Granny Flowers♡

Hello, lovely lovelies♡ A sunny, Sunday morning welcome to you♡ Just hanging out here in the Fernery with all the happy plants and flowers smiling upon me; happily crocheting granny squares, yet again. =)  With swirls and twirls of green, purple and mauve wool twisting and tangling around me, my wee addiction to the humble granny square has filled my week.  But this time my granny squares have a happy flower blossoming in the centre.

I wanted to fashion another cardie and I really didn't want one with granny squares the same as I've done previously. I wanted a cardie with flowers blooming here and there. Mr Google was most helpful with my search for a flower granny square. He led me down many a beautiful path where pansies, dahlias, sunflowers, daffodils......so, so many pretty, woolly flowers, were waiting to be crocheted. Desiring a simple flower as my first attempt, I settled on a daisy; the sweet flower that breathes joy and cheerfulness into a day. And simple it is. There were a few daisy tutorials but I liked the look   of  'Adore Crea Crochet'  quick and easy daisy granny square. This sweet daisy is both pretty and quick to crochet.

I read somewhere that purple daisies mean you're thinking of someone, but also mean spontaneity, peace, unity, and fun. I love the language of flowers. My granny squares with purple daisies sitting in the centre are certainly fun.

As it's Sunday I'm going to enjoy a little crochet. More granny squares are needed, and I will continue joining these together in the join-as-you-go method. It's lovely and sunny here in the fernery. A little crochet; tea and cake. Such a fabulous way to spend a couple of hours.

As I sit here in my flowery fernery basking in the sunshine, and crocheting my happy little purple daisies, I shall think of you♡ From my little home to yours, sending you sunshiney thoughts and smiles ♡ Have a lovely day, lovely lovelies♡

Until the next time......

A Quilt Finish♡

Hello lovely lovelies♡ A lovely welcome to you, this early Sunday morning♡ The sun is out and my little world is dancing with exuberant and joyful colour♡

I have a quilt finish. The charity quilt for a cancer fundraiser is finished. When last I chatted about this pretty I was deciding on how I would quilt it. Because I was going to do it on my sometimes obstropulous sewing machine it had to be an easy design. And easy it was. In pattern, that is. It wasn't necessarily a quick task to sew. I was reminded yet again just why I do not jump up and down with great glee with the thought of quilting on the sewing machine. The quilting took a week.......on and off. I had the stitching speed on a snail's pace as I found the stitches were irregular in length, even with a walking foot attachment. So thankful it's only a smallish quilt (it measures 48" by 64') because it was cumbersome and heavy to stitch in straight lines.  The tension too, was tricky at times, and my trusty unpick was called into action, many a time. Mmm....could be time for a new sewing machine, but I don't really want to mortgage my home. =)

I decided upon straight vertical and horizontal stitching lines within the sashing, half an inch apart. I didn't want to quilt in the floral squares as I wanted these to really pop. And pop they do! I love all the little squares of floralicious delight! As I was stitching, at times my inner 'Little Miss Persnickety' could not be contained. She escaped from time to time,  only too aware of some stitches.....lines.....meandering off the straight and narrow but when one looks at the finished quilt as a whole these aren't really noticeable. Well, I hope not. Because someone is going to win this quilt I wanted it to be pretty darn near perfect. Ahh....that persnickety inner me; sometimes she's a pain in the royal proverbial! But, you know the funny thing is, I wouldn't mind making a similar quilt with a plethora of jewel-like colours and exuberant florals all dancing together, to rest on my bed. Of course, I'd have to psyche myself up for the machine quilting, but as the quilt would be for me, Little Miss Persnickety wouldn't be too finicky.........would she??!! =)

This week I enjoyed more quilting on my Flower Meadow quilt. More quilting stitches  skipping around the hexie flowers. I will continue quilting Flower Meadow today for Slow Sunday Stitching. Slow, rhythmic hand quilting; such a wonderful way to spend many an enjoyable moment this sunny Sunday. I will settle down in a comfy chair, put my legs up and happily hand quilt away. Relaxed and comfy, not hunched over an obstropulous sewing machine;  reminded yet again why I prefer the slow meditative state of hand quilting.

I'm happy the fundraiser pretty is finished waiting to go home with someone. Fingers crossed that certain someone loves happy, glorious colour. =) Because this little quilt does indeed dance in exuberant and joyful colour. Have a wonderful Sunday, lovely lovelies♡ May you dance through your day with joyous colour twirling around you♡

Until the next time......

Oh, I Do Love Me A Vintage Embroidery...Or Two♡

Hello lovely lovelies ♡ Oh.....Mr Grasshopper says a cheery hello, too. He came in out of the cold with me, hitching a ride with the flowers. I think, he thinks better to be inside than outside, with the flowers and the warmth. I must say......I concur.

So, so lovely to have you visit on this sunny, Sunday morning♡ I hope you've been able, among the to-ing and fro-ing of everyday life this week, to catch moments to enjoy a little sewing.

I have. There have been many moments this week spent in my cheery sewing room with beams of sunshine pouring in, breathing life into me, warming both body and soul; casting a happy glow and magical shadows all around. Sunshine beaming in with darting rays of sunshine on a chilly autumn morning is a thing of happiness to me.  Yes indeed, a lovely week was enjoyed  playing with EPP shapes......pentagons, hexies....and stitching them wherever they fell. Well...at least the pentagons are stitched. It's yet to be decided where the hexies will fall onto my vintage tablecloth. There are a few leftover pretties  from other EPP quilts, too, which I save for a rainy day. As I've fashioned quite a few EPP quilts over the years there are always some prepared ready to go if indeed a new EPP should be imagined.

Over the years I have collected many an embroidered pretty from vintage shops, markets, op shops......many, many places. Probably a few  too many embroideries if truth be told.  A few quilts have been fashioned from these pretties, and it never ceases to amaze me the exquisite handwork in each one. Ladies of a bygone era took immense pride in whatever it was they were embroidering. Indeed, more often than not the back is as wonderful as the front. I often think of the countless hours that went in to creating these works of meticulous textile loveliness. Each time I stitch with these embroideries I marvel again and again at the workmanship, the time and love that has gone into each one. I wonder about the story of each embroidery and the person whose hands stitched such loveliness. I suppose these days these embroidered pretties are considered frivolous and old fashioned; too much work to wash and iron,  but I for one, find comfort in appreciating these pretties that the makers in times past, lovingly stitched. 

I use my embroidered treasures every day in my home. I love a table covered with a pretty embroidered tablecloth for a meal or an impromptu tea party. For, there is many an impromptu tea party enjoyed here at my home. We often use embroidered serviettes, too. Yikes!! I hear you gasp! The stains??!! It's amazing what Napisan in water....stain remover.....will do. There are windows in my home dressed in curtains fashioned entirely from my embroidered pretties, too. Chairs, lampshades.....cushions, as well, have been recovered and tarted up using vintage embroideries.  So, so many ways to reuse and enjoy a vintage treasure from those nostalgic days gone by.

As beautiful as these linens are I have no qualms with cutting into some of these pretties. I think they look lovelier being used than being hidden away. Some would, I suppose, consider me sacrilegious for cutting into these, but really, what's the point of collecting these treasures if they are not going to be used and enjoyed; repurposed for another life. It's such a shame if these gorgeous embroideries are stored away never to see the light of day ever again. So much better to be enjoyed for a few more years.

But, to the quilt using a tablecloth as the central panel. I've stitched pentagons together in sets of eight forming a gentle curve and stitching each set between the embroideries, creating a frame, so to speak. Embroidered flowers and fabric pretties; a garland, holding hands, dancing a gentle waltz around the border. For Slow Sunday Stitching I will make some hexie flowers to add; and perhaps design a few flowers to add, scattered here and there. 

Liberty fabrics and vintage embroideries were made to play together♡

May you feel loved by those you cherish, on this lovely day♡

Sending you lovely lovelies, some flowers, wrapped in a little love, to sprinkle many a smile into your day. I'm off to play with pretty fabrics and embroideries♡

Until the next time.......