, I prefer! I use a pincushion I made when a teenager, so it's over 50 years old and still going strong - I stuffed it using greasy, uncarded wool, and although it's not pretty, it's incredibly functional -still. :)
ReplyDeleteThe wee stitching pattern is a sweetie one, thank you
Great to hear you are on the mend
Blessings
Maxine
Beautiful Jennifer, so lovely to hear from you.XX
ReplyDeleteDear Jenny, Thank you for sharing the biscuit recipe. Nan used to make Rock Cakes... they look a little similar. I am going to try them! You are sounding so much better! This is wonderful, it has been a long haul for you. My own bad knee last year was enough and it took so long... but mostly this year it is ok. Pain is extremely isolating. Loss of mobility is very limiting too. So to hear you are gardening is so good! With much love Annabel.xxx
ReplyDeleteI am always glad to find your post.
ReplyDeleteBig hug,
Miriam