Field Scabious.

This is the second piece in this diary/sketchbook series. 23rd July - yoga on the common, my green and turquoise mat, heat, Field Scabious, wind through the dried grasses, grass baked crisp.

 2 layers of fabric- outer painted with dyes, inner painted white and printed side panel. I drew the flower. Hand stitched.

 I used the drawings I made in July 2 years ago as reference.

Hare in the field - sketchbook diary story.

This is a new piece of work for the next exhibition at Rodmarton in Sept. I decided to make some small diary/sketchbook pieces to sell unframed and stay affordable. So my idea was to record a special moment - take an image, colour, texture, idea, fabric, stitch ( just 2 or 3 of those) to celebrate that moment. This one is 17th July- out on a walk we saw a hare in a field, first time in years. The grass is parched, the path strewn with tiny white trumpets of bindweed (convolvulus) and lots of small white butterflies. That is the story. There is always a story.

Butterflies

 Now is the time to do the big butterfly count for the Butterfly Conservation. I managed to snap this beauty on the Common- its a common blue.

 I get out the butterfly notebook I made years back and try to remember all the names and food plants.

 It is a very good year and we had a bumper count in the garden yesterday. ( trying not to stand too long in the sun because it was a scorcher!)

Some of my previous work on butterflies on vintage napkins.

Summer holiday in the Lake District.

 Just a few photos of our holiday in the Lake District. We stayed in a cottage 10 mins away from lake Windermere. The weather was perfect.

 The lakes still  and serene. This gives a flavour. It was a quiet and relaxing holiday.

The weather broke on our day traveling back home, but the locals would be rejoicing, lots of the streams were dry and no waterfalls. One little lake was completely dried out. Still no heavy rain at home. Garden very dry - luckily our son had done a good job watering the pots and greenhouse. Warmer and drier down here in the south. The lawn here is yellow, the holiday cottage was green.

July wild flowers and new piece begun.

 Tuesday was the July wild flower walk at Westonbirt. The guides show you around and sometimes pick common flowers to look at closely and show you how to identify them. This time I collected up the picked specimens so the bunch in the jug, bought home to draw, wasn't picked by me but the experts so nothing rare! However there are different types of soils and habitats within Westonbirt so a huge variety of plants to learn about.

 Hairy bell flower, St John's wort and bush vetch here.

 I have started a new stitched piece inspired by sycamore keys scattered on our local footpath.

Tiny Y Y Ys- all over the path.( fly stitch and question marks?) Away for a holiday now, will post a few pics on instagram- also louisemaywatson.

Dappled light on the grasses by the canal- finished.

 I finished it yesterday- close up of 'grasses by the canal' 11cm x 31cm. Paint and dye on calico. Hand stitched. 3 layers of fabric.

Whole thing- but long and thin so difficult for photos. I tried to capture the bright light of summer and dappled shadows - something to work on ( next time, next time) I am pleased with it but always there is knowledge that it could be better and that is the drive that keeps me working! Hot summer days here- no rain for the garden. Meals eaten outside on the new patio under the parasol. Summer clothes.We are not used to this!