Spring is almost complete, and the rains have arrived. The garden is looking magnificent with lush, green lawn and colourful flowers everywhere. At this time of year, almost every class can take place on the patio of my home as the weather is glorious. Even if it rains, it is usually short lived and it is still warm or even hot. The ladies love being in the beauty of the garden as they sit and sew or knit. It all adds to the therapy of the morning or afternoon!
I have had a couple of new embroidery students, and I am so proud of their first projects. Waheeda Patel embroidered Roseworks’ Summer Meadow design and Martina Swartz did Roseworks’ Love. They have sewn them beautifully. I am immensely proud of them both.
Samantha Mohanlal came to me only knowing the basics of knitting and she has gone from strength to strength ever since. First she knitted a bootie and bonnet set for a newborn baby, then a baby’s vest and most recently she completed a matinee jacket. I am so impressed that she has learned the skills of reading a pattern so quickly and her knitting tension is near perfect
Even though my eleven-year-old student, Masego Ngwenya has been coming for lessons for almost a year, she has just suddenly started crocheting at an improved proficiency. Also, Masego has started creating items at home like the hammock she designed to hold her yarn. She also learned the corner-to-corner stitch easily. Her work is now neat and evenly tensioned. It warms my heart that she enjoys her crocheting so much, especially at such a young age.
What am I up to? I continue with my son’s birthday jersey. It is one of the DROPS designs patterns (Ice Island), and British racing car green, Elle Marino wool. I am loving the design and working with this wool. I am working on the second sleeve now, so hopefully the end is in sight!
I also continue with my Greensleaves embroidery, designed by Brenda Sortwell. It is lots of work but loads of fun. It is a lot of fine work and taking a long time to embroider. Progress is being made.
I give lessons in knitting, croching and hand embroidery at Kyalami are on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings and Tuesday afternoons. Lessons run every alternate week, except for the Thursday mornings; they are every week. I’d love you to join me so I can share my passion for crafts with you!
The stock at Threads of Joy is building up. If you are needing items, especially for your embroidery projects – from DMC and House of embroidery threads, to Roseworks Embroidery kits, to sewing needles, to embroidery hoops or scissors please give me a call. If I don’t have the items in stock, I will try my best to get them for you. Just call me before hand to arrange a suitable time to do your shopping.
Join me if you want to learn a new skill and meet some like-minded friends! Be inspired. Begin a new project. Bring a friend along too. Contact me if you are interested in crocheting, knitting or doing some hand embroidery. Remember, you are never too old or too young to learn something new!
Yours in craft, Lindsey
