Early Signs

I'll admit it - I'm a bit old-fashioned when it comes to protecting the furniture in my house as I prefer to use doilies so that vases and ornaments don't scratch the wood or laminate top.  We were having an overnight visitor the other night and so, in order to make a 'good impression', dusted the furniture (long overdue I might add!!) and chose new doilies from my collection.  As always I came across a couple of models I stitched when I was only very young and still learning the correct techniques from my mother and grandmother.  Usually I just overlook them, but this time I carefully examined them with a much more appreciative 'eye' and realised how craft and working with needle and thread has been in my DNA from a very early age.

The mauve and pink doily on the left contains only lazy daisy stitch and was worked in double-strand variegated thread while the teddy bear doily consisted of straight, lazy daisy and satin stitches.

This dog design formed the end of a runner - duplicated at the other end - and consisted of lazy daisy, satin, stem and backstitch.  It has been stitched in single thread and washing and wear and tear appears to have taken its toll with some of the threads coming loose, but a look at the back of the work .... well, let's just say, I still had a lot to learn about carrying the thread and finishing off neatly.

I can tell that this yellow floral doily was a slightly later work as the neatness (both front and back) is considerably improved with smaller stitching technique and skill.  Once again this doily only contains satin, stem, straight and back stitch.  

I might add that I crocheted the edging for each and every one of these doilies also - yet another indication that crafting for me was definitely a keen interest.

As basic and simple as these stitchings are and considering I would only have been around 10 years of age when they were worked, it gives me a great deal of pride to display them.  

Ros

"With courage you can stay with something long enough to succeed at it." - Earl Nightingale