A Recipe for Happiness

A new year - a time of inspiration for many. Soon the holidays will be packed back into bags and boxes and the is slate seemingly wiped clean, ready for new ideas and adventures. And, even if you don't make resolutions (like me), the new beginning presents an opportunity for taking stock and setting a course, however loosely.

Several Christmas gifts will help guide some of my quilting adventures in the coming days and months (and undoubtedly years!), not only on the project front but on the skill/technique front as well. Despite having Minnie and Anna Levins in the works, I've been feeling that I need to start yet another hand stitching project and these two books - Patches of Stars by Edyta Sitar and Slow Stitch by Claire Wellesley-Smith - reinforce my desire to enjoy the process and feed my soul with mindful stitching. A recipe for happiness.

I've enjoyed poring over them this past week while I wrestle with my cold - not much energy but lots of time for dreaming. Slow Stitch speaks to me on so many levels. It's inspirational to see what a variety of fibre artists have done and intriguing to think of where the possibilities could take you.

And, I am starting to imagine the fabrics for Patches of Stars (okay, there might have been a little online shopping in that regard too!). A small pile is starting to grow and one of these days I'll take the plunge. I may sew the sashing strips by machine and the blocks by hand, I'm just not sure yet, but I am quite excited to start this one.

Not be be forgotten is my love of baking and there were several wonderful treats for me in that regard too. I'll share more about these in a separate post but it is proof positive that all of my time will not be spent with needle and thread😊.

So happy New Year! Whether you are a detailed list maker or more of a dreamer with a casual idea of where you'll go, may your endeavours be a recipe for happiness too....M