If only they knew!

These cheeky fellows called by for a visit today. They seem quite at home nosing around the Ladies Mantle at the edge of the garden pond.

If they knew our latest work involves collecting and dyeing feathers they might have thought it wiser to keep a safer distance. So much temptation!

When I used to do a lot of watercolour painting Mallards were one of my favourite subjects - I just love that viridian on the head! It's nearly always colour that attracts me as a source of inspiration. I guess most of us who paint and stitch are the same - colour is our driving force. When you enjoy something that much it doesn't feel like work! So, although I suppose technically it is work, we had great fun yesterday putting more of our favourite colours together for some new thread collections that Madeira are creating for us. Last year they asked us to choose our favourite 18 threads to be packaged in a lovely rigid box. I can't tell you how long we debated over that! This year we've chosen 2 more collections so there was less arguing about all the gorgeous colours we couldn't fit in!

I've stitched this sample for the photograph that will illustrate one box set using just 2 of the colours - a gorgeous rayon and a lovely soft metallic.

And here I've used a few more colours from the same collection to embroider swallows to make yet more bags. Next time I'll show what lovely things we're making with the other collection.

Bye for now - Linda