The year in review -- 2019

OMG!  It seems that 2019 passed me by with only one blog post partially finished and never posted!!!!! ........... and here we are in 2020 in a pandemic lockdown around the world.

Although there has not been much activity here on my blog, that doesn't mean it has been quiet in the Woman's Cave. There have been a number of projects completed including some UFOs as well as new starts.

There were a few personal and stitching highlights in 2019 that I think I should mention. In March I was encouraged by some fellow stitchers to enter some of my work in the Toowoomba Show for the first time. Proud to say I was awarded two 2nd places  -- the Grecian Urns (cross stitch wallhanging and cushion covers) and my lovely embroidered wall hanging, On Freedoms Wings -- and one 3rd place for my patchwork placemats. There are photos in the page entitled Projects in 2019 in the menu bar above, along with many other projects for 2019.

Placemats --3rd place

On Freedoms Wings

Another highlight was a short retreat at Glenrose in Warwick, with my Stitching Sister, Carmel, and her friend, Davida. Four lovely days just stitching, chatting, and relaxing. I managed to partially finish three projects - an animal height chart for the grandsons which I finished in time for Christmas, and two wallhangings yet to be completed.

But my major stitching highlight for the year was when I was given the opportunity to display some of my embroidery work in the display cabinet at the Toowoomba Branch of the Queensland Embroiderers Guild for two months. Wow! A great personal achievement since I have only been a member and started my embroidery journey only 8 years ago when I turned 60 years of age.

Looking back on my photos I was very surprised at the amount of projects I had either completed, started, or worked on in 2019. No wonder I missed the blog posts.

As there were so many photos I have added a page in the menu bar above with a rather large selection for you to view if you are interested in seeing my work from 2019.

I have some very different projects to work on in 2020 and with the current global pandemic forcing us to "hibernate" for a few months there will be no travelling for us so there will be more time to spend in the Woman's Cave .

Stay safe and happy stitching everyone.

My work beautifully displayed

Work on display October 2019

2018 Year of Finishes

It might have been a Year of Finishes in 2018 but certainly not a year of blogging.

Despite a good start to the year life for us was not all smooth sailing in the first half of the year.

Creative activities slowed a little but there were some lovely finishes.

I make no promises that there will be regular blogging in 2019 as we will be travelling most of the year. However I will certainly make an effort to record my creative finishes when possible.

A few finishes in 2018 included my beautiful Petals and Patches bluebird wall hanging. I loved this project combining embroidery and patchwork.

Grecian Urns

Wall hanging and cushion covers

Another finish I was very pleased with was the cross stitched Grecian Vases project that was started way back in 2012 (I think??!!). These vases were part of a Round Robin that I finished cross stitching a long time ago. So I finally put them together as a wall hanging at a lovely little quilt retreat on Magnetic Island in May. The two remaining vases I turned into cushion covers and finished them in June when we were housesitting in Mareeba. This was a design by Anette Eriksson published in a  UK cross stitch magazine.


An experience I did enjoy in 2018, was stitching some samples for the designer, Anette Eriksson.  I undertook two projects for Anette who is from Denmark, but lives in Melbourne. She has some beautiful Danish designs on her website.

Christmas stitching was a busy time with three quilts and three stockings designed and finished in November and December.