"Every Spring is the only Spring....a perpetual astonishment." Ellis Peters

Every Spring does feel like the only Spring. I always gasp with astonishment as Spring kisses the garden with it's sweet-smelling fragrance, breathing new life into each blossom. Each year, as the Winter's frigid bite dissipates and evaporates into the warm Spring air, I forget how beautiful, how intense the magic, the perfume and the vibrancy of colour that Spring freely gifts to me. Each Spring unearths new surprises that I didn't see the previous Spring.

The garden has gone wild with new growth. The garden has gone wild with intoxicating fragrances. The Wisteria, the Sweet Peas, the Lilacs......all bursting their confines, releasing their beautiful scents swirling and swirling around in a potpourri of the most delicious of aromas. I am quite certain no perfumer, a perfume composer if you like, could dream up the intoxicating perfume that abounds in the garden at this time of the year. The Irises, Bluebells, Pansies, Granny Bonnets, the apple trees' blossoms, all are dancing a most beautiful dance. Indeed, the garden is abloom with a carnival of colour and heady fragrances.

Springtime is as Colin, in Frances Hodgson Burnett's, The Secret Garden said, "Is the spring coming?" he said. "What is it like?"......"It is the sun shining on the rain and the rain falling on the sunshine." Have you ever read The Secret Garden?? I have, many, many times......and yes, I have several copies. It is a favourite of mine from my childhood. A well loved book that I have revisited many times as an adult. A well-loved book that I have skipped through many a time reconnecting with Mary, Dickon, Colin, Mr Craven, the little red breasted robin...........and the beautiful Secret Garden  at Misselthwaite Manor.

A most beautiful book where the enchantment within the garden begins it's magic in each of the characters' hearts. Oh, to have one of those ancient gardens surrounded by century old stone walls, where seemingly, magic happens.  Come to think of it the garden that hugs our humble abode is a garden which has a rather magical quality about it. This garden which embraces me, has the power to heal, to still my mind, to awaken my soul, to feel close to God with a heart overflowing with thankfulnes. It is as if with the unfurling of each Spring blossom it gives a sense of wonderfulness  to any whom gazes upon it.

Aah....the Clematis, always beautiful.

The Lilacs have begun to flower, filling the air with delightful fragrance. The Granny Bonnets have donned their high fashion hats in the most delightful of styles. Not to be 'outshone', the Sweet Peas have decided they too shall fill the air with sweet perfume. The Wisteria's heavy-laden vine with drooping clusters of  lilac flowers overpowers the air with the sweetest scent. Irises, Bluebells, Pansies.........so, so many gorgeous blooms swaying in the breeze, delighting all the senses.

The pond has awakened with the Irises and other early Spring plants beginning to perform in a most glorious show.

Freshly cut blossoms resting in the sink ready for the filling of vases. If only you could drink in the fragrances. They truly are divine!

Whilst out and about this week I happened upon these pretty needlepoints. Always on the lookout for such pretties, I quickly snapped them up and brought them home. At this juncture I am unsure as to whether I will leave the needlepoints in the frames or if I will reuse them in a cushion surrounded by ribbon flowers or perhaps a bag. In the meantime I will  display them on a shelf and enjoy them each day.

I also found this sweet needlepoint of two little bluebirds. Are they not sweet?? I think I will fashion a cushion from them, embellishing it with lace, ribbonwork etc etc.; or perhaps a bag. Whatever I decide upon I am sure these sweet birdies will sing a most lyrical song on whatever they flutter upon.

Looking at these sweet birdies brought to mind all the pretty laces which are suffocating in some of my drawers. =) Any excuse to  once again open those burgeoning drawers to again gaze upon all the pretty laces in so many colourful hues and patterns. Oh my there are a few, are there not?? A collection which has been added to through the years. A collection which time and time again has provided just the right touch to whatever pretty I have been working on.

These days these laces are as rare as the proverbial hen's teeth. As Tassie is a bit light on in the exquisite french lace department, it is always a delight when working on a pretty, that I need only walk into my sewing room....my haberdashery shop and find the perfect lace, vintage brooch, vintage button etc etc, to add the perfect finishing touch. Would you believe hours can be wasted enjoyed rummaging through my drawers, my suitcases.......to once again discover all the pretties that I have collected over the years. 'Tis true, it really, really is.

Mmm....endless possibilities.

I have been enjoying a little hand stitching this week. After the frenetic pace of my days written in the last post, I decided to work on my Japanese silk pretty. I started this quilt about 3 years ago, waxing lyrical about it here. These fabrics are gorgeous. Each fabric is filled with exquisite Japanese colour and design......colour and design as only the Japanese can do. These fabrics too, reflect the riot of colour that is beginning to burst outside.

Oh look, an origami hexagon flower.......who would've thought!

As I stitch my Japanese pretty, the view from one of the windows of my sewing room.........not bad, not bad at all. 'Tis rather gorgeous at this time of year.

Spring blossoms, needlepoints, Japanese fabrics, French laces, timeless books of secret gardens................all jostling to give one such as I, boundless inspiration. There is inspiration to awaken the soul everywhere. What thinketh thee?? =)

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

Origami....'tis easy.... isn't it?

I've been told it is......but I have always found it a tad puzzling. It seems that whenever I have attempted origami, there has always been a blockage from the picture of the origami piece before me, to the transmission of the electrochemical message to my brainpan!! Indeed, there is something amiss with my electrical wiring!! It was always embarrassing, when I worked in a before and after school workplace, that the kiddos 'got' it before me!!

So, one would think that, at all costs, I would avoid making a quilt which involves the skill of origami. But no, not me......I am going to stitch not one, but two quilts which to some degree, both, involve the  skill of origami.

The next two quilts that I am going to stitch are a cathedral window quilt and a quilt using Japanese silks which will have beautiful origami fabric flowers scattered upon it.

Crazy!! I know!! But I am going to conquer my inadequacies and give it a burl. After all we learn from our mistakes....don't we?

For a long time now I have wanted to make a cathedral window quilt. I have been traversing through cyberspace and found a wonderful tutorial over at Hyena in Petticoats which perhaps even I will be able to master.

Although technically not really origami, a cathedral window quilt does resemble origami in that each square is folded separately to give the appearance of a cathedral window. I have gathered oodles of scrap fabrics and cut squares in readiness for my quilt.

The folded plain fabric that makes the envelope-like frames for the patterned fabric scraps, is a white cotton with a paisley-like pattern printed thereon.

If nothing else, I will become quite proficient at the skill of envelope making upon the completion of this quilt, as there are hundreds to be prepared!!  What was I thinking when I came up with the brilliant idea of making a queen size quilt for our guest bedroom??

Here is the progress that I have made thus far. The windows are 4 inch squares.

 

I love the fact that this is a 'quilt as you go' quilt...sewing and quilting at the same time!

 

As my quilt has batting in it, it can be a little tricky to get the corners perfect......and those of you who read my blog from time to time, know that sometimes (oh all right...most of the time) I can be quite persnickety. I am not quite sure how one accomplishes every corner to be the same. I have found that sometimes they are pleasing to my eye and sometimes they definitely are not!! I have no idea why this is so, as the process is the same for each window.

 

Me thinks that this quilt will be one where I will have to adopt the attitude of satisfactionism and not perfectionism. It will be difficult for me, but I'm guessing that, by the time that I have stitched a couple of hundred or so of the blasted li'l windows, I really won't care. When I have stitched the last stitch, my brain will transmit the message that every corner is just fine! Besides, I will convince myself that most of our guests won't even notice......as they are destitute of vision anyway and depend on glasses for seeing their world!

 

When I started this quilt I hand sewed tiny invisible stitches around the edge of the window. Then I machine stitched around the window as well to give a quilting effect on the back. As this took oodles of time, I thought there had to be a better way to do this. I skedaddled down to my local fabric store ('tis only one and a half hours away) and bought some 'no more pins' glue. This enabled me to glue under the fabric at each corner and then I could 'quickly' machine stitch around the window, thus eliminating the need to hand sew. Excellento!! Now each window is less laborious and much, much quicker to finish; making me a very, very happy gal!

 

 I have looked at quite a few cathedral window quilts on pinterest, and to my untrained eye there are some that seem to have the same 'corner' issues as mine. There are quite a few quilts that have buttons on every corner.....mmm....I wonder if these are hiding little foibles or if they are there purely for decorative effect. Oh.....there are those, that as far as my eyes can see are beyond perfect....but I won't dwell on them as I am trying to remain upbeat....("remember...satisfactionism, satisfactionism....Kim"). I am thinking that if I didn't include the batting, the corners would be easier to make the same.....but I am only supposing.

  

Now........ for the second quilt on my 'to do list'. Have a bo peep at these lovely Japanese silks from vintage kimonos that I have been collecting for a couple of years.

Aren't they just too, too gorgeous?? Panel after panel of the most exquisite silk fabric overflowing with innate and intuitive Japanese style and design. Mmm.....did you spy with your li'l eye, the hexagon pattern?? You didn't think I was going to make a Japanese style quilt and not include a hexie or two...did you??

 

Now for the stitching of my Japanese masterpiece. I am referring to these books for the 'how to' of the origami fabric flowers that I want to add.

 

I happened upon some gorgeous books written by Kumiko Sudo a couple of years ago and had to, had to buy them. Every page is filled with wonderful Japanese narratives (the stories are as beautifully evocative as the quilts) and sumptuous photos of fabric origami flowers and beautiful quilts. Every page is a visual feast of inspiration to be enjoyed. These books inform me......and I quote "Even if you have never folded paper origami before, do not worry. With Kumiko as your guide, you will find the techniques easy to learn." I am further told....."this book contains designs that magically transform simple shapes cut from fabric into beautiful, decorative flowers."

 

So......there you have it....no worries! I will magically turn little scraps of gorgeous Japanese silks into beautiful origami-like flowers.....it says so in the books. It is written in black and white. The authors wouldn't lead me astray...would they?? The very word 'magic' did compel me to look to see, if perchance, there was a magic wand included within the covers of the books; thus helping my origami flower dreams come true....but alas....no!!

 

Anyway, perhaps fabric will be a little more forgiving for the molding of origami-like flowers than paper. Perhaps I will even become quite savvy at the art of fabric origami, to the point, that I will be able to make gorgeous fabric flowers almost without thinking. Well, I can only try!

 

So....I'm off to retrain my rather inadequate brainpan.....I will get back to you....shall I??