Show and tell...

The therapy that sewing and knitting offers should never be overlooked, the repetitive action of knitting allows me to clear my head and relax my body, as I watch my fingers instinctively work with rhythm and flow creating the fabric, a process that actually involves little thought (unless its a complicated piece) it feels natural and soothing like time has just slowed down.  Sewing a quilt offers me a similar meditative state...I have been working on my summer quilt, a simple jelly roll quilt, as I sewed the pieces together enjoying the colour combinations I allowed my thoughts to flow, worries and anxieties slowly through the process of sewing and concentrating on that quarter of an inch seam got replaced with happy thoughts and making plans for the coming summer months.
The top and the bottom of the quilt are now pieced together and the sandwich is all layered up and pinned together ready for the quilting and then the binding.  I went to the shop to buy the edging fabric and I had taken my quilt top with me, it was greatly admired, I blushed through my smiles, I got talking to a group of women about the Kirsty Allsops programme.  Now this serious has actually had poor reviews, bur personally I have loved it... One of the ladies I was talking to in the fabric store went and bought herself some fabric to make a quilt having being inspired by the show and being able to handle my quilt... sometimes you just have to touch something to understand its beauty and secrets. 
If you have missed the series you can catch it on the computer catch up for another 20 or so days.  Kirsties Homemade Home. 

Its a fascinating look at the skills people have, that you can use or even learn to do yourself, full of inspiration.  I loved the quilting, sewing and knitting parts, I watched with my boys who commented on its what I do with some pride in their voices. I was also really interested in the Blacksmith, wow this was stunning to watch someone work in such a traditional way and produce such great results.  Now its not practical for most of us to do our homes out with handcrafted expertise, when maybe you could just nip to Ikea and pick up some cheap fabric to make curtains or a chair for your child's room, but I see no harm in doing a little of both.  To salvage, ebay, skip hunt and use crafts people to make your home, a home with history, is appealing to me, what I had not thought of was how much I love my belongings to have this history but the thought that they would also be passed on to someone else, with my little bit of history added in.
Indeed a programme that inspired me and has made me look at my home with fresh eyes.  OK I also have to admit here I am a Kirsty fan, I love her humor, her voice and as  for her dress sense, yes I like her style.  She visited the home of Kaffe Fassett  

I remember reading a book, well looking at the stunning riot of colour blooming from the pictures, when I was a teenager, I fell in love with his beautiful cabbage leaves and mosaic walls and I have followed his work ever since. On the show he said this 'Find your voice with colour, be a slob for a few years.  Once you get it right and you know what you want to say, you will then clean up your act' You will have found your voice with colour.  
I have enjoyed the series and have loved watching the derelict house become a home to be filled with life, love and the chaos of family living, whilst retaining beauty and style.  Oh and the opening shots of Kirsty  knitting and those fabulous stockings she is wearing, I have to get myself a pair of them...

On my homemade front, things are picking up around here, I have completed an order for knitted flowers, my cardigan is now back to being worked on and I am also enjoying some baking time in my kitchen.  So its the weekend and my children are at parties at the moment,

early evening the plan is to make some popcorn and settle down to watch a family movie, and tomorrow we are going to a dogs home, the kids are very excited at the possibility of having a dog.  IT is just a possibility mind!!!

Have a great weekend whatever you are doing. 

Listening to GoldFrapp in particular my favourite track live at the Eden Project.  WOW that would be one fab night out.