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

Marking time

Because nothing new has been started in the sewing room.  Indeed, very little happened in the sewing room at all, this week.

Diamonds have been cut for the tumbling blocks, and more will be cut to have a good supply for the upcoming holiday.  One block was made for the monthly BOM for my quilting group. Fabric was picked up and put down again.  

The house quilt was going to be worked on but the spare bed - the design bed - is being used to lay out some Stuff for the holiday in less than two weeks, so today we shall visit the photo vault.

According to the computer this pic was taken in April, 2022 - nearly four years ago, and probably about the start of the tumbling blocks journey.

This was two years later, in June 2024....many more blocks had been made in the meantime, these few were laid out for a photo opportunity.  Now there are nearly 400 completed blocks out of 449 needed, but a few extra may be made just in case.  Many of the fabrics are repros (some from many many years ago) or newer fabrics which hold hands nicely with the repros; all were used in my tumbler quilt, and since then others have been found in the stash which also work.  Several fabrics have been used up in the process, so that's a good thing too.

In case you have forgotten, or have never seen the tumbler quilt:

Every time I look at it I think to myself - did I really make this by hand?  Not the borders, of course, but that large centre panel and another smaller panel on the reverse, and I pat myself on the back once more.

Here's a chuckle for you:  while having lunch today I was finishing the last few pages of a book, the plot of which centered around the murder of an elderly man who had planned to change his will to cut members of his family out.  This was not good enough for the husband of a niece, he wanted her share (and everyone else's too) so he engineered a gas explosion which blew up the elderly uncle's house with uncle in it, completely obliterating the house and poor old uncle.  Fast forward to the memorial service a few weeks later, one of the attendees asked if uncle was going to be cremated.....a bit late for that, I would have thought, the explosion.....

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn and knitted.  Songs were plinked and sung.  My annual entry for the Eisteddfod at the end of May has been lodged, so now the words to the poem and song need to be learned.  Most are already in my brain, the chords for the song are not there yet but they will come.  We ambled around the supermarket and found Stuff to eat.  Appointments were kept.  That was about it for the week.

Despite being told it is so, today - 1st March - is not the first day of autumn.  Days are getting shorter but temperatures are still saying 'summer', and nights are not as cool as we would like.  We will be glad to finally see the last of what has been a long unpleasant summer.  We have forgotten what rain looks like, but hopefully whoever arranges these things will take pity on us and loosen the taps to let some water through before too long.  We have high hope that our sojourn down south will be a little cooler, as we won't be far from the Snowy Mountains.....and I am also hoping to see autumn colour, won't that be nice?

"No young man who would shrink from being guilty of a great impropriety, should ever prolong his visits beyond ten o'clock, unless it be the common custom of the family to remain up and to entertain visitors at a later hour, and the visit paid is a family one and not a tete-a-tete.  Two hours is quite long enough for a call; and the young man will give evidence of his affection no less than his consideration, by making his visits short, and, if need be, making them often, rather than by prolonging to unreasonable hours."

A young lady's family will not thank her suitor for keeping them - and her - from their beauty sleep, by overstaying his welcome.  

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Some days....

....I swear some of the rubber bands holding my brain together just snap....

Yesterday afternoon quilting was started on the Canadian table centre.  When this pattern was made several years ago the quilting was a few parallel rows of stitching inside the borders; the first row was 1/4 in inside the border then another row 1/2 in inside that row.  A gap of a couple of inches then two more rows half an inch apart finished the quilting for the centre section.  It was easy and looked good, so the idea was to quilt the Canadian centre the same way.

Fast forward to yesterday afternoon:  first the bobbin thread ran out - my own fault for not checking before I started, that was the first rubber band snapping.  The bobbin was filled so off we went again; the first row was stitched 1/4 in inside the border with no problems, then the second row started 1/2 in inside that.  Somehow, though, when the first corner was turned the second row became 1/4 in inside the first instead of 1/2 in, and that was kept up until the last corner was turned.  When it was realised that those two rows of stitching were not going to line up the decision had to be made - lots of unpicking to sew the second line 1/2 inch away from the first, or a very small amount to continue with 1/4 inch away.  Not much choice, really.....

So the first two rows are now 1/4 inch apart, and will stay that way.

Subsequent lines will be stitched 1/4 in apart, to finish off quilting the centre.  The borders will be quilted in the ditch (not my favourite method of finishing a project, but all that this simple design needs) and it will be bound in a red maple leaf print.

This pic was taken at Mount Tomah Botanic Garden the same day as last week's waratah pics, this is how they grow in the wild.

A flowering waratah bush is quite a sight.  Sadly they don't grow around here as the soil is wrong - they grow on sandy ridges, something we don't have - and being in a valley, our summers are too hot.

How has everyone been?  Fortunately it has cooled here - not a lot, but still better than the extreme heat of late January - a little rain fell last weekend, with more forecast tomorrow.  Just in time, because the garden is getting crispy from the heat.  I had plans earlier in the week but a severe (fortunately only occasional, and not usually this bad) flare up of bursitis and sciatica laid me low for several days.  Never mind; all is much better, I can move again without agonising pain on every step, and my energy is back.

Words have been read, many words, because when one is feeling poorly and in severe pain one finds it difficult to be energetic so sitting in one's supportive chair reading is a good way to pass the time.  Stitches have been knitted, stitches have been sewn, more diamonds have been cut for my tumbling blocks quilt; the design requires 449 hexagons, each made of three diamonds, which by my calculations makes 1347 diamonds in total.  There are three bags each containing 100 completed hexagons, and that fourth hundred is also proceeding nicely.  We hunted and foraged.  That was the week, that was.

Monday afternoon ukulele is back, yay!  We seem to have lost a couple of people but have gained two newies who want to progress beyond easy chords, so that's good.  Choir also started back last Thursday afternoon, so my musical life has resumed once more.  It is very much missed when in recess.

While out and about recently we have become aware that several trees seem to be preparing for their autumn change, something I have noticed happens here in late summer.  Either that, or they are just stressed by the heat the same as humans are.  First the green leaves lose some of their brightness then they begin to look washed-out and faded, even though it's still a couple of months until autumn.  I don't remember seeing these changes when we lived in the Big Smoke, but then the climate is very different down there; autumn passed by in a flash, winter likewise, and before we knew it it was back to summer's never-ending humidity.

The winter sports carnival is on again overseas.  I am not, and never have been, one for sport; at school I managed to get out of most sporting activities, not that it was a difficult decision to do so.  In those days it was all about winning rather than taking part - I suspect it still is - and as I was never going to be a world-beater in any physical activity I had no interest in it at all.  Didn't then, don't now.  For many years my chosen activity was dancing, international dance - Irish and Scottish, dances from Australia's past, just about any form of social (as opposed to theatrical) dance, and great fun it was too, but sadly that twice-broken foot means that my dancing days are done.

Sigh.....

"The position of an engaged woman.

An engaged woman should eschew all flirtations, though it does not follow that she is to cut herself off from all association with the other sex because she has chosen her future husband.  She may still have friends and acquaintances, but she must try to conduct herself in such a manner as to give no offence."

This is so.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

There's the right way, and there's the wrong way

A few days ago the binding for my Canadian quilt was cut, diagonal seam lines marked - because if seam lines are marked the strips are sewn together correctly, right? - and the strips joined.  The wrong way.  Thse seams have now been fixed, and there is one long strip instead of strips going off at strange angles to each other.

My calculations were correct; the seven strips called for in the pattern were much too long so I cut five strips and measured them after joining, but it wasn't quite long enough for that final join and for corner allowances.  Another strip has now been joined on, making it (hopefully) long enough.  It just needs to be pressed....then it can be pinned to the quilt, yay!  The second label is also done.

Aren't these cute little flowers?  Over the years we have taken some interesting pictures, so every now and then the photo vault will be dug into and something retrieved.  This was taken at Mount Annan Botanical Garden the year before we left the Big Smoke behind.....these are paper daisies or everlastings, and are popular for dried arrangements.

It is raining again....another flood warning is in place.....we'll all be rooned, said Hanrahan, if this 'ere rain don't stop.....a line from a poem by John O'Brien, the pen name of Father Patrick Joseph Hartigan.  Patrick Hartigan was born in 1878 to Irish immigrant parents in Yass and grew up with a great love of country Australia and its people, serving as parish priest in small towns before moving to Sydney many years later.  'Said Hanrahan' is well known, many Aussies recall studying it at school, and the line "we'll all be rooned, said Hanrahan" has become a byword for lighthearted pessimism.

Now that both labels are finished, other projects can be resumed.  A few diamonds have lately been joined but more need to be cut for the Tumbling Blocks quilt; not long ago I calculated how many would be needed to make a smallish quilt, and the answer was - 449 hexagons each made of three diamonds, making a total of 1347 diamonds.  There are already nigh on 70 hexagons made....they go together very quickly, and are fun to make.

Not one stitch has been knitted.  Words have been read.  Notes have been plinked, indeed two gigs in just a few days has kept us busy!  Our midweek performance at the seniors' village was well received, and afternoon tea was indeed as delicious as was promised.  We'll be back there in a few months, by request.  Yesterday's fun day also went successfully; the acoustics in that club were bad, but we soldiered personfully on.  Now we have a week's rest, then another gig at a charity fundraising market next Sunday.  We have played for them a few times, the organisers are lovely people and very appreciative that we give our time.

Thoughts are turning to the occasion late next month which is now starting to make its presence felt.  For many years we have gone out to lunch or dinner to make the day more festive, otherwise we would just sit around and grin at each other.....but not this year.  Prices are so steep that we could buy food for a few weeks with what that one meal would cost, so we will stay home.  We realise that restaurants have to pay staff higher holiday rates, and food costs are increasing everywhere, but two Olde Phartes are not going to eat $300 worth of food at one meal.

Oh well......so long as I can have a couple of mince pies with good quality cream and don't have to do much cooking, I'm happy.....

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

"Recognizing friends in the street.

No one, while walking the streets, should fail, through pre-occupation, or absent-mindedness, to recognize friends and acquaintances. either by a bow or some form of salutation.  If two gentlemen stop to talk, they should retire to one side of the walk.  If a stranger should be in company with one of the gentlemen, an introduction is not necessary.  If a gentleman meets another gentleman in company with a lady whom he does not know, he lifts his hat to salute them both.  If he knows the lady, he should salute her first.  The gentleman who accompanies a lady, should always return a salutation made to her."

Interesting, isn't it, that "walking the streets" has come to have a different meaning these days.

Enjoy your days!

When I'm 64

I was once, you know....

The diamonds have been joined, and joined, and this morning I thought it would be interesting to see how many have been made.  They were duly retrieved from the Box of Finished Blocks, laid out, counted and photographed.....and there are 64, although they didn't all get in the pic.

The Cunning Plan is to make lots and lots then join them into - I don't know, threes perhaps? fours? sixes?  Or perhaps just join them into rows, then join the rows together.  Watch this space.

These are some of the pieces from my tumbler quilt - perhaps they are related?

The same, but different.

Apart from cutting a few more diamonds the sewing room hasn't been on my agenda this week, sadly.  Treadle practice is coming along, we have even progressed to sewing with real thread on real fabric, yay!  Between that and ukulele practice for the sewing/ukulele gig next Sunday, some hunting and gathering and an appointment or two, that's another week gone.

A few days ago I was writing out some information to have with me while treadling next weekend.  Going by the last time I did this people will ask questions, so an online search told me that it's a 66K machine made in Kilbowie, Scotland, hence the K in the model number.  The serial number indicates that it was made after 26th May, 1925; it is nigh on impossible to find out the exact birth date of an old Singer machine, but it is possible to find out when the serial number was released.  A batch of 35,000 numbers was released on that date and the number on mine is only a few hundred from the first number, so perhaps it was soon afterward.

This machine was free - the best price! - I already owned my maternal grandmother's Singer treadle when one day 20 or so years ago my brother rang to say his neighbour had "an old machine like Nanna's" that was being thrown out, so if I wanted it to get there quickly.  We duly did, and while the neighbour had taken it apart the screws were in a plastic bag along with several of the fancy feet, the manual, even a key to the drawers, which is a real treasure indeed.  The cabinet case is in better condition than Nanna's thanks to that one being stored on a verandah by my mother before she gave it to me, so it is the one I use for demonstrations.

The museum will have a blacksmith working in his forge and a shearer showing how sheep are/were shorn and some other older skills being demonstrated, so a treadle sewing machine fits right in.  The museum collection includes a Wilcox & Gibbs treadle machine, and a hand-crank.

It will be fun.

This week has brought rain, and cold winds, and warm sunshine.  The coming week looks to be more of the same, as we tip over from winter to spring.

Continuing on with General Rules for Balls:

"Ladies leaving a ball or party should not allow gentlemen to see them to their carriages, unless overcoats and hats are on for departure."

Perhaps this was to make sure that no hanky-panky took place in a carriage, unless both parties were suitably clad against the cool night air?  I must confess it has me a little puzzled.

Enjoy your days!

Pinning progress

The border on my Canadian quilt is pinned, ready to be machine quilted.

The white border won't be quilted, the narrow black inner border and the outer print border will be.  That's the block for Newfoundland and Labrador peeking in the corner.  There are a few things happening this week but - hopefully! - next weekend is free for quilting; I say "hopefully" because we are booked in to have our second covid boosters on Friday, and if I have a reaction to it like I did to the first booster back in February I won't be stirring from my bed for a few days.  Kevin had no reaction at all, but I more than made up for both of us.  

Some folk have expressed surprise that I'm not using English paper piecing to make my diamond hexagon blocks.....well, that's because I find it to be quite unutterably tedious.  This is how I make my diamonds:

First, a piece of fabric is cut four inches by two and a half inches, then the diamond template laid on the wrong side and traced around with a very fine point pencil.  Dark fabrics are done with a silver pencil.  Using a square ruler to add 1/4 in seam outside the pencil lines and a rotary cutter, four cuts later - zip zip zip zip - we have a diamond ready for sewing on the line.  It's a very quick process.

You can see how beautifully they fit together....and then they're done.  No trying to fit the old arthritic hands around paper shapes, just a straight seam from corner to corner.  More diamonds needed to be cut so this project can come with me on Tuesday, for my monthly day volunteering at a gallery.  A surprising amount of stitching can be done if there are not a lot of visitors, and if there are visitors it's often a talking point.

I love the colours in this pic....autumn leaves in the car park at Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island.

We're back in winter, our spell of milder weather (and even a little rain!) has ended again, for now at least.  This morning was very very cold; minus 2 deg C, but the 'feels like' dipped to minus 6 C.  The hill behind us was covered in a white layer of frost; even the weeds looked pretty and lacey, but it wasn't pretty enough to make me want to go outside to frolic barefoot among the dandelions, let me tell you.

The sage of the broken dishwasher continues.  Last weekend we ordered a new one....it'll take at least two to three weeks to get from the warehouse, we were told....but no!  A call came on Friday to tell us it was already in, so arrangements need to be made to have it collected, delivered and installed.  Hopefully those arrangements are already under way.

Wilson, the big black boofy overgrown teenage dog next door, is barking again.....when his owners are away he takes it on himself to bark for the whole neighbourhood......we wouldn't mind the odd bout of laryngitis now and then.  Each and every dog which is walked past his house is greeted; the neighbourhood has become noisier than it used to be as more people now have dogs, so of course there are more greetings.  He's a big softie ('big' being the word, he's a boxer/lab mix) who looks fierce and has a loud voice.  A very loud voice.  Which he uses often...there he goes again.....

Oh well.  Wilson certainly keeps burglars away from their house, and probably from ours too.  

Continuing on with General Rules for Balls:

"Never forget ball-room engagements, nor confuse them, nor promise two dances to one person.  If a lady has forgotten an engagement, the gentleman she has thus slighted must pleasantly accept her apology.  Good breeding and the appearance of good temper are inseparable."

That last sentence holds true for many circumstances, doesn't it?  Not just when forgetting that one has engaged one's self to a dance partner the fact of which has then slipped one's mind, but in other parts of our life.

Enjoy your days!

The tumbling story so far

A little while ago the pieces waiting to be pressed were duly done, then the completed pieces laid out for their first progress pic.

I like it....it is coming along just as I hoped.  The lightest side will be on top, the darkest side on the right, and something in between on the left.  Apart from that I'm not getting too precious about value, it will work itself out as it goes along, and nothing will be fussy cut because I like random.

These are fabrics left from my tumbler quilt, either repros - some bought many years ago - or fabrics which hold hands nicely with repros.  Several of the light fabrics are left from cutting backgrounds for my autumn leaf quilt, still in pieces in a box, although quite a lot of joining has been done.  One day it will be finished.  One day.

Back when we lived in the Big Smoke I was a member of the state quilt guild and used to enjoy attending their meetings, especially the annual 'market day' where for $5 members could book a table and sell whatever they wished.  Some gems were bought at those days - the yellow and black sashing fabric for my house quilt was one - and a bag of mixed green reproduction fabrics was another.  They were useful in my tumbler quilt, and they will be useful in this one too.

This is a quiet corner of the caravan park where we stayed just north of Canberra.  Once again, don't be fooled by the blue sky - it wasn't *quite* warm, and the leaves had nearly all blown off the trees..

One of those cheeky cockatoos at the coffee shop, in the rain.  The owner told us he has had to replace the umbrella because of bird damage.....those cockies have sharp beaks!

The Turon River at Sofala.  As in last week's pic, you can see where debris carried by higher river levels has been left behind.

Isn't this fun?  Taken in the back yard of a cafe in Sofala....a large flower made from rusty shovels, and Ned Kelly wearing his legendary armour.  

Something to look at while we enjoyed excellent coffee and very nice treats.  We were there too late for the autumn colour on their young trees, just peeking on the left.

It's been a busy week with ukulele group, choir, U3A, the usual hunting and gathering, and on Friday afternoon we rolled up our sleeves and had our flu shots.  I do not like pointy medical things.  It was a cold day too, but for ease of being spiked we wore short sleeves with a jacket over the top.  We were quite glad to be home again and in warmer clothes, it's a bit too cool for bare skin right now and the fire is welcome.

The ukulele group has two - two! - gigs coming up: market day at a small church hall just out of town (one of our regular gigs before covid pulled the plug on nearly everything in the world) and a charity musical afternoon, something else we used to do annually.  Also in a few weeks it will be The Day For Me To Make The Annual Fool of Myself at the Eisteddfod; I never expect to be chosen the winner and so far haven't been disappointed in that, but I enjoy sharing my songs with an audience.....particularly as I know songs which few, if any, other people in this town would know, and which the audience always enjoy.  One woman stopped me once while we were out shopping to congratulate me on my choice of songs; "You always have the best songs, Jennifer!" she said, which coming from a fellow musician is valued praise.

Continuing on with General Rules for Balls:

"Public balls are most enjoyable when you have your own party.  The great charm of a ball is its perfect accord and harmony.  All altercations, loud talking, and noisy laughter are doubly ill-mannered in a ballroom.  Very little suffices to disturb the whole party."

A polite well bred person does not draw attention to themselves, or indeed to their group of friends, by being too loud.  Some folk today could also take note of that.

Enjoy your days!

A girl's best friend

According to the song it's supposed to be diamonds, but what if you're a girl who prefers coloured stones?  Emeralds, peridot....my newest unaffordable love is demantoid garnets which are the most scrumptious (and expensive!) green ever....sapphires, topaz, garnets.  Rubies if they aren't too pink.

I don't even have an engagement ring, we didn't get engaged.....we just got married.....it was the 1970s, after all, when people were being different just to be different and it was my second marriage anyway, so the whole 'get engaged with a diamond ring' thing seemed a bit meaningless.  Many years later Kevin gave me a lovely emerald and diamond ring, an un-engagement ring.

Having always been one of the aforesaid girls who prefers coloured stones, though, I have to admit to being swayed by some of the trinkets we saw at the Cartier exhibition in Canberra a few years ago.  Some of those tiaras, a solid wall of diamonds perched atop one's forehead, came close to changing my mind.  

But - I still love coloured stones best.

Progress on the diamonds so far.

All the diamonds on the right are grouped in threes, light, medium and dark; the top left (there are more than you would think) are single light diamonds, and just a few medium on the left.  It's only two weeks and two days until we go away so I had better get cracking with cutting more, yes?  

I am pleased to announce that, finally, the batting is inserted between front and back borders of my Canadian quilt, and when we return home it will be quilted.  There won't be time beforehand.

It took so long to do because it's a method I haven't used before, and when one isn't a very confident person one hesitates to do new things in case one just messes up.  That probably comes from having perfectionist parents for whom one's best was frequently not good enough; a less-than-perfect school exam result - that is, anything not in the top three in the class - was looked on as abject failure and frequently resulted in a severe beating.  I'm not asking for sympathy, just telling how it was....but it has resulted in a lack of self-esteem and confidence, even all these years later.  Some things just never leave you, you know.

The new jumper is coming along well, decreasing for the armholes on the back is progressing.  Having two stitches less in every two rows means that the further along it is the quicker it progresses, if you can follow that.

This year I did something I've never done before, I ordered myself six hot cross buns from the French baker/patisserie on the other side of the river (because Kevin doesn't eat fruit buns, and because we've always been away at Easter), collected them yesterday morning and to date have conducted two taste tests....they are far and away the nicest hot cross buns ever with a hint of - something, could be cardamom perhaps?  Might need to taste test the remaining four to make a proper decision....

Visitors are arriving in town for the postponed country music festival which officially starts tomorrow, but which seems to be already under way.  Lots of new faces in town; it's easy to play 'pick the tourist'!  We have earmarked a couple of concerts to attend; these days 'country music' seems to have evolved into country rock with screaming guitars and loud drums and basses which is not our taste at all, but we can manage to avoid that.

More suggestions for gentlemen:

"When gentlemen, invited to a house on the occasion of an entertainment, are not acquainted with all the members of the family, their first duty, after speaking to the host and hostess, is to ask some common friend to introduce them to those members whom they do not know.  The host and hostess are often too much occupied in receiving to be able to do this."

Indeed.  Making the acquaintance of the family members of one's host and/or hostess is a polite thing to do.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Success!

Have you all had a good week?  We have, although it was busy busy busy....we were out nearly every day, now that activities are cranking up again.  Never mind; it's good to be among people again, and to catch up with folks we haven't seen for what seems like a very long time.

During the week the decision was made to trace around a few possible template sizes for tumbling blocks so some were chosen, traced around in threes to get an idea of size, and a choice made to go with size E as a finished size.  Best of all - the diamonds already cut fit inside this shape, so they can be recut rather than wasted.  

This will be a good size when more are made and joined; the lightest colour will be at the top of the box while the darker fabrics will form the 'sides'.  The fabrics were more or less sorted into lightest - darkest - everything else.  More or less.  These are fabrics used in my tumbler quilt and as with that there is no fussy cutting here either; the fabric designs just fall where they are cut.  I can do random.  Some people have trouble with random - I have no trouble with it at all.

Not sure what that says about my brain, you know......

This template pack has nine different sizes, the smallest is half inch finished.....it that fiddly-diddly, or what?  This one is marked "3 inch hex".

Yesterday, it seems, was International Quilting Day, always held on the third Saturday in March rather than a fixed date, so it's appropriate that my little block was made on that day.  Another block was also finished by machine.

It was also our anniversary.....yes indeedy folks, 46 years of wedded bliss and so far neither of us has yet committed murder!  We took ourselves out to lunch, and a very nice lunch it was too.  

All the house blocks are trimmed.  This is a cause for rejoicing.  Now the sashing strips will be cut; the directions in the book aren't very specific as to number of strips, but I can count the strips in the picture.  Then it will be sew-sew-sew.  And sew on.

Our long-awaited choir concert now has a fixed date after two on-again off-again years.  It will be on 30th April, so we have delayed our trip south until after that.  The ukulele group has been asked to be a 'guest artist' and I have also been asked to repeat my performance from last year's Eisteddfod, how nice is that.....fame at last, at my advanced age!

Tomorrow is the autumn equinox, the official start of autumn, as we were taught at school.  For some of you it will be spring with bunnies and blossoms, while for us it's cooler nights (this morning was a little chilly) and rich colours.

The last of our "Duties of guests":

"While the hostess is receiving, no person should remain beside her except members of her family who receive with her, or such friends as she has designated to assist her.  All persons entering should pass on to make room for others."

Yes.  Once you have greeted your hostess move into the room.  Don't stand in the doorway or block up the hall, as Bob Dylan said.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Breezin' along with the breeze

Like the old song.  Over the past week we seem to have been chasing our tails with very little to show for it; waiting at appointments (don't you feel like sending a bill for wasting your time when your appointment is for a specific time and you still end up waiting?  I do), filling in time while the lenses on my reading glasses were changed for newer stronger ones - I can now thread a needle again, yay! - and other ways to use up time.

We even had a ukulele group gig, our first since mid-November last year.  Our token bloke Brian asked us to be the entertainment for the monthly meeting of his prostate cancer group.  The members and their support people said nice things to us and about us, and we (and hopefully they) had an enjoyable afternoon.  The yummy home-made treats for afternoon tea weren't bad either.....butterfly cakes, chocolate walnut brownie.....I would happily play for them again.....

Our world is getting busier; the coming week has a few 'firsts' again after so many activities were shut down for so long.  First day back volunteering at a gallery on Tuesday, first U3A meeting tomorrow, first U3A ukulele get-together on Thursday, sewing group on Wednesday.  I'm wondering if I should schedule a time just to sit and draw breath.

While waiting for Kevin to come out of his appointment I managed to get a few rows knitted on the jumper I haven't touched for *ahem* some months.  It's now only one centimetre (or half an inch in old money) from being long enough for the armhole decrease.

Yarn is 'Rustic' 8 ply from Bendigo Woollen Mills, colour Mustard.  That's about equivalent to DK for the non-Aussies.  I just lurve the colour.....haven't decided if it will be a jumper (sweater) or cardy, but am leaning towards a jumper.  The back and sleeves are the same in any case so they will be made first, and one of my knitting stitch dictionaries has come up trumps with an intricate cable design for the front.

The decision also hasn't been made about what size diamonds to cut for tumbling blocks.  The smaller of these makes a 3.5 inch hexagon while the larger is four inches; the previous template was in between the two of these.  I quite like the smaller....perhaps I should do what was done before, and make one of each to see which I prefer.

If a little fabric is wasted in the process....why then, it's only fabric, isn't it?  There's plenty more where that came from....

Trimming the house blocks continues, the pile of 'to be trimmmed' blocks is diminishing and the pile of 'done finished trimming' blocks is growing.  Had the week been less busy more would have been done, but never mind.  It will get done.   

The world seems to be in....not a good place lately, doesn't it?  Some days it makes you feel like staying in bed with the covers over your head wishing it would all go away and be magically transmogrified into lollipops and rainbows again, but we know that's not going to happen.  Sigh....

The reason for the medical stuff is because once we reach a Certain Age the state government has decreed that we have a medical assessment declaring us fit to drive a motor vehicle.  It includes an eye assessment (I have an annual eye check-up in any case, have done for a long time) and questions being ticked off by a doctor.  Sigh....at least it is now done for the year, so a 12 month respite before having to do it again.  And again.....I really don't like going to the doctor, I try to avoid medical Stuff wherever possible.  If only it would avoid me.

Recently my phone died and had to be replaced.  I am now the owner of a new phone, pastel green, a pretty thing indeed.  It needs a padded case and in my sewing stash is the Very Thing, a piece of quilted fabric left over from a bag made some years ago.  Green, of course....when the house blocks are all trimmed.

Continuing "Duties of guests":

"It is not binding upon any gentleman to remain one moment longer than he desires with any lady.  By constantly moving from one to another, when he feels so inclined, he gives an opportunity to others to circulate as freely; and this custom, generally introduced in our society, would go a long way toward conributing to the enjoyment of all.  The false notion generally entertained that a gentleman is expected to remain standing by the side of a lady, like a sentinel on duty, until relieved by some other person, is absurd, and deters many who would gladly give a few passing moments to lady acquaintances could they but know that they would be free to leave at any instant that conversation flagged, or that they desired to join another.  In a society where it is not considered a rudeness to leave after a few sentences with one, to exchange some words with another, there is a constant interchange of civilities, and the men circulate through the room with that charming freedom which ensures the enjoyment of all."

Indeed.  You are permitted to circulate - in fact, please do.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Well, that's not going to work

The Great Plan for making tumbling blocks has come to a grinding halt.  Something about the way the diamonds came together didn't look right so I traced out a few on paper, and sure enough - where the points of the diamonds meet there is a hole.  So...that has been shelved for a while, new templates ordered (this time with seam allowances included) and a temporary halt called.

Never mind.  Onward and upward......

During the week the sashing was cut for my house quilt.  Cutting one inch strips is a slightly fiddly-diddly thing to do but it is all done, and the narrow sashing will provide paths between the houses.

They remind me of those old cloth tape measures with black markings - or road crossings.  Some of the strips may be slightly less than straight, there could be a bend caused by the fabric fold, but as many of the strips will be cut into nine inch lengths that bend won't be obvious in the finished quilt.  I hope.  The straightest strips will be used for the longest paths.

One corner was mocked-up to see how it looks......what do you think?

You can see why I wanted those pieced green setting triangles, and why I was so pleased to rediscover that yellow and black fabric in my stash!  The blocks are also being trimmed to finish at nine inches square; it would have been easier to do a couple at a time as they were made, but my brain wasn't thinking that far ahead.  It often doesn't.

My goodness, the world seems to be going to hell in a handbasket, doesn't it?  The powerful try to become more so, and the little people end up being trampled underfoot....sadly, it was ever thus.

Some of our restrictions are being eased, for which we are exceedingly thankful.  Masks are no longer necessary everywhere we go (except, of course, for places such as hospitals and aged care places and anywhere where distancing isn't possible) which will make daily life better for most of us.  Many will still choose to wear them - that's their choice.  It won't be mine.  It will be good to be able to go places without feeling as though there is a bag over our heads cutting off communication with the world around us; people with hearing problems have been feeling shut out, it has been very difficult for them.

After all these years - I don't remember how many - my signature (from a site which these days seems to charge for everything, as so many do) seems to have dropped off my blog!  Never mind, there is a new free one.   Green of course.  I am quite fond of green, you know....

We are still proceeding with plans to head south in April, even though we won't be at the folk festival this year.  The Cunning Plan is to leave here on Easter Tuesday and arrive in Canberra on Thursday afternoon, enjoy the beautiful autumn colours on the way, shop, catch up with family and see how The One And Only Grandkid has grown, shop a little more.....while Canberra isn't the Big Smoke it is getting bigger and smokier every time we visit.  At one stage, many years ago, it was on our list of places we could retire to once we shook the dust of the Big City from our heels, but it has grown so much since then we are glad we didn't choose it.  Then, blow me down, less than a year after we moved here our older son took a job transfer to where else but - Canberra!

Oh well.  It gives us an excuse to visit.

Kevin's family history research continues.  One interesting thing:  his great-grandfather, and his father, were both tailors.  Great-grandfather John Dolan is described on his death certificate as being a "master tailor", while his father - another John Dolan - is said to be a "tailor's cutter'.  One of them, we don't know which one, was declared bankrupt in 1884.  There were possibly more than two men called John Dolan who worked in the tailoring trade at the time, but surely there wouldn't have been too many; John Jnr would have been in his late twenties at the time, we don't know how old his father would have been.  It's interesting - and throws up many questions, some of which we can answer and some of which we may never be able to.

More 'Duties of Guests':

"It is the duty of every person to arrive as early as possible after the hour named, when it is mentioned in the invitation."

Not, however, too early.  You don't want to catch your hosts unawares with their hair still in curlers and their dancing shoes still needing to be polished.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Up and running again

Recently I had to drop out of the human race for several days, but all is well now.  Like a good person I did as we are being told and had my booster for the covid plague, but while Kevin sailed through his with no after-effects I had a nasty reaction which totally wiped me out.  I'll spare you the gruesome details, suffice to say it's a long time since I have felt so unwell....but normal programming has now been resumed.

A couple of trial blocks have been made.

I really like the little one, it's so cute, but the larger one is easier to mark and cut......so, the larger one it is.  Seam allowances were pressed under so the finished size could be seen and measured; pieces for several of these blocks have been cut and more will be done in the odd moment or two, but not a stitch will be taken - not one! - until we go away in a couple of months.  It's not as though I lack for other things to do here at home, after all.

Fabric has been purchased for the back of the house quilt.

Last year I bought a wide backing from a store which specialises in wide fabrics so when the "annual sale" email came through early last month I thought to myself......"hhmm" I thought.....and checked out the fabrics.  This design came in different backgrounds, green, orange, blue, red, purple, but the yellow is bright and cheerful (although the pic is a little dark) so yellow it is.  The green was very tempting though.....

Last Sunday we went out to lunch a day early, to celebrate Kevin's birthday.  We hopped into our red rental car (ours is due home from car hospital on Tuesday), drove half an hour north to a village up in the hills, and had a very nice lunch at a local pub.  They have a pretty garden with flowers and trees....and the trees are changing!  We are also noticing down here in the valley that some trees are losing their summer brightness and beginning to look faded and tired, a sign that summer is on the way out.  A sports ground that we drive past on our way into town has a deciduous vine covering its fence -  and it, too, is changing.  We have had some hot days this summer, but on the whole it hasn't been as unpleasant as it sometimes is.

The dreaded mask has had to be worn of late for things such as the annual eye exam.  My eyes aren't as good as they were a year ago - threading a fine needle is more difficult, for example - so a new prescription is needed for my glasses.  Probably a good idea to have a task light too, they said.  Probably a good idea, said I....so now I am on the hunt for a light to sit beside my chair.  Hopped online, found one I like...gulped at the price...still gulping, but will talk to the helpful folk at a lighting shop.  The alternative is the Big Green and Red Shop which has a large stock including the light I like, but not always helpful advice.  That will be this week's conundrum, hopefully to be soon solved.

Also looming, when I get around to making an appointment, is the necessary medical check for people who reach A Certain Age (which I will in May).  This now becomes an annual thing, much as I dislike the thought.  The aim is to get this out of the way before we head down south, assuming the world is open enough that we can go, so I don't have to worry about dates expiring and stuff like that.

More 'Duties of Guests'.

"It is the duty of every lady who attends a ball, to make her toilet as fresh as possible.  It need not be expensive, but it should at least be clean; it may be simple, but it should be neither soiled nor tumbled.  The gentlemen should wear evening dress."

'Freshness' is easier for us now than it would have been in those far-off days, I think.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

A shocking thought......

.....has popped into my mind.

We are hoping to be able to go down south in April to catch up with family and to enjoy the autumn colours - and I will have no hand-pieced travel project!  Isn't that too terrible to contemplate?  My flower basket quilt is so big now it's at the stage where it's not portable any more; there is a jumper in progress which has stalled for the moment as not a stitch is knitted in summer's heat; it's a cooler weather project so it could be taken along.  Over the past several years I am quite enjoying the peace of hand-piecing, and miss it when there is none.

So......over the past little while my thoughts, as a song by Tom Paxton (one of my long-time favourite singers) says, are a-tumblin' round and round, and Tumbling Blocks fell out.  Late last year I was given a 60 deg diamond template which can be used for a one-patch project, so pieces have been cut in two different sizes.

The smaller pieces are cut around the template with seam allowances on the inside so it will be smaller again when joined, while the larger pieces have the seam allowances added to the outside.  Neither are yet joined - this is a trial to see which of the two sizes I prefer, but I suspect ease of marking and cutting will mean the larger one gets my vote.  Sides will be two inches when finished.  There is still a heap ton of reproduction fabrics, leftovers from my tumbler quilt, begging to be used; I think they will do nicely, don't you?

Finally Mother Nature has taken pity on us and cooled down our part of the earth, and it is very pleasant.  The past few nights have been downright cool; we are sleeping better, not feeling wrung-out, and are looking forward to autumn.  A couple of nights ago the news showed footage of a small town north-east of us where their trees are already changing; admittedly it has a colder climate, but it does mean that summer is heading in the right direction - away from us.  Days are shorter now too.

Great excitement in our street last weekend.  Over a few days Kevin had been noticing, in his comings and goings, several police vehicles set up outside a house further down our street - then we read in the local paper that a house was raided and a bloke arrested for manufacturing and dealing drugs, not something we want in our normally very quiet street.  Our house is number 68, this took place at number 11 so not very near us.......and now all is quiet again.

Some excitement we didn't want, though: earlier in the week someone ran into our car while it was parked, leaving the front damaged.  They did not hang around to exchange details, no one else saw anything, so we have no idea who did it - but we're the ones who have to negotiate with the insurance company, and we're the ones inconvenienced.  Cowards.  I hope their wheels fall off.

'Duties of Guests' is quite a long paragraph, so it is being broken up into smaller bites:

"It is the duty of every person who has at first accepted an invitation, and subsequently finds that it will be impossible to attend, to send a note of explanation, even at the last moment, and as it is rude to send an acceptance with no intention of going, those who so accept will do well to remember this duty."

It is very frustrating when one organises an event and people neither accept nor decline, something which I believe is becoming more prevalent in today's casual lifestyle - and something which is very discourteous to the hosts.  In fact, I would say it's downright rude.  Perhaps they are hanging out for a better offer?

Enjoy your days!