It is no secret that i love 'primitives' and Americana (as well as a whole host of other things) and i draw some inspiration for this house from those styles. I love quilts and simple, well-designed furniture. It is the toned-down colour-schemes, washed out and shabby wood-work and the relaxing feel that makes it so appealing for me.

This morning was spent rather decadently doing something i love - quilting. As yet i haven't actually made a full-size quilt, i tend to make small samplers, cushion covers and wall-hangings. I use any fabrics that i can get my hands on (in a make-do and mend sort of way) from recycled old floral skirts to American home-spun fabrics bought from Heath's Country Store. The living room got turned upside down, fabrics strewn everywhere, cotton threads decorating the rug, and the dog giving me furtive looks. But it was definitely all worth it in the end! As i am now the proud owner of a 1920's Singer hand-crank sewing machine, i decided to use it instead of hand-stitching and it worked like a dream.

Quilting is really easy, it doesn't need a sewing machine (although it does make it quicker to do so), it just needs time and patience. There are no difficult stitches to learn, just sewing squares of fabric together until the desired size is achieved, adding some soft wadding to the back, then sewing a plain fabric back onto it. Simple, and an effective way of using up odds and ends of fabrics which we all invariably have around the house!

Voilá, the finished article~