Friday, 5 June 2020

Stars shone brightly at Thimble - and I made a wish!






I know nothing with any certainty but the sight
of stars make me dream.!

Vincent Van Gogh.



Whilst sorting through box after box I came across my vintage barn stars, which I purchased and successfully got home in one piece from one of my American trips.  I have a large red one, which is
now hanging on the outside wall of the Threads of Time Studio.  In addition I have two smaller ones in white.  One of which is in my lounge at Thimble and the other is in my personal stitchery room at the top of the cottage.

They, I believe started with the Amish community back in the early 1700's.  They became very popular after the civil war and hung on many a large barn.  It is said the original design was a three or four pointed star but it has changed over the years to a 5 pointed one.  You can date them by this really.  They were used to ward off evil spirits and bring luck to those who hung them or their farms.

They come in a multitude of colours and each is said to have the following meanings ....

Black - means protection and to blend or bind elements.
Blue - means protection, peace, calmness and spirituality.
Brown - means mother earth and also friendship and strength.
Green - means growth, fertility, success in things and ideas that grow.
Orange - means abundance in career, projects and matters needing an added rush.
Red - means emotions, passion, charisma, lust and also creativity.
Violet - means things that are sacred.
White - means purity, power of the moon, allows energy to flow freely.
Yellow - means health in body and mind, love of man and the sun, connection to God.


Only in the darkness can you see the stars.

Martin Luther King Jnr.




Slow stitching is going here at Thimble and I am still patiently unpacking and getting the studio and my office/personal stitchery room sorted.  I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and now I have
to admit I am grateful for that.  It seems I have lived out of boxes for months and months and I will be glad when everything has a place.  Time then can be spent on slow little stitches and sorting future workshops. My design days can return and therefore I will feel like I am finely home and living again.

I long to wake in the morning and have my coffee in the garden with my journals and then plan my day.  Baskets of gorgeous fabrics and hand dyed threads waiting for creations to happen.  Slow stitching is happening but I find I become guilty at not unpacking more so I have decided to really give the final push over the next few days.


Antique Kilner jars filled with goodies are finding a new home and I feel not only do they look delicious but they are very useful too.  You can see what is in them at a glance and I have made a fabric pincushion on each top of them as well.  I have one that is huge and this holds all my needles inside.  Embroidery, everyday, cross stitch, darning and crewel to name a few nestle quite happily together and at a glance I can see what I am looking for without too much of a truffle.

As I have told you all before I have a jar of hearts, different shapes and sizes cut from bits of faded paisleys and floral vintage fabrics that would only serve as tippets for mice .. to quote Beatrix Potter from the Tailor of Gloucester....   I have a nice little bundle of these pieces of fabric to sit and cut out hearts to add to this wonderful jar of happiness.  The jar shown in this photo has wonderful stitchery wools in .. this particular jar has the blues and greys inside.

I have also filled four different vintage teacups with saucers with wonderful smelling wax with a wick.  I have one for every season happily so they can burn in my studio to evoke the atmosphere of day.  What is wonderful is I can keep filling them when they burn out.

My greatest find on a further candle was a black and cream teacup and saucer for All Hallows Eve!  I had forgotten that I had found it on a truffling day and was over joyed when carefully unfolding the tissue paper ...

The garden is coming along and has benefitted from the rain we had yesterday greatly.  I water every day but there is nothing like 8 hours of fine rain to make the flowers bloom beautifully and the climbing roses I have planted to open their buds and let of the most gorgeous sweet smell that only scented roses can give.

The foxgloves are happy in their new border and the rusty tin chickens are strutting and pecking
around keeping guard on them.  The wild daises have started to bloom and although the garden is far from complete I think for the first two months in my new home its doing well and making me feel more settled.

A garden is a love song, a duet between
a human being and Mother Nature!

This year is a time to settle here and because of the lockdown, which is slowly lifting somewhat, time to get things in order and to make this beautiful little town my home.  To get the cottage ship shape and to design, stitch and get workshops ready for visitors.

There is so much more work to be done but as I say with the restrictions being lifted well it is now coming together.  I was awaiting carpets being laid as you know and that has been completed.  The cottage and workshop is next to be painted outside so watch this space.  Friends are helping me with that and a borrowed tower should keep us safe.  I am not great on high things but am determined to give it a go with my helpers...

As I sit and type this to you I am looking around at piles of gorgeous things to find a home for, as I unpacked two boxes this morning already.  So I am guessing it is time for my ramblings to stop and to get on and place the treasures in their resting place.

One further piece of great news is that my sister and I are allowed to visit our Mum in her care home.  We will get a slot and be able to join her in the garden at a safe distance with our masks on.  I can not wait to see her.  Not sure she will understand the lack of hugs and kisses but we are going to give it a go.  We are having a picnic with her so that is really lovely.  On my last face time with her she blew me a kiss and when I blew one back and asked her to catch it … she obliged!  It was a good day and she understood me.  I have to admit my eyes were welling up.

Well that is it for today and until the next time as always  …..

HAPPY STITCHING! xxx













6 comments:

  1. Sarah, what a lovely post. Wherever did you find your chickens? I need some!!! xx

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    1. Thank you Sue. Chickens were from one of Lucy’s Brocante in Sussex. Also have boxing hares. I love them!
      XX

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    2. Thanks Sarah. If you should come across any again could you let me know? Meanwhile I'll see if I can find some. xx

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  2. Lovely stars. Love each colour has a meaning

    Julie xxxxxxxxx

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    Replies
    1. I do love them all, feel a wall of them coming along one day.x

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