Octagons + Squares = Cobblestones

Hello lovely lovelies♡ A beautiful welcome to you♡ I am sitting here in the fernery gazing out the windows. My little place is beginning to awaken from the deep slumber of Old Man Winter, and Lady Spring (as I think spring must be a lady) is beginning to stir everything with her  magic. Day by day Lady Spring is sprinkling here and there a delightful preview of what is to come when she comes to stay in a little while. The daffodils are beginning to flower, and very soon they will be everywhere, causing me to smile.

Sitting here inside the fernery, even as I look at the peaceful vignettes which surround me, which embrace me, I cannot help but think upon this raging world in which we live. With every new day it seems another catastrophe rages on  some horizon, somewhere in the world. If only  'the world' would wake up one morning, and decide it was going to be better. To be kinder. To be gracious. To walk a mile in another's shoes. To be compassionate. To respect others, even though beliefs held tightly are poles apart. To treat others as one would love to be treated. A simple ethos really; but somehow, seemingly impossible. It's been one helluva week, hasn't it?? Is there a country in this world where all is well?? Thankfully, there are a crush of beautiful people, selfless souls who are graciousness personified, who with their everyday acts of  beneficence show kindness and humanity; show love to others as they go about their day♡ Thank you, all you beautiful people♡

But, as this little place's ethos is a cheery one, let us chat about other things. Pleasant things, such as hydrangeas, cobblestone patterns and mindful slow hand stitching, shall we?? As after all, it is Sunday where I and other lovely ladies from all over the globe enjoy a chat and a show and tell about what we are hand stitching. 

Besides sitting here pondering the state of this rather sad world with a sorrowful heart, I am stitching. My fingers are stitching along octagons and little squares in the form of cobblestones. A hydrangea-filled cobblestone path on which to skip along, if you like. When last you visited I was tossing up whether I would fashion a simple cobblestone pattern quilt, or a more complex one mixing the octagon shapes with eight-sided stars. Simple, won out. Just a simple quilt with hydrangea-filled octagons and little squares of another patterned fabric. The fabric I have chosen for the squares is leftover from another quilt I stitched ages ago. Both these fabrics evoke a vintage aesthetic. To me, these patterns remind me of a tablecloth that might have graced the kitchen table of my childhood....way back in the 1960's. I am not being finicky with the placement of the  hydrangea-filled octagons; just placing each one wherever they fall; perhaps with just a little tweaking. Some octagons are filled with full blown hydrangea flowers; others are just a wisp of a flower with leaves, or a butterfly or two, as the main focus. I am enjoying stitching these cobblestones. I am loving stitching the pretty blue hydrangeas. Blue is my favourite colour, and hydrangeas my favourite flowers. I haven't made up my mind as to the size of this quilt. I will just play and see what happens.

Alas, another photo shoot in the fernery. The fernery is my little cocoon from the big, wide, nasty world, these days♡

Another Sunday afternoon drifts by. Just sitting here, thinking, praying; stitching happy cobblestones. And....drinking tea, because somehow tea helps when pondering the world and its unholy messes. Tea, and stitching pretty pretties♡ Lovely friend, may you.....and I, this week, be a little kinder than is necessary♡ 

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

Hydrangeas In Winter....And A Little Knitting ❣

Hello lovely lovelies❣ Sunday has rolled around again. Actually, Sunday has blasted in with menacing skies and ferocious winds blustering everywhere. Goodness, it is wild and woolly here today. Thankfully my humble abode is still standing on its foundations, but there have been times when I thought we might be whisked high up yonder to disappear;  to be gobbled up by the storm clouds. Though,  I must confess, I do like a good squally storm; as long as I am safely cocooned inside my humble abode with a good fire crackling away. I love watching stormy skies where the clouds gust by at breakneck speed.

And, safely cocooned inside I am. Why, I have enjoyed a little knitting in front of a cosy fire. I haven't knitted for yonks. The last time I picked up my knitting needles was way back in 2018, when I knitted my purple, aran woolly. It certainly has been a very long time since I listened to the rhythmic clickety clack of my knitting needles. My beautiful friend, Trish, and I have decided that we will meet for a cuppa every week and whilst we chat and drink copious amounts of tea, we will knit. We are both knitting the same pattern, but in different colours. The pattern is a kimono-like jacket with a slather of cables. Love, love, love a knitted woolly smothered in cables. The wool I have chosen is a french blue with brown flecks scattered here and there. Such a pretty colour and so lovely and soft.

This week I have been quilting my flower garden quilt as well. It is coming along nicely. Hopefully when spring is dancing in pretty flowers, my little garden applique quilt will be dancing along as well in all its glory. Speaking of dancing flowers I pulled out the hydrangea fabric I purchased the other week.  A beautiful fabric with hydrangeas flourishing everywhere. Naughty I know, especially when I have my Flowers in My Hair, Flowers Everywhere quilt to stitch. But the fabric beckoned me and unable to resist I started covering octagon EPP shapes with the hydrangea fabric. I rather like the idea of a  cobblestone quilt with hydrangeas blooming allover. A simple quilt covered in hydrangeas. What's not to love about that. Besides, I could do with a little hydrangea loveliness right about now. Five months till the hydrangeas begin to bloom is just a little too far away for my liking. I need some hydrangeas.....now. =)  I also like the thought of perhaps mixing the octagon shapes with an eight-sided star as well. Gosh, my mind is always thinking, always designing. Sometimes I think my muddly brain will explode with all the ideas colliding around. But for now I will just pet my hydrangea octagon pretties. I will just play.

As we are in the car a lot driving to one place or another, I do like to have a hand stitching pretty on the go. Of course, I can knit and read a book, which I do a lot, but I wanted to throw an EPP project into the mix.  Too much choice is always a good thing.

A lovely quiet and stormy Sunday was enjoyed. Sitting by a fire knitting, was the perfect way to while away my afternoon. Knitting, drinking tea, while the clouds outside my window scurried by in the tempestuous sky, was indeed bliss.  Later this evening I will visit Kathy's place to see what all the other lovely ladies are up to. Thank you for stopping by my little stormy place. Hopefully when next we 'meet'  Old Man Sun will be high up in his sky, smiling down at me. May he smile down upon you this week, too❣

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

My Sewing Room This Week

Hello lovely ladies❣ A warm hug of a hello to you, on this bright and cheery Sunday. My goodness it was a chilly morning, but even though Jack Frost chills dem ol' bones of mine, I have to admit he leaves much beauty. Glorious ice-sheathed paddocks glistening in the sunshine; and frosty windows on which I can scribe messages. And then, there are the reflections dancing on the frosty windows as Old Man Sun rises, beaming his warmth and sunshiny smiles everywhere. Such beauty❣

But, to all things sewing rooms. Once again this week, I have spent many delightful hours in my cheery sewing space; sorting, tidying, playing.....dreaming♡

As I played I thought how lovely it would be if you and I could visit for a while; in my sewing room. I am quite certain many a delightful hour would pass by. We would chat. We would giggle. We would laugh. We might even cry, for there are many goings-on in this world which are sad. A very wise person once said, shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half a sorrow. We would drink tea in pretty fine bone teacups. A piece (or two) of chocolate frosted, chocolate cake with strawberries and lashings of cream, would be enjoyed as it would be a very special and celebratory occasion. For it is not every day such an esteemed and honoured guest, such as you, visits my little sewing room. You might show me how to stitch perfect little quilting stitches; or perhaps teach me all things crochet. You might enlighten me as to the workings of my camera in order to capture that perfect shot. Perhaps I would show you how to fashion a pretty rose, a fuchsia, a pansy, or a leaf; from a length of pretty swirls of ribbon. I might show you how to fashion a bag dancing with embellishments spilling from those suitcases of mine. Oh, I forgot to say, whatever pretty you unearth while fossicking through my suitcases of treasure, then you may have it. A gift from me, to you. 

Oh.....there are so, so many things we could do, to pass the time in my sunny, sewing room♡ Fun times♡ Pleasant times♡ Memorable times♡

Why, you could help me rummage through my jumble of quilts and help me decide which one I will display at the window. Those of you who have stopped by my little place over the years know I am that gal whose windows, for the most part, are not festooned with store-bought curtains, but window dressings fashioned from vintage embroidered linens, crochet tablecloths and Italian coverlets. So, why not quilts?? For quilts not only look lovely resting on a bed, displayed on a wall, or in a cupboard, but I think they look fabulous decorating a window. I have decided my Spring Blossoms quilt will cause my window to sparkle for a little while♡

If you could visit me in my sewing room, you and I could arrange flowers, freshly picked from the garden. There is an inkling that the garden is beginning to stir. After which seems a very long time I have picked my very first bunches of sweet daffodils, daphne and hellebores. Yes, the earth is awakening, the bulbs are beginning to pop up and very soon there will be a sea of cheery, yellow daffodils swaying in the breeze. How exciting. Why, you and I could chat about all the flowers, your favourites....my favourites. I must say, you and I would marvel at the intoxicating fragrances of  the daphnes and jonquils permeating the room. Just divine♡

If you were to sit with me in my sewing room, you could help me choose the fabrics for the sky and garden of my Flowers in Her Hair, Flowers Everywhere quilt. You and I could audition different fabrics; playing, seeing which is pleasing to our eyes. I think I know which fabrics I will use, but a little more ponderation is needed. =)

This week I have been quilting my applique flower garden quilt. Straight line quilting stitches skipping around the border. This is what I will be happily doing later this evening, when all the other ladies at Kathy's place gather together for a little slow hand stitching, too. Why, wouldn't it be nice if you could sit opposite me and help me quilt my pretty flower garden, too. Then, my flower garden pretty would be all stitched and quilted in time for spring. Now.....wouldn't that be 'loverly'♡ 

And.....after we have chatted and giggled and stitched and played with all my pretties, we could then have afternoon tea in the fernery. It is looking rather lovely at the moment. It is cosy and warm in there with the sun streaming through the windows. Potted flowers have found their way there; pots, too.....and a sweet little glasshouse where the odd teacup rests. We would enjoy tea and a piece (or two) of that chocolate frosted, chocolate cake, I was chatting about before. I have baked it especially for you. In the shape of a heart, of course♡

But......as you are not here, and I cannot eat a whole chocolate cake all by myself (well.....I could.....but I really shouldn't) then I guess I will sit with my husband, in the fernery, and he and me will enjoy some lovely companionship; chat about everything, chat about nothing, and eat cake and drink tea♡

If you cannot visit my little place in person, then the next best thing, I suppose, is finding your way through cyberspace to me here, at my little place. Thank you so much for your sweet visit. Your visits are always delightful. You always make my heart smile. I hope I caused you to smile; just a little. May your day be one where a little beauty sprinkles into your day♡ 

Bye for now♡ Until the next time........