Country Geese

Tonight we ate dinner at our dining room table (a luxury we missed in our old, small house), quickly ironed my finished quilt in my new studio (it's really way too big to be called merely a "sewing room"), and walked down Cucumber Lane, our new address, to the Lucerne fields for photos in the evening light. 

We have had a wonderful, relaxed Christmas. With everything new enough to feel like we're really on holidays, but with all our stuff here too, to make it feel like home. We've got our first, real Christmas tree since we got married, and we've been eating locally grown cherries, bought from the side of the road, from an old farmer who enjoys a chat. We've been listening nostalgically to Amy Grant Christmas albums from the '80s, drinking coffee, watching movies, sitting out on the front verandah over looking the view. I haven't done any baking (which suits me just fine!), but I have been sewing.

This flying geese quilt was made from all the leftover half square triangles from my last quilt. I cut a lot of triangles! I blame it entirely on the Accuquilt Go cutter I have. It's been perfect for turning all my funny shaped scraps into usable shapes. And apparently it's so easy (therapuetic maybe?), that I just kept cutting away till I had this many.
I really enjoyed making this quilt. Partly because I loved the colours together, so quiet, happy satisfaction kept me company throughout my sewing, rather than constant doubt or reassessing. The simple, repetitive pattern allows for some lines to be lost where colour or value is similar, and it doesn't detract from the overall effect. I was constantly careful with the Nine Patch Dash to create as much contrast as the prints allowed. But I didn't even worry about that here.

I also love the light and space in my new sewing room. In my last house, while my sewing room was big enough, I sat awkwardly in a corner. I didn't even really think about it until moving here and sitting along a long, white wall which feels so open and spacious. The window near my machine overlooks our large front yard which is full of trees, with mountains in the background.

 Ahhh. Can you tell I feel like I've taken a deep breath? I think we all have. We are so thankful. And my mind is abuzz with ideas and colour. I can't wait to show them off here in these beautiful fields.