All bagged up

Finally - the second bag which was started on my treadle machine last month is finished!

The blue and yellow floral bag was made on Spring Fair day at the house museum, and the tan and brick bag started.  (The solid fabric was called "Brick" on the cardboard roll, so "brick" it shall be.)  Today it was finally finished, so they can be ticked off the imaginary-in-my-head list of Stuff to do.  The tan fabric was a lucky door prize several years ago and, while it's nice enough, it's probably not something I would choose were I to go fabric shopping; those squares don't lend themselves to being cut into smaller pieces, but it's fine for a bag.  The blue and yellow floral has also been in my stash for *ahem* quite a while, and now there is a much smaller piece of it.

The lavender and pink bag was made yesterday on My Lovely New Bernina (24 years old and still going strong).  It too was already cut out and pressed; in my optimism I took three bags with me, but in the end managed to make one and a half.

The floral fabric is a blend, poly/cotton, possibly 65/35% - I have no recollection of when or why it came into my stash, but it was a very long time ago.  Some has been used for small projects in the meantime, but now it is all gone.  Used up.  Finis.  Done.  It was slightly sheer so a few different colours of solids were tried with it, and much as I don't really care all that much for pink I had to admit this particular shade of  pink suited it best......so, pink it is.  

These bags will go to a group which assists women in hospital, so it's a Worthy Cause.  I don't mind supporting the occasional Worthy Cause.

Words have been read.  Diamonds have been joined, and more cut.  Notes have been plinked and sung.  Hunting and gathering was indulged in so we may eat, which is probably a good thing.  My brain and the clock are once more in synch with each other, so life proceeds along.

Our weather is in the 'warm one day, cool the next' time of year; a lull before the more extreme heat of summer, and we have been warned by 'Those Who Know' that the coming summer will be hot and dry.  Oh well.....we have survived hot and dry in the past, and will no doubt do so again.  The children next door are already using their pool, to the usual accompaniment of squeaks and squeals.

When out and about a few days ago we stopped for coffee, and while sipping and watching the passing parade - always an entertaining activity, no matter where one is - I was taken by a woman wearing a bright orange tee shirt teamed with loose orange and purple pants and orange footwear.  Her tee shirt read:

                                        I don't want to

                                        I don't have to

                                        You can't make me

                                        I'm retired!

Isn't that the best ever?  I commented on it, and she told me it was a gift.  I don't usually stare at other women's chests, but that was definitely worth a look.

Continuing with Etiquette of the Street, Some General Suggestions:

"Never turn a corner at full speed or you may find yourself knocked down, or may knock down another, by the violent contact.  Always look in the way you are going or you may chance to meet some awkward collision.  People are very rude and vulgar who do not look they way they are going; it annoys others."

Words as true today as when they when they were written in 1885.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Follow the yellow brick road to the neighbourhood

How are you all this week?  

During the week some of the house blocks were sewn into rows, and I can honestly say I have never used such narrow sashing before ever never.  It finishes at just one half inch wide.

However - the blocks are busy and the sashing is bright so that narrow sashing is, like Goldilocks, just right.  Oh, what a poet I am!

The plan (the hope!) is to get more rows joined this week, and to soon start cutting strips for the long sashings between diagonal rows.

Another piece of Kevin's grandmother Laura's filet crochet.....the flowers look like poinsettias, don't they.  This is a small piece, just the right size to sit on a circular tray adorned with a blue vase.

There are many different types of lace.  This tatting was made by my great-aunt Laura, who died in 1948; her tatting is beautiful.  I have two of this design.

Some of her unfinished pieces in pink and cream......

.....this is also pink, the same colour as in the pic above.

More unfinished work, and some of her unused 80 and 100 threads.

There were also some very fine metal crochet hooks with the threads when they came to me, they are now with my own (chunkier!) hooks.  Crochet hooks are used to join pieces of tatting.  I also have her tatting shuttle made from - possibly - Xylonite, one of the synthetic materials popular in the Art Deco era of the 1920s-1930s.

In 'Gone with the wind' Scarlett O'Hara is mentioned as having made "yards and yards of tatting" to sell at a fundraising bazaar.  Perhaps it was a narrow edging intended for trimming a handkerchief - or even for sprucing up a lady's unmentionables.  I remember my mother having a long nightdress made of delicate cream fabric trimmed with darker cream tatting, which was made for her mid-1940s trousseau.  My mother didn't sew but her mother Edith did, so perhaps the nightie was made by Edith and trimmed by Edith's sister Laura.  It was probably in the clothes passed on to charity after my mother's death.

Diamonds have been joined, but more need to be cut.  Words have been read.  Notes have been plinked and sung.  No stitches have been knitted but that may change on Tuesday - Kevin's birthday - as we plan to go for a Nice Sunday Drive and have lunch somewhere, and I usually knit on trips.  

Summer's heat is well and truly upon us now, but now that February is upon us and days are getting shorter there is the promise of autumn to come.  In this heat gadding about early is the Thing To Do - not an easy thing when one is not a morning person, but preferable to gadding later in the day when the temperature is fierce.

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

"Keeping step.

In walking together, especially when arm in arm, it is desirable that the two keep step.  Ladies should be particular to adapt their pace, as far as practicable, to that of their escort.  It is easily done."

It is probably also "easily done" for a gentleman to adapt his steps to that of a lady.  Why should the woman always have to be the one to adapt?

Enjoy your days!

Hanging in there

How is everyone doing this week?  I hope the "social isolating" we are all practicing isn't doing anyone's head in, it could be a bit lonely if one lived alone.

We have discovered an internet radio station which plays folk and blues - just our kind of music, so we are happy.  It makes a change of diet from our usual classical station.  If folk and blues are your thing, try this - it has presenters and programs from different parts of the world.  Currently it's Celtic music from somewhere in the U.S.A. which sounds very Irish to me.

Right now it's the only folk music we can have (apart from our own CDs) as the festival in Canberra has been cancelled.  Our son's band also had a gig booked that we had planned to attend while we were there but it, too, is off.  Sigh......

Stuff has happened in the sewing room, the block for Yukon is done.

Early in our Canaussian son's time in Canada (this was way back early in 2005 when he was still only intending to stay for one year, he hasn't come back yet) he spent a few weeks in Whitehorse, Yukon, and one night was lucky enough to see the Northern Lights.  That is the one thing on my bucket list, but I am realistic enough to know that I will probably never do so - while I can cope just fine with winter in Australia, I don't know if I could survive those wintery temperatures!

A whole heap of oak leaves cut from one batik fabric......

......and the result.  It is still spread out on the ironing board to cool, I'm not game to move it until it has cooled down.

"Hanging On", pattern by Edyta Sitar.  Once I know everything is stuck it will be layered and quilted; the quilting holds the applique down.

We cancelled our market gig this morning.  Much of the audience is on the shady side of 60-65 (as are we!); we didn't want to make any of them sick, and we darn sure didn't want any of them to make any of us sick either.  While we can we will continue to meet on Mondays at the golf club as we are a small group even when everyone is there, and the room is large enough that we can keep far enough away from each other but still be heard.  Humans are social animals; we need that contact, and we need our music.

We did manage to get out for our anniversary lunch on Thursday, our anniversary, and were one of only two or three couples in the restaurant.  We had a really delicious meal with great service, and on leaving were presented with a bottle of bubbly - wasn't that nice?  It is chilling in the fridge as we speak.

We have passed the equinox, so summer is officially over (although it is having a last hurrah this weekend). It can take its heat and bugger off somewhere else. Sadly it takes apricot season with it.

"Presents after engagement.
When a couple become engaged, the gentleman presents the lady with an engaged ring, which is worn on the ring-finger of the left hand.  He may also make her other small presents from time to time, until they are married, but if she has any scruples about accepting them, he can send her flowers, which are at all times acceptable."

We didn't use an "engaged" ring, or an engagement ring as they are now known.  It was my second marriage, so the whole engagement thing seemed a bit superfluous.  Nearly 20 years later I was given a lovely emerald and diamond ring instead.

Enjoy your days!