Healing Needlework, Healing Herbs, Meditative Times

End of Summer is a busy time here. My flowers are starting to look stressed from lack of rain. While we have had a wee sprinkle today, we are still about 5 1/2 inches below our annual rainfall. Anyway, I have provided an interesting time warp for you, while this was originally published in Spring, there are a couple cute Fall quilts from the 2014 TRQ Spring show. Enjoy!

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A recent conversation reminded me of the power of needlework. If your passion runs to embroidery, knitting, or quilting, there is power in the meditative qualities and concentration required. Not to dismiss the inevitable frustration that sometimes occurs, even that teaches us perseverance and how to mitigate that annoying wrong stitch or errant seam. That said, today I will review some beautiful items, all results of needlework, contemplation, and the affirmations that support our craft.  We soldier on, there is always a new project in the wings to entice us!

When I saw this little chart, I was also reminded that growing herbs can also be a meditative task. My little trugs are in their early stages of growth, but my daily trim and use reminds me of the gifts of nature. Today I will be trimming the dill and the chives to create an olive oil infusion. 

 

I will pick and dry the herbs today then proceed with the process of heating and simmering the oil and dry herbs for about 20 minutes. Experts advise this method rather than just adding the herbs to the oil and waiting a while! Bacteria and mold tend to grow in the oil if it is not prepped properly. 

OK, back to needlework. 2014 Three Rivers Quilt Guild Show, the theme was leaves.

 

The center quilt is a mosaic of Fall Leaves. I was running around snapping these photo's while we were taking down the show because I was too busy during the show days to really do that. On the left we have a beauty in mellow peach colors and on the right butterflies set in blocks with sashing are the theme. All beautiful, all lots of work. 

This one won Best of Show for long arm quilting. In 2014, long arm quilting was just beginning to be popular.

My quilty friend, Betty Jane won 2nd place with this little challenge quilt. Again, leaves, 

• More quilt show goodies to come. Each entry is a work of passion to that quilter. No matter what the theme or the style, quilters have a common thread, so-to-speak. '
• We are on the way to 90+ degrees today, I will water, dead-head flowers, and pick my herbs for the day very early. My first coffee and I head out with our basket and snips while we can still enjoy the birdsong and early morning scents of honeysuckle and roses. 
• I plan to mine the stash for a heavy weight fabric, hopefully something with a hard finish to wear in the morning for this purpose. My kitchen aprons are for the kitchen, not the garden. The current one is in tatters, there is even a hole where Lola, as a little puppy, chewed a hole when she was trying to get my attention! It has been mended a few times and I noticed this morning the life span on this item has expired!