Charles Diana Wedding Tapestry Finished

My Large Charles and Diana tapestry 18x22 inches is finished and on the wall. The wedding was in 1981 and Diana died 20 years ago. I bought the tapestry on eBay about 8 or 10 years ago and am so pleased with myself for finishing it, once I started it only took about 5 months.

 Even the back doesn't look too bad. I bought the frame from a Salvation Army shop, always a good place to look for odd sized frames, and framed it myself.

 Still a bit of space up near the ceiling so took my life in my hands, dragged in a tall ladder and there it is.

 More space up there though I do like some samplers a bit lower so they can be admired by me.

My very small TV. I am a compulsive royal stitcher and only glance up now and then at TV shows. I can watch a whole movie that way. Sometimes I come home from friend's houses thinking I would love a large TV but I have no space as you can see.

Shibella is Afraid

 That's right, I am so afraid I spend most days now on the bed or under the bed. I dare not set a single paw outside or that awful noise starts up. Read on and find out why!!!!!

 These birds look harmless enough here but I know they are plotting against me. Note the guards in three of the corners. This is a very secret meeting.

 And screech loud they do.

There's the evidence. They are plotting against me to screech louder than ever

This is only the first wave of those wretched cockatoos. There are a few hundred more coming behind them squeaking and screeching. I hope you now understand why I cannot leave my bed. SHE will have to bring in food and water. I am a prisoner.

Thanks to Ashley at Aussiebirder for allowing me to use her very funny but true pictures.

1902 Edward VII Coronation Sampler Reclaimed

Reclaiming my Edward VII sampler which has been on my wall and in my collection for a few years now. Sadly a photo of this has been used  without my permission or without credit to me. Now my sampler comes up under another name on any Google search. I don't mind my photos being used if mention is made of Linens and Royals.

Coronation and Jubilee Souvenirs and a Warning from Shibella

 I wish someone had warned ME about the type of house I was being adopted into. It's a Museum I tell you People. I dread days like today when SHE comes back happily from the Post Office with parcel tucked under one arm and starts rearranging everything to display the latest purchase. I would run away but I don't like to be too far from my dinner dish as I am now on the 3 meals a day diet with dry food left out for midnight snacks.

 But look at this amazing swimwear Shibella, made for the Queen's 1977 Silver Jubilee. It's a Speedo design made under licence in Britain. Speedo is an Australian label but this one was made for the UK market. It is a child's size but I managed to squeeze it onto this model for display

 Matching swim trunks for the young man at the beach. I've teamed it with a Charles and Diana Wedding beach hat and Royal Visit 1954 Tee Shirt. The swimwear looks like it has never been worn. There seems to be no end to the very unusual souvenirs waiting for me to find them.

 Another pretty hand embroidered Coronation 1953 sampler I managed to find space for.

 A length of fabric from the Coronation of Edward VIII 1937. The souvenirs were already made when he abdicated. Top left hand corner is a small bag made from the fabric that I already had in my collection.

 A porridge plate also for Edward VIII. I try to only have fabric or embroidery in my collection now but some items turn up that I can't resist

 A Coronation Duchess set, I have lots of coronation doilies but this is the first duchess set. It came beautifully starched and I want to know the sellers starching secret.

Now for something completely different. The young man playing the piano is a concert pianist from Romania. He is the son-in-law of a member of our Senior's club. He played our old piano which has not been tuned for years with no music and stunned us all into silence. His talent is amazing and just to watch his hands fly over the keyboard was a treat for us all.

Princess Elizabeth and Phillip Engaged 70th Anniversary and More

70 years ago today in London the Royal Couple were about to announce their Engagement and in November this year they will celebrate their 70th Wedding Anniversary. A family member had saved this newspaper and though a bit yellow and fragile it is now in my collection. The date on the paper is 10th July 1947 and price is tuppence. The weather forecast for 70 years ago,top left hand corner is exactly the same as the weather today.

Twenty years since the tragic death of Diana. So this is the year I must finish this tapestry.

Found this little cross stitch in my Unfinished stash so it was easy to finish and make myself feel good about completing something.

Another tapestry for the Coronation found on eBay. Worked in tiny Tent tapestry stitching it had been made into a cushion but I like it in a frame. I've never seen this design before so how many more Royal tapestries are out there waiting for me to find them?

Now a new just released book. Full instructions enclosed for all the designs, no knitting involved only winding yarn around.

All royal family members are there waiting to be made.

The Queen with grt. grandchildren included. I somehow think I would not be any good at making these dolls but it is a fun book to have in my collection.

Vintage Cars and Picnics

 Yesterday was a Vintage Car Club picnic at Sublime Point lookout. I wasn't sure which car J. would collect me in so this one was a very nice surprise and I have been promised a ride with the top down next summer. The car is a 1963 Austin Healey Sprite and as usual with vintage cars has no safety features at all so it was a tiny bit scary going up Mt Ousley with the big trucks but a lot of fun too. The yellow car next to it is a 1963 Mercedes.

 The view from the top. The lake where I live is somewhere in the top right hand corner.

 We were almost tempted to take a bush walk but as it started to go down hill and we knew we would have to walk up hill on the way back we gave up.

 Went for picnic in this 1922 Dodge car a couple of weeks ago. I loved it as people looked and waved as we drove along and I waved back just like the Royal Lady I am. When we stopped people came up to take photos of the car and talk to J. about it. J restored the car himself and has an album of photos to show his progress. We didn't drive too far that day and sadly I forgot my camera so have no pics. of the picnic area.

 The back of the car all polished up. I always wait to be helped out of these cars like the lady I pretend to be as the door might be tricky or fall off or worse I might fall out and end up spreadeagled on the grass.

But wait!! have I been in that car before? No I don't think so, This is my father's car on another bush picnic. I have a feeling it was or still was my grandfather's car. J. was unable to identify the make of car but J is sure it is not a Dodge like his.
There are still more cars in his collection so who knows which car I will be collected in next.
Watch this space

A Vintage Holden Picnic and Wildlife

 To prove I do have a life apart from Royals and Cats I was taken on a picnic yesterday in a vintage car. This is a 1958 Holden station wagon. Registered as a vintage car it has no seat belts, no airbags, no air con. and bench seats but still a comfortable ride.

Friend J has a stable full of vintage cars some dating from the 1920s so I might have been taken in an older car but I had a large back tooth removed 2 days prior and though that went well I have a massive bruise on my face so had to be treated a bit gently and not bounced around in a very draughty old car.

 The picnic area we went to is not far from my home but I had never been there before. There were ducks.

 And a lizard on a tree stump.

The area is named after an Olympic rower who lived locally.

More wildlife. This is grandson A's rescue budgie. Found in the bush opposite A's home and being eyed off as lunch by larger birds this lucky budgie has found a good home after efforts were made to find his original owner. A had a budgie who died of old age only weeks before this one was rescued so there was a cage ready and waiting but as you can see this lucky bird has lots of fly around the house time too

Queen Elizabeth II Celebrates her 91st Birthday

What more can be said about such a wonderful and inspirational woman, Happy 91st Birthday
to you. Long may you reign.

Coronation 1953 Petticoat and More Amazing Coronation Samplers

 Yes! Another amazing find and win on eBay. Such was the excitement and patriotic fever for the 1953 Coronation women bought underwear embroidered with EIIR and a crown. The label has been cut from the back of this petticoat so can't tell the maker. Not sure what the fabric is and there is a net band at the hem to match the net at the bust.

 I have placed red fabric under the bust so the royal embroidery can be seen.

 I can always find space for something as special (and rare?) as this. Had to rush out and buy a new display model.

 I've had the Edward VIII sampler for sometime then the George VI sampler came along. 1937 must have been an exciting year for stitchers and for those selling the samplers ready to stitch.

 I don't like to admit defeat and this was an expensive kit. I finished William but I admit Kate and her wedding dress is almost impossible. There are just too many shades of white and too many odd stitches. I want to hang on to my last bits of sanity and eyesight.If I hadn't had wedding fever at the time I would have known this is a computer generated chart and so too hard to stitch even though I like a challenge. The threads that came with the kit are cheap and the red colour ran a bit when washed. Kate and her dress are folded at the back of the frame so perhaps in the future someone might finish her. Note: to self and others only buy reputable and known brand kits.

 Only a small bit of the edge to finish on this Charles and Diana Wedding Tapestry kit. It was about one third stitched when I bought it so I'm pleased I was able to finish another stitchers work. I can only hope all my U.F.O's are finished by someone else one day.

 Another C&D sampler I couldn't resist. It is a kit and came with very pretty coloured Appleton wools. It is next in the Queue.

 Added to my collection, Princess Diana's flower girl, very pretty.

Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong Jones wedding dolls. Sadly the groom's hat brim broke off and the bride's veil fell apart in the wash. I made a new veil but not very happy with it so will try again. I bought these dolls at a local market and the woman selling them didn't know who they were. I didn't tell her till after I paid or she might have charged me more. The dolls are Peggy Nisbit dolls, she makes a lot of Royal dolls. Also I think Margaret's face might have darkened with age.

Your turn next time Shibella, I had too much to show today.

1953 Coronation Party Dress 1937 Coronation Apron and More

 Another dress made from Coronation fabric in 1953. This dress is made from cotton fabric, has no label so might have been stitched by a home sewer or local dressmaker. The belt is missing though there are keepers for a belt at the sides. The dress has 2 pockets so I have placed a Coronation hanky in one and a Queen brooch on the shoulder. There are cap sleeves and gathers over the bust and a side zip.

 And a full circle skirt. I might have been able to make a belt from the hem but the hem has been stitched right on the edge. So did this dress go to a coronation party? I will never know.

 A close up of the fabric.

 This is me a few years after the Coronation and I am wearing a dress of almost identical design. I made this dress and I know it had a full circle skirt and a 2 inch hem. According to my late mother a full circle or flared skirt should hang for a week before hemming then have a large hem so the skirt would hang properly. Wish I had a colour photo of this dress as it was in pretty rainbow colours with sparkles and I am wearing silver sandals ready to go dancing.

 Another lucky/amazing find on eBay. Coronation apron from 1937 with George VI and Elizabeth and I was the only bidder. Sometimes I can't believe my luck when I find an item like this which spans 2 of my collections. Royalty and Aprons.

 A friend took me for a picnic to Woronora Dam on Sunday. The dam is south of Sydney.

When it was time for our picnic lunch friend produced this mug for my tea. I think my Royal Reputation is spreading.