It's nearly wattle time again

I have just strolled around our large wattle bush looking - sadly, in vain - for some little yellow balls of fluffy goodness, but as yet there are none to report.  It shouldn't be long, though, until it's bright gold again.

There is a little breeze blowing, just enough to wave those branches around and make it tricky to take a clear pic.

Wok continues on Arboretum's label, which is now down to the last few words.  Once that's done the final trimming and binding can be done - and oh! how I am looking forward to seeing it finished.

This is a project from a long time ago, so long ago that it wasn't on the computer.  It wasn't a quilt, it was a banner made for the Scottish country dance group of which I was a member, back in the very early noughties.  Each year a school, 'Winter School', was held with visiting teachers and musicians, culminating in a ball with participants in full Scottish regalia, kilts for the men, tartan sashes and brooches for the ladies, and I'm sure it was a very grand affair; however, tickets were a bit pricey, so I never went.  One year each group was approached about making a banner to decorate the hall for the ball, so I volunteered to do ours.  We were given a large piece of unbleached calico (muslin, for some of you) with the design drawn on with black marker, sample pieces of poly/cotton fabric to use as colour inspiration, and a smaller copy of our design to help with colour placement.  Each design was different, and groups could choose their method, paint, fabric, whatever they wished.

Well, what fun that was, tricky but fun!  The original was used to make tracing drawings for placement, and to work out yardages of the poly/cottons.  I decided on the gold for the background and used the other colours in different parts of the design.  A whole roll - 30 metres - of black 1/2" wide bias was bought for the leading (24 metres were used), and an attempt was made at gluing down the smallest pieces of bias prior to stitching.  That didn't work too well, so pins were used and the bias was machine stitched down along both sides.  The under-over crossing of the design meant that all raw edges were covered.  The background had already been hemmed along one end with a casing for a hanging rod on the opposite end, something I didn't need to worry about doing; the design was about - from memory; it was a long time ago - about 36-38 in wide.

And, the best part - my banner was hung in the position of honour directly opposite the entrance!  It was considered to be the best, although it wasn't a competition with a prize.  I could have had it back afterward, but gave it to my group (after all, they paid for fabric and bias) and it was going to be hung every time there was a dance.  

How has everyone been?  I have been trying to make phone calls on Kevin's behalf, and ended up frustrated with people who don't return calls.  Some stitches were sewn but not knitted, words were read.  No songs were sung or plinked, but U3A ukulele starts again tomorrow afternoon; choir is still on a break.  We hunted and foraged.  We haven't starved.

We managed to keep warm despite yesterday morning being the coldest day of the year, it was very freezy frosty chilly.  It would have been nice to stay inside but no, it was my quilt group's AGM; we meet in one of the coldest buildings in town.  There are heaters but the ceiling is very high, it started life as a large old industrial tin shed and, although the interior walls are lined, I don't think there is any insulation so it's not ~ quite ~ warm inside.  Today is also fairly cool, but not as cold as yesterday's minus 6 C with a 'feels like' of minus 9.5 C.

Oh well, it is still winter, after all......

We haven't finished with our groomsmen yet.

"At the church the groomsmen are the first to arrive.  They stand by the inner entrance and offer their arms to escort the ladies, as they enter, to their proper seats in the church.  If a lady be accompanied by a gentleman, the latter follows the groomsman and the lady to the seat shown her.  The groomsmen, knowing the two families, understand where to place the nearer, and where the remoter relatives and friends of the bridal party, the groom's friends being arranged upon the right of the entrance, and the bride's upon the left.  The distribution of guests places the father (or guardian) of the bride at the proper place during the ceremony."

Do people still sit on the bride's or the groom's side of the room, or has that custom gone with the wind?  Where does one sit if one knows both bride and groom equally well, I wonder?

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Quilted trees

Arboretum is back from its visit to Margaret quilter, and I couldn't be happier with it.

The quilting design shows more in the light blocks, as dark green thread was used.  The quilting pattern is, so Margaret tells me, called 'ebb tide' - but it evokes wind blowing through trees, to me.  The back is quilted with dark brown thread which blends so well with the fabric that it's difficult to photograph, so I didn't....but perhaps will when it's bound and finished.

Embroidery is continuing on the label, several lines have been done but there are still a few to go.  It's been my TV project for a few nights, however last night's program choice was so dreary that the TV stayed off and my book came out instead.  Goodness gracious, there is a lot of sport on free TV....far too much, for a non-sporty like me.  Kevin usually drops off to sleep so he doesn't notice if it's on or off anyway; watching through one's closed eyelids is a bit tricky.

Yesterday afternoon's choir concert went off very well, nice things were said to us and about us, and our audience seemed to really enjoy it.  Afternoon tea was excellent (much of it was provided by choir members) and was so generous that the organisers from the cancer charity plated up the leftovers and sold them off for the traditional 'gold coin donation' - i.e. a $1 or $2 coin per plate, each containing several pieces of something yummy.  I had some coins with me, so left a few behind and brought home a couple of plates of goodies.  My contribution was lemon squares, a recipe found many years ago on the web site of a now-closed quilt store in Ontario, Canada, which has become a favourite of ours.  

It tastes as good as it looks, too.

A phrase which has long puzzled newcomers to Australia is 'bring a plate'.  It is, of course, understood that the plate will contain a contribution to afternoon tea (or morning tea or lunch, depending on the time of day) but many a newcomer has turned up with an empty plate, expecting to have it filled!  At the last couple of Thursday rehearsals we were reminded "don't forget to bring a plate" to which some wag usually added "with something on it".  In days gone by it was usually "ladies bring a plate and gents bring a bottle".....which, back then, meant a bottle of beer.

Words have been read, songs have been sung.  Stitches have been sewn, but I don't think many were knitted as we had - for once - no appointments to attend.  We hunted and foraged, so we won't starve....although I have no idea what we are going to eat tonight.....no doubt something will come to my brain.  I just wish a food idea would come to Kevin's brain, for a change, but unfortunately there is little chance of that.

"The groomsmen's duties.

The groomsmen at the door of the reception room offer themselves as escorts to parties, who arrive slowly from the church, conducting them to the bridal party, and there presenting them by name.  This announcement becomes necessary when two families and two sets of friends are brought together for the first time.  If ladies are present without gentlemen, they accompany them to the breakfast or refreshment room, or provide them with attendants."

For many years a wedding reception was known as a 'wedding breakfast', because weddings often took place in the early morning.  Breakfast was then served before the happy couple set off on their wedding journey, with many daylight hours for travelling.  Even when most weddings moved to the afternoon, the wedding meal continued to be known as 'the wedding breakfast'.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

It's not ~quite~ warm here today

It is far from being freezing cold, it's quite nice when the sun peeks out from the clouds....but then it goes into hiding again and it gets cooler for a while.....still, July is the coldest month and we aren't even halfway through.

Never mind; it won't be long and we will be complaining about the heat again.....

Some diamond trios have been joined into strips.

Three strips, two of five trios and one of four, seams not yet pressed (which won't get done until I know which way they have to lie) but enough for a preview of the finished product.  The maths have been worked out; there need to be 11 strips of four trios and all the rest, however many that is, will be joined into strips of five.  First and every other row is 20 across, rows in between have 19, and the holes along all the sides will be filled with partial blocks continuing the pattern.  It's very therapeutic sewing, something much needed at present.

These days there are many phone calls to be made and some forms to be filled in on Kevin's behalf.  I have never liked filling in forms for any purpose....it makes me feel like I'm back at school doing a test, something I always dreaded, and I freeze up.  Ditto on the phone calls.  No good asking Kevin to make them, he gets confoozalated and difficult to understand, so it falls to me.  I find it quite stressful and I'm sure he has no idea that I do, because I can't seem to make him comprehend.  Come to that we don't really have many conversations about anything much, any more.

On to happier Stuff.

The choir has been practising for our winter concert to be held next Saturday afternoon, with proceeds going to a charity which supports cancer sufferers.  A few years ago our director Bill announced that we would no longer do concerts, and there was quite a bit of mumbling about that; just going along each week to sing is one thing but practising for a performance really gives us incentive to strive to do better, so we were all pleased when he eventually decided that yes, we would still perform after all.

Stitches have been sewn and knitted.  The label for Arboretum has been printed and traced onto fabric, a floss colour has been chosen (a warm brown DMC colour, a favourite for labels) and the non-woven interfacing has to be ironed onto the back before stitching can start.  It will take but a moment to do - the trouble is finding the moment!

Songs have been sung but not plinked this week as I've been too busy to pick up an instrument, and I miss it.

The new white kettle works very well.  The pretty green one would have worked equally well too, but would it make my coffee and Kevin's tea taste any better?  Well, that's the question, isn't it.....

Our musician friend has already booked his bed with us for next January's music festival, and we are looking forward to spending time with him again.  He, too, will be able to try out the new white kettle.  I'm sure he will be impressed.

Many folk during the past week have had phone problems, myself included.  I could send and receive text messages but couldn't make or receive calls.  That was somewhat of a nuisance so I had resigned myself to some time spent getting frustrated in the telecommunications shop trying to make young folk understand, but this morning I had a brainwave.  I turned the phone completely off then charged it fully.  Turned it back on, tried ringing Kevin's number - it worked, yay!  Tried ringing my phone from his and once again, it worked.  Fingers crossed that it stays working.

We are still finding out about the latest ceremonials.

"While the bride and bridegroom are passing out of the church, the bridesmaids follow slowly, each upon the arms of the groomsman, and they afterward hasten on as speedily as possible to welcome the bride at her own door, and to arrange themselves about the bride and groom in the reception room, half of the ladies on her side and half upon his - the first bridesmaid retaining the place of honour."

How many bridesmaids and groomsmen were in a wedding party, one wonders?  Sounds like rather a lot.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Doesn't look like much, does it?

However - it is, because this is block number 449.  The (hopefully!) last block which needed to be made for the design I have in mind.

Each block is three inches across, or at least that's the size on the diamond template.  I haven't actually measured them.  It's a useful size to work with, anyway.  The top diamond is lightest in colour, the right-hand side is darkest, and the left-hand side is something in between.

Two blocks have already been joined but not yet pressed, and another two are also being joined.

The Cunning Plan is to alternate rows of 20 blocks and rows of 19 blocks across, each second row needs to be shorter so the blocks fit together and create the design.  The tops and sides will be filled with partial blocks, because I don't like quilts with wiggly edges.  

Arboretum has gone off to quilter Margaret and should be home soon, although she has a few to be done before mine but that's all right; there's no tearing great hurry.  A label still needs to be made (it will be hand-embroidered) and I am dithering over the wording.  Name of quilt, of course....name of designer....name of maker (me)....name of quilter, because the quilting plays a part in how it looks....date (2025-26).....and a quote I found which appealed to me, "Trees are always a relief, after people" by writer David Mitchell (although I have left his name off the label, something which I plan to remedy before making it).  There are many quotes about trees but most of them are quite long-winded; I like this one because it is short, sharp and sweet, if slightly cynical.  Like what I am.

How has everyone been?  As you can see stitches have been sewn, and also knitted.  There are a couple of appointments in the coming week, so the knitting will come along to pass the time; I need to attend Kevin's appointments with him now as his speech is not always easy to understand, sometimes a translator is needed.  Songs have been sung and plinked, the uke group is now on holidays as U3A only meets during school terms, so we will be back later in July.  Words have been read.  Stocking up of the pantry took place, so we won't starve.

The great excitement during our week was on Friday afternoon when our electric kettle shorted out and blew all the power - we had lights, but no power.  We didn't realise at first what had happened.  When we arrived home from shopping Kevin brought the bags in while I poured coffee beans into the grinder and pressed the button on the kettle to heat water.  But - oh dear! - the grinder didn't work....bugger, I thought, and probably said too....then I became aware that the computer (which I had also turned on) was showing a blank screen, then I noticed the lack of music as the radio had stopped working too....then I checked the kettle.....all dead as the proverbial dodo.  Rang our neighbour whose husband is an electrician, he won't be home for a couple of hours she said....looked inside the fuse box but all that technical Stuff is a mystery to me, so closed it again....we rang an electrician who has done work for us in the past, and one of "the boys" (I'll send one of the boys to have a look" he said) came out to check.  He found the source of the problem fairly quickly; we managed by boiling water in a saucepan on the stove when needed, then yesterday we went shopping for a new kettle.  It works, it's the same brand as the previous one but a slightly different design, and is basic white.  I could have had a pretty pale green kettle, you know....but our basic model was $39 and the pretty green one was (gulp) $239 (gulp)!  $200 difference!!  So reluctantly (because it is a very pretty colour) I said, no, we'll take the white one.  Even though the green one is very pretty.....

"The latest ceremonials.

The latest Australian form for conducting the marriage ceremony is substantially as follows:

When the bridal party has arranged itself for entrance, the groomsmen, in pairs, march slowly up to the alter and turn to the right.  Behind them follows the groom alone.  When he reaches the alter he turns, faces the aisle and watches intently for the coming of his bride.  After a slight interval the bridesmaids follow in pairs, and at the alter turn to the left.  After another brief interval, the bride, alone and entirely veiled, with her eyes cast down, follows her companions.  The groom comes forward a few steps to meet her, takes her hand, and places her at the altar.  Both kneel for a moment's silent devotion.  The parents of the bride, having followed her, stand just behind her and partly to the left.  The services by the clergyman now proceed as usual."

Back in 1885 wedding parties must have been somewhat substantial, if there were enough bridesmaids and groomsmen for them to walk in pairs.  

If you search for "1885 wedding dress" you can see some amazing creations.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer