Lavender Spray (c) Judy Dixon

This is called Lavender Spray and it was the design that we worked on during the first masterclass:

It was the first time I've attempted anything like this. I was a complete newbie to Hardanger work and this type of embroidery as well. Judy Dixon and all the other's scoffed because I was going to use a wooden hoop to hold my stitching taught, claiming it marks the material - and they quickly lent me a square plastic frame instead - but just what is wrong with the hoops, I've used them all my stitching life!

I had to be shown the basics, like even how to cast on - only one thread so can't use the loop method. It was very strange stitching will all the different kinds of threads. Some of the variegated ones were quite nice and produced a neat effect, but I don't think they liked me calling them "wool", but that's what they looked like. lol

Anyway after a day's worth of stitching, and my first attempt at Hardanger, my Lavender Spay looks like this:

Haven't found time to work on it since. I probably wouldn't ever have tried stitching anything like this on my own, so it was good to try new things in a supportive teaching environment.

I really don't want it to become another UFO or WIP but I have other stitching that I want to finish first.