Great Excitement.

Yesterday's mail brought a special parcel. Yes I knew it was on its way, have made the order just two weeks ago.

And here it is! A brown paper package addressed to me. As I wait to see if I can travel to UK in Sept I became impatient and indulged in some on line shopping at Sarah Moore's site. I have long drooled over the vintage fabrics and her amazing faudermy animals, especially the hare. He's on my wish list.

But for now I am very thrilled to have these little packages. Let's open them.

Pieces of vintage fabric, a pack of fabric hexagons and a pack of wallpaper hexagons.

A large piece of Beautiful Sanderson fabric, and some pieces of wallpaper. Such treasure. My mouth is watering and my cogs turning furiously with crafty ideas.

So much deliciousness. I am overcome with excitement. I know straight away that I want to make a cushion for my new old sofa out of the large floral piece, so head out to the studio to find some fabric for the back.

Yes! In amongst the chaos of my studio I knew just where to find what I was looking for. This very old piece of velvet that was once a large curtain bought in an op shop over 20 yrs ago. It's perfek.

Now for a zip. I haul out the bin of my Mums treasures. What's in those lovely tins you might ask.

These. Many, many years ago when I was about 11yrs old I think, Mum worked in a bra factory sewing bras. She brought home all the reels of almost used threads that were not wanted and here they are. There are more! I can't bear to think of getting rid of them. Maybe I could make something artistic with them. Any ideas?

Of course, in a certain bag there were a selection of zips to choose from. This navy one fits the bill nicely.

Zippity zip on the machine, and I am so excited. I'm making something that I am going to finish today. A record.

Now for the velvet, then Zippity zip around the edges zig zagging the very edges for safety and wallah!

I found an old cushion to fit. Yep! I keep them all for future use. I AM THRILLED! Absolutely thrilled with the results, with the fabric, and with my surprising efforts to actually complete a project before lunch and using all recycled materials.

For the afternoon I introduced the new old sofa to little blue suitcase and we settled down very comfortably for some stitching. There was a dull light from the window over my shoulder on a very cloudy and dismal day, but my spirits were high.

Today I am interviewing doilies to finish the lampshade.

I opened a bin not delved in for a while but I knew it contained doily treasures.

So many treasures. So many luvly juvly embroidered doilies and tray cloths. I think I could make one of those pretty quilts. I can't think of cutting them up as some do.

I do have quite a hoard don't I.

I am in doily heaven! 

Surrounded on all sides.

But after much interviewing I think I have this lampshade covered. Just a lot of stitching to secure them then the big reveal. Another project finished? Wait and see.

Bye for now, blessings, Trills.

When the sun shines.

Welcome friends to this lovely Sunday morning. What a difference it makes when the sun shines and the wind quiets. Sweet salve for the body and soul. Speaking of souls, I am still too lurgified to join a congregation this morning,

So here I am in my special corner of the studio for some special time with God. All about and behind me I know is chaos. You don't believe me?

Then indeed, you do not know me yet. Yep! This is me.

My perpetual state of chaos in my studio and sometimes it escapes into the house. It all stems from my flibberty jibberty ways of darting from one project to another and back and forth as the mood and ideas take me.

But that's ok. After 66years I am ok with me. And it seems to be ok with God too. After all he made me as I am loves me with all my foibles good and not so good. We get on pretty well, God and I.

When I settle in for some quality time with Him it's cool. Sometimes my mind takes time to settle and sometimes it just won't quieten so I simply apologize and just chat away or read one of His books. 

With the Lurgy ravaging me these past weeks I have been a lost cause at communing but that's ok. I would just sit here, tell it like it is, drink in the offered balm though sometimes I must admit I was oblivious to any connection. I just trusted it was there.

Now as I sit here there is high cloud coming over and filtering the sun a bit.

It's still warm enough though to sit a spell on the deck and let the warmth soak into my ailing chest.

I love the naked skeletons of the trees and can you see almost at the top of the tree on the right. There is a Thrush and he is singing his little heart out, bless him. Another balm for the soul.

Back in the studio there is utility sewing to do. Trimming and hemming Kerry's overalls, so move over all you other projects, this is serious stuff.

Now I got the bug I might just carry on with some patchwork but first I need to be able to use the iron. Can you see it?

Oh! Yes! There it is under a heap of pictures. There is a perfectly good explanation for this. I was led to hope that there would be a picture hanging day with the wet weather, so I took a lot out of the boxes where they were stored to interview them for their positions on what walls. But alas that day did not eventuate this past week so this is as far as they got and stayed.

Enough of that! There are blocks to cut and sew. When the sun goes into hiding what better thing to do but play with bright colourful fabrics or yarns. These just make my heart skip.

I'm working on two quilts at the same time. This is the softer patterned one. Both quilts are made using my lazy curves style with fat quarters partnered then casually curvily cut with a very sharp rotary cutter. 

Stitched accordingly, pressed then trimmed to size. 

This one I am going through the cutting process twice resulting in two nine patch blocks from two fat quarters. 

So, out of the chaos I managed to mend the overalls and make 10 patchwork blocks. I'll lay them out to show you another day. The lampshade is coming along. Yesterday when I was not doing very well in my communication with God I gathered the lampshade and needs and stayed in my chair talking to Him as I worked on this creation. Of course He knows all about that, creation that is, so we're on the same wavelength there. How exciting it is that we are made creative beings. It's such fun.

A few evenings ago I finished the russet throw and it pleased me greatly to see it draped there in its colourful glory.

A close up of the varied pattern from "Notyouaveragecrochet". Once I had gone through the full range of patterns I did my own thing till I was happy with the size.

The sides were a bit curvy and wonky but the edging seemed to bring it back into line, well almost.

All the different rows. Some a bit tricky but an adventure. Not sure I'll make another.

I did say to Kerry how great the throw would look on a leather sofa. It was a game centered around an old weathered leather sofa I had drooled over in Alley Way. At first it was a definite NO NO! But over the  next two weeks of visiting it and sitting on it and stroking it and playing the game I was told that if I could get it for half the asking price Then yes!

And come Friday I pushed Mr Lurgy out of the way, made my offer, it was accepted. After a month it had to go, so joy of joys, here it is, in place of the two chairs that I gave to them to take away.

Do you see what I saw. Luvly juvly old leather and studs with rolled arms.

Worn and weathered but still sound and very comfortable. A dream realised indeedy.

Back to my little knits for small beings, here is my first make for the fish n chips babies. A wee jumper knitted in one piece.

Will look like this when stitched up. 

And now a ripple crochet baby blanket. Bright colours for the little aids babies of Africa.

Yes! When the sun shines, even if only for a few hours, and the strong winds abate, all about us shines too, all is good, hope is revived, energy renewed, joy reigns.

I do hope you had a good Sunday that renewed and refreshed you. Love and blessings, Trills.xx