Monday 31 July 2017

The toil of the needle! ..... Not that way for me!


















Women derive a pleasure incomprehensible
to the other sex, from the delicate toil of a needle!

Nathaniel Hawthorne - The Scarlet Letter






I loved that above quote! toil ? what toil, not for me but my husband would probably agree to that statement it would drive him mad I think but not if he was re upholstering a car seat, now that he would be happy with and that indeed would be a toil for me! There is definitely differences between girls and boys but that said I know of some fabulous men who do knit or indeed stitch I mean you only have to look at Kaffe Fassett and his skills as a designer and stitcher and his endless love of colours and patterns.

It is the last day of July today, and I am trying to believe the weather man who said summer is returning in August because I am not done sitting out in the fresh air stitching just yet.  I am not ready for the open fires and throws, not yet so fingers crossed we have a few more weeks of gorgeous weather.

Trying to create some more project baskets and of course keep cutting out my pieces of fabric for my Winter quilting project and still doing some each week,  I have stopped doing it daily for now as I have so much work to do and catch up on. 

Last week I took a day off and went with my sister and my niece and took our Mum to Compton Acres for the day.  The weather was glorious on the Tuesday and we had heard there was rain from Wednesday last week so we changed some bits about to take her.  She had a fabulous time and she did make us laugh.  As we left and she had had a cake and coffee when we got there, lunch and then ice-cream and coffee in the afternoon walked around the gardens twice and stopped and looked at beautiful waterfalls and flowers and some of the biggest coy carp ever, we said did you have a lovely day Mum.... her answer " yes! but I only came out to buy toothpaste!"  She makes us hoot with laughter and she joins in too.

So slight catch up this week on things and our next jaunt this week, weather permitting is Wareham and have lunch by the river with her.  Other than that I have a full week of
gorgeous stitching and sorting project baskets.

I was looking at these lovely quilt pieces (above) and they were bought a while ago, I knew they would look lovely on or with something and it finally came to me so in a basket they have gone with the threads and I am hoping that it will look as good as it does in my little sketch and in my imagination.... or if I feel that the design should go on any other pieces of vintage quilt I pinned a note to them and I will decided properly when that basket is due to be picked up and stitched. I mean there are so many pieces on that bottom shelf to choose from!






If I have a 'toil' it would be what to stitch next and I have often said I wish that I had several pairs of hand if it would not look so weird and the obvious trouble buying tops and dresses!!

As you can see so many beautiful bits of vintage quilts but with what I have in my mind I do need three squares that I can line up to stitch on and have it framed in a long frame so that you can read the words from left to right.

When I pull my little stall up, after asking my large duck who sits on it would you mind or excuse me! yes I do and then I laugh at myself .. manners instilled in me as a child do not stop at stuffed animals I am afraid!!  I can pull the little stall over and sit on that and go through that cupboard and spend hours doing it if I am not careful!  as you can imagine.

As you can see I have been in there this morning early and being that is very light very early on,  I can sip at my first cup of coffee and stare in there and think about what pretty things that can be made before my day honestly starts.

Well with out further a do I must get my stitching out and make my day count, so whatever you are doing today have a great one and as always Happy Stitching! XX



























8 comments:

  1. Oh I remember Compton Acres. I was a child when I went but I vividly remember the cafe it was set out as a Japanese Pagoda, and if I remember correctly it was called the Pagoda Tea House........ I don't suppose its the same, it was many years ago, late sixties I went!

    Have a wonderful day

    Julie xxxxxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Julie

      Oh yes very much changed. Massive cafe as you go in .. you can just go there and not in the gardens. Italian villa it's called. Then another cafe inside. Shops and garden centre!
      Still beautiful though.
      Sarah xxxx

      Delete
  2. Yes let's hope there are more days of sunshine to come. Your mum sounds lovely, bless her. What a precious day and one that you will look back fondly upon.
    I wish that when I was going through the awful days I had with my mum n dads dementia that I had kept a journal containing any moments of happiness because all I remember now are the bad events.
    Anyway, I do love that old piece of patchwork in your photo, gorgeous. They are hard to come by, online anyway. I must try to go to a fair.
    I have a hand sewing project that I am working on. The library where I use to work is celebrating an anniversary and has asked people to make a quilt block on the theme of books. I have plumped for Jane Austen. I am using a piece of old quilt that I had from you Sarah. I hope to finish it this week and will send you a photo. I had to embroider some wording and it's not too bad for a beginner but can you recommend a good embroidery book?
    I like your quote, I read that book so long ago but haven't forgotten the significance of the letter.
    Have a good day.
    Best wishes Dawn xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Dawn

      Oh how lovely can not wait to see your Jane Austen panel!
      Yes I look bsck at the great days I have with mum, it gets me through it!
      She said the other day " I just want to be me again" she know at a level thre is something wrong! ..I just gave her a big kiss and said "you will always be you.. to me! " She smiled and said " that's ok then" ..
      It's my coping mechanism...
      I have some beautiful pieces of patchwork bought over time ....I now know what I like and all will be used at some point I hope.

      Happy stitching Dawn!

      Sarah xxxx

      Delete
  3. That's so lovely Sarah. Bless her dear heart xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Dawn, it's a tough thing BUT make happy memories and see the good, that's my motto. Xxx

      Delete
  4. What a lovely post - it's great that you and your sister and focusing on sharing happy days with your mum. I did laugh when you said about the duck. I have a few bears and old dolls that sit about the house and I always talk to them if I have to move them. I was listening to radio 2 last week and people were texting in with all the tales of good manners - like thanking the automatic door for opening - I laughed but then realised I did that! Anyway, I do hope summer returns we've had painters at the house for nearly 5 weeks trying to paint the outside - it's a nightmare! Hares to an Indian summer (my favourite) xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Mo

      When manners are instilled in us we can not break from it at all and I thank doors too!

      This weather has gone from so really beautiful to winter here too. I am not done sitting in the garden yet and want it back. A Indian Summer would be great.

      You poor thing with the painters if the weather would just play ball for a week it might see it finished for you.

      Hope still to see you in the Cotswolds on the 19th.

      Hows the stitching coming along?

      Sarah xxxx

      Delete