New Tilda peek, and a free Grace pattern...

It's mid April already...how has this year run so quickly through my calendar? I'm still not used to writing 2025, but I imagine when it does become second nature a new year will be upon us. We've had many birthdays in the family so far this year, and next month dear Blossom will be 31. How quickly they grow up, and how soon we grow old. My husband and I occasionally talk about having less years ahead than behind, and I think for a while that bothered him, but the Lord holds our days in His hand, and so now we just give thanks for His grace each morning and keep moving forward. 

For myself, I feel less hurried these days, less inclined to be bothered about the things which used to catch my attention, and more easily able to let things go - stuff, responses, ideals, regrets, and sorrows. God's grace holds me fast, and because of that I am able to show grace in ways I never used to. But that's all part of walking closer with Him. The more we seek to live according to His ways, the more we take on His character. Of course, I am far from being where I ought when it comes to the character of Christ, but with every year I am that little bit closer. His grace is indeed sufficient for me, and this year GRACE has been a very real prayer and pondering point. 

Which is why I am sharing this pattern with you today - a reminder for us all to grow in the grace of our Lord and Saviour. 

To grow is "auzano" in the Greek, and means to enlarge or increase. Paul uses the same word in 2 Corinthians 9:10, when he writes to those at the church in Corinth that they should increase (auzano) the fruits of their righteousness. In Acts, Luke writes how the Word of God increased (auzano) and the number of disciples in Jerusalem were multiplied as the gospel spread. 

2 Peter 3:18

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen

So 'auzano' is an active word, not a passive word. It's an active directive from Peter in this verse...we are to increase, to enlarge, in the grace and knowledge of Jesus. How do we do that? By studying the Word, by seeking His help in growing us closer to His likeness, by surrendering our fleshly nature and putting on the nature of Christ. 

I used to think a Scripture verse was lovely when stitched and displayed in the home, but now I want it to be more than a decoration - I need to understand all that it is saying, and then act upon the depth and breadth of what God is saying to us through that verse or passage.  

Many of you have asked me to share more of how I study the Bible - well, its by using the concordance, and then cross referencing everywhere in the Bible that word is used. When you do this, the word comes alive in ways you may never have imagined. The English language is very limited when compared to the Hebrew and Greek of the Bible. Go on an adventure, dear sisters in Christ, and dive right in to word studies. 

Use the link below to download the free stitchery pattern...

DOWNLOAD Grow In Grace

How has your week been so far? I've had a string of migraines lately, but in between there's been gardening to do, jam drop biscuits (cookies) to bake, jalapenos to pickle, and some secret sewing for Tilda's next fabric ranges, Wallflower and Bellflower, which are due in quilt shops this coming June. 

I'm very blessed to be one of the Australian designers who are given the Tilda fabrics many months in advance to design with, and this time I had fun creating projects that were slightly different than my usual style. 

This 'Round the Garden' bag featured many of the new prints, both on the outside and in the lining. I've had the wooden handles for about twelve years and they were just perfect for my bag! 

Apart from the machine sewing of the stripes, everything else is hand stitched and quilted. Even the handles were hand stitched in place, because I doubt it would have worked with a machine.

The stitchery is one I designed back in 2014, and has long waited for its moment to shine. The contrast of a circular embroidery on a striped background was exactly what I wanted when considering a bag design. 

I left the back as simple stripes. This will be my new bag for short outings, or trips to the market with hubby. 

The second project took quite a bit longer to make, as it began with a paper-pieced star, to which I added smaller fussy-cut paper-pieced diamonds inside the larger diamonds.

From there I drew leaf shapes and appliqued them around the large star, before sewing smaller diamonds either side of the larger one. The larger leaves were all fussy cut...

Over time the ideas continued to flow. I added little blue birds. Their body is from Tilda's Creative Memories, whilst the wings are all fussy cut from the Wallflower range. 

There was too much open space though, so I drew some large daisies in the top right and bottom left corners, and stitched them. Still more was needed, so smaller flowers were drawn in place and stitched.

Scattered berries were positioned in and around the leaves...and finally, I was content with the display.

I hand quilted with cream Pearl 12 thread around the stars and all the applique shapes, before completing the project with an envelope style backing, binding around the outside, and the insertion of a pillow form. I can't wait to display this on our bed!

For now, it's on the reading couch as that was the only place with good natural light for photos today. Over the Easter break I'll set to work looking at what I have in the linen cupboard to re-do our bedroom in colours that will let this lovely pillow take centre stage for a season or two.

These Tilda fabrics will be in quilt stores from June 1st, and I'll have the patterns for my bag and pillow available through my Etsy Shop in May, but I'll let you know exactly when in a couple of weeks. 

Thank you for your hugs and encouragement over our Kelly-dog. He has been with us a week now, and is so settled that you'd think he'd always lived here. 

Blossom, Ross and the children are coming for lunch on Easter Sunday and will meet him then, which we're all excited about, but it has been good for him to just find his footing around our home first. The grocery delivery man came the other day and dear Kelly was hiding behind me and terribly anxious, even though the man is a lovely gentle fellow...but Kelly has had a traumatic start to life for his first year or more, so he needs a lot of time to heal. Praise God, he is happy and loved here. 

I wonder what plans you have for the Easter break? 

It's a very special time for those of us who love Jesus, and I'm thrilled Blossom always has a new activity for the children each year. This year they built a tomb, and on Good Friday they will place a bowl in there with rocks and then cover it with a black cloth. On Resurrection Sunday the children will remove the cloth and see the tomb empty...the rocks replaced with little chocolates. They will all cry out "Jesus is risen!" and celebrate with chocolate, a gift to remind them that God gave them the greatest gift, His Son. 

God bless YOU dear ones...and thank you for coming by, and for your prayers over our family, and sharing your lives and thoughts in the comments. It's like a big kitchen table at Elefantz, with sisters from all across the globe dropping by to catch up with each other. 

Oh, and Blossom is recovering slowly. Her doctor is wonderful and is trying a new treatment, which is making a difference. God heard your prayers, and I thank you. 

Till next week, 

You will find my design account on Instagram HERE @jennyofelefantz

And my other Instagram account, just for homemaking, HERE @elefantzhome

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