Just a little note to wish you and yours a Happy Easter today!

Each year, I try to do at least a little something needle-and-thread related in preparation for Easter.

In my family’s traditions, Easter and Christmas are holidays that deserve concentrated effort when it comes to preparation, and I love it when embroidery can play a part in the celebrations.

One year, in anticipation of Easter, I embroidered this spring corner on a flour sack towel, to line an Easter basket. It was a very stress-free, easy project worked in simple, quick embroidery stitches.

The following year saw a slightly more involved project on the embroidery frame – this Agnus Dei project, which involved quite a bit of work and was finished just in the nick of time.

Last year, I dabbled with embroidery on various types of real eggs for Easter. Embroidery on eggs could develop into a fun side hobby – it’s pretty addicting!

This year, for a little something different, I explored some other egg decorating approaches that didn’t involve embroidery – pysanky (wax resist dyeing) and decoupage with Japanese washi paper, which reminds me very much of Japanese embroidery and textiles.

On the embroidery side of things this year, a gingham embroidered tea cloth for the center of the Easter dinner table was in the plans. But, as is often the case when a holiday approaches, things got hectic and, though the embroidery is complete, the cloth is not lined and edged yet. And I’m pretty sure it won’t be finished by supper time today, either. I’ll be far too busy hunting for Easter eggs…

On that note, Happy Easter, folks! Hope it’s a sunny, joyful day for you, wherever you are, whatever you’re doing!