A time to be silent...

Nana always said, "If you don't know what to say, don't say anything", and lately I haven't really felt like writing or talking. 

Apart from a three-day migraine that kept me quieter than usual, and between spring cleaning the house (though it's autumn here) I have been reading books from the 1800s. During our homeschool years I studied and taught my children quite a lot from that era, but these past few weeks I have learned new things about the tenacity, faith, hard work, and ingenuity, of those who lived in a time when things were indeed simpler. 

Simpler in the context of less decisions to make, less to own, less to buy, and living a regular rhythm of days and seasons and years. They had less than we do now, but I truly believe they had more that mattered, and they appreciated the little they had, something we in a consumerist society find difficult, especially when bombarded with advertisements and huge shopping centres/malls.

To say my mind has been elsewhere recently is to state a truth. The more I read of lives lived 150 years ago, the more I look at my own, and the more I seek out the teachings of Jesus about what matters most. 

I am a regular declutterer, as I do not like to feel crowded by things, but just the fact that I routinely declutter shows that I am still 'collecting' more than I need. And that was a bit of an epiphany for me the other day. 

Jesus clearly directs us not to 'store up' - not to worry about tomorrow, not to build a bigger barn to hold what we've accumulated, not to store up earthly treasures...He tells us that we need not be concerned about what we will eat or what we will wear, for our Heavenly Father knows these things and will provide for all our 'needs'. He teaches us to store up true treasures in heaven. 

You know, I thought I had a good understanding of all that, but the more I look around our home, the more I ponder my earthly treasures, and the $ spent on them over the decades, and I've asked myself "Has this brought me joy?" the answer is almost always, no. 

I was thinking about Nana's grocery list, and how short it was, how she'd only written very basic items, and then remembered the meals we happily shared around the table in her small kitchen - simple, nourishing - and memorable because I still remember them! No wonder she laughed a lot, no wonder we looked forward to a simple meal of scones, butter and jam on Sunday evening, no wonder she never needed a delivery man to bring her groceries, and no wonder the only 'pantry' she had was a small half-cupboard beside the stove with curtains instead of doors. The top of it was her kitchen bench. It was all she needed, and I never heard her complain about needing more space or wishing she could buy different things. She lived contentedly. What we had was all we needed, and though she worked hard every day to keep things clean and tidy, she knew how to enjoy a 'smoko' break with a big pot of tea and perhaps some bread, butter and jam. 

'Smoko' is what we used to call morning tea and afternoon tea. There was always tea, and always bread, butter and jam, but sometimes we'd have cake or leftover baked custard from the night before. She enjoyed those 'smoko' breaks with me, and Pop if he was home (he was a shift worker all his life on the wharves), and never felt the need to fuss it up. Plain and simple ingredients, made for delicious simple meals. 

This week so far I have deep cleaned the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, linen cupboard, and floors. Whilst cleaning out the fridges I decided to make more jam from the last of the season's plums. I always label them, and did so with the May 25 labels, but instead of printing up a fourth May 25 label, I used the leftover label from February. Its funny, but I have begun thinking about the little insignificant things which havent't really mattered to me before, and wasting one leftover label from February wasn't something Nana would have done...so I used it. How many small and seemingly insignificant things can I take note of moving forward? I think there will be many. I hope to follow Nana's example in new ways I've previously overlooked, or forgotten. 

You see, I just want to simplify, and remove as much of the life and mind clutter as possible, and hopefully live my life out in greater peace, contentment and gratitude. 

So, I am taking note of Ecclesiastes 3:7b and will be taking a blogging break for a couple of weeks. 

I'm enjoying the silence, and not needing to communicate much at all...my husband is like me, we're both rather quiet naturally at home, but this break for me will be one of observing more than talking or writing. I look forward to learning more as I read from times gone by, remembering Nana and her gentle ways, seeking the Lord and being taught from His words, tending the garden, slow stitching, remaking old clothes into new, simplifying our meals more than I have ever done before, and enjoying our dear dachshund Kelly.

I shall be praying for you all, especially that the Lord will open your own eyes to the things He wants you to learn (they may be very different to this season of my own learning), just as He opened mine. Who knows how these changes we make will affect our lives? But what I do know, is that it can only be for good, for everything from the Lord is for our best. 

God bless you, and I shall hopefully chat again late in May....

Hugs

You will find my design account on Instagram HERE @jennyofelefantz

And my other Instagram account, just for homemaking, HERE @elefantzhome

Subscribe to my free Friday newsletter HERE and never miss a blog post, pattern or tutorial

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Block 5 of The Sewing Room, and usefulness...

 

I think this is the first time I have shared this year's block of the month pattern on the first day of the month! Normally I share it a day early. ;-)

For May we're focusing on PINS, because what sewing room is without pins? How can we create from fabrics if we have no pins? I don't know what your favourite type of pins are but I mostly use tiny glass head ones that can be ironed over, and are so fine that they slide in and out of multiple layers with ease. 

Dp you remember this little rhyme...

I do not believe in luck, but always trust in the providence of God. However, the little rhyme in the photo above is not actually about luck at all. It is about thrift, and not overlooking the usefulness of small things. 

In fact there was saying back in the 17th century, with a smiliar meaning -

"He that will not stoop for a pin, will never be worth a pound." 

When I reflect on growing up with Nana and Pop, nothing was wasted, not even a pin. Not a button, and most certainly not food. They saved worn out clothing to use for patches, yarn to mend the hand knitted socks, balaclavas, beanies and scarves, and even things like broken shoe laces. I'm sure you have many other examples from your own childhood...the things is, they valued what they had, and were very savvy about how to make use of things which we today mostly throw away. 

So now you know my inspiration for choosing PINS as my theme for this month's free The Sewing Room block. I even stuck one of my old glass head pins in the pincushion, between the embroidered ones. 

Use the link below to download the free May block

DOWNLOAD Block 5 of The Sewing Room

I think that during the month of May I shall focus on mending, because learning about the story behind those little pin rhymes has inspired me to look at what I already have in my possession, the things that have broken or are worn out, and consider how to make use of them. I have ideas about using scraps of fabric or worn out clothes to create new items I can wear, and of course my new love for Japanese Boro stitching/mending will definitely impact that journey. 

Over the past week I pulled out a cheap white cotton dress which has not been worn for about four years, and looked at it with new eyes. There was a frill along the bottom edge, which I did not like at all, but the fabric itself is sturdy and soft...so...I cut off the frill, pressed it, and along with some scraps of light grey linen, I began to re-create the dress as a Boro inspired, patched top. 

It's a work in progress because I still need to sew lines of running stitch across the patches, but so far I am loving it! 

In the book I borrowed from the library, the author takes you through her process of bringing old alive with boro, and she does things like sewing patches longer than the hem line, and using different shapes. So I did similar...

The more patches I added, the more I thought of adding running stitch leaves, which gave the top my own signature stamp. 

This will keep me busy for a while, as I am still deciding 'what next' for patch placement, and considering dying the top a denim blue so that the different fabrics and the running stitch threads take on different hues. I also need to work on the back of the top. But it is so pleasing to try a new technique and see the value it will have long term...and I do admit that I LOVE running stitch, and always have, which is why it features on many of my designs, and hand quilting. Probably another reason I enjoy sashiko so much. 

The Yumiko Higuchi embroidery design I am currently working on from a new book I was gifted, is coming along nicely, and yesterday I stitched the lizard - the main reason I wanted to embroider this particular pattern from the book first. 

Blossom asked me what I wanted for Mothers Day, as these days we always ask family members to be specific with what they'd like to receive, especially those of us on a budget. :-) My choice was sashiko threads in variants of blue. Up until now I've used Perle 12 threads for sashiko, and its been great while I learn and practice, but I am excited to use the proper threads for a larger project (using squares of recycled linen from the scraps box).

My current read from the library is Moonflower Murders, the sequel to Magpie Murders. I admit to really enjoying these books, and find that my 3pm cuppa on the cosy couch by the window is the perfect place to sip tea, nibble on cake, and read a chapter before taking the washing off the line, folding and putting it away, and then watering the garden. As a creature of habit, this relatively new afternoon tea ritual, has quickly become my new normal. 

At night I read something different, and currently that is On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Now it doesn't bother me one bit that this is a children's book, because it has so much goodness and life lessons from the 1800's that I am always learning new things, and many of them lead me back into my Bible. I find that I learn more from those who went before us than I learn from those who are around us now. Perseverance, faith, ingenuity, thriftiness, humility, hard work, contentment, grief, joy and enthusiasm, being just a few life traits from LIW's books which inspire me in my own life as a Christian wife, mother, grandmother and homemaker - though I am still, and always will be, learning to live this way.

This is Kelly, on our cosy couch under the window. He watches my husband drive off to work in the morning like this, and then he is right back there when he hears the car return in the evening, though in the evening his tail wags like crazy because he's so excited that 'dad' is home again. :-)

We had a surprise today, just an hour after hubby left for work. He called to say that he had lost his job. I do not think we were really surprised. This late in life career change to real estate wasn't all that it was thought to be (or hoped to be), and as he had chosen to stay true to God and just be himself, he was let go. 

But God, eh? He is faithful always. Just two hours later, my beloved man was employed by a different company, back selling cars (his previous occupation). He has always had a wonderful reputation as an honest car salesman, and those in the business did not forget that, so were quick to open their door to him. 

The moral of all this? Be who God called you to be. Trust God to teach you through life experiences, and grow from them. A good reputation is worth gold. Never lose hope. xx

May God bless you always, and bring His Word alive in your heart each and every day, so that you grow in His ways, lean on Him in times of trouble, and praise Him no matter what you're facing. 

Love and prayers, 

You will find my design account on Instagram HERE @jennyofelefantz

And my other Instagram account, just for homemaking, HERE @elefantzhome

Subscribe to my free Friday newsletter HERE and never miss a blog post, pattern or tutorial

Stitch my free 2025 block of the month 'The Sewing Room' HERE

Backstitch and Lazy Daisy stitch tutorial...

It has been eleven years since I first shared this tutorial, and I still receive many emails, comments and messages on a regular basis from lovely ladies asking how I embroider with such small neat stitches, and though I shared this very detailed tutorial all those years ago in response to the same question, I thought it was time to 'revisit' it for those who missed it back in 2014, andfor the new readers who've visited the blog since then. 

There's also a link at the end to download the pretty sweet vase of roses pattern I have used for this tutorial, which is a nice quick one to practice with.

So let us step back in time today, and revisit that 2014 tutorial....

I am asked to share many things on the blog, but the number one request (by a large margin)  is "how do you make such neat tiny stitches?"

In the past I've shown a couple of different backstitch tutorials but this time I'm going to take you through some 'extras' and hopefully this will be the tutorial I can refer future blog readers to when they email and ask that same 'how' question.

The design I've prepared, "Sew Sweet Roses", is a tiny one and quick to stitch.

Start by downloading the free pattern sheet HERE and grab yourself a piece of solid quilting fabric to trace it onto, but don't trace it yet!

Look at the pattern, and look at what I've traced...

Can you see that I have not traced the leaves?

When you are preparing a design that includes sewing lazy daisy stitches don't trace the whole shape, only place a small dot where they start and where they finish. This will prevent tracing lines peeping through as often happens with a lazy daisy.

Fuse a piece of fabric stabiliser behind the block. My favourites are Weaveline, Staflex 3045 or Whisperweft.
Weaveline and Staflix are as thin as tissue paper but are actually a fine fabric.
Whisperweft is woven, and is the stabiliser I chose to use when putting together this tutorial because I had plenty on hand...

(Update 2025 - these days I always use Staflex 3045 and Weaveline)

Gather what you need to begin stitching the block.

I use a size 9 embroidery needle, and never use a hoop. Instead, I rest the base of my palms on a small 'sewing cushion'...

Thread your needle with two strands of embroidery cotton. (I've used some DMC threads for this stitchery)

We'll start with the vase. Bring your needle up from behind the block and out along the traced line...

This is what it looks like behind the block. No knot, and just a little tail of thread. You can easily hold this tail in place with one of the fingers on your non-stitching hand...

To begin the backstitch, do exactly what the name suggests. Take you needle back, behind the exit hole of your first thread, and push through to the back of the fabric, and up again through the front, just ahead of the original stitch.
Keep your other hand securing that little tail at the back for a moment longer...

Now you're going to bring the needle 'back' again. This time push it into the original stitch hole. When you do this, you automatically secure that tail of thread behind the block. Don't tug hard on the thread, it only needs a gentle pull to sit flat...

When you've stitched the full vase make a small knot behind and trim your thread.

Now we'll stitch the small shabby roses.

Again using two strands of thread, begin your rose the same way you began the vase, and always begin stitching a shabby rose from the centre...

NOTE: The key to a neat circle of  roses is to keep your stitches very small, but I'll share more about that at the end.

Continue around the rose...there are 18 tiny stitches in my sweet little rose!

When you finish a rose, secure the thread behind the block before you move on to the next rose. Never carry your thread across from one shape to the next.

Now I'll show you how to make a lazy daisy leaf around the roses.

Secure the green thread on the back of a previously stitched shape, one that is closest to your leaf...

There are two dots marked on your fabric for each leaf. Choose your leaf, and bring the needle and thread up through the dot closest to the rose. I'll begin with the leaf at the top right of the vase...

Bring the thread across the front of the needle entry hole to create a circle of thread around the needle. Push the needle back through the same exit hole...

...and out again, but this time through the other marked dot for this leaf.

Let the needle exit above the circle of thread, and gently pull the thread to reduce the circle to an elongated daisy petal shape...

Bring your needle over the front of the lazy daisy stitch and push it through to the back of the fabric. Secure the thread in a knot behind and trim the end.

Stitch the rest of the roses and leaves.

Add some extra running stitches inside the vase if you like...

Now about those tiny stitches.

Do you know how many backstitches you personally sew to an inch?

Draw yourself a true one inch line onto a piece of fabric...

Using two strands of thread, backstitch along the line. When you've stitched your line, count how many stitches you have made.

I stitch 15 to the inch, but from what I've seen in my years of embroidery, most people don't.

The reason my little shapes, whether they be flowers, birds or bees, look so good in photos is wholly due to the small size of my stitches. But you don't have to stitch 15 to the inch for that result; 12 stitches to the inch also brings a lovely rounded result.

Here's the difference between 15, 12 and 8 stitches to the inch. Do you see that the larger your stitches the more difficult it will be to achieve circular and rounded shapes?

If you're not happy with how the curves look in your stitched projects try practicing smaller stitches. 

It makes all the difference, and you'll be surprised at how quickly you'll master those smaller stitches if you...s l o w  d o w n...when you stitch. After all, it's not a race to the finish but a piece of art made by your precious hands.

Another little tip I shall leave you with about backstitch is to be sure and let your stitches share the same entry and exit holes in your fabric, thus avoiding a gap between them.

No gap between the stitches creates a lovely flowing continuous line...

But gaps? The flow is missing...

 I hope this tutorial has helped answer a few of those questions many of you have asked?

Don't forget to download the free practice block HERE and remember, go slow, and enjoy the process.

Be blessed as you stitch!

You will find my design account on Instagram HERE @jennyofelefantz

And my other Instagram account, just for homemaking, HERE @elefantzhome

Subscribe to my free Friday newsletter HERE and never miss a blog post, pattern or tutorial

Stitch my free 2025 block of the month 'The Sewing Room' HERE

Trying something new, and repairing the garden...

This year I have been enjoying learning more about Japanese embroidery and sashiko, and these are two things I find incredibly relaxing, especially as I like to keep my fingers busy in the evening, when the work of the day is behind me. 

Currently I'm working on a pattern by Yumiko Higuchi, from her book 'A Year of Embroidery'. The book was gifted to me by a very kind blog reader, Debby, for my birthday in February, and I have chosen the cover design as my first project from it. Living in the tropics, we are constantly surrounded by geckos and lizards - in fact you can watch geckos running here and there across our floor and ceiling every night - so the lizard in this design caught my eye immediately. 

In my own designs I always use two threads, or perhaps a single strand for bees or words, but its been quite a learning curve to embroider with six strands! But I am loving it. :-)

When I visit our local library nowadays, the first shelf I walk to is the one where I can find Japanese craft books. They don't have many, but the ones they have are good, and this week I came across this one...

I don't usually 'read' craft books, but flip through to find something of interest to make, however, I could not put this down last night. The author creates the most interesting and lovely clothes from old worn pieces, to which she will stitch patches, in various sizes and overlaps, to cover holes or threadbare sections, but also adding more to bring visual balance to the item. She saves all her scraps, and gathers more from trips to charity stores, so that she can take her time repairing her clothes, or making something from various pieces, using just the right colour or scrap. 

Boro began from sashiko, the simple art of running stitch to mend. Over time sashiko became more decorative, but boro is still associated with mending patches over each other. 

The author, Harumi Horiuchi, takes you through different stages of her clothing makeovers, and shows the varied techniques she uses, including dying old fabrics and sashiko threads together to get the right shade for mending or adding extra patches to the background fabrics. 

I am so inspired by her, that I dug out a few very plain cotton dresses, white and cream, that I had purchased for a few dollars back in 2020 and intended to dye. I also pulled out my stash of linen scraps, and created a bundle of pieces to use in my own version of a boro dress. 

I have an idea in my mind of how I'll do this, but in reality this will be about learning a new skill, and creating something useful and wearable in the process. I shall keep you updated on my progress with this. 

Kelly has been with us for two weeks now, and already he is a very different dog to the nervous and sick little boy he was when we brought him home from the animal rescue shelter. He brings us so much joy, and in return he showers us with love. He is still very wary of other humans, but loves Blossom and her family, including their dog, Barnaby. 

This morning we took Kelly over for a visit, and Barnaby and he met outside on the front lawn, both on leads. Now both Kelly and Barnaby do not like other dogs, but they quietly rubbed noses, had a sniff, and hung out together for the next twenty minutes, calm as can be. We are overjoyed! Now we know they are fine together, Blossom can bring Barnaby over when she and the children visit us. 

Our garden was pretty well decimated during the months of monsoon rain and floods, but we're slowly removing things that couldn't cope, nurturing things that did, and planting a few veggies and herbs (a little at a time).

It's lovely to see flowers in bloom again, and various herbs thriving. Interestingly, the only things that survived well, were plants in pots or raised beds, as we could move the pots, and the larger raised bed had good drainage. 

(white angelonia, and the sage in the backgound flourished all through the summer monsoons and heat - sage never has before)

(likewise the basil never let up, and all areas of the garden where we had it in pots or raised beds, it thrived)

(chives and spring (green) onions struggled and most died, but they are coming back wonderfully now - I also sprouted some basil from a cutting and it's doing well in a pot)

(more sage, and purple angelonia)

(mint, lemon balm, lime balm, a potted bay tree, aloe vera, and ferns, among other things, have come along well in their pots over the past few dry weeks)

 

I did a lot of pruning after Easter, and cleared this area above. To kick start our winter growing I have planted out parsley, rocket (arugula) and cucumber seedlings in various pots around the yard, and planted seeds of snow peas, dill, coriander, and various flowers into raised beds and a few pots. 

There's still so much to do, but small steps add up and I can see life in the garden once more. The passionfruit and mulberry are fruiting, as is our lime tree (though it gave an abundance of huge heavy fruit all through the monsoon season). My ginger also fared well and will be ready to harvest in another month.

Our fallen Poicianna has been chopped into pieces for burning in Blossom's fire pit through winter, but hubby kept one long piece of trunk for us to use as a bench seat. He still has a lot of work to do on it, but it will be lovely one day. 

He took advice from Rosie's husband Brian, who is very knowledgable about all things horticultural, and we're trying to save what's left of the Poinciana, hoping it will regrow. Only time will tell. 

It is odd to see the cut piece of trunk growing, but that just means there's still a lot of nutrition in it. The piece of trunk still in the ground is also sprouting. Time will tell if we can bring new life to our dear tree. 

I hope you have had a lovely week, and wonder if you are working on anything in your own garden? Have you tried Boro, or some other new-to-you craft? I'd love to hear about the things you're doing. 

God bless dear ones, and I pray that just like my garden, if you've had some difficult times this year, that you can see recovery in the weeks and months ahead. My garden is currently a lesson in slow and steady, patience, hard work, and hope. We must never lose hope. 

Until next time, may the light of Jesus fill your dark spaces, and His JOY overflow in your hearts!

You will find my design account on Instagram HERE @jennyofelefantz

And my other Instagram account, just for homemaking, HERE @elefantzhome

Subscribe to my free Friday newsletter HERE and never miss a blog post, pattern or tutorial

Stitch my free 2025 block of the month 'The Sewing Room' HERE