Remake progress, a new pattern, and a freebie too...

Good afternoon everyone!

How was your weekend? Did you get into the garden, bake or cook? If you were able to sew, what did you make? Perhaps you went for a country drive, a stroll along the beach or across a mountain side? I sometimes ask this when I'm doing my own little joys at home, "I wonder what is everyone else is doing today?" Of course, there's no reply, but many ideas come to mind and I'm hopeful that whatever you're doing brings you a sense of satisfaction and delight.

It was my beloved's birthday on Saturday and after an early dinner of fish and chips by the beach we drove over to Blossom's for some wonderfully relaxed and laughter-filled time with her, Ross and the grandchildren. Relaxed birthdays, with no presents, are my husband's favourite...and we respect his preference, because after all, the day is for him. He also likes a bit of liquorice and some dark chocolate, which Blossom had waiting, so he truly was a happy man. 

Yesterday it was ghastly hot; seems we skipped spring as summer in the tropics has arrived already. Both of us were exhausted after a few garden jobs and spent the entire afternoon inside, enjoying the air conditioner. We watched an excellent sermon, then hubby had a nap whilst I wrote a very long overdue pattern, which I've been asked a lot about since the sneak peek photo last month.

Having somewhere pretty to store packets of needles is just as important as having a needlebook filled with 'in use' needles and pins, don't you think?

The fabric I used for this project is Tanya Whelan's Barefoot Roses, my favourite ever fabric line from about 2010. She recently re-released the prints and though I rarely buy new fabric anymore, I did splurge on a few half metre pieces, and I have NO buyers remorse.

The cover has a cupcake applique and hand embroidery...

...and the case closes with a pretty pink silk ribbon.

Inside there are four pockets which hold packets of needles, scissors or thread...or whatever you'd like to store in the little spaces available. 

The elegant lace trim on the pockets add that touch of femininity that I love.

I have added this new pattern to my Etsy Shop, and as with all my Etsy patterns there's detailed embroidery and sewing instructions, full material and cutting lists, photographs and full size pattern sheet for tracing the embroidery/applique design. 

Go HERE to purchase The Rosey Needle Case pattern

My other stitching and sewing of late has been re-making the blocks from Phyllis May's Kitchen BOM (the original is here) but this time I'll be sewing them into a quilt, and the project renamed Jennifer's Kitchen.

Seven blocks are complete...

I'm using a mix of Lori Holt fabrics from my stash, but wanted to include lace and pieces of doilies as well. So far I'm loving the way this is coming together...

All the patterns are in my shop (in sets of two) and though they are written for the original memory book (shown below), I also included instructions to complete each block at 10.5" square for using in  quilt layout. 

I can't wait to finish all the blocks and begin putting them together, but I'm not rushing, just doing one block every week or two, whilst I play around with other things in between.

Not sure yet if I'll add borders to separate each block...or even embroider a verse somewhere before adding a final border around the whole quilt. If you know of a lovely kitchen themed verse, scripture or quote, I'd love to hear it, and if I do decide to add one I'll simply share the extra pattern here on the blog as a freebie. 

Which version/colourway do you prefer? The original or the remake?

All the patterns for this project are HERE in my shop. I'll add the photos of my remake blocks there soon, as it helps to see different ways you can make one block. At least it always helps me! :-)

WHAT ABOUT A SURPRISE FREE PATTERN FOR YOU TODAY?!

How about a nice little stitchery just for free? Small designs are perfect for quick gifts or for embellishing an item. 

I first shared this little Make Do & Mend stitchery back in 2014, but I love it just as much today and hope you have fun with it too.

In your free pattern the stitchery comes in two sizes. I used the smaller one as the cover for a very simple needlebook, such as you can see in the photo above. Inside I placed pieces of leftover cotton quilt wadding as it's lovely and soft for holding used needles and pins.

I stitched it in place with a piece of the fabric selvedge, a Tilda favourite. Oh how I wish she still designed fabrics like this. They were so pretty and gentle back in the day...

The larger stitchery I made into a simple cushion, using more of the Tilda fabric.

You know, I just thought how sweet this stitchery would be on the pocket of an apron! And I need another apron...so guess what I'll be stitching and sewing this week? 

Use the link below to download this free stitchery pattern.

DOWNLOAD Make Do & Mend

Now that I'm sequestered inside with the air conditioner for a good portion of the day, regular blogging and stitching and homemaking will return...and that excites me. Seems so long since my blogging and sewing life have run to a lovely rhythm. 

Now I must be away as I had forgotten my bread dough was on it's second rise and I can see from my desk that's it risen a LOT! 

God bless you lovely ladies, and may He minister truth, joy, and goodness to your hearts each and every day.

hugs

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Seasons of change and a free gift...

 Just as in nature there is a progression of seasonal changes, so in life we also journey through various seasons. 

This year has been a wonderful season of slowing for me, something I had long desired but not quite achieved, though not through want of trying. I used to strive for slow...and isn't that a strange thing to do?

Interpreting slow as having less, I set my mind on a path to decluttering our home, removing everything which seemed superfluous to the life I longed to lead. But decluttering is not slowing. It is simply the absence of things to store, display or maintain. 

Don't misunderstand me, I am and will always be one who declutters regularly, but this rhythm in my life did not slow me...it just gave my visual need for order a desired sense of calm. 

As the months of 2022 have steadily come and gone, the real lesson of slower living has grown in my understanding, becoming increasingly evident in the day to day rituals and practicalities of homemaking, conversation, planning and mindset.

Preparing breakfast as the sun rises each morning; changing the linen sheets and freshening the bedroom every Thursday; milling flour to bake a new loaf of bread; moving smaller garden beds of greens into the dappled shade of our Poinciana tree when the burn from the afternoon sun begins to singe their delicate leaves; hanging washing on the line and inhaling the freshness of sunshine when I take it off later in the day to fold and put away; walking around the yard mid-morning to check on our fruits and vegetables as I gather cucumbers, tomatoes and greens for lunch; tending to the daily gardening tasks and admiring God's creation as I go...all of this is done slowly now. The rush has left me. The striving has fallen away like autumn leaves on a tree. 

With slowing comes contentment and peace of mind. With slowing, I am giving myself more time to ponder God's Word and not be distracted by the noise and voices of this modern fast-paced world.

I'm intentional about using time at the computer wisely (writing blog posts and answering emails) because I don't enjoy sitting in front of a screen anymore, unless there's a purpose to it. 

One purpose during our tropical winter has been to learn things I did not know, but which add benefit to our lives here on our quarter acre...things like fermenting and preserving food. I've also uncovered old books which teach these skills, and acquired more knowledge from those locally who know about preserving in the hot tropics so that I do not waste produce.

Some friends have noticed that I've been quieter, as have my daughters, and I think that's a good thing, in fact I believe it's confirmed to my heart that at last, this desire for a slower yet more productive life is indeed happening. 

I've never been a social butterfly, it's not appealing. Being home each day and tending to life here, working at my stitchery design business, and helping the family - those satisfied me. Yet, within that home-centred life I still set my mind to achieve as much as possible in the day...until one day I just wanted everything to slow down because I couldn't see any room to spread myself and learn new things. That's when decluttering, something I'd regularly done, became even more of a habit...because I thought having less around would slow my life. 

This year I have decluttered with a different purpose, and I have allowed myself to let many distractions and self-applied obligations fall away...like autumn leaves. The heavy weights of time, mental anxiety, and future business planning are lifted, and I am walking lighter, thinking clearer, and able to give myself with full attention to the tasks before me.

No longer am I frustrated with a two-day rising of sour dough. Instead, I pick up the bowl and admire the bubbles appearing as the fermenting bread dough works it's magic. Whilst I still bake a regular loaf every few days, the slow loaves of sour dough bring me greater satisfaction and are a reminder that good things come to those who wait.

Though I've not as much time for hand embroidery lately, it's simply because the time I have is given over to things which matter more, time that is no longer rushed. Simplifying Elefantz Designs earlier this year, reducing the workload by about 80%, has made a huge difference to those parcels of rest and free time I enjoy today, and though embroidery is still one of my delights, it's done when I feel like it and thus it has become even more delightful. The business is mostly 'maintained' now through my Etsy Shop (here) and the established 12-month pattern club (here), which only takes one afternoon each week. 

In the afternoons I brew a pot of tea, choose a sweet treat, and spend 15-30 minutes reading. The joy of reading returned this year and I cherish the time given to it.

Not one for modern novels I've always enjoyed older books, those written in slower times, and this year I'm especially enjoying those with a home focus, the books of my youth which I'd almost forgotten - like Little Women. 

Recently I purchased a lovely devotional, drawn from chapters in Little Women, and together they have highlighted areas of Christian character which draw us closer to living our lives in a way that glorifies the Lord. It's not a children's devotional, if you're wondering, but when my grandchildren are a little older it will definitely offer godly lessons I can teach through.

Would you mind sharing about your own journey to slower living? I'd love to glean from your experience. Or perhaps you're still working out what slowing means to you, and how it would enhance your life?

Free book study bookmarks...

I received a lot of feedback about the little quotes included with last week's Emilie Barnes book study and thought you may like to have them in a "Creativity" bookmark format to download and print up.

They'd be lovely to use in your own reading, but would also make useful and pretty gifts for posting or slipping inside a gift book. 

I printed mine on heavy weight 250gsm paper, not regular printing paper (which is usually 80gsm) and after punching a hole in the top I added some pretty ribbon.

If you'd like to download the bookmarks I have two paper formats - A4 size such as we use here in Australia, and Letter size such as may be used overseas.

Click on the link below that suits your country's paper size...

Download the A4 "Creativity" bookmark file

Download the Letter "Creativity" bookmark file

With that I shall sign off for this week, and leave you with some inspiration and a promise. God bless you all!

"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen."  Jude 1:25

hugs