Tuesday 25 September 2018

Haven't stopped smiling

It is not often I stitch something for myself as I tend to only stitch something that I know has a place or use. I don't stitch something just because I like the design, it has to have a purpose.

However a few years ago I fell in love with Jardin Privé's Sampler au Bouquet which is a design in three parts. Each design can be stitched as an individual piece or together to make a long sampler.

I decided to stitch it as one and at the time I thought it would make a great hanging in our static caravan holiday home in Wales. I started stitching it in 2011 and as it was not my main stitching focus piece my progress was slow.

My stitching was very slow and had stitched all the edge and the first blue flower when a few years later Hubby and I decided we were not using the caravan much now our children were grown up - Sampler au Bouquet was put away as it had no purpose. 

At the end of last year I had an idea, I knew the perfect place for Sampler au Bouquet - in our newly decorated bedroom which has a colour scheme of red and cream and had blankbwall space!

You may know that I host an online forum for crafting, mainly stitching but other crafts too. Needlecraft Haven is a special place to me; our small group of core members are all super ladies. Needlecraft Haven is open to everyone and free to join. The last couple of years has held troubled times for quite a few of us, I personnally know that stitching and chatting is a great comfort and love our forum.

Needlecraft Haven has a Parlour, a place where we meet (online) to stitch together. It is a virtual place that is so cosy with a real fire, cakes, biscuits, tea, coffee and sometimes a glass of something special. There is always something going on in our special room:


  • Each Wednesday Barb opens up and she encourages us to work on our latest piece. 
  • Every year Julie is there at the weekend when Strictly Come Dancing is on, she keeps us up to date with who is doing which dance to which piece of music and encourages us to work on our UFOs or WIPs. 
  • Last summer I opened up every night that the World Cup football was on for members to sit and stitch while their DHs were tv watching. 


It was stitching with members of Needlecraft Haven that encouraged me to work on my Sampler au Bouquet. I was so so pleased to finish it earlier this year, and now it is framed and hanging on the wall in our bedroom - it looks perfect, I am so so pleased with it. The light is not good in the bedroom I took the photo in the conservatory.
Sampler au Bouquet I
Sampler au Bouquet II

Sampler au Bouquet III

Huge huge thanks to the NH ladies that encouraged me to keep stitching; your friendship and shared interest means so much to me - thank you.

Sampler au Bouquet 

13 comments:

  1. The Sampler looks great. The frame is perfect.

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  2. Well done Clare, it is absolutely stunning!

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  3. It's such a lovely piece Clare it would have been a shame to abandon it altogether. I'm glad you finally finished it and find a place in your home for it.

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  4. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!

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  5. Congratulations on your gorgeous finish.

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  6. Congratulations on the Happy Dance for this beautiful sampler. You could write a little dedication to each of the NH ladies on the back so you think of them whenever you move this piece!

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  7. Stunning finish, its beautiful.

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  8. Clare it is absolutely beautiful and perfectly framed. It will look stunning in your guest bedroom and admired I'm sure. The Haven sounds like a wonderful place to meet, stitch and talk. Nothing better than talking with friends and stitching to soothe troubles we all have. RJ@stitchingfriendsforever

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  9. Oh Clare, it is stunning! You must be so thrilled to finally have it finished.

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  10. How gorgeous, Clare--I love everything about this one!

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  11. I'd be smiling too, it looks fantastic! So beautifully framed and even better that you have the perfect place for it.

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  12. I have that "issue" too. Stuff stitched for me needs to either be useful or already have a place in mind for it. Glad NH encouraged you to finish it; it's beautiful and will look amazing on your wall! It even seems to match your conservatory. :)

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  13. That is such a beautiful piece. Well worth the wait for it! And NH sounds like a wonderful idea x

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