It’s the best feeling in the world finishing a long term craft project! The last stitch, the joy of seeing it complete. I have just finished an embroidery project – A View From Above Allotment. A few years in the making and here is it’s story….
A View From Above Beginnings…
I thought I started this project in March 2020 but looking back in the blog I realise it was 2021. In the excitement of starting a new project I made this new pouch to keep all my bits in. New project, new pouch!!
Joining a Sewalong and buying the pattern by Collette Kinley – Allotment – A Birds Eye View (affiliate link). I started out using all the embroidery threads I already had. Colour matching as best I could. It was surprising how many greens and beiges I had!
I’ve completed a lot of cross stitches in my life and I had saved all the threads from the projects because I can’t throw anything away!!
A View from Above Allotment
When I started out on the allotment it was a massive learning curve, there were some embroidery stitches that I had never encountered before. Collette uses a about 6 stitches for the whole pattern, so as where the Turkey stitch was difficult for me to get the hang of, now I know it I love it.
The stitches that are included in this pattern are
Straight stitch
Seeding stitch
French Knot
Bullion Knot
Turkey Stitch
Couching
The joy of repetitive stitching and sewing the same stitches over and over, really does enforce the muscle memory. I absolutely love a French knot now and I am using it in Make Time this April as the stitch of the month.
The best tip I can give to you for tackling this project is to start work on one plot at a time and start with all the straight stitches. They make it easier to then add the more 3D stitches like French, Turkey and Bullion on top. Plus when it comes to marking out the varying sections within the plot you can see clearly where the next stitches need to be.
It has been a pure pleasure to work on this allotment. It has taken me a couple of years to complete but the final push has had to be the most exciting.
A few months in a row I decided that this was it, I was going to get it done. Mentioning it in my social media feed that I would get it done by Christmas, then not!
Nearly finished
This photo was the turning point last month… I ploughed on and got the finish line…
Only to realise that I wanted to add a few border stitches to my allotment… I started out with a double blanket stitch for one round. Then followed by a few more rounds until I was happy with the finish.
Here is my piece:
If you’d like to have a go at a sewing pattern by Collette Kinley here is the link to her etsy shop: Allotment – A Birds Eye View (affiliate link)
I’ve yet to decide how I am going to display my View from Above allotment. I am torn between hanging it or making it into a cushion. It’s quite a tactile piece. I am very tempted by turning it into a cushion so I can stroke it. What would you do?
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