Recently completed

I was browsing through some back issues of World of Cross Stitch when I saw this design by Joan Elliot on one of the letters pages and had one of those"I must do that" moments.

There was reference made to a book, but I was unable to find the one that I thought might contain it so I went to my usual first port of call, Sew and So (more of them later), to see about buying the kit. My order duly arrived and that weekend I settled down in front of the cricket and spent the best part of the day working on it. I would like to say that I had it finished within the day, but didn't quite. I was left with the backstitch and beading to complete on the Sunday.

I am absolutely delighted with it, and am now in a quandary. I think it is lovely (will fit nicely in a 5x7" frame) and don't want to part with it, but don't really have anywhere to put it. I can also think of three young girls for whom it would be a perfect gift. I'm quite frugal with my threads and have double checked - I have sufficient left over to stitch a second one, so I can feel that happening in time for birthdays to come.

There are actually four in this series. Having done Imagine, I couldn't then resist doing another.

This one was done on the train journeys, there and back, during a recent trip to London. It takes a steady hand to stitch on the train (can't do the same as a car passenger, unlike my niece) but it certainly makes the trip pass a lot faster. I was left with the second bird and the beading to do once I got back to the comfort of my own home.

I haven't yet got the other two, Dream and Believe. These have Butterflies and Fairies and introduce other colours so I am undecided whether to do them. Though I guess I probably will, again, they would make perfect gifts and if I'm not quite as attached to them they will be easier to part with.

But back to Sew and So. I can't speak highly enough of them. Providing you order during the working day, you are pretty much guaranteed to get your order the following day, order at the weekend and you will have your things on Tuesday. It is a real surprise to have to wait more than 48 hours. On top of that, the standard postal charge is £1. This is a real driver for me. You can place a small order and not feel that you really need to factor that into the equation. I'd be put off placing a £6 order if the charge was £2.95 p&p, but at a pound, I barely even think of it. (I'm not going to say how often I buy from them (just in case DH is reading :-) )

On top of that their customer service is great. I've had a couple of causes to speak to them, neither their fault. Once about a faulty product - they replaced it virtually by return of post, no questions asked, and a second about a failed next day delivery, the delivery charge was refunded. Brilliantly handled on both occasions

And that's before you even start to talk about the great range that they stock...