the turning year..

The Solstice and Christmas door wreath gently carried down the garden today and laid on logs for the birds and creatures to enjoy…holly, heather, honeysuckle, ivy, old man’s beard, rosemary. I brought feathers inside that were resting on the logs and will keep any such gifts for the next wreath making..

The cycle continues – and I was so aware of the rings on the logs – the cycle of seasons and years continuing their rhythm…

A fox calling out woke me in the night and two nights ago we glimpsed a barn owl in nearby fields

Time to stitch again, to continue, to get into the rhythm!

tea cosy…

A Christmas gift for my mother in law… knitting with 2 strands of deep red including a  sparkling one and, combining together with the pink, orange, red, blue, green twinkling lights on the tree evoked once again such strong memories of childhood magic.

Wool from Marmelade Yarns in Frome (and the ribbed tea cosy pattern) and the crochet flower pattern (always so beautifully and clearly written) courtesy of the fabulous Attic 24

the joy of making…

this one – for the joy of making….

I spied a beautiful tea cosy on display in a favourite shop – Marmalade Yarns in Frome  and thought of how my mother in law would love one! The pattern is from them, and for the crochet daffodils I went to Attic 24 – my grateful thanks to both!

This was such a relaxing pleasure to make and has given joy too – a small springtime offering

 

Surprised by hearts..

 

Heart searching this morning and found this!

Crochet snowflakes…

Starry starry night is the current theme for a window display at Heart Space Studios

And so, through some dark evenings, frosty mornings and rainy spells I made snowflakes…

50 – they emerge off the hook in a rather entrancing way! For the pattern I went to the wondrous blog Attic 24 – what an inspiration as ever! Thank you…

And so..my little precious gift – a box of delights donated with love, they drifted off into the post to help decorate Heart Space for the festive season

Imagine my delightful surprise to turn the corner and see them here – as part of a yarn-bombed lamp post nearby the studio

I hope they bring joy to all who see them… and look at all the other beauties made by Heart Space people ….

 

 

 

Strength and fragility…

I searched back through for this post about a beautiful quilt I have – patched and pieced

It lies nowadays draped over my making table with the creamy white backing face upwards, and I often glance down and rest my eyes on the hand stitching and think

The sun shone through it’s fragile layers this week – areas are disintegrating and revealing the inside and the softness and melting colours were so restful

It could stay folded quietly away, but I love it’s ageing qualities – out of sight would I really be caring for it more?! I prefer to keep it with me, alongside me..

The white thread patterns texture the surface – stitches as strong as ever – the even rhythm of their work is quietly astonishing to me and connects me to so many stitching hands – I linger as I Iook, wondering about it’s making

It had an outing this last summer when family children were all camping in a yurt nearby and I thought why not?! I wonder if they will remember it in years to come…It came back smelling faintly of woodsmoke from the wood burner..

Queen bee quilt…

I love seeing these seams – the joining that holds it all together and the light shining through in the early morning as I watched it move in the breeze from the window where I left it overnight so I could look at it as I woke…

Pinning, stitching, pressing in a relaxed rhythm – growing the quilt

No set pattern for size apart from the same width for the strips, pieced with continual reflection – strips joining to search for balance – I prefer to work this way, to stop and look – to try out and think why some choices work..

Running stitch – beautiful, peaceful rhythm texturing the layers of cloth – the quilt lying warm and comforting across my body as I work – welcome as the mornings grow chilly with Autumn..

Why Queen Bee? Because this is the year I spent more time watching the bees, thinking more about their ways, hearing them, tracing their flight in drawings… I think the quilt holds some of this in its choice of cloth, its feel as I worked on it outdoors in the sun whilst watching the bees..

 

the sanity of making…

These tiny hexagons fill a tin – they measure 1cm face – 2cm diameter

A gift from a special person in my extended family – offered generously and lightly but with astute consideration

They created a miniature scene at Bees Knees

Last week a visiting artist friend exclaimed the making at such a scale would drive her insane… However interestingly they were offered to me with a narrative explanation that the making of these tiny precious pieces – the repetition, the need for precision and concentration, the careful piecing and selection of strings of pattern – all this and more about the nature of handwork were made in order to keep sanity, to stay sane at a particular time in her life…

 

 

 

 

Adding something…

A few years ago I made Christmas stockings for very special children in the family.

I decided to update them today – to add something each year as a surprise so there is both treasured familiarity, continuity and memories and some excitement too!

I didn’t want to make totally new – I like the idea of valuing and adding to what we have

We still have the ones my grandmother made for us and what memories they hold…

beautiful brooches …

5 brooches –  embellished with stitches with beautiful names

french knots, bullion knots, raised chain band, herringbone, buttonhole

beads to catch the eye and light..