Wednesday, 11 May 2022

The gentle art ... of little tiny stitches.







Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.  Love the life you have imagined.

Thoreau 1817 - 1862











It is May already and I am not sure where this year is going, the world needs to slow down a little in my opinion. Although the days of the beginning of May are a little warmer the evenings are still chilly here in Dorset.

Thimble has under gone the yearly transition from Winter to Summer in the colours of the throws and different cushions.  There are always plenty of throws around and candles to light.  Cosy is the word along with my mind set of Hygge as well.  "There's no place like home" - Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. The early Summer months can still bring a chill of an evening as I said, not cold
enough for an open fire but you need something.  

The porch at Thimble is rather large and so I am lucky enough to have a wardrobe out there to

hang all my coats along with a beautiful Lloyd loom chair with a blanket across it and a patchwork cushion made of antique quilt.  There is a small piece of quilt hanging on the wall over a hanger and some framed in a battered but beautiful frame.  There is a lamp out there and candles too.  It welcomes all who step inside.  The quilt has changed to different piece with a lighter feel to it but to me it feels happy and cosy.

The little wall hanging that says Thimble Cottage that my beautiful

friend Vintage Dahling had made for me by the equally beautiful  Suzy Hearts who stitched it for me.  It has pride of place and was the first thing that was put up when I moved in.  When I got the keys to Thimble there was the post and there it was.  It is beautiful and very precious to me indeed.  There are always fresh flowers in a jug, sometimes picked or sometimes bought depending what's available at the time, I always have a smile when I open my door because I feel its such a welcoming sight.


Love is a canvas furnished by Nature and embroidered by imagination.
Voltaire.

I had a beautiful long weekend and went truffling in Honiton and also to the Dorset Brocante, which was a stunning venue in Wimborne.  The treasures that were found and came home with me! The weather was kind on the Bank Holiday, which made it all the better.
It was in Wimborne at the magnificent Deans Court and there were rows upon rows of marquees outside to loose yourself in.  I might of bought a quilt and a new cupboard, painted, chipped and gorgeous which has been put into my porch with the lamp on and the other one has been put into my bedroom. and that has now got books on it and candles..  When I got it all home a bit of a Spring clean went on to move things about.  You will see the photos above.

Of course there were some fabrics, well linens actually and I bought some beauties.  All at some point will be cut up and stitched upon.

One of my most beautiful pleasures is having my first cup of coffee in bed.  The curtains are pulled the window wide open and my pillows all plumped up.  I sit and listen to the bird song and stare out of the window sipping at my coffee.  I have a pen and notepad and if my mind wanders to things I must do or remember or indeed an idea for a project jumps into my thoughts, I write it down as I go.  That half hour is so precious to me and a real treat in my eyes.  The  new/old little table with a drawer and a bottom plinth, now in my bedroom has books on it that I am in the middle of reading and that frees up my bedside table a bit too.  There is a little coloured glass vase with flowers in and I light the candle and it brings a beautiful warmth to a corner of the chimney breast that is in there.

Happiness consists more in small conveniences or pleasures that occur every day, than in great pieces of good fortune that happen but seldom.

Benjamin Franklin.

The cottage now is has had a bit of a re-arrange and spring clean and my sewing that had spread to my dinning room has been tidied up and is back in my studio and so today there is some sorting to do out there and then the gentle art will begin once more.

I want to get my watercolour paints out as well and do a little design work for a picture for myself

so I need to get a shake on and tidy up a little. I have often said it but to be an octopus with lots of hands would be great some days..  I found that with carrying around a little note book I can write things down and then do them later, without running off to sort something whilst being in the middle of something else!!

It will not be long now and I will be able to sit and stitch at the garden table as well and take in all the beautiful scents of the summer that fill the air with my roses starting to bud and my hanging sweet pea basket starting to sprout, its something else to look forward to.

Yesterday I was sorting through my little stash of hand dyed ribbons and writing down shades that I thought I might need.  I have to tell you I bought a beautiful old green enamel bowl, which now hangs in the utility.  It is just the right size to dye small batches of linen and I love it ..  anyway next week I think a little natural dyeing might take place as well.

This coming weekend I am off to Eridge Park to the Decorative Living Vintage Fair on Saturday, its a fairly long way a way from me so going on Friday evening and staying over night.  It is always such a beautiful fair to be sure.  It is on Friday and Saturday and I will be on the Saturday, hoping that there still will be some beautiful treasures to be found.

The weather has been so very warm and then has turned colder and wet today.  However on

Monday my Sister came to stay for a couple of days and it was warm and beautiful.  She brought with her Peanut her beautiful boy dog and we went for amazing walks through woods and by rivers.  We were able to have lunch and dinner in the garden and I had picked a large bunch of cow parsley and popped it in a jug on the table outside.  We had some wine and a Italian platter and sat there in the warmth.  Caught up on all things girly and tried not to talk Mum as we adore her but sometimes its just nice to be care free - for a while anyway.  Peanut was so happy and always cuddled up.  I took a photo of his paws in the air.  My gorgeous niece calls his pads "beans"  so his feet are called toe beans!!  Just take a look at how adorable they are!  It was a real tonic to have some time together just us and oh yes Peanut too.


As I said today is a very wet day, such a contrast.  Its cold and the rain is going sideways! So the fairy lights, lamps and candles are aglow.  I have decided today I am going to do small pieces of slow stitching and sat in the lounge in a cosy chair with a quilt over me.  A cinnamon tea is in order and that is where you will find me.  

So for today these are my ramblings and you have been brought up to date with Thimbles comings and goings.  The slow stitching basket is out and the kettle is on.  Its time to do some serious work.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend ahead and the weather changes for the better.  Take great care of yourselves and as always Happy Stitching All!

Sarah XX







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