Mini Hoop Robin

A little while ago I was asked to make a special present for my neighbour Becki. Becki had seen my collection of bird designs and told me she wanted a version of the robin for her grandma.

 

 

I suggested a mini version that could be framed in one of the perfectly made tiny hoops from Dandelyne. These hoops are all hand-finished by Sonia Lyne at her home in Melbourne, Australia. Although this is on the other side of the world to me, it's well worth ordering these beautiful accessories and playing with ideas for them.

 

I'm challenging myself to do more freehand embroidery and this was the perfect opportunity to do something outside of my comfort zone. After all, this is the only way you can grow, isn't it?

 

I'm happy with how this one turned out but I need to keep to practising the technique until I'm more confident with it.

 

One of my plans for next year is to create more mini hoop pieces of various kinds so I'll be working on design ideas over winter. Some of them will be inspired by ancient Celtic art and others by nature. I'm really excited about this new endeavour and about being part of the awesome mini hoop community.

 

My bird designs are all available on Etsy and in my Payhip shop.

 

Click here to find out more about Dandelyne.

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.

Making Plans

My floss box

It's that time of year - the Summer Slump, but that doesn't mean I'm not capable of creating heaps of work for myself. I've been really busy making plans for what I want to do over the coming months.

 

You may have seen my Leopold B design. Since I first stitched it, I've been planning to create a whole alphabet but until now I haven't got around to it. I've decided to shrink the letters so they each fit into a 6-inch hoop. It's going to take a while before they're ready to go on sale but I'm very excited about how they're going to look.

 

 

I'm also creating a series of bird designs to go with the bullfinches which are already on sale. Here's a sneak-peek at some of them. There's also a robin which will be ready later this year.

 

 

I'm also giving my Festive Bauble design a makeover: I'm changing the colours and resizing it as I wasn't completely happy with the original. That will also be available later this year.

 

I've been commissioned to make a wedding sampler which I have to keep secret for now but I'll show you how it turns out once it's been delivered to the happy couple. The wedding is in October so you'll have to wait a bit longer to see it!

 

I also have plans to give my online shops a new look. It all needs freshening up a little bit so this is another ongoing project for the next few weeks. I can't wait to put all the pieces together and when it's ready I'll tell you all about it here on Beneath the Hawthorn Tree.

 

As far as the blog itself is concerned, I want to add more tutorials and hints and tips etc so I'll be making a list of ideas for that. I'm also planning on launching a new personal blog for nature notes and musings as I want this blog to be focused on embroidery and crafts.

 

This is only part of my to-do list so as you can see I have plenty to keep myself occupied! I'll keep you posted on everything. In the meantime, you can follow me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook as well as popping into my Etsy and Payhip shops.

 

Make the most of the long days while they last!

 

Happy crafting! 

Spring Cleaning

This beautiful weather that we've been enjoying of late has inspired me to have a bit of a spring clean in my shop. I've decide that some of the designs need a makeover and so I'll be making a few changes to the listings in the coming months.

 

Dale Abbey Alphabet Tile is now available in a fresh modern palette that gives an interesting contrast to the ancient style of the Lombardic lettering.

I'm also going to introduce a smaller version of my Durrow Knots pattern with a different colour scheme. Of course you can stitch any of these designs in other colours if you wish by using my original pattern as a guide.

 

My current WIP is inspired by Alice In Wonderland via Jefferson Airplane. Here's a sneak peak at the Bargello-inspired background. I'll show you the whole thing when it's ready.

I do love to stitch by the window at this time of year. At the moment there is a pair of blackbirds collecting food for their growing chicks, which are at least 8 days old as I write. The nest is in a neighbour's garden. A cheeky jackdaw has been eyeing up the fat pudding on our bird table and a buzzard has just soared overhead.

Spring has really gone to my head this year and I love April even more than I did at the start of the month. It's so easy to be distracted by the wonders of nature but I really must get back to the stitching!

Just one more note to leave you with - I am now on Instagram and you can find me here.

Happy stitching!

Joys of April

"Oh, to be in England

Now that April's there..."

 

April is my favourite month of the year and I love walking in the countryside to see how green everything is becoming. The birds are really busy at the moment building nests and the summer migrants are starting to return. I saw my first swallow on Friday as I was walking down Ogston New Road, alongside the reservoir. On the opposite side of the road to the reservoir, there is a colony of herons and for the first time I got the chance to see some of the chicks in their nests. This was a real thrill and the colony seems to be thriving. Chiffchaffs were singing from all directions. If you look on Google Earth, you can see this road in its summer glory.

 

Having come home in a really good mood, I was greeted by the sight of a large parcel waiting for me. If like me you used to buy New Stitches magazine, produced by Mary Hickmott's company, you will know that late last year the publication came to a sudden and premature end due to unforeseen circumstances. Subscribers were given two options: either have the subscription transferred to a different magazine or have a 'lucky dip' of fabric and threads. I chose the lucky dip and so when I saw the parcel, I knew it must be full of stitching goodies!

 

 

I wasn't expecting to receive as much as I did and so I was really excited to discover what was in the parcel. There were five pieces of various fabrics, six skeins of DMC stranded cotton, a kit of a classic Mary Hickmott floral design, a booklet about Lagartera embroidery, a John James pebble containing an assortment of needles and a reel of gold thread (which I forgot to include in the picture).

 

 

This was such a treat and I have already sent a thank you message to Mary and her team. You may be interested to know that Mary now has her own blog which you can find here. I am so glad that she will still be sharing her knowledge and beautiful designs with us. I have learned so much from her over the years, particularly from her Masterclass articles, and I can honestly say she has been a huge inspiration to me.

 

As if all of that excitement wasn't enough, a male reed bunting landed on one of our feeders and had quite a good feed. Reed buntings look very handsome in their spring plumage and it was such a delight to see one through the kitchen window.

 

 

I can assure you that in spite all of this, I am still working! Two of my current designs are having a spring makeover. The new version of Dale Abbey Alphabet Tile will be available very soon and the second pattern will be available in time for summer. This is on top of several new patterns which I have already scheduled for this year so keep checking my shops for updates.

 

Reed bunting photo (c)Roy Eley 2015

Spring is here - and so are the bumblebees!

 

As I write this, it is Good Friday. Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day but today is quite cold and damp but at least we seem to have left the strong winds and heavy rain showers behind - so much for March going out like a lamb! Nevertheless, it is officially spring and we are now on British Summertime - more hours of daylight for us stitchers!

 

As you know, I love nature and the natural world is one of the biggest influences in my designs and spring is my favourite time of the year. It's so exciting to see the countryside and the garden coming back to life. There's frog spawn in the pond, the birds are all pairing up and preparing their nests and the first bumblebees are out and about. You know that spring is truly here when the bees venture out of their winter burrows and begin their search for pollen.

 

This sampler depicts three queens of the most common species of bumblebees found in the UK. I am lucky that my garden is full of life throughout the seasons and there are numerous types of bees buzzing here and there in the summer. You can recognise queen bumblebees because they are quite a big bigger than the workers.

 

On the top left we have the white-tailed bumblebee. Along with white-tailed bumblebees, these are the first to emerge from their winter slumbers.

 

 

On the top right is the red-tailed bumblebee. The workers have the same markings but are much smaller. This is my personal favourite bumblebee and it's always a delight to find them in the garden.

 

 

At the bottom is the tree bumblebee. This is a continental species that was first recorded in Britain in 2001. Since then it has made a steady progression northwards. Twice they have nested in my garden, once in a wall cavity and once in an old bird box. Unusually for bumblebees they can become aggressive if you get too close to the nest so it's best to be cautious when observing them but they are fascinating to watch. They particularly liked our plume thistles.

 

 

When worked on 16/32 count fabric, the design fits perfectly into a 5-inch hoop. You could also stitch and frame them separately in three 3-inch hoops. They are also perfect for other small projects such as greetings cards, coasters, pin cushions and much more.

 

If you would like to buy the pattern, you can either click on the Etsy mini listing at the top of the page or click here to go to my Payhip shop. Happy Easter and happy stitching!

Hopton Hall Snowdrops

On Wednesday morning, I took a bit of time off to enjoy the snowdrop walk at Hopton Hall, near Carsington Water in Derbyshire. A cock pheasant stood proudly on the wall above the entrance sign but unfortunately I wasn't able to get a picture. Every February, the gardens at Hopton are open to the public and there are stunning displays of snowdrops within the grounds. They bloom alongside aconites in large numbers amongst the trees. For me, the blossoming of snowdrops signifies the ending of winter rather than the beginning of spring. I know that frogspawn has already been appearing in some places in the south of England but here in Derbyshire it will be a few more weeks before it starts to feel like spring.

 

Snowdrops at Hopton Hall

There are several different varieties of snowdrop growing at Hopton. Some of them have double petals like the one pictured below but I think the prettiest and most elegant is the most common variety that you might see in any wood.

 

 

I have stated before on this blog that I really enjoy being in woodland and yesterday the sounds of blue tits, great tits and blackbirds came out of every tree, or so it seemed. There was also a treecreeper climbing a large trunk.

 

Fungus growing on a tree stump

As you follow the walk around the trees, you eventually come to a small pet cemetery. Here lie several animals kept by the Gell family in the early twentieth century. They include Boris, a Russian wolfhound "who met death beneath a motor car" in 1916.

 

Hopton Hall's pet cemetery

Before continuing the walk into the formal gardens, we popped into the tea room. I had a piece of homemade chocolate cake which was simply scrumptious. The tea room is in the hall's kitchen and pantry area. There are numerous hooks in the ceiling and along the beams where meat, game and poultry would be hung in times past. In my mind's eye I could see the kitchen staff busily preparing meals for the family and numerous guests.

 

After some refreshment, we off to the formal gardens. This is where you can see beautiful roses in the summer but there is still plenty of interest in February. The wall at the top of the garden is what is known as a "crinkle-crankle". This south-facing, curved wall is designed to maximise the light and heat needed to grow fruit trees.

 

 

There is also a large wildlife pond. A tawny owl hooted in the trees just behind it but didn't show itself. A solitary swan glided over the water and there was the odd coot and moorhen.

 

The duck house and pond

It's always fascinating to visit old houses and their gardens as there is so much history to these places. I definitely recommend Hopton Hall but there are only a few days left if you want to see the snowdrops this year. The walk will close on the 1st March (Sunday) but the gardens will be open again in June. You can find more information here. In the meantime, I will get back to my stitching. I am currently working on a flower but it couldn't look more different from a snowdrop. When it is ready you will see it on this blog.

All photos (c) Karen Eley 2015

 

 





New Bullfinches Pattern and a Payhip Shop Sale

The days are getting longer and lighter, the snowdrops are opening and that means the birds are starting to think about nesting.

 

I've been fascinated by birds since I was a young child and I love all birds but most of all I love the birds of woodland habitat and those that come into my garden. My favourite bird of all is the bullfinch and I remember the first time I saw one in my garden. It perched briefly on top of the brick archway over the gate before flying away. On another occasion, during a snowy day one winter, a male landed on the fence and his pink breast looked like a rose that had suddenly blossomed in the white landscape.

 

 

Bullfinches are believed to pair for life as males and females are often seen together in winter. I have been lucky enough to see a pair in my garden a couple of times feeding on the berries of a Himalayan honeysuckle plant (also known as pheasant berry). This being so, you really shouldn't stitch one without the other, even if you choose to frame them separately.

 

 

 

This brand new pattern is one six that I have included in a 20% sale on my Payhip shop. The sale includes the following patterns:

 

Bullfinch Pair

Summer Solstice

Winter Solstice

Summer and Winter Solstice Pattern Pack

Art Nouveau Rose

Lindisfarne Celtic Geometry

Celtic Knotwork Bellpull

 

To get 20% off these patterns simply enter the code SNOWDROP at the checkout.

 

THIS OFFER ENDS ON SUNDAY 22nd FEBRUARY

Not all who wander are lost

You've probably guessed that someone who names their business The Hawthorn Tree likes trees quite a lot. When I'm not working, my favourite thing is to wander through the beautiful Derbyshire countryside that I love so much and although I love the whole landscape, my favourite places are woods. There is something about standing amongst trees that grew tall before your grandparents were born and which will continue to be around long after you're gone that I find fascinating. They also provide a fantastic habitat for wildlife and every minute I spend there is a pleasure.

 

This week I was in Shining Cliff Wood, Ambergate. This is an ancient wood that was once part of the royal hunting forest of Duffield Frith and it takes its name from the gritstone rocks that it stands upon. There are acres of tall pines and larches as well as oak, yew, alder and others. This place has added meaning for me as my Grandma moved  with her family to Ambergate in 1930 from Heage. Her father worked on the nearby railway for over forty years and they lived at Midland Terrace, near the station.

 

St. Anne's church, Ambergate

As I write this, it is the fifth anniversary of Grandma's death and she was very much in my thoughts as we passed St. Anne's church where she married Grandad in 1948. As you walk up the lane past the church you come to Ha'penny Bridge. This is where the Amber meets the Derwent and there used to be a little toll cottage here but unfortunately it was demolished in 1964.

 

The River Amber (right) joins the River Derwent

A little further on, on the edge of the wood is what remains of Johnson's Wire Works. Now derelict and silent, it was once a big employer of local men and the sheds hummed with the sound of the machinery. Grandma's brother worked there before and after his time in the army during the war. I'd be very surprised if owls didn't roost in these empty buildings. A handsome grey wagtail was walking around there looking for insects.

 

The old wire works, R Johnson and Nephew

 

Grey Wagtail

A buzzard called overhead as we entered the wood and a male bullfinch perched on a tree at the edge of the path, like a little rosy beacon to welcome us. His mate was a little further along.

 

I love the earthy smell of a woodland; the damp leaf litter is the heart of this habitat, providing the perfect home for  many different insects. This in turn provides food for many different species of birds. Great tits, blue tits, long-tailed tits and coal tits could all be heard but high up in the tree tops there came the unmistakeable calls of goldcrests. These tiny birds are sometimes called kinglets, as they have little golden crowns. I quite like the idea of the smallest birds in the kingdom being royal as it's an honour usually reserved for much larger birds like eagles.

 

Squirrels bounded about in the fallen leaves and pine needles. As we climbed up to Betty Kenny's Tree, the ground was so thick with pine needles that in places it was like walking on a soft blanket. Betty Kenny's Tree is now in ruins but it was once a mighty yew tree that was reputedly up to 2000 years old. Betty and her husband Luke were charcoal burners who lived there in the late eighteenth century and they built their hut around the tree. There is an old legend that Betty used the old branches to rock her young children to sleep and this is said to be the origins of the nursery rhyme Rock-a-bye Baby. The family were definitely real but their story has been embellished over the centuries, which I think is no bad thing.

 

Betty Kenny's Tree

If a walk through the woods doesn't spark your imagination then what will? When there was an occasional gust of wind, the tall pines seemed to sigh and whisper as they swayed, making a sound like water rushing over a weir. It's no wonder that Tolkien imagined the tallest and wisest trees to be creatures with minds of their own, Shepherds of the Forest. It is certainly true that trees become more interesting as they age, and I like to think it's the same with people.

 

 

 

We collected some small larch branches with little cones to keep for midwinter decorations. When they're on display they will be a reminder of this beautiful and wonderous place.

 

Photos (c) Eley family 2015

 

You can find out more about Betty Kenny's tree and her family here.

More information about Johnson's Wire Works.

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.