All we have to decide is
what to do with the time that is given us.”
J.R.R. Tolkien
The past few months have had a satisfying flow for me. My time has been filled with travel, family, and stitching of all sorts. And, each has influenced the other but throughout there has been a gentle feel to it all that reflects often in my stitching creations.

Most influential these past few months was a wonderful trip to Ireland last fall where I visited kin and returned to some favorite places.

One way that I captured memories was in creating a hand stitched piece that included bits that I picked up in my journey. It now rests on my bedside table and brings smiles to my dreams and a good start to each day.

Every time I fly into the west coast of Ireland, my first glimpses through the clouds are of the fields that cover the land. They create checkerboard patterns of varying hues of green and often are dotted with sheep.

A number of years ago, I created a flannel throw that was inspired by those hills and I have enjoyed it ever since.
This time, I decided to capture my memories using both my hand stitching and quilting skills. The result is my latest art quilt of sorts. I chose to frame it rather than bind it but it still adheres to the basic rules of a quilt – 3 layers stitched together

It took awhile to finish “Irish Fields”. There were requests from a certain granddaughter for a pink purse, plus squeezing in sewing up some quick cat beds for our local humane society. I also truly enjoyed returning to my studies with Karen Ruane as she offered a six week course called The Little Book of Sewing. I did actually finish a small book by the end of the class that gave me an opportunity to work with laces and paper as I continue my exploration in ways to incorporate varied fibers into my art pieces.
There are glimpses of spring appearing weekly here and I am looking forward to more travels, more studies, and more art as 2020 evolves before me. I wish you well on your journey too.
PS Apologies if this post appears a bit rough on your browser. I unfortunately have discovered that WordPress and Mac are in a bit of conflict at the moment. Writing and editing on Safari are currently a bit of a challenge. Hopefully things will smooth out electronically with time. 🙂