Sunday 19 September 2010

The Skill Scale

I have just made my first cushion for our new (very smart, and not like us at all) sofas.


I used my gorgeous Cath Kidston fabrics from my birthday and did a very simple 3½" square patchwork which has worked really well and I love it.


I've backed it with a Greengate tea towel that I bought at a Country Living show a couple of years ago so I could use the fabric for something - I never had any intention of drying dishes with it! ;o)

Daisy has been really funny because when we first got our very grown up, brown leather sofas she was totally horrified that I was planning on making bright and happy CK cushions for them.  "NORMAL" people don't have cushions like that on their sofas.  Normal people have cushions that blend in.  Did you know that?  Now when have I every tried to be normal???  I had to explain to Daisy that banning bright patchy cushions from the sitting room and making it "grown up" would be like banning ME from the room.  I'm afraid I'm never going to be subtle and stylish!

Anyway, when I brought the cushion in from the sewing room last night she agreed that it was lovely.

I hope she agrees when she sees the Granny square cushion I'm also making..................

Because I know she isn't going to approve of our plans to build a whole wall of bookshelves in the sitting room like these above Dot's bed in their new shared bedroom.


Especially (according to her) as they will be opposite the window of all things!  NORMAL people don't have walls of books.  And passers-by are going to be able to SEE them! How horrific! ;o)  She does make me laugh and I totally love her for her sense of style even if it is the opposite of mine (and secretly I think she is probably right some of the time).

Anyway, I'm digressing......

The title of this post is "the skill scale" because I wanted to contrast my lovely but very simple patchwork cushion above with this amazing tumbling blocks quilt top that is going up for auction next week at our local auction galleries.


It has been completely hand pieced using old clothing and still has all the paper templates in the back with lovely copper-plate handwriting from letters, lists, bills etc.


It's HUGE and really impressive so I hope it sells well as it deserves to be appreciated by someone who may even be able to finish it.

I know that whatever skills I have now or learn in the future, I will never hand-sew something of that size and technique because it really must have taken years to do and I know I'll never be that patient or dedicated!

Right! I'm off to make some more simple patchy cushions.........

26 comments:

Ali said...

Ah, the joys of offspring questioning one's style choices! But she's not right about the wall full of books.

French Knots said...

I have a wall full of books in my bedroom, hope the window cleaner isn't traumatised!
New sofa looks very smart, we got a new one last year but I rather miss the squishy old one.

wonderwoman said...

i love your cushion, its gorgeous and right up my street! as for books, we have two walls of them and i wouldn't have it any other way!!!

trash said...

I think that is a smashing cushion and you just tell Daisy ALL the best people have bookshelves they entire way across the walls.

Kitty said...

I think those 'grown up' sofas will make the perfect backdrop for cushions which shout 'Locket!' Love those bookcases - I'd have them in every room if I could. x

marit said...

I'd love to have bookshelves like that all over the livingroom! Unfortunately hubby doesn't agree...he doesn't see the sense in books at all...but I have a full wall in my sewingroom, and it's bursting with books!

Great sofa, and great cushion, and that quilt is amazing!

Just Original said...

Love the cushion!

I think the shelves in the front room would look great, very scandinavian!

Vanessa x

periwinkle said...

we have brown leather sofas and love them , they get better with age too . Your cushions look great , I've been looking for some new ones but they're all a bit boring - maybe I'll have to take a leaf out of your book !!

Mrs Moog said...

Gorgeous cushion, Locket and far better than any silly blending-in cushions. Anyone can have those and who wants to be just anyone?

I love a house with books. In fact, nothing disturbs me more than a house without books!

That auction quilt is fantastic. Not sure I'd ever have the patience for something so huge and intricate.

xxx

Daisie said...

I love the cushion!

And please tell Daisy that we have demolished half our house to have a whole wall for books!

And normal is waaaaaay overrated ;)

xxx

Gina said...

Your cushion is lovely... and just as skillful as the big quilt. Walls of books and colourful cushions are what all the stylish people have!

Little House By The Sea said...

Who wants to be "Normal" anyway ? LOL....

Sarah x

Jackie said...

You have to use your furniture and your house, not let it use you ...so cushions, walls of books...all making it your home.

Cat said...

I am in love with your wall-o-books. Totally besotted. I have wanted one for years, preferably like the Beast's library in the Disney cartoon version of 'Beauty and the Beast'. Yeah...

Plus, you'll need plenty of comfy cushions to prop yerself up whilst you read all those living room books. And the folks walking past who look in will think you're all smart and sophisticated. Hooray!

Jodie said...

Love the wall of books lucy, Miss daisy sounds so much like my now miss 19- always trying to help me navigate through the world of style....

rachelmp said...

Love the cushion! Thankfully my boys are yet to give me style tips but I think I will have my hands full with Maya..

emma said...

Beautiful cushion, I love a real mix of fabrics and textures too. I love that look! and more bookshelves the better I say, you can never have enough books!
em

monda-loves said...

I think your cushion looks lovely on your new sofa - in fact, the more mismatching cushions the merrier as far as I'm concerned!

I seem to remember being mortally embarrassed by some of the things my parents did/said when I was young. Daisy would hate it here - we have a wall of books in one room, and when redecorating the lounge, we're going to build another wall of books - facing the street too - how embarrassing :o)

Monda
x

Thimbleanna said...

Wow! That quilt is gorgeous Lucy - I'd love to be a fly on the wall to see how much it goes for. You and Daisy are too funny. I LOVE a wall of books and it doesn't matter which lovely room they choose to live!

dottycookie said...

I would LOVE a wall of books. Instead we have bookcases shoved everywhere there is a spare bit of wall space, and more books piled up all over the place.

And if your cushions aresn't popular (I think they're lovely) then she'd HATE my living room ;-)

melanie said...

i love your cushion, very pretty indeed :) xx

Helen said...

Please don't ever be normal Lucy . . . . it just wouldn't be you!!

joanie said...

Lucy your cushion is gorgeous. And the Green Gate backing is just like my tea towel that my family has used to wipe up things like, um... tea with. It's not so pretty any more.
Maybe you should bid at the auction, who knows, could be your lucky day and you could be the only one in the room that appreciates it, even if it's unfinished :)

ladydi said...

I am so jealous of Dot's wall of books! If I did that I'd have to give up my wall of quilts, which my family finds embarrassing enough. LOL.

Twiggy said...

Blending in is sooooooo overated :) The books and cushions look fab !!
Twiggy x

quiltygal said...

Love the cushions ...when I get my new grown up sofas next year (or the next even cos the new kitchen & tiling throughout comes first!!) Im not having blended so we can be odd together...