Home in the Small Smoke again

Had a good time last week, the quilt show was very good.....by gosh, there are some talented folks working in fabric, aren't there? You can see the prize winners here, and be sure to click on the headings at the top of the page (Amateur, Open, Professional, Juniors) to see more.

There is a large craft show held at the same time as the quilt show, but this year I had no need to hit the shops for fabric. However some luscious knitting yarn from Bendigo came home with me, and a new jacket pattern, as it gets cold here in winter.

A couple of days later, though, we did get to a fabric shop as I was on a mission to find Just The Right Fabric for the binding of my challenge quilt. It needs to be yellow but not lemon or butter yellow, not gold and not orange, but somewhere in between. I was so pleased when I found just the exact colour - isn't it difficult sometimes, to get precisely the colour you need? So many fabrics to choose from, but so many not....quite.....right?

We had visitors in the reserve while I was away, Kevin took a few pictures. We can see these kangaroos from inside the house. Looks like mum, dad and the kid. Those pesky tall thistles that grew all summer are finally dying off too.

Check out this quilt, isn't it great? First large quilt, in fact one of the first quilts by this maker, and all her own design. We are proud to say she is part of our family too.

You will be pleased to know that my train trip was uneventful. The trip to Sydney was quiet, the trip home less so because of two children travelling with their father. All three seemed incapable of sitting still but were up and down....up and down.....giggle giggle......harmless enough, just a bit irritating. For a while the seat beside me was vacant, until taken by an older bloke who had obviously booked it. When he sat down he reclined the seat right back (I felt sorry for anyone behind him), spread himself out as older blokes do with his legs apart and his arms on the rests, put his hat over his face, and went to sleep. And snored.......and he was between me and the aisle......fortunately people were leaving the train soon after that, so when he moved to the vacant pair of seats behind us the last three hours were more peaceful. I was very relieved when he moved, as you can imagine.

If you come to visit this week, chances are you would go away with a jar of home-made citrus marmalade......yes, folks, I am making jam. A couple of weeks ago one of the Thursday night choir members brought along some fruit to give away as she had more than she needed, so I took some limons (which, she informed us, are a cross between lemons and limes; round like a lime, yellow skin like a lemon, and pale green flesh) and a couple of grapefruit and lemons. The local fruit shop had oranges on special so I bought a couple of those too. According to the freezer test it is set, and I only hope I have enough jars because there is an awful lot. In the past I have made marmalade and it has been very edible, so I hope this will be too - it was quite good when I tried it. Even added a little Irish whiskey to this batch, something I haven't done with previous batches.

So if you see me dancing a jig with my breakfast toast, and singing "diddly-aye" in an Irish accent as I prance round the kitchen.....that's why.

"It is necessary for a gentleman to bow to his partner before a quadrille; after, it is enough that he offers his arm and walks at least half way round the room with her. He is not obliged to remain beside her unless he wishes to do so, but may leave her with any lady whom she knows, or conduct her to a seat."

Perhaps a quadrille would be more seemly than a jig? I can dance a quadrille, you know.....one of my many talents.

Enjoy your days!

Tomorrow is the winter solstice

But I can promise I won't be dancing naked around a bonfire at midnight to welcome the gradual warming and lengthening of days.....it's too cold. There are some things for which the world is not yet ready.

Of course in the northern hemisphere it's summer solstice, so to my overseas family and friends - have a good one.

Some lovely autumn brightness in a park in Bathurst, in late April - aren't the colours scrumptious?

Tomorrow I am off to the Big Smoke, and when I return I will report on the quilt show which is one of the reasons for the visit. Last weekend a member of my quilt group was telling me about the horror trip she and her husband endured the previous weekend when returning home. Because of track work the trains were not running the full distance from the Big Smoke to here, so they had to travel by bus for the first few hours.....on the motorway with heavy traffic and large trucks whizzing by.......in pouring rain. The windscreen wipers were working so hard that they fell off. When they finally managed to board the train, having been several hours without food or drink, they were told the train staff would not begin serving food until it left the station - which didn't happen for another hour. There were apparently more details she didn't tell me, as she is a kind woman and wanted to spare me any anxiety.

However I have checked the website, there is no track work scheduled, and my trips both to and from the Big Smoke should (hopefully) proceed without any similar incidents.

"A lady obliged to travel alone.

A lady, in travelling alone, may accept services from her fellow-travellers, which she should always acknowledge graciously. Indeed, it is the business of a gentleman to see that the wants of an unescorted lady are attended to. He should offer to raise or lower her window if she seems to have any difficulty in doing it herself. He may offer his assistance in carrying her packages upon leaving the car, or in engaging a carriage or obtaining a trunk. Still, women should learn to be as self-reliant as possible; and younger women particularly should accept proffered assistance from strangers, in all but the slightest offices, very rarely."

Of course I shall endeavour to be as self-reliant as I can......and should a gentleman, or any person of the male persuasion, offer to help with my packages.......I shall keep a close eye on him. Can't be too careful these days, can we?

Enjoy your days!

Challenge quilt top finished!

The border photographed darker than it is in real life - it's actually quite bright - probably because the pic was taken indoors under artificial light. The dark purple sitting next to the striped border seems to have added some darkness too. But I am not changing it, because I like it. Now to decide on a backing fabric; there is in my stash a large enough piece of fabric which is a black and white print, with wavy yellow and red stripes. It may do just nicely.

This quilt will be handed over tomorrow, it's for a child at the local Ronald Macdonald House. It's a collaborative effort from some of the members of one of my quilt groups.

We made blocks with lots of squares, and blocks with lots of squares which had an animal appliqued on.......guess who made the wombat block?

On the knitting front the back of my new cardy is proceeding nicely, but I am having second thoughts about the pattern. I shall make a decision about whether to continue with this pattern, or whether to do something different, when a little more is done.....but somehow I think I will be going with a different pattern.

The latest wildlife report: recently we have seen at least one fox in the reserve over the back fence. Foxes were introduced to Australia in the mid-1800s because someone thought it would be jolly good sport to hunt them, as is done in England. Since then they have done enormous damage to native animals here, and are considered a menace. Some people can't keep chooks because of foxes, as chickens in their pen are sitting ducks where foxes are concerned. Our neighbour told us last year they gave up keeping chickens because of visits from foxes. I can remember seeing a couple of photographs, taken in the 1930s in the hills around this town, of a large group of men and the foxes killed in a day's hunt.

We think we are safe from foxes because we don't have chickens, our cats stay indoors, and foxes are probably not interested in wombat garden ornaments.

Next week I am headed off to the Big Smoke for the annual craft and quilt show. Being officially an Olde Pharte I am able to travel by train for free twice a year, so this will be my first freebie. It's been a very long time since I have done that train trip so it's something to look forward to. The plan is to take along a book to read, some knitting, and some hand-piecing, because a five-and-a-half-hour trip could drag otherwise. Let's hope for a congenial travelling companion, one who says 'hello' and then gets on with their own book, knitting or piecing - not one who chatters and natters the whole trip.

"There is nothing that tests the natural politeness of men and women so thoroughly as travelling. We all desire as much comfort as possible, and as a rule are selfish. In these days of railroad travel, when every railway is equipped with elegant carriages for the comfort and convenience of its passengers, and provided with conductors and servants, the longest journeys by railroad can be made with perfect safety and but little annoyance."

Just remember those words next time you step into a train carriage.

Enjoy your days!

Our kitties

Sometimes the kitties are mentioned on this blog, so it is time they had their pictures shown on it again too.

Binky is our old puss, she is 14YO and is a very friendly cat. We think she is The World's Friendliest Cat. But even friendly cats have to sleep sometime, don't they?
Bianca The Beautiful (but slightly brainless), keeping her bum warm one evening just after the fire had been lit. She moved off there pretty smartly when it warmed up too. Bianca is not a fat cat but she is quite a big girl and has odd eyes, one blue and one green. Unlike many odd-eyed cats, though, she is not deaf.

Winter has hit us with a vengeance. A few frosty mornings (although no frost this morning) and some very cold winds during the day. Yesterday's wind was vicious. It's 4pm now so today won't get any warmer, and the highest it reached today was 14.3 degC which is only 57 deg F. But it is warm inside, the fire is burning, the coffee is good, and the music on the radio is lovely.

It's good weather to sit at the machine and quilt. Only the binding remains to be done on the charity quilt and that will be machined front and back. It is the first time I have quilted polar fleece and I must say I won't be in a hurry to do it again, but it is a popular and warm backing for these children's quilts. After making a hash of the first bit of free-motion quilting I unpicked it, hitched up the walking foot and quilted diagonal lines in the centre, with ditch quilting (and the occasional jump out of the ditch, but if you don't tell I won't tell either) along the edges of the borders. When that's done, the borders will be cut for my challenge quilt.

Today we had a highly entertaining territorial dispute at our bird bath, two different types of pigeons each decided they had the best claim to it. A couple of Spotted Doves were there first, and some Crested Pigeons kept glaring at them until they flew away. The small tree beside the bird bath is an excellent spot to perch while waiting one's turn in the water, and the Crested Pigeons were strutting their stuff along the branches while giving the death stare to the Spotted Doves. Crested Pigeons are quite funny birds, especially when one is being chased by another with obvious lust on his or her feathery little mind - they scuttle along indignantly and look quite outraged.

"Trifling with a lady.

A lady who really means "no" should be able to say it as to make her meaning unmistakable. For her own sake and that of her suitor, if she really believes the suit ended, her denial should be positive, yet kind and undignified, and of a character to let no doubt remain of its being final."

I wonder how a bird would say "no, thank you" when asked by another bird for her hand in marriage? Hopefully kindly, as she would not wish her dignity or that of her suitor to be upset. Feathers could fly otherwise.

Enjoy your days!

Not a whole lot going on here.......

....the challenge quilt is temporarily put away, because I have been sitting on a charity quilt which I want to get done. Quilt top and fleece backing (no batting in this one) are laid out on the cutting table awaiting pins, but first it is coffee time. Oh, my.......I am not wonderful at machine quilting so I avoid it, but if I did more I would get better at it.......so here goes.

This week the postie delivered a wonderful surprise, all the way from Ohio! One of Cyndi's lovely Dotti bags, just for me - thank you Cyndi, you are terrific. Plus a lovely card and some fun Moda fabric mini charms. I already have a couple of ideas spinning around in my head for them......

The pretty lining fabric, isn't it something? I love it.
You know, if I were to choose my own fabrics I may not have chosen these - but I just love them. The bag has zipper pockets, and open pockets, and credit card pockets, and a long strap so I can carry it across my body and have my hands free. Since I broke my arm and damaged my shoulder I find carrying a large bag is uncomfortable and sometimes painful, so I have been using smaller bags and carrying less. Just how much do we need to cart around with us? Some of the currently popular bags (the ones with all the buckles and studs) are huge, and weigh a ton even when empty. Even my wallet is heavy, so I am thinking of paring it down too.

It's a dull cloudy day today, not terribly cold but not warm either. A good day to be inside sewing, even if it is machine quilting. Even the cats aren't much company - they are too busy sleeping. There is pasta sauce simmering away in the slow cooker for tonight's dinner.

Recently I started knitting myself a new cardigan, pics will follow in due course. It's a lovely deep teal and will be very useful when done. The pattern doesn't have ribbing along the bottom edge, it has six rows of moss stitch whitch has been curling up badly; hopefully it will fix itself when it's all made and sewn together. Most of my knitting gets done in front of TV, often with a cat on my lap - not always easy, let me say. Especially when it is Bianca The Beautiful (but slightly brainless), because she can't resist stretching out a paw to pat the yarn as it comes onto the needles.....then she has the hide to get indignant when I tip her off.

"If by chance anything unpleasant is found in the food, such as a hair in the bread or a fly in the coffee, remove it without remark. Even though your own appetite be spoiled, it is well not to prejudice others."

In other words, keep it to yourself because there may not be enough to share.

Enjoy your days!

Pretty Pink Nerines

This is the one and only Nerine lily in our garden, isn't it pretty? There are a couple of plants together, but only one is flowering at present.

The whirligig blocks are together, and I am very pleased with my EQ7 design! Now to make border decisions. These blocks are 12in finished and there are 12 blocks in the quilt, so it's only 48in by 36in. I am thinking a 1in border in a leafy green (darker than lime but lighter than olive), then a 2in border in rich purple, then a 6in border using the bright diagonal stripe that inspired the colour scheme. That will bring the quilt up to a decent size, 54in by 66in, and it looks good on the computer screen. And what's more - the borders will be mitered.
Even washed the floor before I laid the quilt out for its pic, isn't that dedication? It (the quilt, not the floor) has been dry pressed, but needs another pressing with steam to flatten it and make the blocks sit better. But that will get done. After making the first block I was concerned that too much background fabric was showing, but when all 12 blocks are together and the secondary pattern emerges the background seems to recede more.

Last week was very musical. On Thursday I was asked to sing at the craft group's annual Cancer Council fundraising morning tea, so I sang a song about the Rajah Quilt written by my friend Cathy Miller. Neither the song nor the quilt were known to the group, and several people told me afterwards how much they enjoyed it. Then on Sunday two choirs I sang in won their sections at the local eisteddfod, which pleased us all greatly! I gather that last year they were beaten by a school choir, and so with this year's win honour was satisfied again.

We had some rain a few days ago, and very welcome it was too. Yesterday I planted the lemon balm and sweet pea seedlings bought at the recent monthly markets. When we brought them home they sat on the kitchen bench for a few hours, but unfortunately Bianca The Beautiful (but slightly brainless) discovered them and chomped some sweet pea leaves. Then of course she heaved them up again.......as cats do........fortunately not on the carpet. One poor little seedling I planted looked slightly bereft of leaves, hopefully it will soon recover and we will have a pretty display of sweet peas in spring.

Did you know, in the language of flowers sweet pea means "departure" or "delicate pleasures"? Nerines are part of the Amaryllis family of lilies, and Amaryllis means "pride" or "splendid beauty". In days gone by people would choose their flowers according to their meaning, so a bouquet conveyed a message.

"Bring one of the commonest field flowers into a room, place it on a table, or chimney-piece, and you seem to have brought a ray of sunshine into the place. There is a cheerfulness about flowers. What a delight are they to the drooping invalid! They are a sweet enjoyment, coming as messengers from the country, and seeming to say "Come and see the place where we grow, and let your heart be glad in our presence."

I wonder what message a bouquet containing Nerines and sweet peas would say? Possibly nothing quite as flowery as the sentiment contained in that quote from 1885.

Enjoy your days!

Whirligigs and stars and pinwheels

How is everyone this fine day?

I have been sewing, as you can see! Lots of different bright colours to make whirligig star blocks for my challenge quilt. Here are some more ready to be joined.

And here is the first completed block. One block was assembled so I could work out the piecing order, because this is My Very Own Design and not from a book or magazine. Just me and EQ7.
Each 12in finished block will have a different coloured star in the centre, and the lavender corner triangles will make pinwheels when the blocks are joined together. Can't wait to see how it looks......seeing it on the computer screen, and seeing it in real life, can be two different things.

Still have one applique block to made for my group quilt, the next raffle quilt is to have both pieced (made mine already) and floral applique or embroidered blocks. Because I don't have an embroidery machine mine will be be machine appliqued because it's quicker than by hand. I will be glad to have it done. I have no idea which flower design I am going to do......

This week we had some rain, but as they say on the news more follow-up rain is needed. Still - I'm sure the gardens were thankful for what they received. We have a couple of things to be planted so hopefully they will go in the next day or so. This afternoon I noticed some pretty pink things in the front garden, I think they are Nerines. Nerine sounds like a woman's name from years gone by, doesn't it? Those old-fashioned flower names seem to be making a comeback, names like Rose, Lily, Daisy and Violet. My paternal grandmother was Florence, which is nearly a flowery name. She had a sister called Adelong (there is a town in New South Wales called Adelong), and one of her brothers was named Australia. Before Australia became one federated country in 1901 it was a collection of different states, although federation had been talked about for quite some time. As it drew closer some people became quite patriotic about many things including children's names, and Australia was not an uncommon name.

Several years ago I remember a friend telling me that when an elderly member of her family died his name was also found out to have been Australia. He was always called Ozzie, so it was generally thought by family and friends that his name was Oswald. But not so.

Makes you wonder what people will think about the current choice of names in a hundred years or so, doesn't it? To say nothing of the somewhat creative spellings that some children have to carry all their lives, just because their parents felt like being different.

"With some it is customary to name children after some renowned person, either living or dead. There are objections to this plan, however, for if the person be still living, he may commit some act which will bring opprobrium to his name, and so cause both the parent and child to be ashamed of bearing such a disgraced name. If the person after whom the child is named be dead, it may be that the child's character may be so entirely different from the person who formerly bore it, that the name shall be made a reproach or satire."

My parents chose my first name (so I was told) because they liked it, and my middle name - Grace - is after a cousin of my mother's who died young. But I am still here, and I hope I am graceful. Not disgraced.

Enjoy your days!