Post 359

Up early for cleaning this morning. It was still pretty warm today, and unusually humid. It's still 28C at 10pm with 61% humidity. My dove friends visited to nibble on the seed, but perhaps more to access the shade created by my closed Vergola roof. She looked fine against the sky.

The view South from the balcony is less attractive. The building work progresses. There is now another floor in place, about a metre below my floor.  When the next section of wall goes up I will lose my sneak preview of what is happening - but it will also gradually take the activity and noise to a higher level. It will block some of my view, but by no means all, nor is it the most important.

I spent a bit more time this morning reading Sheila Paine's book. This is a sketch of a terracotta figure of the Great Goddess found in Razgrad, Bulgaria and dating around 4000 BC. The raised arms is common and this became a common figure in embroidery. I am very interested in these figures and symbols. I discovered that Sheila Paine travelled widely researching magic, ancient religious cults, amulets and motifs. She wrote other books. 

I located an early edition of Embroidered Textiles  and a copy of Amulets: Sacred Charms of Power and Protectionand ordered both. A glutton for punishment! 

Today was a JEMS day. I took Brigid's flowers to her when I went to pick Niamh up. Some of the flowers are past their best, but some are still looking fabulous. There were 5 girls at JEMS today - gradually returning towards pre-COVID  numbers. 

Before leaving for JEMS I had taken the blocking pins out of the Owl Service and added the gimp. I had to do it carefully, holding the linen outside the circular design so I wouldn't crush the work. I didn't want to have to block it again as I suspect the gimp will run. I then put a row of stitches about 5cm outside the edge of the circle and gathered it over the outer ring.

I chose this patterned linen to cover the back. I think it's a remnant from Ink and Spindle, but I'm not sure. I cut it to fit and pinned it, then took it with me to pick up Niamh. We had milkshakes at Queen St Cafe and then went on to their place, where I struggled to stay awake, but managed to stitch this down.

I added a hanging loop from the gimp.

I'm very pleased with this. I'm not sure it will mean much to visitors to the Guild Exhibition. I plan to add a note to the back in an archival pen to acknowledge the quote. A job for tomorrow afternoon, I think, after Book Club.