Robins are for lfe, not just for Christmas!

Here we are in September again. It's almost a whole year since I rescued that poorly hedgehog* (wonder what it's up to now?)

I've been very busy for the last couple of weeks re-formatting all of my patterns and updating my shops with new versions. I've also built a brand new website. You can find links to both my shops and this blog as well as the two free patterns in my Payhip shop.

hawthorntreedesigns.com

So, you're wondering what this all has to do with robins? Well, I've just added a brand new pattern to my collection...

This sweet little robin redbreast compliments my bullfinches. I have several more which will be available in the near future and others in the planning. (Did I mention I love birds?)These bird designs are really easy to stitch and I would have finished the robin in one afternoon had I not decided to change the shade of orange I was using. I was also distracted by Frodo and Sam making their way through the Dead Marshes in The Two Towers so you may well finish it sooner than I did!

Like the bullfinches, this robin has been designed to fit into a 4-inch hoop but he also makes a great motif for Christmas cards, should you want to get a head-start on making some of your own before things start to get really busy.

However, as the title  of this post implies, robins can be seen all year round so he is definitely not just for Christmas! To stitch him for yourself click here.

*To read about my hedgehog rescue, click here.

New Christmas Patterns!

I can't believe we're already almost halfway through October - where does the time go? I didn't work at all last weekend as I was at Derby Folk Festival enjoying all the great music. Due to the fire earlier this year, the Assembly Rooms are closed until further notice so it became an outdoor festival. There was a big marquee set up in the market square and a number of events took place in the Guildhall Theatre and the Old Bell Hotel. It really showcased Derby's cathedral quarter and created a real buzz in the city centre. I was able to indulge myself in my favourite music all weekend with performances from Coope, Boyes and Simpson, Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman, Martin Simpson, Jez Lowe and the Bad Pennies, Steeleye Span, Show of Hands and Kate Rusby. Fantastic! I'm already excited about what will be on offer next year.

 

There were sycamore leaves and seeds all over the market square and the chilly nights reminded me that winter is fast approaching. For us crafters, it's time to think about the projects we want to work on for Christmas. If you're looking for something festive that won't take up too much of your time then I have THREE choices for you! They can each be finished in well under a month and only need two skeins of stranded cotton and a small amount of metallic braid. If you're speedy you could easily make more than one of them before Christmas.

 

The first is this Festive Bauble, inspired by traditional band samplers and Assisi work. Although it will fit into a 6-inch hoop, it looks more balanced in a 7-inch hoop. It can be worked in any colours you choose so feel free to use my design as a guide to match it to your own festive colour scheme.

 

The second is this Noel Sampler featuring mini motifs which can be used for smaller projects such as Christmas cards. This design fits perfectly into an 8-inch hoop.

The third design is this sampler inspired by the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol. For me, no Christmas is complete without this story and I'm a big fan of the TV version with Patrick Stewart as Scrooge. When the old miser is shown the error of his ways by the Spirits of Christmases Past, Present and Yet to Come, Scrooge vows to make amends and change his ways. You could almost imagine Mrs Cratchit herself making this sampler to display on the wall as her family sit down to their Christmas dinner.

 

 

You can find them all in my Etsy and Payhip shops and don't forget you can also keep in touch with me through Facebook and Twitter.

 

September - and a rescued hedgehog

Yesterday (23rd) was not only the 65th birthday of Bruce Springsteen but also the autumn equinox. We have now entered the last quarter of the year and we're going to see the nights getting gradually longer until December.

 

I used to dread September as a child because it always meant going back to school, although it did mean we would be singing one of my favourite hymns in morning assembly - Autumn Days. If you fancy reliving those days, you can do so with this video.  Now however, I have a whole new appreciation for this month. For me, it is the mirror image of April; the world is starting to liven up again but instead of getting warmer and brighter, the days become shorter and colder. I've seen lots of red admiral butterflies lately, stopping to feed on sedum, Michaelmas daisies and valerian as they head south. It's been a couple of weeks since I've seen swallows or martins but two days ago I saw my first wigeon of the autumn. A large starling flock has been spending a lot of time in the garden and chattering on the gutter above my window.

 

I had a very close encounter with a hedgehog a couple of weeks ago when it turned up in the front garden looking very poorly. I took it inside and put it in a box and then looked on the internet for advice. I found some excellent information from the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and followed the instructions. I warmed up the hog with a hot water bottle and fed it some cat food. I then contacted a local rehabilitator and the hog was handed over at Shipley Country Park Visitor Centre. Here are a couple of photos I took of it. The first is before it woke up and the second shows it enjoying a snack.

 

 

 

It was a privilege to help this beautiful little creature and now I know what to do if I ever find another one.

 

In the meantime, for us crafters this is the time of year when we spend more time on our hobbies and we start to think about our Christmas projects. Over the last three weeks, I have been stitching three new designs which will be on sale very soon. They are all festive-themed and are really easy to work and easily adaptable for your own colour schemes. I'll give you more details when I put them on sale but I'm sure you're going to love them. You can see previews of them on my twitter and Facebook pages.