The sideboard needs festive bunting ....

As soon as it is November, thoughts turn to the exevitable march of time & the festive season. Last year I made some felt decorations that the little ones can put on the tree & carry about safely. Friends asked for some too so I did adult ones with beads, ribbons & bells to pop in to Christmas cards & they were well received.

I made some little bunting for my sideboard for the coronation of King Charles & I loved the little fabric flags on the shelves. 

I thought I might do something similar for the festive sideboard. We always use the plates, bowls, mugs, dishes etc off the shelves over the festive season so it has to  be practical yet stylish because we will be looking at it for several weeks. 

I love hand sewing as all the regulars know - the calming rhythm of the needle & thread is something I have always done. It does not need to be perfect (it isn't) but it needs to be something that sparks your imagination & is special .... 

I had a vague idea that I wanted them to be little images that are made up of fabric & stitches, lightly padded & all different, yet in a similar colour palette. 

I sketched some ideas on a paper, found my container of Xmas Fabrics & started to work.  The first one was slow but then the last three were all cut, hand stitched with various embroidery threads from my collection then the edges were hand sewn with my favourite blanket stitch. I left a little part open while doing the edges so I could lightly pad them before finishing. Completed in one afternoon, finishing the stitching just as the light faded.

I know that in the morning light I will be tempted to add beads, little bells or such embellishments to them still but that makes them personal to me. 

They are the first of them as I now have several ideas still in my head.  I am fortunate that I can leave the things on the conservatory table for some days to work on which helps as I can work on them between other things. Will you be making anything for the festive season? Tell all ... 

Thank you for stopping by, please share so I can hopefully grow my blog a bit more ... 

Dee 🧵🪡

Preparing the sideboard for a coronation ...

 We are looking forward to the coronation of King Charles 111 on the 6th May 2023. Shropshire has a connection to King Charles 11 who took advantage of the Royalist support in our county when he fled after the Battle of Worcester in 1651. King Charles was hidden in a series of loyalist estates before he made his way to the coast & to France. 

This route in our county is known as Monarch's Way - I blogged it last year. It is local to me & I visit those woods quite often at White Ladies Priory & the nearby Boscobel House ... 

Last June, we put up on celebratory flags etc with Queen Elizabeth 11 momentous platinum jubilee. We were on a canal holiday so we flew our flag bunting on the boat, had our afternoon tea on the patriotic tea towel that comes out regularly - such a happy time wandering through villages along the canal & to see it all decked out in flags, bunting & flowers. 

With several busy weekends ahead, I decided to start on the sideboard.  Familiar things you will remember from the Jubilee last year but they go well. The inglenook fireplace in the lounge will still get the larger pretty Cath Kidson floral flags but I am pleased I have made a start on it all. I love the set of teaspoons (bought on  the Ludlow market years ago) as they depict a crown, coach, orb, cathedral etc. I think they were commemorative spoons for one of the late Queen's celebrations but they are much used here. 

These are previous ones - in 2018 

in 2022  and the Platinum preparations 

Are you looking forward to or will you be watching the coronation?  I will be joined at home by friends as I love to host a 'watch party'. The sideboard is ready with the newly made miniature bunting that looks just right. It is always more fun that way.  

Dee 👑🤴👸

Fabric to make coronation bunting ...

 Hi everyone, 

It is about 2 months before the coronation of our King & it will be a joyous time on our Isle because it will be the first time many of us have seen this event. As you know, no one does pomp & ceremony as well as we do ... 

I love such things & have hosted Royal Wedding Watch parties  & Platinum Jubilee celebrations for the 70th year of Queen Elizabeth 11 for friends at my home & it is a fun time, collective enjoyment. 

I saw this lovely fabric in a local fabric shop & just knew it would make the sweetest little bunting for my conservatory sideboard for the Coronation weekend of celebrations. I spied the blue & red fabrics with gold flecks & knew they were a perfect match for the fabric. 

Decisions, decisions, decisions -- what to make that will be small & fun? Traditional flag bunting or little square ones? A mixture of shapes? Single or double sided? I am inclined to single sided as they will hang on the shelves ... 

What do you suggest? Come back again soon to see what I decide ... 

Thanks for stopping by, I always enjoy visits, 

Dee 💕

A small matter of bunting ...

All the festive bits have been taken down & the house seems rather bare - especially our inglenook fireplace where the large wreath hangs

Time to look out some of the bunting I have ...

I rather love the brightness of this Laura Ashley crocheted one but it is just not right.

One strand seems too little, two strands - well even worse so down it comes.

Next strand - bunting from vintage embroidered fabric - still wrong as it is way too long & not the right colours so down it comes too.

Not quite right - you know that feeling when it 'will do' rather than being perfect for that spot but for now this vintage fabric one 'will do' while I scour EBay for some new bunting.

Perhaps the bright hyacinths will distract me from the bunting issue ...

Perhaps it is time to rethink the decoration on the mantle - I had some home made music bunting but it is 'missing' ....

Does your house also feel bare after the decorations come down & it is not yet ready for Spring colour but not ready for bare either? What do you do? How would you transition the changes?

Thanks for stopping by; please follow & leave your link so I can return the visit.

Dee ~♥~