Sunday, June 19, 2016

Tidy But Curiously Frustrating


Having spent so long last weekend making things tidy at Shoestring Cottage in the sewing room, and in the whole place in general, I was determined that never again would things get into such a mess.  I sat about for a while in my favourite chair surveying things in all their tidiness.


The dish with the serviettes was full to overflowing with nicely pressed napkins, awaiting use.  The bowl with the napkin rings was neatly placed beside it, similarly ready to be pressed into service.  


 The china on the mantelpiece was standing in an an orderly fashion with not too much dust about


 and even the doggy salt and pepper shakers seemed to be alert and poised expectantly, not slouching or lounging

 

The bed was neatly made and the cushions maintaining an orderly arrangement


The needlepoint project was awaiting attention but I didn't dare interfere with the wools and spread them all about the place

Eventually I could stand it no longer and dragged forth the quilt which is still needing completion but never seems to get anywhere near the final stitches. 


It did make a bit of a mess but a contained mess with just a few reels of quilting thread, some scissors and my favourite needle.  I beavered away and got a few more squares quilted




but I think that this might be my last quilt with a lot of hand quilting because I am such a slow quilter.  I read of people who can take seven stitches onto their needle at one time and despair, for me one stitch is the norm, two good and three excellent.  It will be worth finishing this one off but after that I may have to abandon my grandiose plans for an armoir full of heavily quilted works of art for the sake of just completing what's started and maybe even moving on to some of the projects swirling around inside my mind.  

Mr Shoestring has been very busy this weekend raking up the leaves from the grass and also was very kind and hung up this brass rack for me, which we bought months ago (possibly years ago) at the op shop and which has been languishing ever since.  I am thrilled with it and of course I won't use its existence as a reason to buy yet more books, oh no no no no.  


The lemon tree which went in as a tiny seedling has yielded up its first fruits, cause for great excitement.  I feel sure that the liberal doses of compost and coffee grounds which have been lavished upon it have contributed to its flourishing and eagerly await the day when there is a glut of fruit and we are casting about for more things to do with lemons.  Lemons would have to be my all time favouite ingredient, there are so many things which are enhanced with lemons from savoury to sweet and they are such a cheerful looking fruit was well.