Sunday 19 September 2021

sewing & baking & reading... on repeat!


Lockdown: Day 33 
So, am I going to tackle more of my WIPs any time soon? 
Well, I should, 
but, I had some time on my own and a new bundle of fat quarters . . .



My stash has a lot of fabulous florals. I tend to use them all the time, and I'm finding they work really well if I combine them with a few of those "helpful" fabrics, small scale prints that are either tone-on-tone or 2-toned, ones that provide some subtle space for those other showy fabrics to shine!

I was running low on those helpful fabrics so when a parcel in the post turned up last week, I was super excited to add this latest selection of soft & pretty Karen Lewis "handstitched" fabrics to my stash. These fabrics maybe aren't as much fun to buy as say those gorgeous multicoloured florals {wink wink}, but the natural shapes & geometric elements are really very pretty and will be very easy to use in Just. About. Everything. 


- mixing & matching


Liberty* + Handstitched = perfect pairing! 

"Maggie Pearl" is a quick & easy project, {see here for the free pattern}. I started out using Liberty lawn fabrics* but I ran out, so I'm adding in a few fabrics from The Deco Dance Collection, Liberty by Riley Blake Designs, and just a few other rogue fabrics to balance things out. 
The directional prints sure were a fun challenge in my ability to pay attention to what I was doing. In the end I just went with those little irregularities, all part of the handmade touch!  
Only a few more blocks to go.

After a lovely day sewing, I made another Fudgy Banana Bread for dessert tonight. We aren't very big on desserts here, but desperate times call for desperate measures! I found the recipe over on Instagram, @kim_diehl_quilts #fudgybananabread



I've also been reading a lot, as you'd expect. I've just finished "Foreign Fruit" by Jojo Moyes, it was one of her early books. This is a novel of relationships--family, friends, romance--that plays out against the backdrop of a fabulous art deco house in a British seaside town. It tells the story of Lottie, a girl who was evacuated from London during the War and was kind of adopted by the Holden family. It describes the events of one summer that will change their lives forever.
It did jump back & forth in time, but everybody ended up where they needed to be by the last page!

Our bookclub are having a zoom get together tomorrow, super excited to catch up and hear about what everyone else has been reading. 


Until next time,
Linda

8 comments:

LCP said...

We don't do many desserts either but I think they taste better with a silver fork & best dishes.


I love

Kaja said...

So pretty, and I like the 'useful' fabrics just as much as the florals. I hope you don't have to spend too much longer locked down, but you are lucky that Delta isn't being allowed to run riot the way it has here.

FlourishingPalms said...

I'm so glad you're remaining motivated, in spite of your seemingly endless days of lockdown. Your new fabric purchase is just the ticket for a spirit-boost. And that "bread" - Really? Bread?! :-) - looks like a mood-boosting treat too. Keep havin' fun, as you can!

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

your fudgy banana bread sounds wonderful. Love all the fabric you selected - hope you don't have to stay home (or very close) for too much longer

Quiltdivajulie said...

I have had the Maggie Pearl pattern for a while - waiting for the right assortment of fabrics to call out her name.

Ann said...

Useful fabrics work well to make the others shine. And these are lovely, soft colors on their own. I know you're tired of the lockdown but just consider how much better off you are where everyone pulls in the same direction. You could be with a bunch of Covid deniers like around here.

Susan said...

I'm not sure how you describe 'helpful' fabrics, but you surely have the artistic knack for putting fabrics together Linda! Gorgeous blocks!

Mystic Quilter said...

Yummy quilt and yummy baking!