Tuesday 13 September 2011

Sew Busy

 Autumn flower snippets picked today in the blustery sunshine, between the showers.....between being very busy.....
 ....and the flower sugar nine patch quilt, finally finished over the weekend....I sewed on the binding partly by machine (between a shopping trip and our evening meal) and then slipstitched it down while watching a movie that evening....that's how I work, fitting my crafty projects in with my domestic life like jigsaw pieces...just like most women do.....
                                                       ...here's the new quilt hanging up.....
 and here it is spread out on the table in my almost cleared out studio....that's the main reason why I'm so busy this week.......
 ....clearing out years of papers, art materials, boxes of ephemera, stacks of magazines, folders of artwork, books and more books....everything has to be taken out and the furniture then removed so the new flooring can go in....
 ...I knew it would be a lot of work...but I knew I'd just have to do it and it will be worth it....
 ...in the picture below you can see the empty bookshelves behind the folded quilt...it took a long time to move everything off those shelves....but now everything is out...and the rest of the rooms on that floor are now messed up with the contents of the studio, but gradually I'm sorting out the stuff to keep and the stuff to go....and in a week or two I'm hoping all will be orderly again and much nicer than before....
 ....my crafts materials will be sorted and only the books I really want will be on the shelves (the rest will be in the little book room up on the top floor where I keep masses of reference books).......
....and all will be calm and tidy just as I like it.....but in the meantime I have to be sooo busy sorting and making decisions about keeping or not keeping old letters, scraps of paper, old sketchbooks of ideas....old cards from loved ones, old work documents, and things that might come in handy some day....sooo much stuff.....I hope to get it done quite soon though and look forward to getting all the rooms back to normal...

Wishing you all a happy week with lots of sunshine and sweet flowers wherever you are...thank you for dropping in to see me here and for the lovely comments...back to the tidying now...and back here again soon too  xxxxxxx

36 comments:

Crafts @ Home said...

What a co-incidence, I picked up my sugar flower quilt last night, the 1st time in ages! It may be finished by next summer! I went round to my friends and discovered she was having a clearout, as am I and you, is there something in the air? Another beautiful post as always :)
Sue Xxx

harmony and rosie said...

Hello Helen, I've had a lovely time catching up on your summer posts and taking in all that wonderful colour. Today's quilt is stunning, I can just picture that in my house, are you sure you have the room?

Enjoy your tidying (!), it's also something I should be doing too!

debbie @ happy little cottage said...

Hi Helen!

The quilt is so wonderful! It is perfect hanging at the end of the bed. Clearing out your studio sounds not so fun, but new flooring will make it worth it!

Jenny said...

Good luck with the last bits of sorting... doesn't it just take so long?! Will be worth it in the end though when you have your lovely new flooring in and everything all nice and sorted again! Looking forward to seeing some pictures :) Your quilt is stunning too, absolutely gorgeous! xxx

Annie said...

Sounds like a major undertaking ... good luck :) Love the quilt :D

Simone said...

I love to see the berries mixed in with your floral arrangement. A lovely autumnal touch. The quilt is stunning and I like to know that you fit your projects in and around other things you do. I usually do some cross stitch whilst I am waiting for dinner to cook!!! x

Ashley said...

Your quilt is beautiful. I'm working on my first quilt at the moment.. quite a simple one made up of stripes from a jellyroll. This quilt may be the next step to go to for me. I love the colours..

Ashley xxx

Used-to-Bees said...

Beautiful quilt! Coincidentally, I had some of the backing fabric pop through my letter box this morning - it's so lovely and sunny, I adore it! Your tales of sorting make it sound quite exciting - we need to empty our bedroom like this in order to re-decorate, but somehow can't pluck up the courage!
x

mynestofyarnandbuttons said...

Helen you have been busy. I love your new quilt and I love the backing fabric. It is so bright and cheery! What a nuisance it is to remove everything in order to get things refinished, painted etc., never a fun project, but I'm 100% sure it will be worth it! Most unpleasant jobs like sorting out reward us later with a less cluttered mind. For me that's worth all the pains. Sounds good right, now I should listen to myself!!!
Package in the mail. xoRobin❤

patchworkandlace said...

Gorgeous patchwork quilt, your very talented,i love patchwork its my first love,and i love quilts , mine tend to be quite simple but am planning to try something a bit harder next time, ive just sorted through my work room too its amazing how much stuff accumilates isnt itx

Leanne said...

Your flower sugar quilt is very pretty. You make the most gorgeous projects.

Julie Whitmore Pottery said...

oh boy, its so hard to know what to keep and what to toss.
But how good you will feel when its done.
Thats the most wonderful lining on your quilt, so cheerful!
xx
julie

Patty Marker said...

I adore that fabric and the simple nine patch sets it off beautifully. How do you decide what stays and goes. I would love a neat and tidy studio to work in but the clutter just keeps knocking at the door. I can't wait to see it all put back together. Patty

Linda O said...

Hi Helen, I have been following your blog for a while but this is my first post, just wanted to say what a beautiful quilt, so pretty and colourful.
I've never tried to make a quilt, but this one really makes me want to try!!! Love your blog, its always so fresh and bright and full of great ideas. Love it
Good luck with the sorting of your studio, I'm sure it will look lovely when it is all finished
Linda O xx

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous post, love the sugar flower fabrics, course i'm a fafricaholic' can't resist the stuff, even more than wool, those ones are yum. Wish i had a room to craft in, have to get rid of children first :(, couldn't part with them though XX
Thanks for a lovely post
Drop over to mine & put your name into a giveaway i'm having for a cute bag...... Karen x

millefeuilles said...

Dear Helen,

Your quilt is beautiful; the yellow lining is delightful as is the colour combination on top.

Good luck with the clearout. There is a saying in French, which my husband repeats fairly regularly as I am not good with mess - 'you cannot make an omlette without breaking eggs'. Oh yes, you are dealing with the 'mess' or clearing out and up, but the omelette in the end will be more than worth it!

Stephanie

ps Yes, I fit in my crafty projects in around my family/domestic life.

Naturally Carol said...

Hi Helen..the rain didn't seem to affect the beauty of your flowers thankfully! Your new quilt is great and I love the picture of it folded with your crocheted rug. It sounds like it was just the right day to work inside clearing everything away for the new floor to be installed. Have a lovely day!

sew said...

Your quilt is such a lovely combination of colours! I've been having a sort-out too - how do we accumulate so much stuff?! It must be a September thing - perhaps it's a sort of reverse Spring Cleaning!I've recently crocheted a jar cover and put Autumnal things (last few scabious, berries etc.) in said jar, along with a few acorns & hazelnuts collected from the lane where I live. It looks like the nature table when I was at school many moons ago - I wonder if I'll ever grow up?! Anyone reading this would think I'm short of something to do - which, I promise you,isn't true. Happy tidying - hope we'll be seeing your new-look studio in due course.

Suzy's Vintage Attic said...

Beautiful quilt, I love the flowers arrangement! Trying to juggle everything is not always that easy but you seem to have done very well!
Keeping old letters and sorting out is not an easy one for me. I have kept every letter that I have received since childhood. Over 30 years worth...We have a lot stored in the attic,I am not willing to part with them. I see them as history. My daughter will inherite them.
Isabelle x

Kentish Keg-Meg said...

A beautiful quilt with gorgeous colours. My goodness you sound very busy . I need to sort out my room as it needs redecorating but the thought of moving all the accumulated contents has delayed me.

Becky said...

Hi! I just found your gorgeous blog.Im a new follower.Such beautiful quilts.So far Im just a wantobe quilter,lol.Soon Id love to start making doll quilts.

Have a lovely week!~~Becky

gillyflower said...

The quilt is beautiful Helen - i just love the fabrics, and the backing material is gorgeous!
Good luck with the sorting out!
Gill xx

artesdejanine said...

The quilt it is fantastic, the colorS are perfectly selected, as always ...
Wish you the best and good luck :O)
Hugs
Janine

...Nina Nixon... said...

Greens, blues and yellows - one of my favourite combinations.

I still haven't got far with my quilt - in fact no where at all. Maybe when the weather gets a little bit more chilly.

Nina x

Anonymous said...

Thats a beautiful quilt..

Madelief said...

Dear Helen,

Your garden flowers looks beautiful in the Bridgewater mug! Love the shades of pink & purple.

And your quilt.....wish I could make something so pretty!

Have a lovely weekend & good luck with the sorting :-)

Madelief x

Sandra (Cherry Heart) said...

Your quilt is beautiful. I love the fabrics you've used - gorgeous! I so want to make a lovely quilt from squares like this one day too.

S x

Teresa Kasner said...

Helen, again, you give us such pretty happy colors. Love the quilt and the posie of flowers. I am also needing to work on organizing my craft room. I even have a friend coming down from Seattle with an offer to help me! Yay! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

Debbie said...

The quilt is so lovely! You must be very pleased with it, well done.

Julia said...

Oh my, I am in love with your quilt - the colours and patterns of the fabric are glorious! Your little posy in the vase is wonderful too, loving the bright red berries - a sure sign Autumn is approaching!

Sending love, Julia x x x

cathleen said...

One word....PRETTY!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said...

Cleaning and sorting and organizing should be top of my list of things to do but I keep pushing it to the bottom. :/ Your studio will be so nice and fresh once the sorting is done and the flooring is finished. The quilt is beautiful. Hope your day is great. Best wishes, Tammy

Sewmancer said...

Such bright colours! I'm really looking forward to spring :)

Teje Karjalainen said...

Dear Helen, your latest post is beautiful with the sunny apples etc! Somehow I hadn't read this ... your new quilt is just wonderful! Wow it has so happy colours - I love to mix los of colours and different fabrics, even can't do it often.
I wish you good luck for fixing your room! I'm going to do the same.
Have a lovely week!
xxx Teje

flowers on my table said...

Hi Helen, sorry I am rather late to this post. Well done, getting everything cleared out. It is a lot of work, but with a new floor and a tidy space, you'll be so inspired to work! Your quilt is so cosy looking, I love it. Love Linda x

Dotty said...

I love your quilt, it is so bright. And I really love the yellow fabric you backed it with.
<3 Dotty