Good morning everyone – its so nice to be back with the SAL Sunday group. I have had a good long break from The Garden Alphabet and it was definitely the right thing to do. Everyone kept saying I was so near the end but at the time I felt as though I was getting nowhere and it would never end. When I picked it up again almost a month ago now my first thought was how could I have left it so close to the end lol. I started by frogging what I had started on the last letter Z for Zinnia (the stitching was all over the place) and began afresh and I am pleased to say it went like a breeze . I have now completed not only the Zinnia but the butterfly, bees and dragonfly to complete the body of the piece. So just the left border and I think that will be it done. So hopefully June will be blooming and I will be onto a new project by then.
This was how it looked the last time I shared which was the 1st September 2019
and here is how it is looking now 
I am sorry its looking so crumpled but I forgot to press it before taking the photo – just try to ignore the fabric.
I am looking forward to spending today being utterly lazy and just breezing through everyone elses posts. I have managed to keep up to date which what a few of you are doing but I am expecting to see lots of new and exciting projects have appeared and also see amazing progress on some i have not seen for a while. I am also looking forward to seeing what our newbies are doing as I see a few new names on the list since I was last with you.
Oops just checking through what I had written and notice one of the bees wings have been outlined – well I did to bs round the wings on these bees for some reason then noticed that I hadn’t done it on any other bee so decided to unpick remove it as I actually prefer them without it. Obviously I only unpicked one of the two so I had better do the other now its been spotted. It’s funny how looking at a photo we often can see an error that we missed when the stitching was right before our eyes.
If you would like to see what the others in this SAL are up to then please follow the links below Avis, Claire, Gun, Carole, Sue, Constanze, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Hayley, Megan, Deborah, Mary Margaret, Renee, Carmela, Jocelyn, Sharon, Daisy, Anne, Connie, AJ, Jenny, Laura, Cathie, Linda, Sherrie, Helen
Hugs to all
Stitchery Nook 
Welcome back Helen! Fab to see your progress, sometimes a wee break is just what we need and you have made great progress, I agree I think the bee looks better without his stitching, enjoy your chilled out day 🙂 xx
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Lol thanks Jenny, unfortunately my chilled out day wasn’t meant to be, because just as I started to read and reply to mail on Sunday our internet went down and stayed down. Its been a bit hit and miss today but thankfully seems to be ok at the moment xxx
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So glad to have you back Helen! The break has done wonders for you, with a finish on the near horizon, hurrah! I am also looking forward to a lazy day, catching up on blogs and doing a little bit of quilting . 🙂
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Its lovely to be back Kathy. I am hoping there will be good progress in the next three weeks and that I will be close to that finish by the next showing. xx
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Helen! It’s nice to embroidery together again! Good creative week!
A hug, Carmela
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Thanks Carmela it is nice to be back with my SAL family once again. It has grown since I was last here so I am looking forward to catching up with the newbies and seeing what everyone is up to now.
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Welcome back Helen 🙂 It sounds like you really needed to put this project away for a while. You’re so close to a finish there’ll be no stopping you now!
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No I am certainly hoping that there will be good progress for next SAL show and that by June I may be doing a long awaited happy dance. x
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welcome back Helen ^^
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Thank you Claire, there are a few like yourself and Kathy and Jenny who I have managed to keep in touch with but it will be nice to meet the new ones at last. xx
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oh yes, you’ll find there’s lot of variety to admire!
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So glad your break did you the good you needed. There’s nothing better than a fresh perspective on an old project. Looking forward to happy dancing with you, maybe even the next time we meet!
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We can certain hope but I think that being done for the next showing is a little optimistic Sue. I am hoping to be finished by the one after though so fingers crossed. Its lovely to be back and I am looking forward to getting round and seeing what you have all been up to since I last visited. x
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I like that you took a break when you felt you needed it. Obviously it has refreshed your enthusiasm for your wonderful project. Happy Stitching now. We just passed 2 months in isolation here in Ontario.
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I hear that you have been in the best placed tucked up inside Jocelyn. Apparently its been snowing in your part of the world and very cold. Yes the break was much needed and when your hobby, the thing that is supposed to be pleasant and relaxing, becomes the reason for stress then it was time to take a step back. I changed direction and worked on my cards and then decided to finish a hardanger project. Once that was done I was ready to pick up the Garden Alphabet and be able to take pleasure in it once again. x
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Welcome back! This is a wonderful project and you’re doing a great job on it. I know its going to be awesome once you’re done.
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Thank you so much and I do hope it will look good when its complete Sharon. It will have taken me about 6 years to do so it deserves to be finished now. x
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Welcome back Helen! And well done picking up and getting so much done on your floral alphabet! Glad we’ll get to see the project finished. I read about your holiday in Spain, it must have been so strange to be there. We flew back into Seattle from Canada on the 7th of March and thought we’d have some sort of screening and were really just met with an empty airport. Hope you and yours are well. – Sunny
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Bless you Sunny and thanks. Yes coming back into the UK from Spain was the same. Everyone there looked like space travellers they were kitted from head to foot and wore big helmets like something from Star Wars, but when we landed in the Uk only the passport controls wore light masks and it all was very quiet and relaxed. x
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I´m so glad you are back and I enjoy seeing your The Garden Alphabet again!!!!
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Thanks so much Gun, its lovely to be back with you all xx
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I love zinnia’s! Beautiful stitching 🙂
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well done Helen – almost on the last leg with this project!
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Welcome back Helen! So good to see your alphabet again!
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