A whole nine days.......

Yes indeedy, the new year is passing.  We won't be able to say 'new' year for much longer, will we?

Progress has been made on the borders of my Canadian quilt, but some un-sewing will also have to happen......just a small amount, but un-sewing nevertheless.  The first idea worked out in my brain was changed, but it should have been left as it was.

Oh well.  Worse things happen at sea, and all that.

When the blocks shown in my last post were made they were laid out, and both my friend's and my brain picked for ideas.  We came to the separate conclusion that they needed a focal point, a centre block, so this was found in an early issue of a now-defunct Aussie magazine and duly made.....and there it has stayed.  The pencil markings for applique placement are still there but the (eventual) Cunning Plan is to add embroidery.  One day.

You know.....when I look at this piece made by me, a person who is a long way from doing beautiful appliqué, it doesn't look too bad.....but some embroidery will improve it.

Fiona has some cute little pinwheels made from leftovers.  We have been corresponding about suitable designs, and this was made several years ago from the leftovers of my blue and yellow quilt.  (It was said at the time that every quilter had at least one blue and yellow quilt in them......it seems I had two)

Those little half square triangles were stored in a shoe box, and every now and then the lid would be taken off and they would be looked at.  More than once they were nearly thrown out, but then I would remember that I paid good money for that fabric.....the lid would be put back on, and the box put back on the shelf.  Fast forward a few years:  a trip to Canada - literally a trip - which resulted in a broken arm and a halt to activities such as sewing and playing guitar, and lots of other Stuff.  Then - those little leftovers came to mind!  One-and-a-half hands could manage to feed them through my Featherweight and make the pinwheels.  EQ7 was pressed into action and this design decided on, fabric was bought, and then packed up for our move from the Big Smoke.  A couple of years later my quilt group challenge was 'to make a quilt from stash' - "aha", I thought, "this is my chance".  There are no pinwheels left; the last three were used on the back.

And, of course, there are still leftovers from the leftover quilt, as there always are.

The music festival which was to have started later this week has been cancelled, just a week before the first notes would have been twanged.  There is much sadness and some relief around town; sadness for the businesses who have lost custom again, and sadness for the musicians whose gigs have been cut off again, but relief that most of the promised hordes won't be descending upon us with their plague germs.  It was the right decision made at the wrong time; in fairness it should have been decided before Christmas to cancel, rather than let people hope the music could go ahead and make their plans.  Although there have been many accommodation cancellations some visitors have already arrived; R.V. and tent campers have started to set up.  Social media tells me that there will be a small number of gigs in a small number of venues, which will hopefully stop too many people being disgruntled.

We will probably continue to stay home as much as we can, and avoid the hysteria and paranoia around the current plague where possible, and live our quiet life.

"Supper.

The supper-room at a ball is thrown open generally at twelve o'clock.  The table is made as elegant as beautiful china, cut-glass and an abundance of flowers can make it.  The hot dishes are oysters, stewed, fried, broiled and scalloped, chicken, game, etc., and the cold dishes such as boned turkey, bœuf à la mode, chicken salad, lobster salad, and raw oysters."

I'm afraid I shall have to stop right there.  Raw oysters......no.  Just no.  In my life I have eaten oysters twice, and both times have been violently ill afterwards.  I cannot, for the life of me, imagine consuming oysters at supper during a ball then standing up for a dance - a waltz, perhaps, or a quadrille - which involves twirling and spinning round the dance floor.  I fear the result would not be pretty.

Enjoy your days!