To stitch or not to stitch.......what a silly question!

It is a silly question, when the sunniest of sewing rooms beckons me each morning to enter it's realms and enjoy a little stitching. I have had the most pleasant of weeks. This past week has been filled with many moments stitching my pretty quilt, with whispers of embroidered linens here and there, in my sun-kissed sewing room. Every time I enter my sewing room it embraces me with a warm hug. It is a happy place. It is a place which permeates my being, where my delightful imaginings are free to noodle around in my rather muddly brainpan.

Though the mornings have been a wee bit chilly, with ice sheathed paddocks as far as the eye can see, this past week the days have been blessed with azure blue, sunny skies with a hint of the warmth of the Spring days to come. Miss Maisie doesn't seem to mind sitting on the  ice-covered grass but then I suppose her fur coat keeps her warm. She will do anything to appear in a photo shoot. =)

Though there are very faint hints that Spring is just around the bend in our country road, it seems here down under, Ole Man Winter has decided to hang around a little while longer. He hasn't completely packed his frigid bag of tricks away and headed for the long journey northwards. He is still toying with the gentle Spring Sun, occasionally covering the radiant beams of warm sunshine with His dark storm clouds, outbursts of howls of wind blasts and intermittent lashes of lightning and the outpouring of icicles, here, there and everywhere. I really don't know why He persists. His presence is not appreciated at all. Everybody in this far rural outpost considers he has outstayed His welcome. But, that is okay, we will wait a little longer and then banish Him to the other side of the world. It is always a delight to see the back of Ole Man Winter.

I love spider webs. I can sit for ages, trance-like, amazed, whilst a spider's spinnerets weave it's delicate, gossamer-like, silky threads. I captured this spider's creative genius one frosty morning. Our pond is a little bereft of floralicious delight at the moment, but in a month or so everything will be singing in colourful, rainbow-like harmony.

Hallelujah!! Spring is slowly awakening! William Wordsworth's lyrical poem comes to mind...."A host of golden daffodils.....fluttering and dancing in the breeze."

The biggest problem I faced this week was whether or not each fabric would play nicely with the one I placed next to it. Only a little thought went in to ensuring there were no fabrics throwing little tantrums and being louder than the others. Just a little conscious thought was given to ensure an overall harmonious blend of colour and pattern; an all-embracing acceptance of the placement of each fabric. So......more pretty, patterned fabrics were stitched together with the addition of embroidered pretties sprinkled here and there.

More pretty ladies.

More pretty flowers.

More baskets of flowers.

And.....a couple of sweethearts.

And.....another pretty butterfly.

With each day I stitched a little more and before I knew it, my quilt top was singing a most harmonious song. This quilt top is one of the most relaxing projects I have done for a while.

I have decided to hand quilt this pretty.

I am backing this quilt with a pretty Wyndham fabric called Presents. It is a lovely blue with a smattering of sweet 1930's flowers.

I like the thought of sitting in a sunny spot, or on those chillier nights in front of a cosy fire enjoying some slow hand stitching.  As I stitch I want to just enjoy the slow deliberate stitches thinking upon who might have embroidered each pretty.....wonder who they were, why they chose this pattern, these colours and wonder with amazement at each perfect, embroidered stitch. The last few quilts I have machine quilted were fraught with hassles and botheration. This time I just want to take it slow and steady and with each stitch, drink in the pretty fabrics and just enjoy the process.

I am looking forward to hand quilting this quilt, though it is going to take a while. It has been an age since I hand quilted a quilt. As a matter of fact I might just sit in my favourite chair this weekend and take delight in a little slow stitching.

Wishing you all the most wonderful day. Until the next time...........