'And peace comes dropping slow....'

After work on Saturday I contemplated the long hours of peace ahead of me - should I go into the garden or wait until it's cooler? Should I stitch, or leave it until I'd finished the washing? Should I.... answer the little knock at the door?  There was Ben with a little overnight bag - could he come for a sleepover?  Checking the hens, riding his bike, ordering in pizza, computer games and then bed. I did manage a bit of tacking when he went to bed. This is a cushion kit from High Street Quilting which I have been eyeing for some time - a perfect bank holiday project.

It took me a while to get everything lined up.  Ben's Daddy took him swimming when the baths opened on Sunday morning so I spent a blissfully quiet day, in the garden stitching. Best of both worlds although the gardening didn't get done.

This morning (in my happy hour) I got the machine out and within an hour I had stitched the quilting pattern - with surprisingly neat results as I am the Queen of Puckers when it comes to machine quilting. 

This is the reverse - in dappled sunlight.

......and the front. I'd already put the zipper in the back.  Next I need to tackle the piping and then finally sew the back to the front, remembering to leave the zip open a little so I can turn it the right way around.  In case you're wondering - yes I have had to carefully, tooth by tooth, undo a zip from the wrong side because I forgot to leave it open an a couple of inches.

I love the way the quilting looks, making its own little hexagon shapes all over. Thanks for the lovely kit Hilary - everything but the cushion pad. Sometimes quilt kits are like those recipe boxes you can get for cakes, just add milk, butter and eggs (so.... just sugar and flour in the packet then).  This had all the paper pieces, piping, zipper, fabrics and lining. Perfect.

I'd planned to go shopping yesterday but now need to go today instead.  I should get the piping done and the cushion sewn together before the shops open.Then there's there small matter of the garden and the washing and ironing. It was peaceful yesterday and peaceful for the moment now. The sun is shining and I'm calm and rested. In all a pretty good bank holiday, time with the family, time on my own.

 In case you're wondering where the quote comes from:

The Lake Isle of Innisfree

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honey bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,
I hear it in the deep heart's core.
                     – W. B. Yeats