There ain't no cure for the summer time blues......

No I'm not depressed, far from it! Last night DH Kevin and I went to see Del Rey perform, Del is visiting Australia and did a show in Sydney last night. We have seen her before and she is fabulous. She spoke of Memphis Minnie...now there's a woman I would have liked to have known, sounds like she would have been a real ripper. Del plays blues/boogie guitar and ukelele.

This little quilt was made a few years when a couple of friends and I challenged each other to make a quilt representing a particular month. My month was January, chosen because I don't really like the heat of summer - after all, it was supposed to be a challenge! The sky in an Australian summer is a very intense blue , so blue that it hurts your eyes on a hot day to look at it, and the heat haze shimmers. As many of my quilts have names with a musical reference I called this little one "There ain't no cure for the summertime blues" from the old song by Eddie Cochrane.

When we visited Canada late in 2007 we - Kevin, the lovely Kiera-Oona and I - spent several hours at the Textile Museum of Canada in Toronto. What a fascinating place....lots of hands-on things to play with, and two exhibitions to see, one of which was called "The Blues" about the influence of indigo fabric on various cultures. There was a lovely old quilt from the late 19th century, indigo blue stars on a white background, as well as fabrics and clothing from Asia, Africa and America, and great blues music (of course!) playing in the background. There was a film showing the making of indigo dye which Kevin found interesting, he likes to know how things are done. If I am lucky enough to visit Toronto again the Textile Museum is definitely on my list of Places To Visit. It also has the best shop I have ever seen for books on textiles. Had to think of the baggage allowance though....and I had already bought the book, 'Ontario's Heritage Quilts', which they had.

I'm wearing a blue shirt today, somehow it seems appropriate.

Jennifer

First two projects for 2009

Isn't this cute. Too small to leave its mother. While we were visiting Cooma I bought a kit to make this little bag, which is made of eight rectangles - four for the outside, four for the lining. The beads were included in the kit to be used for the bag trim but I haven't decided if I will use them. I had always wanted to know how these bags were made.
The bright bag - these pretty fabrics are the Maypole range by April Cornell for Moda, florals, bright spots and tone-on-tone florals and spots. I used all 40 squares. First one side.......
.......then the other.
I used all 40 squares, the last six made pretty pockets inside. The lining is a teensy weensy tiny soft lime green print on cream. And I made a rigid bottom so it would stand better. I like the prints but I'm not sure the bag is really "me", however it will get used. Bags are always handy.

Ain't technology wonderful! The weather pixie on my sidebar changes her clothes according to the weather! We had soft rain overnight and this morning, so she put up her umbrella. This pixie is the closest to me, I have long hair too and most of it is still auburn.

And for those of you who would like to get rid of your snow and ice, hang in there. Our weather forecast is for 39 degrees C again this weekend. Just keep it packed ready to send.

One of these days I shall see how my guitars are surviving the heat and start learning my new song for the first meeting of the folk club in mid-February.

Jennifer

Australia Day WOW

This wombat is appliqued on a pyjama top, when I made the pyjamas in a dark grey-blue knit I decided they needed brightening up, hence the applique. I even bravely free-motioned the features - eye and nose - and the grass in two shades of green. I never iron pyjamas (I don't iron many clothes at all) but perhaps this wombat could have been pressed before being immortalised on the interwebs. Too late now!

Today is Australia Day, it's the anniversary of the day when the first fleet of convicts and soldiers set up camp in what was to become Sydney in 1788. While I don't have ancestors in that fleet I know of two who came in 1794 and two more in 1800. That's a long time ago by Australian standards as we are a young country, in terms of European settlement. The indigenous Australians would have us not celebrate as to them it is a day when they were invaded, but no one can turn their back on history. The French were hot on the trail of the British, if the French had arrived first we would all be parlez vous-ing...and who knows if the indigenous folk would have better or worse off under French colonisation? We will never know.

Jennifer

Another post today - Pay It Forward

This is a new experience for me! but it seems to be a nice way of connecting with folk. I have joined in Debbie's PIF .

Three people need to join in my PIF. I must send a hand made gift to the 3 people on my list within 365 days. In turn, the 3 people who have joined my PIF must also host their own and ask for 3 people to join. They then must send a handmade gift to each of their 3 players within 365 days. And on and on it goes, spreading the goodness around. There is no set time to send the gifts, so long as they are sent within 365 days of hosting your PIF.

So...... I need 3 people to join in.... post the logo and rules on your blog, and get three people to join their PIF..... any takers? Any gifts I send will most probably have a sewing/quilting theme. Maybe even chocolate.

Jennifer

I has a finish!

The bag is finished, I will take pics and post them over the weekend. It's larger than I had remembered, the one and only time I had seen the bag was at the craft show where I purchased the fabric, in June last year. The pattern had a photo of the finished bag (the only illustration in the instructions) but no finished size measurements. So now I have a new tote bag rather than the new handbag I was expecting to have; never mind, I can cope with that.

That makes two projects finished already for 2009 - the first was a small origami bag. I bought a kit while we were visiting Cooma as these bags had always intrigued me, and now I know how they are made I might try more.

It's been very hot, and it's not just me complaining (although I have been known to do that from time to time), but a couple of nights ago was Sydney's warmest night for twelve years. Already the temperature is 35 degrees C and it's only just after midday, unfortunately there's not much we can do about it except to grin and bear it. Can the folks in the northern hemisphere who are having lots of snow and ice please send some our way? It would be appreciated.

Now I shall put my foot (which is very sore today for some reason) up on a heap of cushions and work on my 89th Flower Basket block.

Jennifer

Thank you, thank you......

.....to the lovely folk who have left comments of concern about my injured foot. I have been remiss in not saying 'thank you' before now! I'm not usually so bad mannered. Blame the pain. It's slowly getting better but is still sore and bruised.

Have been looking at some blogs from Norway, isn't it a beautiful country!

And if I ever try making a pattern again that doesn't have illustrations, you have my permission to take it from me and throw it away. I have decided that I am a visual learner, and the bag pattern I am using (it was a free pattern when I bought the fabric) doesn't have pictures and the instructions leave a bit to be desired. However I am fudging it as I go, and it will be very pretty, and bright, and summery. When it is finished.

I mentioned in an email to my quilting list that I don't make new year's resolutions, but last year I made a vow to myself that I have kept. I vowed that I would learn a new song or poem to perform each time I attended the folk club, and I have done that. Even at the last meeting of the year I sang a new song. I plan to continue that this year, and also to tackle - one at a time - some of the projects that are partly finished in my sewing room, as well as attempting new things. I would like to hope that I end this year a little slimmer than I have begun it too, I'll happily settle for 5kg less. When my foot is better I plan to walk more than I have done in the past.

Another heatwave is starting....roll on autumn...... I love autumn!

Jennifer

First Wombat of the Week (WOW) for the new year

Isn't this great - wombat footprints! When we visited Cooma we found this lovely silver jewellery made by Bushprints. Beautifully made and packaged in dark red boxes, with the outer wrapping featuring a picture of the creature who made the prints.
DH Kevin bought it for me, as a late Christmas present - we hadn't shopped for each other before Christmas. I still haven't found anything for him but trust me, the right thing will come along soon.

And, lest you all think I was idle while we were away....not so. I made three blocks for my Flower Basket quilt (all by hand), and did a lot of knitting, the right front of my cardigan is nearly finished and one sleeve is almost up to the armhole. And I read several books.

I found out the other day that it is possible to operate a sewing machine safely while under the influence of strong painkillers. I was very careful, and was only sewing pre-cut squares together for my latest bag which is so bright it will knock the socks of everyone who lays eyes on it. Picture will be posted when it's finished.

This morning the chiropractor worked (gently!) on my foot, and it isn't as sore as it was a few days ago. He also suggested arnica drops which help to get rid of bruising. First time I have driven the car since it happened...interesting, to say the least!

Now it's lunch time and I am going to see what gourmet delights I can find in the kitchen.

Jennifer

Made by me!

No, not the lace tablecloth! I made the glass paperweight last week in Canberra. The glassworks in Kingston have a program that lets anyone over the age of 14 (I think I qualify for that) make something, helped of course by glass artists. This is called the 'fireworks' design and I chose to use white, yellow and blue, and to put some bubbles in the glass. It arrived by post today, I had no idea what it would look like as the glass is a golden honey colour while it is being worked, and the blue and yellow were red and orange when it was hot. For some reason the photo came out better with the lace as a background rather than the wooden table.

I am flying high as a kite. my foot is still very sore and aching all the time, so at lunchtime I took a very strong painkiller. It doesn't hurt so much now and I am floating on air....must be good stuff......'do not operate machinery' on the packet, I wonder if a sewing machine qualifies?

Off to crank up the machine, and admire my new paperweight some more.

Jennifer

Holiday pics

A very cheeky currawong, who was strolling in the sculpture garden at the National Gallery in Canberra...s/he mooched around for a while in front of us, then flew up into a tree. It didn't seem bothered by humans at all.
Sorry about the streaky lines! This was taken on a very dark night in Wagga Wagga, at the caravan park by the river; the lines are just reflections from the various lights around the park. It's the first time I have used the 'night' setting on my camera. The possums visited us at night and quite enjoyed the apple I cut up for them. This was a mum and her young one, when mum possum took the piece of apple from my hand the young one kept trying to get it from her. They were very amusing.
DH Kevin relaxing behind our caravan in Wagga Wagga. The trees around the caravan were quiet during the day but a hive of activity when the possums appeared at night.
A beautiful spot, the Snowy River at Dalgety. First time we have visited Dalgety, a tiny village, and hopefully it won't be the last. It's a lovely part of the world. About 100 years ago it was on the short list of possible locations for the national capital of Australia, and I'm so glad it wasn't chosen. It wouldn't look like this if it had been.

We saw some wonderful parts of this country. But I would need the world's best camera to do it justice, as so many of the vistas were endless....rolling plains, farms, hills; the views when we drove over the top of the Snowy Mountains were breathtaking.

Jennifer

Oh my....it is hot.......

Have I mentioned that I don't do heat very well.......a little while ago the weather station nearest to us was 39 degrees C. Apparently the cool change is heading up the coast to us, and it is raining a bit now, but still well over 30 degrees. I have tried to concentrate on some sewing but my brain is fried.

And my foot is getting sorer, it's swollen, the bruising is coming out now and my toes are black. I'm not walking very well and I can't bend my foot to drive the car. At least the bowls bag has gone back to its home at the bowls club.

And tomorrow when it is cooler I will be sewing up a storm.

Jennifer

Ouch ouch ouch......

......I kicked DH's lawn bowls bag hard this morning while I was making the bed, I don't know if I have broken my foot/toes or not as it is very painful. Bianca The Beautiful wondered what the cries of agony were. The bag usually lives in his locker at the bowls club but came away on holidays with us, he played a couple of games at Wagga Wagga. So far I have had an anti-inflammatory tablet, and a strong coffee, and a chocolate, and it is still painful. Ouch. And the bed is still not made.

I haven't mentioned a couple of highlights of our holiday. While we were in Cooma I took part in the local radio station's morning quiz and I won! Yee har for me! My prize is the DVD of the wonderful program on the Galapagos Islands that was on TV late last year. And last Saturday in Canberra I made my own glass paperweight at the glassworks, it will be sent to me when it finishes annealing (cooling down - if it cools down too rapidly it will crack). That was great fun, I have always wanted to work with glass. I wonder if there are any glass studios in Sydney that offer classes?

Now I am going to finish making the bed. Carefully.

Jennifer

Back from holidays

And life slowly gets back to normal. We had a lovely break, travelled in some parts of New South Wales that we had already visited and found some new places to visit. It's a beautiful place. A slightly sad homecoming however, as we have a funeral to attend this afternoon; DH's Uncle Ern passed away last week aged 97. A good life and a long life.