Sunday, 24 January 2016
Hazy Shade of Winter
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My New Book
etsy
our etsy shop
Modern Vintage Gifts
about me
- Helen Philipps
- I am a designer, author, illustrator, stitcher and I just love crafting and making things. I live on the North West coast of England with my lovely husband. My family mean the world to me - I have two amazing grown up daughters and four sweet grandchildren - three boys and a girl.
for the birds
in my studio
Pretty Patchwork Gifts
lollipop flowers
crochet crush
sugar bunnies
the potting shed
tea time
little strawberry
jam for tea
sweet flowers
summer potting shed
sew pretty
bertie
must visit....
make do and mend
farmer's wife quilt
happy pinning
summer time
love quilts
my books
rosy cups
ripples and roses
love heart
sweetpeas
little maisie
sew and quilt
trudie
button love
cool britannia
flora
crafts beautiful
as seen in
love patchwork and quilting
chipper nelly blocks
hexie flower pincushion
love crochet
as seen in
vintage roses
rosy times
pretty patches
spring time
red and white
seaside quilts
give a doggie bag
spring potting shed
sweet spring
garden heart
38 comments:
A Happy Week to you Helen!
The strip quilting is a relaxing way to work that pile of remnants down a smaller bin. :)
Your quilt is so pretty and such a lovely mix of scraps! I need to do that - my scrap baskets are overflowing:) We have had very cold temps here in Indiana (luckily not all of the snow the east coast got) and I have been spending my time knitting. have a great week, helen! Your friend, Cindy
Your crochet blanket is so pretty Helen and I love your new quilt, I'm looking forward to watching it grow! I can imagine a tiny little family living in that cosy little house.
It sounds like you're being kind to yourself which is just as it should be at this time!
V xxx
Helen,
Love the little house, it looks so warm and inviting in the window. Looking forward to seeing how you quilt the new scrappy quilt. It is so sweet and cheerful looking. I have many scraps to use this way. As always your posts are so inspiring. Must put down my hook and yarn and pick up my fabrics. Have a wonderful week ahead and stay warm.
Thank you for sharing.
Mickie, Indiana
Beautiful photographs again Helen and, I love your new quilt... the fabrics are very pretty. Hope you have a lovely week ahead! Christine x
Everything you touch is beautiful. It's such a treat to see your pretty photos and the lovely things you create. I am very, very thankful that you take the time to post. It truly brightens my days to see such lovely and sweet things. You inspire me! Thank you!
I finally realized why I wasn't getting projects done. From the time I retired until this January, we have had summer - no winter the last 3 years. Well, we are having cold winter days now and I just made a little quilt (3" squares) and finished some Valentine projects.
But, it is a gorgeous sunny down out and we are headed out for a bicycle ride along the ocean instead of me sitting in front of a fire to finish the cable knit pillow I started.
Stay warm!
Dear Helen, I think that quilt project is just what you need now as well as the crocheting. You have picked so beautiful and pieceful fabrics with soft colours but not too pale. I love hyacinths (?) and just received also gift from a friend. Three purple blue flowers are just opening and giving that amazing smell around. Have a wonderful week and hopefully more warm. It's really cold also here in Greece. x Teje
Your quilting is perfect for this time of the year Helen. I'm glad you can lose yourself in your crafting...it's so important to do this as you take time to grieve. The blogging world really is the most caring place and I'm so glad it has been a help to you at such a difficult time. The weather is warming up again here, winter cannot make up its mind this year can it.Take care,much love xx
You have such gorgeous fabrics to stash-bust with! Very Spring and Summery colors which I love. I was going to say that your butter dish and bowl are very beautiful. Your daughters have good taste.. but I knew they would! Enjoy your studio work.. can't wait to see the blanket quilted! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
Your quilt is a lovely project to use your scraps. The house from your daughter is lovely too. Hope that you have a good week. xx
I love your stash busting quilt, Helen, and the crocheted one! The little house is so sweet! Looking forward to seeing your blanket quilted. Take care of yourself! Barbara xx
What a lovely colourful scrap quilt.
It's a grey day here, but with your quilt, it look a lot sunnier!!
Have a nice week,
Evelyne
Helen, you newest quilting project, with all its squares of beautifully harmonious fabrics, somehow has lead me to think about all the centuries of winter months, without much sunlight...and in most of those centuries without electric light, during which lovely fabrics were cut into desired shapes and stitched with planning, skill and patience.
I do really like feeling as if I might be joining into this continuing creative practice, whether I am casting on a new knitting project, crocheting that first loop, getting out my embroidery hoops, or even starting a quilt.
Mind you, Helen, I have yet to start that paper pieced quilt, but I am definitely warming up to it.
xo
Your Blog always inspires me. You have a wonderful way with fabric - everything is so pretty and special. Love the cute house on your windowsill. I too love to buy spring flowers in these cold winter months, just to see them grow - long before our outside ones will show their little heads. Enjoy your week!
Your quilting is so beautiful and colorful. Your fabrics are always amazing. Lovely winter flowers and so sweet lttle house.
Have a fabulous week!
Hugs and love from Portugal,
Ana Love Craft
www.lovecraft2012.blogspot.com
Dearest Helen, I think I somehow missed that you've lost your mother, and I know from experience how very hard and painful that is. I am sending you a big hug and lots of prayers, God love you. Re: your quilt, you always put the most beautiful color fabrics together ... wish I had your gift for choosing like that.
Love you bunches,
Mary
Hello Helen
Such a pretty quilt you are making, I look foreward to seeing it all finished. Love your little candle house, I have some of those and we use them in winter, it makes the lounge feel so cosy. Have a wonderful week.
I love your pretty quilt..I am so wanting to start a pretty block quilt..I'm not very good at sewing, I usually just fly by the seat of my pants. Not sure what the strip method is...sounds like I might could do it...will google.
Your new quilt is shaping up beautifully, Helen, and your pretty dishes, flowers and lit house are lovely to view. I have been working on making a vision board out of file folders covered in decoupage of photos and tissue paper this weekend. I picked up a few tulips at the grocery store and thought of you when I did. They are so cheery and I had forgotten that they are available so early in the year. My son in NY is shoveling over two feet of snow near NYC! We are just having rain showers. Mr. and Mrs. Mallard are swimming on our pond and we heard our first frogs of the new year. Wishing you a good creative week. xx
Gorgeous patchwork. You always inspire me.
Julie xxxxxxxxxxx
You always have such beautiful fabric, Helen! Your quilt is looking fabulous.
another lovely post! My candle bridge broke on the day it was put away so I will have to find another and I too miss it's lovely homely light - your little house is a lovely alternative and inspires me to look for something too. I love all the fabric colours - your post makes me think of those French fancies cakes and marshmallows and Battenberg cake .. crystalised violets... Neapolitan ice cream ... I could go on!!!
I LOVE your blog and your pics are just wonderful,so inspirational.I have just taught myself bobble stitch in crochet,am addicted have posted on my blog.I too have a similar candle house so pretty.Thinking of you at this difficult time.Huggles xx ps It's my birthday today and the sun is actually shining lol.xx
Hello dear Helen, Such a lovely post with your new quilt making squares. Your fabrics are always so beautiful even your scraps! Hope you are having gentle days and getting lots of hugs and love. Thinking of you and sending friendship and comfort to all of you. xoxoRobin
Lovely Helen...I'm catching up as I haven't been online since before Xmas and am so sad to read that you have lost your dear mum...sending love to you and your family and hoping that each day becomes a little easier for you all..I lost my mum many years ago but I think about her every day and feel she's always with me x
Your projects are looking beautiful as ever...such a pretty burst of colour...and I do love your little house..x
Wishing you a gentle new week,
Take care,
Susan x
Hi Helen
i can't believe it monday already.
I love reading your blog it sets me up for the week.
I've been for a 2 mile walk this morning it was lovely and sunny.
I'm in the mood to do some quilting and finished some ufos off.
Have a great week.
Your makes are looking lovely, Helen. I adore strip quilting. I can, and do, spend hours on end with my squares and strips. I find it so relaxing that sometimes I just sew without a plan for any of it! I use them eventually but sometimes it's just the piecing that I need. I hope you're having a good week so far.
You know what? My favorite quilts are the simple square ones like that. I made a few. I just think they represent the frugality and simplicity of the pioneers.
Brenda
As I was reading your lovely post, Helen, I was thinking of the many kinds of crafts: the one that is easy to take with you, the one you can do while chatting to a friend, the one that needs full concentration and is better done alone. As long as we always have a craft project at hand :-)
Amalia
xo
Hello Helen, it's lovely that you can find comfort from blogging, it really is a very special community. I am sure your craft gives you some comfort too. Love your crochet and your beautiful scrappy quilt.I have finally got myself a crochet project, am making a throw.Wishing you a wonderful week. I hope the weather is a little milder now. Love Linda xx
Really lovely butter dish. Great to see your quilt taking shape so speedily, and your pretty crochet. Look forward to snowdrops peeping up. Lots of love Pat XXX
Such beautiful photos as always. The little house light looks perfect just there by the window. Sending you lots of lovely warm and comforting wishes to you and your family x x x
Dear Helen, I am back with a question...or two....about doing strips while making a quilt top.
First off, I watched a YouTube on this and she cut her squares of fabric, batting and backing and sewed them together (ea square) and did a bit of quilting on ea piece. Then she sewed them all together and added the binding to the finished quilt. Is this how you do it..? or...
should I cut my fabric squares, sew them together in strips of (how many??) and then, after sewing all the strips together, add my batting and backing ?
I am so not a quilt maker and don't understand much of how to do it..I have, however, made several block quilts, very simple but counting on cute fabrics to bring me thru.
Thanks so much...
O, and I am thinking of making a block quilt using 10" squares..wonder if this would be pretty ? or is that too large for a quilt?
Helen, I miss the twinkly lights of Christmas too and make a point of lighting some of my burners. I keep using the spicy citrus fragrance as it helps me to hang onto that lovely Christmassy feeling for a little longer.
Your quilt is growing really quickly. I have far too much fabric, some of it quite vintage. I think this might be the way to go.
Love your pretty dishes. What thoughtful girls :-)
I smile whenever I visit, Helen. Your colors are bright but very gentle. Can that be? Your quilt is going to be beautiful, you inspire me to pick up my needlework. I simply love making little hand sewn pillows and stitched sayings on simple muslin or linen. I haven't picked up a needle and thread in months. Isn't it odd that I did more stitching when my four children were very young (and demanding)? Maybe it was a calming outlet but still, how did I squeeze it in? :)
I love the sweet dishes...so YOU!
Thanks for your visit-it's always so nice to have you come by! :)
Jane x
You have such incredible talent, Helen! I am loving your flowers - I have Amaryllis growing in two spots in my home and my paperwhites are coming up - they took their time. I shall look for some Hyacinth the next time I'm off the mountain - yours made me envious!
These grey days are a good thing really as they make us look around and create new projects to add colour and life into the day and a very happy satisfying smile when we finish. I love the colours of your quilt and you have inspired me to start a project (after my crocheted one has finished), to make quilts for each season. Oh dear! another one to add to the list :) Have a wonderful and creative weekend x
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