Overcoming the heat

 I have had my two weeks with Tracy Franklin in Durham, two of the hottest this year. Progress has not been good but at least I have come home with a clear direction of what to do and in what order.

The only thing about doing stumpwork is that nothing seems to happen to your work for ages but you have loads of bits all worked up waiting for the right moment to attach them. So there are petals and leaves all wired up and faces and hands just waiting to be stitched in.

As usual, I have a marathon to run. The needlelace for the skirt alone took 2 days to stitch and this last weekend I finished the clouds below in shaded chain stitch.

Tent stitch sun and chain stitch clouds

There is also quite a bit of long and short stitch for the hillocks that my lady stands on and I've just about completed that, just a bit under her feet to 'ground' her.

Skirt in corded buttonhole detached needlelce

So today I attached the over skirt which was long enough, thank the lord!

Super pearl purl edged flower

and just to finish the day off I've edged two of the little flowers in pearl purl

and there's two!

So now I'm ready to do the bodice and sleeves and attach her face and hair. Any tips folks?