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...........

Hey, it's good to be back home again, yeah it is............

Hello everyone. After being missing for a wee while, it is lovely to be back amongst all you lovelies. My husband has had his surgery and after 10 days of excellent care by nurses and doctors in hospital, is back home again, convalescing and taking it easy. Before I go any further I must say a heart felt thank you to those of you whom have emailed me, sent positive thoughts all the way down here and of course have sent petitions heavenwards for my husband's surgery and recovery. As always, your generosity of spirit has blessed my heart.

It is a delight to be back ensconced in our humble abode, surrounded by green velvety paddocks where  new-born calves sleepily snuggle close to their mothers and sweet, sweet bandy-legged baby lambs frolic with each other.

It is a joy to behold the expectant air of Spring, where the air is filled with delicious scents of early budding flowers. Wherever one goes, the eyes are delighted by the miracle of the awakening Spring season. The glorious trumpet-shaped Daffodils are slowing arousing, being tempted by the sunshine to raise their pretty faces, making a glorious spectacle and blessing everyone with their cheerful exuberance; as are the Jonquils, Tulips and other Spring blossoms. I am always amazed by the wondrous miracle of Spring and the blossoming of God's sweet earth. Spring truly is a provocative delight to the senses.

As I haven't stitched a stitch for the past three weeks or so, my sunny sewing room has beckoned me to it's sunny warmth; tempting me to enjoy a little stitching. Who am I to refuse?? Though I have several quilts which need to be finished, (my cathedral window and hexie) I am in the mood to stitch a quilt with no plan, no rhyme or reason nor difficult patterns. I am in the mood for a quilt filled with oodles of colour and pattern and yet again, some lovely linens.

Upon seeing this lovely quilt of Dee's of Dees Doodles a couple of years ago and filing it away in my brainpan under the heading "Must Stitch Pretties" now is the time to begin the begin. With the apprehension and worriment of the last month behind me, this past week I have snatched moments to piece strips of fabric bordering pretty linens here and there, into blocks and then joining the blocks together in an arrangement pleasing to my eye.

In this quilt filled with a plethora of pattern and colour, there are baskets of flowers.

There is a vase of Daffodils, sweet birdies and embroidered flowers galore.

There are pretty ladies in pretty dresses.

There are butterflies fluttering by.

There are gracefully elegant swans floating by.

And....of course there has to be at least one cup of tea.

Arranging the different blocks on my design wall. =))

My botanical book wall is the perfect backdrop for my pretty quilt.

Let the pretty birdies joyously sing.....Spring, Spring, Spring!!

Aah yes, what's not to love about pretty fabrics, linen lovelies, splendiforous Spring flowers and the odd birdie or two. It is lovely to be back in the land of bloggy loveliness. I am looking forward to visiting all your lovely blogs this coming week to have a bo peep at the gorgeousness you have all been up to.

Me thinks I will steal more moments in the embrace of  my sunny sewing room over the next week or so and enjoy a little more stitching happiness. I am loving stitching this quilt which is awash with pretty colour and pattern.  This quilt truly makes my heart sing the happiest of Spring tunes. Oh how wonderful it is to be back home again!

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