New Books and Linen

There's nothing quite like the thrill and anticipation of a new book. 

Of seeing that brown cardboard packet from Amazon (or elsewhere) sitting there waiting for a quiet moment when you can finally unwrap it and fully savour the latest addition to your library. 

The glossy and enticing cover, the fresh smell of print and, of course, the glorious contents - the wonderful words that transport you far away from your every day life, and the artfully composed photographs that leave you inspired and itching to make or transform, to cook, to plant, to travel or whatever the subject of the book excites you to do.

All those feelings were released over the last few weeks when I rather guiltily treated myself  (  I blame it on the weather)  to a few of those books that are just perfect for dipping into in the evening or at bedtime, propped up against the pillows all warm, cosy and drowsy.

The first book by Deborah Needleman, The Perfectly Imperfect Home, is an interior design book that gives a great sense of the importance and uniqueness of your space, and reminds you that it is far more important to have a comfortable, functional home that reflects you and your family's tastes and character, rather than a  perfect picture book home or one that could have been lifted straight from a high street showroom or interiors magazine.

It is well written, extremely readable and hard to put down as it talks so much practical sense, and each page is sprinkled with ideas and inspirations of how to make a personal and comfortable home.

Without a photograph in sight, it is beautifully illustrated throughout with gorgeous watercolours by Virginia Johnson, and each new section starts with a few words of wisdom.

The next book is for sewers and patchworkers - Natural Patchwork by Suzuko Koseki, and is full of contemporary patchwork projects that can be sewn by hand or machine, and with easy diagrammatic instructions for each project.

There are quick projects that you could run up in an hour or two, or more time consuming ones that you can dip into over a longer period. 

Needless to say, with my butterfly tendencies,  I already had a project from here underway the first weekend I received it. Another work in progress, it is a handsewn project that I showed a glimpse of a week or so ago, and is still being slowly worked on as and when time permits. 

One to savour and not rush

Another comforting sort of interiors book to dip into and always find ideas, inspiration and beautiful photos is The Comforts of Home by Caroline Clifton-Mogg, who has written several other gorgeous interiors books including French Country Living which I mentioned here a while ago.

The beauty of this book, apart from the obvious eye candy photos, is the concept of the book which aims to help you achieve a comfortable home, giving thrifty and chic decorating ideas using what you already have - something that I have always loved doing, making significant changes to my home starting with re-using and re-evaluating what you already have, by thinking outside the box,  giving a new look to the rooms of your home without spending a fortune.

This last week saw me tempted by two books by Selina Lake - Romantic Style and Homespun Style.

With text by Sara Norman, and beautiful photography by Debi Treloar, Romantic Style is the perfect inspiration if you love country style, french style and scandinavian style interiors, and is full of clever ideas to create a romantic style home.

Just out last month is Homespun Style, which embraces a more colourful style and again is full of thrifty, crafty ideas to create an imaginative and characterful home.

The photography is again by Debi Treloar, with text by Joanna Simmons.

Both books are a feast for the eyes, and leave you full of ideas.

As you turn the pages, the wealth of inspiration and ideas within gives you the urge to throw the book down and get cracking, to rush off and grab your paintbrush, your sewing machine and crochet hook all in one go!

I don't know how, but I did manage to restrain myself and instead was content (for the moment!) with merely changing the sitting room curtains (with ones I already had) and playing around with sofa cushions, particularly some new cushion fronts I had made last week with a view to putting in my still bare Etsy shop, but which will now have their backs finished this weekend and grace my sofa instead!

As a result of all the cushion making activity that's been going on here recently, I have successfully used up a little of my fabric stash, but with sewing still going full steam ahead (well, at half steam this last week to be  honest, as I have been feeling a tad under the weather due to a nasty cough that just wont go ) I have run low on plain fabrics.

Being  a lover of natural fabrics, I have been sourcing some new linen fabric these last few weeks

and have found a lovely denim blue and a soft pink linen to add to what is left of the other linens I bought last year.

I have washed them and they now await ironing - but I love them like this, when they are soft and creased as they already look a little aged and time worn.

I also bought some pretty linen braid which came to me all the way from Belarus. The wonders of the World Wide Web and Etsy.

Am hoping to find time for some sewing this weekend, as having spent last weekend in the garden I feel the need to sew - and the forecast is saying rain, so a perfect excuse to get some sewing under way.

What will you be doing this weekend?