Remembering Calm

I am often (nearly always) trying to achieve too much. It can make me feel very racy and I know it's not good for me really, however I believe in trying to fill each unforgiving hour. I have been attempting to remember calm, the holiday feeling of lying on a beach in the sun or walking the cliffs admiring the view or the wildlife around. What here, at home makes me calm? Stitching and piecing by hand is forcing the stillness within. A time to clear thoughts or to think thoughts, whichever is needed. A time to sit, against all temptation. Above is a butterfly. This is what I am. Never settling for long enough to drink the nectar.

Picking produce from the patch. Today aubergines, tomatoes and a first cucumber. Smelling their warmth.

Smartie the Buddha cat, the embodiment of calm.

Flowers from the garden...

Remembering a peaceful beach in The Isles Of Scilly and regenerating the calm....

Some things can wait... choose wisely.

Slow Cloth begins and some hilarious stitching is had....

My head gets full, I need a rest
The needle rocks,
Amongst the ripples of the muted fabric.
Soothed as it were
By the silken waves.
Neutral.
Peaceful.
Slow.
A needle chant.

Smartie soothes the flying heart.

I don't think I logged the final piece. The last slow cloth. The one I needed colour in.
Here it is: "The Road To St. Mawes".
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AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!
Must show you this picture below:

My son (11) was set the task of making a model of the digestive system over the weekend as part of his biology prep. He needed some help, but what an opportunity for him to use the sewing machine! I think he ought to learn to drive one of these before he ever gets his hands on a car. Anyway we made this fabric digestive system from bits of old curtains and linings and a stars and stripes oesophagus c/o his younger sister's stash.
To be truthful I was quite fulfilled, in a perverse sort of a way, stuffing a fabric rectum!! We laughed a lot, he and I. In fact we were crying with hysterics trying to turn the  small intestine inside out. At least he can drive now, albeit with "L" plates!
He received a much coveted Headmasters Award for his hard work. Never has homework been so utterly fun!

A New Slow Cloth is born and some booty gathered....

I have paid a visit to the exhibition "Stitching For Pleasure" at the NEC Birmingham UK. I was on the look out for neutral silks and indigos and came back with a very satisfying hoard of booty.
Some silken fabrics from Mulberry Silks and The Silk Route, silk threads in shades of calico, alongside oaty perle, indigo silk velvet and some indigo threads.

I did have in mind a new Slow Cloth in neutrals and indigo, but have adapted this now to neutrals,  muted green, taupe and greys.

I love these little "roundelles" which are from Bengal and are sewn on to traditional costumes. I shall use these in a further project, perhaps as corner pieces.

Smartie is sniffing and guarding the roundelles whilst I begin the neutral, muted story quilt which may take some years as I gather the silks needed and tell a tale.

Phew!

Phew. Finished two projects today and went to work!! This MUST SURELY be a sign of Spring?

I like getting up to these two quilts! They have a lot of flannel fabric in them and just HAVE to be touched every time I walk past!

Smartie has done a lot of "helping". Any sign of thread makes him dribble with delight.

But then, after all is said and done, he needs a cuppa!

What next then?

A Little Topiary - sheer fun!

Ok so it's time to add some foreground because I'm losing impetus with the background. Sometimes I need to get my life in focus! I think I've been a little too much in my head recently and it's time to put out some roots and connect. These trees are voile - I quite like their translucent nature and their ability to overlap.
Last night I was chilly and sat by the oven all evening. I took out some knitting that I have been terrified to spoil for ages. A pair of gloves for a person with only one hand (probably at the rate I'm going). The yarn is silk and it's very tactile. That's handy!

The Road Less Traveled

the road is a long and sometimes arduous one.
often i meander and i'm not sure where i'm going.
many times there are happy accidents.
along the way i learn
i curse and smile
acknowledge those along the way

the road is not conventional and follows no-one
it takes it's course as the next step unfolds.

slow and mindful
peaceful
unending
all-encompassing

the road is there
for it's own sake.

"The journey of a thousand miles begins beneath one's feet." Lao-Tzu

Slow Cloth Persuits - the road continues...

This piece has emerged into what I see as "The Road To St. Mawes".  It's a little village near the sea on The Roseland Peninsular of Cornwall which we visit more than once a year in the area that I would love to live one day in the future. We have become very familiar with it over the past 14 years and I hope to make it my home eventually.

I am now having the pleasure of stitching this slow cloth to give the texture to the patchwork fields and found these wooden beads a lovely addition.

You could say that my life over the next ten years could be said to be the road to St. Mawes. Hopefully as colourful as this cloth.

Our hearts must lie with those people of Haiti who are suffering the effects of the earthquake there.
This little stitched heart has magic around it (a gift from Jude of Spirit Cloth). It is magic used sparingly.

The snow melted here today but this snowy scene was from my window earlier in the week. I have noticed how the weather influences what I want to stitch. Snowy, cold and bright with sun makes me want to play with pale linens, pale pinks and greys. Muted colours.

Cloudy grey days of winter with slushy snow make me crave the richer gem-like colours. It's strange isn't it?

...and this is what happens in my dreams at night when fabric and the scenes of my day merge ... often it keeps me awake ... sometimes it soothes ... occasionally it inspires