Silken blooms

After illness forced Louise Watson to give up her job as a teacher, she turned to embroidery. Now, she embraces the slow art of sewing as part of a more meditative way of life

Broderie Perse has a long history and is seen in quilts and bed covers dating back to the 1700s. The literal translation means ‘Persian embroidery’ and, while historic examples are often seen embellis

Seasonal decorative touches to bring the outdoors in

■ Cotton or linen tea towel: pink ■ Stranded cotton: 1 skein each of black, blue, light green, pink, red, turquoise and yellow ■ Embroidery hoop: 18cm diameter ■ Adhesive water-soluble stabiliser ■ Ba

This month, get creative with patterned fabrics and wallpapers, make everlasting paper flowers and invest in some quality bed linen or tableware

When a garden is in full bloom, we can only step back and appreciate its beauty, all the while noting what flowers are present in creating such a breathtaking collection of pretty petals. Artist Carol