Monday 22 August 2011

Week 33



Here is my page for week 33.  I am really really busy at the moment as I am making a quilt.  I spent all day Saturday sewing and pinning the pieces together and kept glancing out of the window at the shore.  The day was grey and gloomy and I was torn between working on the quilt and going for my walk .   I realised I have never shown you my little pincushion,  stuffed with the sheep wool I collected on week 16.  It is a rather special pincushion because it has one of my drawings on the beautiful linen fabric.   I haven't shown it to you because I promised to keep it a secret,  that I have been drawing for a wonderfully talented interior designer who is now about to launch her own fabric collection.   Just look at this for a little glimpse of the beautiful fabrics coming on 1st September.  So exciting.
I am making the quilt as a Gift of a Quilt,  part of the project for the 2012 Olympic games.  They aim to have 500 quilts,  to give each country a gift of a quilt.   I wanted to do this, so signed up to do it last year at the Nec Festival of Quilts when I put my butterfly quilt in the show,  now have to get it completed.  I have been enjoying using my little pincushion and sewing like mad,  just the binding to do and I am nearly done,  it is made from mostly recycled shirts and sheets in a pinwheel design.




 After the sewing and  needing a break I ventured out at  5pm for my usual Saturday walk.  It looked really grey and gloomy,  no view as all the hills are covered in the low grey mist.   As I entered the shore I knew I was in for a soaking.  I headed towards the tidal river and heard the noise the birds were making.  They were so loud,  screaming at each other,  sounded like a real squabble, like  heated exchanges....maybe they were arguing.  It was such a wet damp  day,  maybe  birds get grumpy in the  elements.  I felt really relaxed,  the quilt is getting done,  one more thing off my "To Do"  list.   I liked my walk in the fresh air even when it started to drizzle and I became wetter and wetter.  As I followed the tide line I noticed lots of seaweed and feathers, leaves, broken bits of crabs and lots of grassy, straw like tangles.  The beautiful full moon has been lighting up the shore at night,  it also brings the fuller tides and washes up more debris. 
I collect some seaweed,  feathers, the pale blue shell and some oak leaves.  I walked through the long grass, my toes are squelching with water in my shoes, the water is creeping up my trousers and I can smell their clean washed freshness, now they are going to need washing again. The millions of  tiny drops of rain were weighing  down the long grass.   The same tiny drops  rest gently on the feathers with their water repellent qualities.  Not another person here,  just me,  me and my thoughts of my page 33 which I am organizing as I walk.  Thoughts of my tea which I have put into the oven, a baked potato and then I will warm the plum crumble for pudding.   Not  another person,  just glimpses of faces from a carriage of  the passing train.  As I leave the station,  close the gate to this silent grey world,  my feet clatter over the rusty metal bridge and I notice the same rusty colours of my found oak leaves.  The smell of my tea drifts through the kitchen door,  I kick off  my wet shoes, shake my jacket and wipe the water from my face and dripping hair.  Another page,  like an Olympic athlete I am well on my way to my goal, the finishing line is in sight, the end of the year, to achieve all 52 pages.  Hope you like it.
As always, thank you for the lovely comments.                           Millyx

14 comments:

Frances said...

Good morning Milly. Week 33 is a gem with naturally graceful composition and gorgeous drawing and painting that is so fresh and appealing. It carries the feelings of discovery as you took that misty walk. I so admire how you can keep that special sense of nature's wonder.

Many congratulations on your collaboration with the textile company. Your designs are wonderful, of course, and I am predicting that sales will be very good. Hoping that you will be able to continue that collaboration.

And that quilt...well, it is a beauty and done for a great cause.

Bravo to you on all counts, busy lady!

Carol Creech said...

Hi Milly - wonderful page! And so exciting about the fabric collection. It's beautiful! The pincushion is terrific, too. You have been busy! :) I recently had my first sales through Spoonflower (2 - woo hoo!) and it's so fun to think my drawings are on fabric for someone to create with. Your drawings make wonderful fabric designs! Very exciting!
Carol

Vicki Lee Johnston said...

I love it Milly - you really take us with you! Lovely page of special treasures - what are you planning with the 52 pages, sorry if you have already said - I think this should be a book. Beautiful work and wonderful to hear about your quilt and fabric xx

Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said...

Your drawings truly are exceptional. And what a beautiful quilt. It will make a great gift -- will you know which country it goes to? Sounds like you are certainly keeping busy. Have a great week. Tammy

Gill said...

Gorgeous pincushion - I love hares!

Dreaming Woods said...

finally i can see these fabrics, they look WONDERFUL!! maybe you could later do some pincushions for your Etsy shop? i would like to buy one. lovely to see especially that hare printed...
and the painting is beautiful, as always. one of my favorites which you have been drawing.
lots of love. D.

suz said...

This drawing is so lovely and the photo of it is wonderful as well, with the sun across a part of the table. Your quilt is darling. Pinwheel is one of my favorite patterns and I think 2-color quilts have a very special quality. I love the pincushion and agree with the commenter who suggested you put a few in your shop!
Congratulations on working with KB Interiors. The line of fabrics is soft and charming and your designs are perfect with it!

Marilisa Mesquita said...

your work is lovely!! <3
i feel inspired just looking at your drawings.
Congrats from Portugal ^^

Ruth said...

Love the oak leaves. :)
Also well done you on doing a quilt, it is looking so nice.

Diana said...

Your painting is beautiful and the quilt so lovely, I enjoyed reading about your walk. I like to walk in the rain too. so peaceful.. take care and thank you! Diana

Feathers said...

It's so exciting to hear of your drawing for the decorator! Lovely job on the quilt, it reminds me of the bits of pottery you reclaim on your walks. Love the hare pincushion too, and I know you love using it as much as you did creating it. Congratulations on all!!! Lovely post this week too.

Michelle Palmer said...

Love your fabric designs! A special touch in everything you do~

Acornmoon said...

Congratulations for all your many achievements not least your new venture into fabric design.

I can see all your work on fabrics, maybe you will one day make a quilt entirely out of your own prints?

Mary said...

I'm home from California and catching up - this is such a beautiful page Eileen!

Love your pincushion and think some lucky designer is SO fortunate to have you drawing for her fabric collection - can't wait to see more.

The quilt will be awesome. I'm hoping the country settles down and does all possible to make the Olympics a huge success. A chance to make our lovely Britain shine again and gain back some of the glory of the old days!

We're hunkered down today as Hurricane Irene passes through - fortunately we're 2 hrs. inland from the NC coast and have only had rain and gusty winds. Lots of small branches down around our house but nothing worse thankfully! We are keeping fingers crossed for NYC and points north.

Hope life is good dear - think of you often.
Hugs - Mary