Only a few days until we leave

Or three more sleeps, if you count nights.

More diamonds have been cut, but once again none have been sewn as they are being saved for holiday sewing.  Recently it occurred to me that a pattern bought several years ago on one of our Canadian trips could also come along......after all, we'll be gone for over five weeks and one needs something to do, doesn't one.

The pattern came with the small skein of overdyed thread, the others are from my collection and are the correct colours used.  My fabric - there's not a whole heap of embroidery fabric choices here in the Small Smoke, you know - is greyer than on the sample picture, but it is bluer than it looks.

I haven't done any cross stitch for ages, it will be interesting to get back to some again.  The fabric needs to be cut as it's much too big, and overlocked around the edges....a little task for later today.

Yesterday was, I believe, International Quilting Day, so I marked it by attending a quilt show in a town north of here.  The group has an annual show - never huge, but always interesting - and yesterday's was no exception.  This year marks their 40th anniversary so there were several red quilts, as 40th anniversary is ruby.  It was a pleasant day for a Nice Sunday Drive; we shouted ourselves lunch at a club, and I enjoyed seeing the quilts.  Yes, I know it wasn't Sunday.  A Nice Sunday Drive can be taken any day of the week, you know.

This weekend there has been a craft show here.  Before we moved here, so I have been told, it used to be held annually then stopped, but started up again several years ago.  After a few years it stopped again; this weekend's show was the first since well before the plague, and I have to say it was disappointing.  My one and only purchase on Friday was a portable table light.  There were a few quilt shops selling their wares, but nothing tempting.  One of Helen Godden's quilts was on display....her huge Australian quilt, which was amazing......she was doing a 2-hour class on a painted design, but that's not something I do.  I just sew fabric together.

It's not the largest quilt I have ever seen, though.  On one of our Canadian visits I was fortunate to see the "Quilt of Belonging", which is incredible - and 120 feet long.

This was taken on one of our trips to Canberra.  The closer those swans came to us, the more menacing they looked!

Swans are quite large birds.  I could have gone closer for a better pic, but no.  Not me.

Stitches have been knitted, yesterday's drive provided an opportunity to get several rows done.  The yarn is knitting up very interestingly, more so than a single colour would.  Words have been read,  Notes have been plinked and sung, and of course a ukulele will be going away with me too.  A little - very little - hunting and gathering today for a few things which will be needed on the trip, and that's it.

Even though we will be busy packing and organising we plan to take some time out on Tuesday to celebrate our wedding anniversary - 48 years!  And neither of us has yet committed murder!!

We will back at the end of April.  Until then, I leave you with some words of wisdom about Etiquette in Public Places, Conduct in Opera, Theatre or Public Hall:

"On entering the hall, theatre or opera house the gentleman should walk side by side with his companion unless the aisle is too narrow, in which case he should precede her.  Upon reaching the seats, he should allow her to take the inner one, assuming the outer one himself."

Of course he should.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Coming along splendiferously

'Autumn Splendour' is progressing nicely.....this is how it looks after a sewing session at quilt group on Tuesday.

It is now 32 inches square; the Maple Leaf blocks are eight inches finished.

This is how it will look with the next square round added.  Two opposite corners have three Maple Leaf blocks each, while the leaf print strips and some more HST blocks make up the sides......I couldn't resist trying it out.

It is looking browner than I had hoped, although some of those autumn prints are quite bright - but then, the lighting in the spare bedroom is a bit dull on this cloudy day and the background fabrics are light tan/beige rather than blinding white.

The original quilt, published in a magazine, used much brighter colours - red, yellow, green, orange - and brighter background fabrics too, but it said "spring" rather than "autumn" to me, despite the leaf blocks.  The colours in my quilt are much more the colours we have seen during our autumn visits to Canada with brighter colours popping out here and there among brown oak leaves, some yellow/green and orange leaves.....and, of course, red maple leaves.

How have you all been?  We are well, my recalcitrant knee is still firmly attached thanks, no doubt, to the exercises which are diligently done daily.  The usual hunting and gathering was done with an eye to "what do we need to take away with us" shopping as well, as it's only ten days until we leave.

Diamonds have been cut but none sewn, they are being saved for holiday sewing.  Stitches have been knitted and the ribbing on the back is now complete, so the next row will start the stocking stitch section.  Words have been read.  Notes have been plinked and sewn.

Our trip away needs some thinking as a few Occasions need to be organised.  The day after we arrive in Canberra will be our son's birthday - we don't get to celebrate with him in person very often, so a table has been booked for lunch at a pub which we like and where our son hasn't eaten.  The One And Only Grandkid will be joining us too.  

My performer ticket for the folk festival at Easter has been downloaded and printed; strolling around wearing a 'performer' wristband is a thrill I never tire of, I can tell you.  My entry for the Eisteddfod in June has gone in, so once again I will be making a fool of myself in public.

And - we have our (free) tickets organised for the National Gallery of Australia, where the Rajah Quilt will be on display!  I was lucky enough to see it many years ago when it was part of a touring exhibition; we were living in the Big Smoke and drove 90 minutes south to see it.  Each and every one of those 90 minutes was worthwhile.  I had trouble tearing myself away....there is so much to look at, so many fabrics (the backs of some fabrics are used, the conjecture is that lighting in the bowels of a convict ship wasn't very good), so much colour....some of the patches are bright yellow/gold.  There is a replica in Canada, held in the Elizabeth Fry Society in Ottawa; we learned at school about Elizabeth Fry and her organisation which helped convicts, women convicts in particular, on those long voyages to the other side of the world.

One of Kevin's ancestors, a Irish woman named Mary Heffernan, arrived in Tasmania in 1841 - but not on the 'Rajah'.  She seems to have been quite a woman who, even after her marriage, was often up before the court on charges of prostitution, drunkenness or fighting.....no quiet life for Mary, it seems, although she did eventually settle down to marriage and family.  Perhaps - sewing patchwork may not have been her thing?

Continuing with Etiquette of Public Places, Invitation to Opera or Concert:

"It is the gentleman's duty to secure good seats for the entertainment, or else he or his companion may be obliged to take up with seats where they can neither see nor hear."

If that is the case - there is no point attending, is there?  One may as well stay home and entertain one's self.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Yay goody for me - again!

Well, I did it....I won another blue ribbon, that's twice in my life!  How good is that!

When I went to collect my quilt this morning imagine my surprise when there was a blue ribbon pinned to it - something I did not expect.  Because of the continuing heat I didn't get to the show to see it hanging, and I wish now that I had done so.  

If you haven't seen the whole quilt before - or even if you have - this is it.

The ribbon and certificate will be kept with the quilt.  The eventual plan for when I am no longer on this earth is that the quilt will go to our son and his partner in Canada, and as the blue ribbon is now part of its story it will, of course, go too.

Yesterday the fabric was cut for one of the inner borders in my leaf quilt, hereinafter to be called 'Autumn Splendour'.  It was a toss-up between different fabrics, but I think this one will work well for a pieced border; there are leaf blocks and half-square triangles in that particular round (it's a medallion quilt) used with wide strips of print fabric.

Some work will be done on it at quilt group on Tuesday, then it will be put aside until we return from down south.  Love those autumn colours......

No diamonds were cut, although I had better get a move on with them as I want a good supply ready to take away with me.  Some stitches were knitted, and it's interesting to see how that pretty yarn knits up.  The two tees didn't have their sleeve hems repaired but there is always this week, isn't there.  Words were read.  Knee exercises are being faithfully done.  Hunting and gathering was once more undertaken.

We have had more extreme heat but today is - thank goodness - much milder; I for one feel as though I have more energy when it isn't so hot, and indeed have found this summer's heat to be quite distressing at times.  There might even be some playing around in my sewing room later this afternoon - perhaps some of those recalcitrant diamonds may be cut.  

Our U3A ukulele group on Thursday afternoons is proceeding along nicely.  This term we had four - four! - brand new beginners start; one has decided to have some lessons with a teacher then return to us when she is more confident, one is coming along really well, another is managing nicely, and we haven't seen the fourth again.  Hopefully she will decide to come back as she has previous musical experience, so she's not a complete beginner.  All up, we blunder along quite nicely......especially when I am leading, as I am at present while the main leader is away.  Even though I don't really know what I'm doing.

A few of us from uke also attend Thursday night choir, and last Thursday night lovely Liz was very complimentary when telling me how much she enjoyed that afternoon's uke playing - such feedback is very welcome!

We have now concluded our Conduct in Church section of Etiquette in Public Places, so now we are off to the theatre.

"Invitation to opera or concert.

A gentleman upon inviting a lady to accompany him to opera, theatre, concert or other public place of amusement, must send his invitation the previous day.  The lady must reply immediately, so that if she declines there shall yet be time for the gentleman to secure another companion.  The consent of parents or guardians is necessary."

This advice was, of course, written long before the advent of folk having personal phones....these days an invitation would probably be sent by a text, which isn't very romantic, is it?  I'm afraid "do u wanna go w me c u at 8" doesn't have the same tone as a nicely hand-written note.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Ta da!

Or should that be - Tra la!  

Finished is a good feeling.

Now to decide where to hang it....I have a spot in mind.  The edges are straight but it is lying on a bed, hence the wavy look.

Now to decide which of the many projects in the sewing room will be picked up next.  There are a couple of tees needing sleeve hems re-stitched, which will be an easy job.  On Friday I finally collected my blue and green quilt from the quilter who has had it for a few months - just as well I haven't been in a hurry, isn't it? - so now it can be bound.  Quilting is not her only job (she also works in retail) but this one wasn't urgent, so I wasn't hassling her for it.

How have you all been this week?  We have been enjoying slightly milder temperatures, but the forecast for the coming week is more heat.  There are those - not me, I hasten to add - who believe that by some miracle the new season suddenly arrives on the first of the month.  This is not so.  The forecast for 1st March, next Friday, is hot-hot-hot.  Definitely not autumn-y.  I am so over this summer heat.

When I was at school (many many years ago) we were taught that the winter and summer solstice, and spring and autumn equinox, marked the turning of the seasons about three weeks later than the arbitrary "first of the month" change.....which makes more sense.  This year the autumn equinox will be on 20th March, the date we set off from home for our annual trip south, so we can truly say it is 'an autumn trip'!

A few diamonds have been sewn, but none cut; many diamonds need to be cut for the trip away as it is an ideal portable project, so it looks like the cutter will be busy for a while.  Some stitches have been knitted.  Words have been read.  Notes have been plinked and sung.  Hunting and gathering has ensured that we won't starve.  My knee complains from time to time, but I am trying to be nice to it; so far it hasn't fallen off, and I keep doing the physio-recommended exercises.

The annual Show - much like a spring or autumn fair in other parts of the world - will be held again next weekend, and I have decided to enter my Canadian quilt in the wall hanging category.  Last year I won a blue ribbon (!) but I doubt that such luck would come my way two years in a row.  Still, it will be good to see it hanging in public.

My goodness, the awards season still drags on....oh, those fashions......many look as though they are held up with a prayer or two and some sticky tape, and they look quite uncomfortable and unflattering.  Definitely a lot of boobage on display, isn't there?  At least some of the blokes are getting a little more daring in their clothing choices, although the no-socks look with formal wear is a bit....ew.  Please don't, fellers......

Concluding Etiquette of Public Places, Conduct in Church:

"In visiting a church for the mere purpose of seeing the edifice, one should always go at a time when there are no services being held.  If people are even then found at their devotions, as is apt to be the case in Roman Catholic Churches especially, the demeanor of the visitor should be respectful and subdued and his voice low, so that he may not disturb them."

No doubt there are those who forget that a church is indeed a place of devotion and worship, rather than an empty building for their entertainment.  I'm sure none of us would do that, would we?

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Each day - a little closer to a finish!

How have you all been this week?  We have been enjoying some slightly - only slightly, but it's an improvement - cooler weather, giving us hope that one day this interminable summer heat will finally end.  Some rain showers are forecast for the next few days, so if they arrive we will be happy people.

Over the past few days I have been working on finishing my musical hanging.  The (slightly wobbly) quilting is done, and finally the outside had a line of stitching to hold the edges together while it was trimmed and had the binding stitched to the front.  Even though I always measure the outer perimeter of a quilt I always seem to cut too many binding strips - but not this time!

That little strip of fabric, barely one quarter inch wide, is all that was left after joining the two ends together.....how's that for cutting it fine?

Thoughts were thought about how to hang it on the wall, and the winning thought was to make three or four tabs so it can hang from a narrow rod or dowel.  Jolly good idea, I thought to myself; the piece left after cutting binding (which wasn't huge to start with, it was left over from a project several years ago) was 6-1/2 inches wide by about 20 inches long.  Four 2-1/2 inch strips were cut across the width, and they will be turned into tabs.

It didn't occur to me until after they were cut that I could have cut one long strip, sewn the edges and cut it into four tabs.....but working with shorter strips will, I suspect, make for more accuracy.  That's what I am telling myself, anyway.  The block kit was part of a shop hop row by row and instructions were very basic, but I can work out how to make a hanging.

Kevin had his Major Milestone birthday during the week, and we enjoyed a very nice lunch at a pub about 45 minutes north of us.  If we lived on the other side of town it would be barely half an hour, but those extra minutes gave me more knitting time.  This is the river which runs past the pub we visited, although this pic was taken in winter - and it is far from being winter now, but it is still the same peaceful river.

Stitches have been knitted, some machine stitching was done.  No diamonds were cut or sewn but the supply of them needs topping up, so the trusty cutter had better hop to it in coming days.  Words have been read, plinking and singing have happened.  My knee (which seems to be doing well so far; neither it nor my leg have fallen off, which is a good sign) allowed me to join in the hunting and gathering during the week, so we can eat again.

Yesterday afternoon the choir sang at a memorial "soirée" for the woman who formed the original choir over 25 years ago, and who passed away a month before Christmas.  She seems to have been quite a force in the musical life of the town in years gone by - she moved away several years before we came here, so I never had the chance to know her - and people came from out of the woodwork, and indeed from all over the world, to farewell her in style.  Originally the concert was to be a modest affair in a small hall but as time went on it was realised that the hall wouldn't hold all the people who wanted to attend, so it was moved to the town hall.  We performed our two songs after an introductory film and song; before it all started we were told that we would be filmed for posterity (!) and also for last night's news (!!).  Sure enough during the 6p.m. news bulletin, in between the stories of murder and mayhem around the world, there we were in all our elderly glory.  Ohmygawd......

Continuing with Etiquette of Public Places, Conduct in Church:

"If a Protestant gentleman accompanies a lady who is a Roman Catholic to her own church, it is an act of courtesy to offer the holy water.  This he must do with the ungloved right hand."

I believe that in years gone by people used to attend whichever church they were curious about - 'church shopping', perhaps?  I can remember when Roman Catholics were not allowed inside a church of another denomination, not even for an occasion such as a wedding.  They had to wait outside the church but were allowed to join in the festivities afterward.  As for so-called mixed marriages....dear me no, can't have those.  I remember the mother of a friend in my teenage years being more upset that her daughter was marrying a Roman Catholic in his church, than the daughter already being several months pregnant.  Another wedding, a friend of a friend, involved a daughter marrying in a different church other than her own Roman Catholic church - and the mother's priest forbade her to attend her own daughter's wedding.  Religion doesn't always bring people closer together, far from it.....it can drive a sizeable wedge between people.

Ah well.  We could solve the problems of the world if there were no people, couldn't we.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Answers

Answers are good things to have.  Some of my recent medical Stuff has an answer - one I wasn't expecting, but it's good to know that I'm not just a wuss!

A few weeks ago my left leg started being sore around the knee area....above, below, inside.  Well, darn, I thought, but didn't let it stop me from going out and about. One of those recent 'outs' was a trip down town and all was well although my leg was complaining mightily, something I was doing my best to ignore.  On the way back to the car we were crossing the road in the middle of the main drag when suddenly my knee collapsed and I could go no further; fortunately I managed to stay upright although by now in more than a certain amount of pain.  Well bugger, I thought.  (And probably said too.)  Eventually between us we managed to get me to a seat on the footpath....for my overseas friends, we don't have sidewalks in Australia, we have footpaths.....while Kevin brought the car closer.  With the aid of one of the helpful pharmacy assistants and the wheely walker she brought out, I made it into the car and we drove home.  The next day Kevin went to the op shop and bought a walking stick, something which has proven very handy, and an appointment with the physio a few days later has helped muchly too.  Turns out that the meniscus in my left knee was playing up so some treatment and daily exercises have made it easier, with a return visit in another week to check its progress.

Look after your meniscus, folks.  They really hurt if they aren't happy.  Still, all is good.....nothing has fallen off, my leg is still intact, and I can get around without the stick now although it comes with me when we go out.

Best of all - this week is slightly milder, and we welcome the cooler temps.  Some rain would be nice, though.  We're even noticing a few leaves beginning to turn and others losing their bright summer green, looking slightly tired and faded.  Days are getting noticeably shorter, too.  Roll on, autumn!

With the slightly cooler temps my thoughts have turned to knitting once more, so last night stitches were cast on for the back of the next.....probably jumper, although it might yet turn out to be a cardy.  Decision yet to be made.

This book is a good source of patterns; I have already three jumpers using their basic raglan sleeved jumper pattern, with my own touches added.  The bright green markers are placed every 20 stitches for the cast on because, if stitches need to be counted in that cast-on row, it is easier to count to 20 several times than to 139 once.

This is my bewdiful yarn, bought last year.  Every ball has the same colours, and the knitted examples on the Bendigo Woollen Mills website look very interesting.

Thirty years ago I worked for a time in a girls' school run by nuns, a couple of whom were inveterate knitters, and they told me about Bendigo yarn.  In those pre-internet days one had to ring the mill store (an interstate phone call!  how extravagant!!) and ask for a shade sample card which was duly sent, then one filled out the attached order form, returned it by post and eagerly awaited the arrival of one's lovely new yarn.  The balls are quite large, so there are very few joins to be dealt with during the finishing process.

We have an outing planned for Wednesday, Kevin's birthday, as we will be driving to a pub half an hour out of town for lunch.  It's a significant Big 0 birthday (mind you, at this age every birthday achieved is a significant milestone) so we would like to make it more special than a peanut butter sandwich at home.  The trip will be long enough for a few rows of knitting, then our trip down south next month will make opportunities for much more so the new knit will be progressing nicely by the time we return home.

Not much sewing has happened this week apart from a little hand piecing, and some more diamonds have been cut.  Words have been read.  Lots of notes have been plinked and sung as U3A ukulele returned on Thursday, and we have some new people too; we're quite a big group now.  No hunting and gathering was needed - I couldn't have walked around the shops anyway - but we had food, so we haven't starved.  We probably will if hunting and gathering isn't done within the next few days, but my leg should be fine by then.

Continuing with Etiquette of Public Places, Conduct in Church:

"When the services are concluded, there should be no haste in crowding up the aisle, but the departure should be conducted quietly and decorously.  When the vestibule is reached, it is allowable to change greetings with friends, but here there should be no loud talking or boisterous laughter.  Neither should gentlemen congregate in knots in the vestibule or upon the steps of the church and compel ladies to run the gauntlet of their eyes and tongues."

Yes, indeed.  There is no need to engage in unseemly sprinting to be the first out of the door after the service, and as for compelling ladies to run the gauntlet of eyes and tongues - well, shame on you for even thinking of it.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

The best laid plans, and all that Stuff

Things do not always work as we had planned or hoped, do they?

The planned sewing didn't happen this week, sadly.  There has been some medical Stuff to get sorted out....but I have high hopes for the coming week.  It has also been very hot with severe heatwave conditions which saps my energy and makes me feel like doing nothing.  I am over summer - I'm ready for autumn now.

Never mind.  This, too, shall pass.  

We did have some excitement last week!  Just before lunch time on Monday Kevin and I were on our way out, and, as usual, he unlocked the right hand garage door to get the car. I usually get in the car in the shady garage. Imagine my shock horror when I spied a wriggling snake disappear under the left hand door, going into the garage! When we arrived home we contacted a snake catcher who duly came, as we thought it might be a brown snake. Brown snakes are nasty buggers.....very nasty indeed, and it was light brown. Probably not a brown snake, said our intrepid snake catcher, probably a whip snake, also venomous but nowhere near as bad; they are apparently quite placid and have tiny teeth, so don't inject much venom.

I don't care. A snake is a snake, in my book. I know they are protected, but there is only one of me and I like to think I am protected, and Kevin is too.

This is not a brown snake, it's a blue-tongued lizard, known in Australia as "bluey", but that is indeed the garage door under which the snake slithered.

Isn't this a peaceful spot? It's near the centre of Canberra, just 15 minutes from the centre of Australia's capital city.

And - we are planning the annual Easter trip to Canberra again, as we speak!

Our visiting musical guest has gone home, and - as always - we enjoyed having him.  He's not sure if he is coming next January, but somehow we think he will.  He's a nice bloke, and fun to have around; I have memories of him and I sitting around our kitchen table singing Hank Williams songs......well, why don't you love me like you used to do.....how come you treat me like a worn out shoe......

Words have been read, diamonds have been sewn although no more have been cut; the supply is perilous low, so hopefully more can be cut soon.  Choir and uke group are back so words have been sung and plinked; in a couple of weeks we will the first act at a memorial concert for the woman who originally formed the choir over 25 years ago, so that is a great honour.  The usual hunting and gathering have ensured that we won't starve, and that's it for the week.

Viola - you asked how many wombats are in my collection - the answer is.....I don't know!  Quite a lot, but I don't buy every wombat I see; they have to look like a wombat, not like something they are not.  The heaviest is a big 16 kg solid bronze feller which holds the front door open, and the smallest is a tiny gold wombat on a chain.  Many of my collection have been gifts too, so they have good memories.

Continuing with Etiquette of Public Places, Conduct in Church:

"In visiting a church of a different belief from your own, pay the utmost respect to the services and conform in all things to the observances of the church - that is, kneel, sit and rise with the congregation.  No matter how grotesquely some of the forms and observances may strike you, let no smile or contemptuous remark indicate the fact while in the church."

The fashions of the mid-1880s when this book was first published would, I would have thought, have made it difficult to kneel gracefully in public?  Remember - this was the age of the large bustle.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer