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!

My brain cells are melting

While the past week hasn't been horribly hot it has been more humid than usual, which makes us feel more uncomfortable than the temperature would indicate.  In summer's heat I do a passable imitation of a limp lettuce leaf so the only achievement this week has been quite a bit of hand-stitching in my flower basket quilt, although two log cabin blocks were made for the quilt group block of the month.  Fabric and pattern were supplied, so it was easy-peasy.

However - no pics were taken and it's not a proper post without pics, is it?  So here are a couple from our garden in the Big Smoke.

I love frangipanis but they don't grow here, they do better along the coast.  Like many white flowers they have a strong scent, but unlike many other white flowers it's not overpoweringly sweet and cloying.

Back in the day our house and garden survived The Great Sefton Hailstorm of 1990, although not without some damage.  Several windows and two skylights in the house were shattered (nothing like rain pouring in through large holes in the roof, is there?) but all was eventually put right.

The garden fared much worse - nearly every plant was shredded.  In time we managed to remove the damaged plants, but anything which had survived was left to fend for itself.  A few years later the secateurs were taken to the remaining plants and they were given haircuts.....including this one, Tibouchina, which had struggled since the storm.  Not being the world's best gardener I was astonished to notice that its drastic pruning - and, believe me, it was drastic - had done it the world of good, because it never looked back.  These pics were taken not long before we moved out, nearly 30 years after the storm.

It likes full sun, but full sun doesn't always make it easy to get a good pic without the bright colour being washed out.  The single flower here is closer to the true colour.

If you like purple then perhaps this is the plant for you.....it is very purple.

We have been entertained this week by some of the stories Kevin has been unearthing while researching his maternal grandmother Laura.  Because he was fairly young when she died he doesn't remember much about her, although he has said she always seemed to have a crochet hook and thread in hand....."she was always crocheting", he said.  Some of her beautiful work has come down to us.

Laura's mother Eliza Jane, though - now, there's a girl.  Born in a mining town during the gold rush (one which we have often driven through on our way to Canberra without knowing of the family connection) in 1863, married in 1878 - yes, that's right, she was 15 - had her first child, Laura, at 17.  Several more children followed, and she was widowed in her mid-30s.  Fast forward to 1910: Laura aged 30 trots down the aisle to marry a man of 60, and two days later Eliza Jane also trots down the aisle with Hubby No. 2, a toy boy, a mere stripling of 33......and Eliza's age on the marriage certificate is given as 35, although she was 47.  Later that year No. 2 Toy Boy is declared bankrupt, but the marriage lasted until she died in 1947.  

Eliza and her family lived at a house called 'Iolanthe', a Greek word meaning "violet flower", at a time when many houses had names instead of, or in addition to, a house number.  I wonder if she would have liked a Tibouchina?

"Duties of guests.

Some persons may be astonished to learn that any duties devolve upon the guests.  In fact there are circles where all such duties are ignored."

That seems rude, doesn't it?  I'm sure none of us would do that.

Enjoy your days!

Never be seen?

Back in those long-ago days when I was a Sweet Young Thing it was said that "blue and green should never be seen" - sometimes, "without another colour in between" was added.  Now I don't know about the rest of you but every day we look out onto the green hill behind us and the blue sky above, and I think to myself, I think......"whoever thought that one up?"

Early last month it was my turn to supply a block for the members of the quilt group to make or not, as they chose, and this was mine.  Yesterday I received some completed blocks and couldn't resist laying them out.

There are several blocks with green leaning toward khaki but brighter blocks will be made to balance that......there is quite a bit of green in my stash, you know.  Have I ever mentioned that I am quite fond of green?  It will be fun when done, but there is no hurry.  After all - it's not as though I lack for projects.

It needs a title.  Eventually my brain will think of something clever, but until then it will be referred to as 'the paving quilt'.

The batting borders have been cut for my Canadian quilt, and I have hopes that it will be prepped this week for the borders to be quilted.  I had hopes it would be done this week, but alas.....it was not to be.

Some people make resolutions at New Year - I have hopes, some of which eventuate and some of which are doomed to languish forever unfulfilled.

Well, this morning I took my courage in my hands and joined in Chookyblue's zoom......it was great fun, and lovely to see a familiar face, and to meet new ones......even if they couldn't see me!  The camera on our computer doesn't always like zoom so perhaps the time has come to trot off to the big office supply store and see what options are available.  We have had this camera for quite a long time; perhaps it hasn't kept up with the updates that the computer tells us need to be done from time to time.

I can't be beautiful and have a technical brain as well, you know......

The week started off with more storms; although we don't live in the tropics there are times when the weather touches on the tropical with hot days and afternoon storms.  The past couple of nights have even been cool enough to have on more than a sheet over us.  I suspect that Kevin would prefer to throw off the sheet on warm nights, but I like a layer of protection between my skin and Bianca's claws.  She might be geriatric, but her claws are still quite sharp.

It has been a very quiet week; had the country music festival not been cancelled the town would have been bustling with people and music and concerts.  We probably won't be here for the postponed April festival as our plan is to head south to spend time with family and to enjoy some autumn colours, provided the world is open by then.  We live in hope.....

The coming week brings a couple of celebrations, Australia Day on Wednesday and, to stir my Scottish blood, Burns Night the previous evening.  Many years ago in the Big Smoke I belonged to a Scottish country dancing group which was asked to dance at a Masonic Club Burns Night - and what an interesting evening that was!  When we arrived we joined the ladies downstairs while the men conducted their Secret Business upstairs, then they joined us.  After dancing we took our seats for the serious part of the evening; the haggis was piped in as was the whisky to be followed by Burns' 'Address to a Haggis', and for the first time in my life (and so far the only time) I tried haggis......it's a variation on meat loaf, served with 'neeps' and 'tatties', mashed turnips and potatoes, and was quite tasty.  The haggis was duly toasted with whisky - a Scottish variation on home brew made with whisky and oatmeal was served, and very potent it was - more toasts and replies, and we were asked to repeat our dance performance as our hosts had enjoyed it so much.  I do not recommend dancing reels after partaking of home brew, but somehow we managed to keep our equilibrium and our dignity intact.  As we all had to drive home afterward we certainly didn't chug it down!  You can read about Burns Night traditions here.

Many Australians have Scottish roots; my great-great-grandparents on my father's side came from Scotland, my great-grandfather Arthur was born in the 1840s after they arrived here, my Posh Melbourne Grandmother Florence was his daughter......so the roots are there, but they run deep.

"The number to invite.

Persons giving balls or dancing-parties should be careful not to invite more than their rooms will accommodate, so as to avoid a crush.  Invitations to crowded balls are not hospitalities, but inflictions.  A hostess is usually safe, however, in inviting one fourth more than her rooms will hold, as that proportion of invitations may be declined.  People who do not dance will not, as a rule, expect to be invited to a ball or dancing-party."

Scottish dances were popular at balls in the time these words were written; indeed, 'Professor Christison' (as he called himself) wrote a manual of Scottish dancing and etiquette after coming to Australia, morally dubious character though he seems to have been.

Enjoy your days!

Three times four is twelve

All three borders are now on my Canadian quilt - three borders, four sides, so that makes twelve.

One corner.....the narrow inner black border, then the slightly wider white one, then the outer maple leaf print border.  Which is gorgeous.  I absolutely lurve that fabric.  The red fabric showing behind is the backing.

The batting is on the table as we speak, being cut into wide strips for the borders.  When that's done they will be inserted between the front and the backing (why do we say backing but not fronting, I wonder?) following the method shown here.  I don't have the joining tape but have been assured that non-woven iron on interfacing will do just as well; there is some of that in my sewing Stuff.  I'll let you know how it goes.

I had thoughts of quilting a maple leaf design in the outer border, but have changed my mind.....it will be a squiggly stipple.

How have you all been?  We've been living the quiet life, staying as healthy as possible and keeping out of mischief.

You should have been here last night, we had quite the doozy of a storm!  First the petrichor - that indefinable smell of rain in the air on a hot day - followed by wind blowing hard and strong.  Next came the rain getting heavier and heavier, with 'plinks' on the metal verandah roof which could have been bits blown from trees or even hail, accompanied by lights and music......and eventually the rain stopped, the wind blew away, and all was quiet.  Until it was time for bed - when thunder started crashing and rolling around again; it was probably accompanied by lightning but my eyes were closed so I didn't see, and the rain started again.

This morning there were 25 mls in our rain gauge (that's one inch, for those of you who still use old money) which is impressive, but the weather station south-west of town at the airport only showed 6 mls, less than a quarter of our total, so that is what will be registered as the 'official' amount of rain received for a 24-hour period.  There have been mutterings for some time about getting a second official weather station closer to town, which would make sense.....however, as we all know, anything 'official' is easier said than done.

The country music festival which was to have started a few days ago, and which was cancelled just a week beforehand, would normally be in full swing right now.  There would be concerts to attend and buskers to listen to (some very talented, some.....well, at least they're giving it a go, aren't they), but last night's storms would have had audiences at outdoor concerts hurrying and scurrying for cover.  It has been postponed until April when the weather is kinder - January can be very hot and stormy.  Over the years suggestions to move the festival permanently until a milder time of year have been met with the cry "But you can't do that!  It's always been in January, it's traditional!"  Never mind that tents and belongings get swept away in floods because of January storms (yes, it has happened)......we can't tamper with tradition.

Continuing on with our ball supper, having left those oysters uneaten:

"When supper is announced, the host leads the way with the lady to whom he wishes to show special attention, who may be an elderly lady, or a stranger or a bride.  The hostess remains until the last, with the gentleman who takes her to supper, unless some distinguished guest is present, with whom she leads the way.  No gentleman should ever go into the supper-room alone, unless he has seen every lady enter before him.  When ladies are left unattended, gentlemen, although strangers, are at liberty to offer their services in waiting upon them, for the host and hostess are sufficient guarantees for the respectability of their guests."

In other words, boys.....look after the ladies first.  Don't worry, there will be plenty left for you.

Enjoy your days!

A whole nine days.......

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Supper.

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

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

Enjoy your days!