I have missed the peaceful joy of sewing. 
I have not disappeared….For almost 3 weeks now, I have been sick. I have not stitched anything — not even a little. Yesterday I read through some quilting blogs and enjoyed seeing the accomplishments posted. I have pneumonia, but am slowly on the mend. Feeling inspired to write even this short piece and looking forward to some sewing are signs that I am getting better. (I really don’t make a good ‘patient’.)
There sure isn’t much going on in my studio. I’ve only spent a few hours there lately and I wasn’t sewing much of anything. A large star medallion center is on one of my design walls. It is 31-inches so far, made with scraps (some of them are old VIP and Kessler cottons). The jumble of colors is folksy, comfortable.
I will add a wide border next, then do some folk-style applique. Appliqued flowers on a vine, using some of the bright red fabric, will add another 15-inches or so. Perhaps I will stitch a bird or two, maybe a squirrel, for cheerfulness.
I also continue cutting triangles out of scrap fabrics. The triangles will be stitched into a large scrappy triangle quilt. I doubt that I have enough triangles to stitch them into the scrap quilt yet, but I do have a nice assortment of triangles to sew. For now, the jumble of colorful triangles are pleasing to see, just as they are.
Not unlike the cut triangles, another colorful jumble is found in a hanging basket of flowers on my back porch. This mass of color gives me pleasure too.
See the greenhouse to the left (the shadecloth is covering the top now)? I missed having the greenhouse in operation last Winter, so I was color-starved, I believe. For the past two months, I’ve been trying to remedy that, lingering outside longer, doing quite a bit of gardening.
Being out among the flowers and vegetables is so satisfying. Finally. Despite the rains and cold Spring weather, it sure has felt good to be in-the-dirt again. Blooms are everywhere and that colorful jumble of bright flowers leads me to admire each blossom, each scent.
Although I will try, I will never create such beauty with cloth — the perfect symmetry and blended colors are art.
Observe the wonders as the occur around you. Don’t claim them. Feel the artistry moving through. And be silent. Rumi
Amidst my scraps are patchwork squares and triangles that were leftover from finished projects. These pieces and other small leftover chunks of fabrics were gathered up and cut into 3-inch half-square triangles.
Sorting by light, medium, and dark, I’ve started to sew the triangles into squares. For another scrap quilt.
Four blocks go together forming a Sunshine & Shadows color pattern.
During most of America’s history, women were involved with fabric, as weavers, seamstresses, quilters.
Whether for frugal reasons, sentimental reasons, or for a scrapbag collection, women saved fabric.
The small square antique browns were found together — probably collected for a patchwork quilt.
Small pieces of leftover fabrics and fragments of worn clothing were all saved, to be put to use at a later time.
Through different eras of time, women utilized their scraps of fabrics.
Most women used their scraps for quilts.
Saving scraps of fabric is a tradition that has carried through with today’s quilters.
Whether for frugal reasons, sentimental reasons, or for a scrap collection, women still save fabric.
Is saving scraps from tradition or from instinctive behavior?
