Sleep Tight, Dors Bien, Slaap Lekker ... Competition

News of a quilting competition coming up - but first some lovely inspiration for you. I know we went to the auctions last night, but I came across this beautifully embroidered quilt today and couldn't resist showing you. The bright stitching around its irregular form which measures approximately just 18" square seems to give it an outer glow. It is lot 383 and it is in the Philip Serrell Spring Sale at Malvern on 10 March. Click here for more details.

So, the competition. The challenge is to make either: a handmade doll with quilt and doll bed or a traditional doll quilt with doll bed or an art doll quilt with doll bed. There will be four finalists in each category whose work will be exhibited at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, TEXAS in fall, 2011. You don't have time to sleep on this job, your entries (and you can submit up to 10 on-line) must be ready by the end of July 2011. For all the details click here.

Look at the Frame! Christie's Auction 8 March

Well, shiver my timbers and hoist me by my own petard, now you have caught me saying something I never thought I would or should. Look at the frame! (As opposed to - Look at the sampler!) This is such a lovely frame - described as pan work - a term I am not familiar with - perhaps someone can tell us more?

I am very grateful to Christopher Proudlove for informing us: I think you'll find that's penwork - the name given to the nineteenth-century decorative technique in which many of the technical, aesthetic, and social contexts of the day are reflected in its intricate designs. Many penwork designs seek to simulate the glamour and richness of ivory-inlaid furniture, while others mimic the hardstone mosaic substitute, scagliola.

It is alive with gorgeous Regency vignettes of girls and boys, mothers and fathers, their costumes all depicted in meticulous detail. The sampler to which it is now attached is probably later in date - 1832 - and is for auction together with another sampler tomorrow at Christie's in London. The lot number is 342 and the estimate for both samplers is £700- £1,000. Click here for more details. 

Many Congratulations Marie-Claire and Congratulations New Designers

One of Needleprint's objectives is to stimulate interest in stitching and it really is a great delight to me to have helped in a little way the launch of new designers by the release of the Needleprint motif libraries. Kathy from Gracewood Stitches is one of the most recent who is now confidently designing and selling her own charts. Steve Rousseau is another extremely talented designer. His design for a cushion inspired many of you. And now you can see how this design looks in a frame. Beautifully stitched by Marie-Claire from the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in France, this fabulous piece is a stunner - époustouflante Marie-Claire!

In case you missed this free download generously gifted by Steve the first time, here is the link for you again. Just click here.


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Lovely Linens from Busatti in Arezzo

I think there is a saying in this house that goes something like: You can never have too much linen. My husband already knows that, yet during a holiday to Tuscany he took the company call to fly back to London for a day's meeting, leaving me all to my own devices....

Normally this means visiting museums or churches, which is quite a safe activity as far as my husband is concerned. And that had been the plan, to take the train from Florence to Arezzo and see the Piera Della Francesca fresco series of St Helena and the True Cross in the church there.

And when I had imbibed as much as I could of Della Francesca's powerful serenity, I took a long lunch, and when the shops opened again, it was time to see if perhaps there was any nice linen for presents....

I have to say if you want a nice, edited shopping experience, Arezzo is the place. There are some lovely shops - and some particularly fabulous linen shops, including that of the family owned firm Busatti which has been going since Garibaldi wore a red shirt (was that linen?) If you are ever visiting Florence - do take time out to visit this wonderful place, won't you?