Sunday, January 10, 2021

Let the Quilting Begin

 



A lovely welcome to my summery place❣ A place where all is calm, all is peaceful. A far rural outpost where summer days slowly pass by in a haze of warm, sunshiny pleasantness and I must say, given the goings on in some parts of the world, my little place at the moment, has got a lot going for it. I must say, there is no other place I would rather be at this present time. I mean, hear me out; it's summertime where long lazy, warm days slowly float into the next, the hydrangeas are showing off in hues of purple and blue, it's holiday time, and there is no noise of the madding crowd.....except of course when I turn the news on.

Goodness me, what a week! Covid is raging in some countries with lockdowns happening yet again; Old Man Winter's dastardly tricks are whipping up snow storms causing causing havoc and chaos.....and speaking of chaos.....then there is America!! I am still in a state of disbelief of the alarming images the TV is beaming to me down here. I will be holding my breath over the next ten days; and I know some of my dear friends who are living right smack in the middle of  the diabolical, political pandemonium, will be too. You know my thoughts and opinions of one, Donald J. Trump. Let's just say 20th January is nearing  and I will have a double celebration, as not only is this the day of the inauguration of a new president in the USofA, but it just happens to be my birthday as well. Yes indeed, I will be kicking up my high heel shoes (not that I own a pair of high heel shoes) and celebrating with great gusto. When I wrote last Sunday wondering what stories we would pen this year, I couldn't for the life of me imagine the bellicose events of week two of this new year eventuating. But enough of  dissertation on  violence and seditious activities, let us chat about quilts and quilting, shall we??

Last week I said that I would search high and low this week for the perfect border and backing fabric for my Clamshell Party quilt. I thought I didn't have anything which would dance with my happy clamshells, but I was mistaken. When the fog of forgetfulness lifted and disappeared from my muddly brainpan, I remembered there was a perfect fabric tucked away from prying eyes. Don't you love it when that happens?? I know I do. AND.....there was enough for both the border and backing. Absolutely marvellous!

It is a fabric with flowers flourishing haphazardly all over. Tulips, irises, convolvulus, bell flowers, delphiniums......and butterflies fluttering amongst the blossoms. The green background and vibrantly coloured flowers are a match made in heaven with all the little flowery clamshells.




So now, the quilting begins. Simple quilting along the edge of each clamshell will be perfect, me thinks. As it is Sunday, this morning I put Clamshell Party in the frame and for a little while happily quilted away. Each clamshell is quick as quick to finish, so I am thinking maybe, just maybe this quilt won't take an age to finish. It is an eternal optimist, that I am. =)



As I sit here thinking of those of you lovely lovelies who have had a  tough week, please know I am thinking of you. Why, I am sending you beautiful thoughts and hugs swirling around in the form of a pretty bouquet of hydrangeas, cinched with a pretty bow. I hope you don't mind me being in my hydrangea print pyjamas.....well it is evening after all. =) Wishing you a week where you will find a little beauty in each day; and may a little sunshine kiss your cheeks until next we chat. Take care lovely lovelies, and please, keep well❣




Until the next time........





Linking up this week to Kathy's, Slow Sunday Stitching.







51 comments:

  1. Oh my!How I love "my" hydrangeas bouquet...I almost smell its wonderful scent...That fabric is stunning,perfect for your happy quilt!Hugs,my dear,and thank you for sharing such beauty...God bless all of us,we need Him so much.

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    1. So glad you love your hydrangea bouquet, lovely Maristella. =) May God bless you throughout this week, too. "May the Lord bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you", dear lady. Love those verses! May your week be a lovely one. Kim Xx

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  2. An other beautiful, colorful, "quiltful" post ! Thanks for sharing those beauties !
    Have a shiny week !
    Covid continue is progression here...
    Big hug !
    Anna

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  3. I love your blog and the fabric for your quilt is perfect. You have a slice of Heaven here where I can come and forget this terrible time in our history. I knew trump would not leave peacefully, but I never thought what happen on Wednesday would ever happen in our Country. A better day will be coming soon and I cannot wait. For now I will steal away and enjoy reading about your flowers and sewing.

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  4. OWO Sarah, so nice of you. Love the beautiful bouquet.
    I really appreciate.
    The fabric looks like it was made especially for your quilt. And from what I saw, you've already started quilting the Clamshells!!
    Have fun quilting. It will be a gorgious quilt.

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  5. That fabric is simply scrumptious! (Love your pjs too) . enjoy your slow Sunday stitching!

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  6. The fabric is perfect! Loved the picture of you standing on the green grass in front of the hydrangeas. Happy stitching!

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  7. Hi Kim
    What wonderful fabric for your border. The clamshells look so pretty, wonderful hydrangeas great pyjamas . Hope you have a wonderful week hand quilting.
    Best wishes Kay c XX

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    1. I am rather taken with my pyjamas, Kay. It's summertime and the livin' is easy.....especially in my PJs. =) I am delighted I remembered 'the' fabric as it just adds the perfect touch to my Clamshell Party. As always, thank you for visiting my little summery place, Kay. I hope your week is a wonderful one. Kim Xx

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  8. What a joy for the eyes, Kim! I am always swooning at your fabric peaks :){I love the appliques on your pants!}

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  9. You are right, that is the perfect border and what a lovely quilt you have ended up with. I love your way with saturated pattern - it pleases my eyes. As for your very splendid pyjamas, I am a little bit jealous.

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  10. Oh! Kim! You are such a wizard with words! And that fabric! So perfect for that quilt. Don't you just love when your stash provides the perfect piece!

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  11. Your border fabric is perfect! And you aren't the only one who will be dancing on Jan. 20. The events on the 6th were shocking.

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  12. It's such a romantic quilt! Beautiful.

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  13. Thank you! those hydrangeas are so pretty. I love your writing style Kim it always makes me smile no matter what the subject you have a unique way of expressing your thoughts. How lucky to have found the perfect fabric right under your nose as it were, it compliments the Clamshells so perfectly. Enjoy your gentle stitching. xx

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  14. Your posts always cheer me up and have fabulous eye candy! BEAUTIFUL!

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  15. That border fabric was just made for your clamshells, Kim! Won't that be a pleasure to work on quilting that beautiful quilt?! Thank you for your good thoughts for my country - we sure need them. I definitely look forward to Jan 20th and will celebrate all kinds of good things, including your birthday, that day!

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  16. Love your hydrangea PJS, and hydrangeas, and beautiful pictures, and sense of humor! That is the perfect binding for Clamshell quilt! Have a Happy Stitching week Kim!

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  17. Oh yes, that backing fabric is a perfect match. It melts right into the clam shells. And so nice to see your hydrangea in full bloom. It has been very gloomy here for weeks, although a bit of sun is shining through today. Quite like our situation here in the US. Most of us have our fingers crossed that we can get to and through the Inauguration without additional violence. Only time will tell. Keep sending prayers.
    Pat

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  18. Enjoy the summer! It's winter here and today it had snowed a bit. I long for summer. It is a pleasure to see your wonderful flower pictures. The beautiful floral fabrics and flowers from your garden. In my case, the only plant, a helleborus, was snowed in. Maybe you need to get high-heeled shoes for the celebration. LOL (I do not have high-heeled shoes either.) Have a nice week!

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  19. Oh, the perfect fabric to complete beautifully your top! Enjoy your hand quilting, and your sweet summer.

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  20. I love when you find the perfect fabric on hand! This looks great.

    What a week indeed! I will feel better if/when the 20th goes without a hitch. I fear the shenanigans that could still happen. Fingers crossed!

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  21. ¡¡Pero qué tela tannnnn bonita tenías guardada y qué ideal para tu colcha!! es maravillosa y tan alegre como èse jardín que tanto disfrutas y que tanto disfruto yo virtualmente a través de la red😍😍
    Aquí estamos "disfrutando" de una borrasca de nieve, hielo y frío.... días grises..... y tristes por la situación de la pandemia..... pero yo me quedo en casa calentita con mis costuras y mis lanas muy feliz😃😃
    Cuídate mucho y BESICOS.

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  22. Oh what a wonderful surprise that you didn't have to go far to find the perfect fabric to go with your quilt, so nice when we have just what we need in our stash of goodies!! That sounds like perfect way to quilt it to me and that it is going at a good pace, well even more the better :)
    Your PJ's blend in so well with all the flowers in your garden, perfect for an evening stroll through the garden!
    Some days I think it is just best to spend the day away from all media and just soak up all the nature God has blessed us with :)

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  23. How wonderful to find the perfect fabric in your stash and it looks amazing. Another lovely post and thank you for the beautiful flowers 😁😁

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  24. I love the way the light shines right through the quilt top. Makes it look so special.

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  25. That border fabric is perfect & looks wonderful beside the clamshells Kim! How great that it was tucked in your stash. I adore you hydrangea pyjamas ... lucky I'm not your neighbor or they might go missing off your clothes line!! Have a super week my friend xx

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  26. Hydrangea print pyjama! How delightful, and very much you, I would say. So pleased you found the perfect fabric to complete your clamshell it really is beautiful covered in such pretty blossoms.
    As for the debacle we all witnessed beaming from TVs on Wednesday, doesn't it make you glad we are tucked away in our respective countries safe and sound "down under".
    I'll be sending you happy birthday wishes on inauguration day, while we watch and hope that everything goes smoothly, as it should.
    Take care in your beautiful part of paradise, and happy stitching.

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  27. What a beautiful quilt and the border goes lovely with it. I love visiting your blog with all the beautiful sewing projects and colours.
    We in Canada watched in disbelief what was happening south of our border to U.S. I felt heartsick for them. It can only get better when Trump is gone and he should be held accountable for what he's done.

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  28. The fabric for the border and backing will be perfect, I love finding remembered treasures. Those flowers, those pyjamas so so lovely. As an American I can honestly say it's one of the few times I have felt embarrassed for our country, on a few days left of his ruin.

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  29. The border has worked perfectly! It looks beautiful! Thanks so much for the beautiful bouquet and cheerful wishes x

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  30. Oh, I love your quilt already. ❤
    This fabric is magnificent and it seems specially made for your quilt.
    Yes, what a week, so many awful hings and that at the beginning of this new year. But we hope for good times.
    Enjoy the good weather!

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    1. Yes, there is always hope, lovely Loes. It does seem as if my border fabric was made for the clamshells, doesn't it. Hoping you are keeping safe and well up there. Keep warm! Kim Xx

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  31. Your Clamshell quilts beautiful and I love Hydrangeas! I am not so patiently waiting for Spring to arrive and my garden to burst forth :) Here in England things are very bad we are in 3rd lockdown and our hospitals are overwhelmed, thank you for a burst of cheeriness this grey morning x

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  32. It almost looks to me like you chose the border and then decided on the clamshells fabric from that. How perfect! Hydrangeas are the most glorious of flowers but I expect I may say that about most flowers!! The picture with you is a lovely picture of those PJs but without a face... I can't say the same about the wearer. :) Have fun slow stitching.

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  33. Dear Kim, I knew you would find the perfect border for your lovely clamshell party!! This is why we have our fabric stashes! What fun you will have quilting it. I think your quilting pattern will accentuate the clamshells as well as work up fast. Thank you for your encouraging words. Stay well and happy, dear friend! Zenda

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  34. That fabric is just perfect for your clam shells. The quilt looks fabulous.

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  35. Oh wow! That fabric is stunning! And it works perfectly with your clamshells, so gorgeous. I think we are all in disbelief over what we saw from Washington the other day but then I also think we knew that he would stir up as much trouble as possible before leaving - just not quite in that way! I shall be celebrating along with you on the 20th and hope that you have a very Happy Birthday! xx

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  36. You fabric that you just happened to find is absolutely perfect for your clamshell quilt, Kim! Don’t you look so fancy in those hydrangea pj’s and clutching the perfect bouquet?? Enjoy your time stitching around each little beautiful clamshell!

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  37. Your fabric find was kismet and a perfect companion for your clamshells. Many peaceful hours to be spent quilting them now.

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  38. That fabric is perfect for this quilt Kim!
    I love the stained glass look to the quilt!
    Enjoy stitching the clamshells!
    Let’s hope every week is better than the last, this year!
    Hugs,
    Barbara xx

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  39. Hi Kim! The clam shell quilt is so beautiful!
    I love your pajamas!
    Oh, I just love YOU and your bright world!

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  40. Kim - an early Happy Birthday to you! I do think the fabric is perfect for the border and backing ... I think I like it better when viewed from a distance.

    We are kindred spirits -- I can't help my natural inclination toward eternal optimism! How dismal the other world must be ...

    The hydrangeas are spectacular, and I smiled at your reference to pajamas (it is evening, after all ...) It brought to mind the past ages, when rich people changed clothing for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

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  41. You have, indeed, found the perfect backing and border for those beautiful clamshells. I wonder if you secretly live in a vintage fabric shop! I hope the world sets to rights soon and that, in the meantime, you have a most wonderful birthday :) xxx

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  42. Great - that I found you ... I'm really glad after reading your post. Thanks. Yes, I am happy about the many beautiful summer colors ... your quilt is simply stunning and your warm words too ... we have snow here in Europe and I look into the garden and see the birds at the bird feeder, it's very lovely and soon I'll take my skis and skiing into the forest ... with the many colors of your floral fabrics in my head.
    Greetings to you Viola and Thanks.

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  43. Happy birthday, dear Kim ... have a wonderful day.
    Many nice greetings to you.

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    1. Viola, for some reason your comment did not go through to my email, so, may I thank you here for your beautiful 'Happy Birthday' wishes. I enjoyed a wonderful day, made even the more lovelier by your sweet thoughts. Thank you so much❣ Kim Xx

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  44. I'll accept your beautiful bouquet, thank you! And I have to tell you how much I love the pictures of your quilt hanging up with the light so softly glowing through it....beautiful! And the fabric you found for the backing is beyond perfect. Thank you for showing your quilting frame too because it's given me food for thought for how I'm going to quilt my current project. (and of course you know I'm wishing you the happiest of Birth Day wishes and a celebration that lasts all month long!).

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  45. You are such a beautiful soul with eyes that see and create such beauty in your world! This quilt is just gorgeous, oh those clamshells are stunning! How wonderful that you were able to find the perfect fabric for the backing, its gorgeous! I can tell you that our hearts here are quite disturbed by what we see happening with the new administration. My heart weeps for the unborn babies whose lives are more in danger with the new administration. I pray that somehow God will have mercy on the lives of the unborn, but we saw a new executive order given immediately enabling abortions overseas. (https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/biden-is-set-to-reinstate-u-s-funding-for-global-abortion/) It makes me shudder. God help us all.

    I always appreciate coming to your happy space, and seeing the beauty that reigns here... my love to you dear friend!

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  46. i wonder how you get those clam shell pieces curved so perfectly, have you told us in the past. the fabrics are so pretty, i am not surprised you had that fabric in your stash!!

    i was recently challenged to "make something new" a "new to me" challenge. i thought about quilting but i was so tentative, i thought it too big an undertaking!! yours is gorgeous!!

    love those pjs, you look like a part of the garden!!

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