Chatham, Cape Cod

In early November, I went to Boston MA, for an international meeting for work. As I'd visited Boston in 2013 during my travel fellowship, I decided to spend a few days seeing a different part of the state. My colleague E and I left London on the Friday before the meeting so that we could spend the weekend exploring Cape Cod.

After collecting the car at the airport, we made our way south (old school style without a sat nav and just some printed instructions from the car hire company). After a few wrong turns when we reached Chatham, we finally found the lovely inn where we spent two nights.

The New England fall weather lived up to expectations with a beautifully sunny day...here are some scenes from our stay in Chatham...

Handmade Christmas decorations...using black(red)work embroidery

This year, I made some handmade Christmas decorations for my mother to give to her friends. In the summer I did a two-day course learning blackwork embroidery at the Royal School of Needlework. Although we were learning traditional blackwork techniques, we worked the sampler with red embroidery thread. At the time, I thought it would be a nice effect for Christmas.

Using one of the sampler patterns, and worked on white belgian linen, I embroidered each of the individual motifs.

Each of the decorations was backed with a red fabric with white stars.

And then stitched together with a 2mm satin ribbon loop

Turned the right-side out and pressed, ready for their filling and finishing touches

Filled, and a small ribbon bow added for decoration.

I think they look quite festive!