Monday 19 September 2016

Happily stitching away with gorgeous vintage fabrics and quilt pieces .. bliss.











.

Sat stitching on warm Autumn days,
my soul is being fed with 
needle and thread, and
lots of ideas for designs too.








Whilst sitting stitching I have been thinking about designs for some of the beautiful old patchwork pieces that I have been lucky enough to accumulate recently and all the beautiful hand dyed shaker threads that are in my collection, with outstanding colours and hues.  I love stitching but when you are using such stunning materials then you do count yourself extremely lucky.


I am looking forward to some packages arriving with my last batch of vintage patchwork panels from America for a while, I could keep buying but I must stop for a while and use what I have ... I keep an eye weekly now to see if any unusual pieces have been added to the shop.

Vintage hankies have arrived and I will photograph them for you and show you tomorrow and of course I must collate the photos from The Larmer Tree Vintage Fair as well.

Since a few weeks ago when I said to you all I could not seem to find it in me to start stitching with
the Christmas colours in mind, I have not been able to stop looking for beautiful red and white fabrics.  The two that I photographed above are amongst my favourites and I feel a patchwork - ish kind of project coming along.  I could make a cushion but I rather enjoy doing pictures and samplers and that really is my thing.  The very old fabric with the red back ground and the white pods is so beautiful, it is only a little piece so to add it to a sampler would preserve it beautifully.

The panel shown here on the left with the antique English paper piecing bits is something I have been playing with and have decided to use old pins to pin them to the red and white panel and then I am going to write and stitch on it a saying about quilts and get it framed.  I thought maybe 'a bed without a quilt is like a sky without stars' and then stitch on one of my star buttons .... any thoughts?


Confession time, I still have not finished my whale picture and I really must because I know that lots of you have a wish to see it... So this week I am going to make a conservative effort to finish said piece.  I kind of lost my way on it, by which I mean I was not sure about part of my design for it and stopped stitching until I had a break from it to keep coming back and looking at it you see.  Well its been several weeks now and I have neglected it .. so today I am going to take a final look and decide
what it needs to finish it off, before I stitch on the button of the whale.   The thing is with the antique linen that I am using as its base I do not think it would be good to start unpicking, so I want to be sure before my needle and thread makes the holes! .. I have dithered over it and am not sure why.  Firstly dithering over the fabrics which I changed TWICE and now part of the design.  I think, and I am not making accuses, it has been everything going on with my mum and my mind has not been on stitching fully, as it normally is.  We have settled my mum and she has new tablets coming so life should settle down a bit for us as a family ...... My fog is lifting and now must focus on finishing this piece.  You can see I am showing all the beautiful things I have been collecting for my personal stitching few months .... Look at the paisley!!! grin..

So my week is set out.  Finish the whale picture so that I can photograph it for you and then take it to the framers.  Take photos of the vintage hankies to show you and collate the photos of the vintage fair.  Then I can concentrate on my beautiful pieces that I would like to stitch for us and some to sell
on ... That is this week.  The weather has been glorious for September and I am basking in this warm start to Autumn.  The garden is a little confused but it is still looking stunning and to add to it leaves are changing and turning gorgeous reds and oranges.  I am going go to the garden centre to get some Autumnal plants to put is some of the pots that have gone over now.  Then it will look lovely for some evenings with the fire pit, blankets and pizza night... We have a pizza stone for the b b q and I make the pizza dough and the tomato topping myself and then we decide what toppings we would like and cook them sat outside ... I always have the same, can't help it.  I love margarita with green olives but my husband likes things like beef and chilli or pork and apple and loves making up new and different tastes .. thus we invite friend around too so he can go wild in the kitchen creating!

Well that is my ramblings for today and so first job is going to be photo taking and then I am getting on with the stitching, this means when the light fades ( which is happening earlier now) I can stop stitching and collate all the photos, this I feel is good use of my day and time management.  I have already got out my sketch book with the design and the whale picture basket ... I sat looking at it over my first coffee this morning and jotted down some ideas on a piece of paper ... now it is stop dithering time and get on with it...

On that note I will love you and leave you and start my day, have a wonderful day yourselves and as always Happy Stitching and see you tomorrow! XX














7 comments:

  1. After our week away I must get back into a routine. I am still plodding my through Liam's quilt and must start Scarlett's with all the gorgeous red fabrics I have gathered up.

    Julie xxxxxxxx

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    Replies
    1. Hi Julie
      Welcome home! Hope you had a fabulous time. Nice to see you on here again, you have been missed.

      Enjoy creating!
      Sarah xxx

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    2. Thank you, we had a great time. I blogged about it. We only saw about one per cent of what was there so we will have to go back one day

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  2. Gorgeous reds, I do love them. The quote is perfect Sarah, lovely idea. The shops are already sneaking Christmas things onto their shelves so we had all better start thinking in reds and golds. Xxx

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  3. Hi Dawn

    Yes the Autumnal/Winter thoughts and house are in full swing here now. Today is raining and has been all day and I have candles going as well, which always makes me feel like huddling down and getting ready for the colder months ahead.
    I always think in reds and whites as I am not keen on gold at all.
    I have thought of two more sayings as well and so there are three panels now waiting to be stitched.
    Have a great day Dawn.

    Sarah xxx

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  4. lovely post Sarah..and it was so good to see you yesterday. Wasn't it a stunning location for a fair?! xx

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    Replies
    1. Really lovely to see you too Clare.... Yes it was such a great location and so much going on as well.

      Truly a lovely day out.

      Sarah xx

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