With Needle and Thread....and Liberty Hexies....

 

With needle and thread, down here in my wintry world the stitching together of hexies dancing in Liberty fabrics, continues. Slowly, slowly though, as my sore wrist wants to not co-operate. Hence, I stitch gingerly. Such a pain in the royal proverbial as there is a deadline to meet. But, I will persevere.  Of course, my inflamed wrist hasn't impeded the taking of happy snaps... unfortunately, for you. =)

With an inkling my daughter's quilt might need a few more Liberty fabrics, I acquired a few more. Fortunately, for me, my favourite quilting shop in this neck of the woods has begun to stock Liberty fabrics. Mostly cottons, but the proprietor thought she would stock a few Tana Lawns to see how her customers receive them. How serendipitous for me the Tana Lawns she ordered dance perfectly with those on my hexies pretty. I hope the Tana Lawns go gang busters because that will mean there will be more variety from which to choose. The snag with Liberty Tana Lawn here in Australia is that 1 metre of this luscious fabric costs 72 smackeroos! You read that correctly. $72 for 1 metre!! I sometimes read American quilters commiserating at the 'exorbitant' price they pay for fabric. I must admit I smile wryly at these grievances as we Aussies pay between $30-$40....and sometimes more......for a metre for most quilting fabric. To fashion quilts here could cause one to mortgage one's home. =) But......not having to mortgage the house this week (with only having to starve, really) I purchased some more Liberty pretties. Some more sweet florals in pretty colours AND a gorgeous design with itty bitty hexies in Liberty florals flourishing all over.

Isn't it pretty??!!

Of course, I could purchase even more Liberty fabrics to dance on the quilt, but as Pete says "it would be nice to eat this week". =) Begrudgingly, I concur. 

Curiously; deep, deep in the forest stood a funny little toadstool cottage crafted from tangles of cane. I wonder, if one was to peek through the little windows, where soft candlelight flickered........what would one glimpse.....??

........A new story whispering in the wind....a new stitching pretty......to be imagined for my sweet Riley's birthday♡

I'm off to eat cake and drink tea; oh, and of course partake in a little hand stitching, of my Liberty hexies and a little sweet Riley's birthday present, stitching. Enjoy your Sunday, lovely lovelies, lovely friends♡ Please; luxuriate in filling your Sunday with pockets of blissful joys♡♡

Until the next time......

Liberty Love♡

 

Hello, lovely lovelies, lovely friends♡ A new Sunday...a new month...has drifted in, here at my little home. June! Just wow! I suppose that with the speed this year is hurtling along, it will be the season of 'goodwill to all men (and women)' before we know it. =) Ahh.....goodwill to all men; now there's a thought!

June. Winter. Ho-hum. The garden is rather glum looking. The trees are grasping onto the last of the autumn leaves but soon the trees will be bare, sculptural silhouettes against the sky. As there's not a flower in sight in my garden I once again pilfered some proteas from my lovely friend, Trish's, garden. I don't think these bushes have been 'pruned' since this time last year. =)

Down here in my wintry world, another week or two.....or is it three, of slow, repetitious hand stitching. I've been continuing Trippin' around the world in fabric squares; but what I'm chatting about today is I've begun hand stitching a new EPP hexie quilt. A new quilt dancing in a jumble of hexies in myriad Liberty Tana Lawn patterns and colours.

Calming, slow stitching, but surprisingly not monotonous, through the days and some evenings while Old Man Winter begins his thing. As I stitched I've followed the low winter sun around on those days when the sun appears, settling deep down into any number of comfy chairs, in any number of rooms, basking in the warmth of the sunbeams. Though winter is certainly not my favourite season I must admit the sunshine beaming through the large picture windows of my home is one of life's joyous things.  And, of course, on those rather chilly winter  days, sitting in front of the fire is my place of choice.

I first chatted about this quilt earlier in the year when the rhododendrons and roses were sashaying in the garden.

This quilt is a surprise for my daughter's birthday, which is at the end of August; so I'd better pull my finger out and get a hurry on. My daughter has a love of Liberty patterns which equals my own. Would you believe she has a love affair with florals as well?? Mmm...who would've thunk it, that a daughter of mine might have a penchant for florals. I wonder who she takes after?? I'm sure I have no clue. =)

This quilt will be lap size with scrappy Liberty hexies dancing all over. Mind you, the hexies won't be stitched where they fall as some consideration is needed to ensure that each hexie plays nicely with the others. Sadly, I don't have a gazillion Liberty fabrics from which to choose so much omphaloskepsis will be needed.

I will continue stitching my Liberty pretties this evening, joying in the feel of the tana lawn that is Liberty, and each gorgeous print. Have a lovely Sunday lovely lovelies, lovely friends, and please, delight in many a joy which will cause you to smile♡

Until the next time......

More Happy Crochet ♡

 'I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those 

in which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens

but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly...'

L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

Ahh...Anne Shirley♡ Many, many happy days as a young girl were enjoyed reading of the adventures and misadventures of Anne 'with an e' Shirley. So many wonderful quotes of wisdom to be found within the pages of Anne and her chronicles of Avonlea. Pete has always thought he'd like to visit Prince Edward Island. I too, wouldn't be adverse to wandering around the land of Green Gables, soaking up the scenery and landscapes that the TV series so beautifully captured; but I don't suppose it will ever eventuate. I wonder if any of my Canadian blogging friends have ever visited Prince Edward Island??

This week has been one where simple pleasures have followed one after the other in a gentle rhythm. Books, flowers, capturing happy snaps, baking, sipping cups of tea in pretty tea cups....a little of this and a whole lot of that..........and a little crochet. 

Throughout this week I have spent many a delightful hour in front of the fire, during the day and into the evening;  happily crocheting away. I've spent many a contented hour crocheting while gazing outside my window, where the burnished hues of autumn abound; and the air begins to become decidedly chillier.

With the front and back finished I started crocheting the sleeves. I decided upon granny stripes for the sleeves, as I rather like the contrast of the stripey sleeves with the granny squares of the front and back. I continued crocheting the remaining sleeve this morning for Slow Sunday Stitching but didn't have enough of one colour, so me thinks there will be a trip to the wool shop this coming week. A visit to the wool shop is always fun. Wall after wall of towering shelves of wool in a plethora of plys and colours, and textures. Besides, I'm thinking my next crochet pretty might be a blanket for the bed, so perhaps lots of balls of wool in myriad colours will come home with me. I'm in the mood for another granny square pretty. Granny squares are truly one of life's nicest of pleasures.

It's late Sunday evening here and my bed piled high with quilts beckons me. I hope, lovely lovelies, lovely friends, your Sunday is a pleasant one, filled with the nicest and simplest of pleasures♡ For me, one of life's nicest and simplest pleasures is sinking into a cosy bed under the warmth and the hugs of homemade quilts, and drifting off to the land of dreams♡

Until the next time......

Squares, Squares, Squares......And Then Some; On This Mother's Day♡

 

Hello lovely lovelies, lovely friends♡ A lovely welcome to you, on this Mother's Day♡

A hand stitched cushion gifted by my 8 year old daughter, many a Mother's Day ago♡ It still rests in pride of place in my home, sweet home♡ At the time, unbeknownst to me, she helped herself to my stash and stitched away in secret♡

It's been a peaceful, chew your cud (just like those four-legged bovine outside my window) kinda day...pondering.....meditating.....ruminating....on all good things, of course! What is that verse in the Bible?? Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about these things. So this girl whose halo can from time to time slip and begin to choke one's aged, turkey neck, I will strive to think upon these things.  Now, back in the day when this verse was written, if I was the scrivener  I might've slipped in......and whatever makes you laugh till you can't breathe.........but that's just me.  St Paul wouldn't have been none the wiser. =)

So that's how I've spent my  day, hanging out with Pete, enjoying a long breakfast at a cafe and then home again reflecting upon the beauty that envelopes me, and thinking upon joyful things; my girls, my grandbabies. Oh, and of course, some tea and cake, while enjoying many a chuckle with Pete. I don't suppose a day goes by when we're not chuckling about something or other which tickles our funny bone. Sadly, even though I wax lyrical about all things slow stitching on a Sunday, I didn't crochet or stitch today as my wrist is a tad sore. I'll give it a bit of a rest for a little while, me thinks.

I've spent the week Trippin'; adding fabric squares to all the other gazillion little squares of my quilt. The quilt is still not a square. Ho hum. Deana asked me what line of fabrics I'm using?? No fabric line where all the fabrics dance a synchronised and coordinated waltz in pattern and colour; unfortunately. That would have been much too easy. =) Just diving head first into my fabric stash and search for the perfect fabric which will play harmoniously with both the fabric it sits next to, and the quilt as a whole.

I've crocheted more granny squares, too. The grannies have been joined to form the front and back. In essence, two big squares dancing in little granny squares. I'm crocheting some rows along the sides of the front and back to add some width. Then I'll crochet the sleeves. I don't know if I'll crochet the sleeves in one colour, or stripes. I'll get back to you, shall I??

Now, my Trippin' quilt may not be dancing in a harmonious and curated line or indeed one range of prints and colours, and with the exception of say perhaps, Tilda fabrics, or maybe  coordinating fabrics designed by Robin Pickens I rarely  acquire  a curated line all at one time. BUT....yesterday I was looking around a shop and lo and behold I happened upon bolt after bolt of splendorous, digital printed florals!! Oh my giddy aunt!! Roses, echinaceas, dahlias, orchards, zinnias, poppies......irises all under the name of  Blissful Blooms. Did  I?? Or, didn't I?? You betcha I did. One metre of each blissful bloom came home with me. I'm always in need of a gorgeous flowery fabric or two, and as I seem to always be fashioning quilts with flowers flourishing all over, I need to replenish my stash  as my floral pretties are a bit light on. Well, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. =)

Let's play 'spot the real blooms'.

Blissful Blooms for Mother's Day♡ Mother's Day can be bittersweet for many. I hope you enjoy a lovely day creating new memories with your loved ones. Beautiful Mother's Day wishes to you, lovely lovelies, lovely friends♡

Until the next time......