Hardanger [and a PS]

I have been absent from the blogging scene for a number of days for various reasons.  I have been trying to work on a new piece of hardanger, so thought I would share a piece I worked about a year ago.  The centre square part of this design was taken from a Burda Special Hardanger publication and was to be a cushion.  However, I had cut plenty of fabric and considering there was going to be a rather wasteful 'trim' if it was to be a cushion, I continued on my merry way, stitching and doing my own thing as I worked out towards the edge of the fabric.  This is worked on 22ct hardanger fabric, with #5 & #8 perlé thread in DMC #712.   My DIL was in raptures when she saw it, so it now lives with her, and I have to say that I can see she honestly loves it.  

Now that I know she likes this type of work, I have started a long table runner for her.  This piece is being worked on pale blue Lugana, which I feel is 28ct [I have to confess to not having counted the threads!!].  I am working with DMC #3753 - #8 & #12 perlé.  Again, I'm designing and working from the centre out.  I am hoping it will be useful for decorating a table and napkin setting in navy, some time in the near future [their chair covers are navy].  In order to help with counting/keeping pattern correct, I spent almost an entire day tacking at 40 thread intervals.  I found it a great help, and will do this again, especially if I'm working a larger piece.  This has 11 of these 'peaks'.  There is a lot of cutting and weaving yet to be done in this centre feature.  When I have that area under control, I'll continue to work my way out.  Perhaps others don't work their hardanger this way, but this is the only way I am comfortable designing.  I'm not much for mapping it out on paper first, and I don't have a computer program to assist with this task, so starting on a small central section first makes sense to me.  I've included a close-up.  The interlocking/interweaving area outside the central squares is to have cut and woven bars.  It should form a type of under/over track.  I have found by looking at lots of hardanger that there are things about some designs I just don't like.  I am not keen on the eyelets where you stitch into every hole around the centre point.  I'd rather use just the star eyelet or algerian eye stitch.  I also have to say I am not keen on edges where there is a straight section, with points jutting out from it.  Goodness, I'm picky!!!  I hope I can do the work justice as I continue to stitch.  I love the soft blue colour, the thread matches the fabric perfectly.  I'm not aiming for a 'masterpiece' in design, just something I know my DIL will use, and I can use some of the many oddments of evenweave I have in my stash.

Now for the PS:-

Again I feel the need to speak of the devastating floods that are sweeping the central and southern parts of my beautiful state of Queensland [and it is moving south into NSW, parts of Victoria, as well as bushfires in WA - what next!!].  The events of the past few days have left me numb.  Our little township has been fully evacuated again due to the prospect of the river inundating the town to almost the same level.  They had only just started the clean up.  The two towns to our east, Dalby and Chinchilla are again under seige from rising waters.  The beautiful garden city of Toowoomba saw a freak event unknown to any living person in our area, not to mention the path of destruction that cut through the beautiful Lockyer Valley [the place of my birth].  Our two large cities close to the coast are on high alert, and in the central areas, water is still an issue.  I am safe, my family and friends are safe.  We are suffering some inconvenience, that is all.  We have our lives, and our livelihood intact, but others' worlds have been devastated.  I cannot begin to find a way to help anyone in a way I would like.  We can only all help those in our immediate areas I suppose.  Thank you to those wonderful people who have offered support through my blog, and to me personally.  I don't know how you can help so much, but I will email some of you privately with my own thoughts.  One of our patchwork group has lost everything, and of course, we will all try to support her.  Apart from that, all we can do is watch and wait, and pray that everyone can move on and learn from this.  Thankfully, this country has a strong sense of community, we not a poor country by any means, and are in a position to help those in need, unlike many disasters  we've seen in recent years.  We will survive because that is what we do!!!