BOM - Oriental Traditions

This is to be a new Block of the Month for the shop. "Oriental Traditions" by Kaufman.
Very dramatic with some wonderful Oriental fabrics and a big 220cm square!
There are 6 borders on it and I thought I'd never get them finished.

Post Grand Final

Well, there were savs and party pies etc. When I arrived back to collect the MOTH the pies were cold and firm and the savs had been forgotten.

AFL Grandfinal Day

Sad isn't it? Maybe Melbourne will get there next year! He's off to his AFL BBQ.

Here we are, balloons on the post. Coby and David has all bases covered.

Hang on a minute, I thought this was an all blokes AFL BBQ? Sad isn't it when salads and fruit outnumbers party pies and savs? Showing their ages!

Pea and Ham soup???? Where are the snags?

Scatterdays W

Scatterdays w, originally uploaded by FranW.

This had me stumped for days and I was loosing sleep! I took photos of stuff, white that and thats, thinking it would do. Anyhow, the drugs kicked in and I was able to think again, so here is my offering.

W for wave
Black things- Washing-our socks for the last few days plus my fantastic view
Tools - This foot was made for Walking
Game- White men don't play alone but they do for this exercise!

Sunday lunch

Lovely Sunday- leisurely lunch looking longingly over lustrous garden.

Anyhow, we went out to lunch, which means I didn't have to think what sort of cheese to use on the toast!

Out to Westbury and to Fitzpatrick's Inn, the old home of the "Westbury Quilt" which is now hidden in the bowels of the National Museum in Canberra. When I first met it, it was draped over a curtain track on a wall inside the front door of this lovely old home of the Fitzpatrick sisters, who had bought it off a man who won it in a raffle. Made about 1900-1903, it's more of an embroidered spread as there is no quilting at all on it. But that's what it's called. There's a new "Westbury Quilt" now that was made by local ladies and hangs on the walls of the Council Chambers.

The centre of the quilt is a great (but crooked) screen print of the original quilt. I have seen the original one hung several times and I have vague recollections of it not being straight.

Here is the "new" quilt in all its glory. Such wonderful work.

Stanley and The Nut

Judy and I took the kids for two long walks along the beaches either side of the Nut. Both were windy days, it blew out the cobwebs and made already runny noses worse, but it was great!

We came home with shells, sand in our shoes and red cheeks.

Scatterday B

Scatterday B, originally uploaded by FranW.

I'm late, I'm late!!!!!
I've been "away" to Smithton, which is on the far north west coast of Tasmania. Very gallantly told a cousin I would come down and "help" with 5 grandchildren for part of the school holidays. What I didn't realise is that Judy has to be at one home at 5.30 AM each morning so the single father of 2 boys aged 3 and 5 can not be left alone. THEN she heads off to her daughter's house with these 2 in tow to look after another 3 boys ages 6, 10 and 13!!! Today was the last day of school holidays and everyone is pleased!
I drove through beautiful scenery. Ah yes, big bull, big paddock full of bulbs, big bluff (The Nut at Stanley or would I use Table Cape?)
I got a few pictures taken, but disaster overtook when on the 2nd day my battery went flat (B....y Battery) and I hadn't bought the spare or the re-charger! So that was that!
Judy even went to a few shops when she was in town "nooo, we don't have them that modern down here! They must be new models!"

My favourite is of course Banjo, and after this week, I think it will be worth money to his parents to make him an only child!
Big things - Boy, branch and big beach (at Stanley)
Shop - Banjo's Bakery

I would like to briefly add that I didn't join in the morning shift but had a leisurely lie-in for 4 mornings and wandered out to the farm in time for lunch bearing delights like small saveloys, cheese and fruit (which I was told they wouldn't eat!)

I also taught a class with the Smithton ladies, a lovely afternoon, after which we went to a local pub for dinner, and I had the large serve of fresh Tassie crumbed and deep fried scallops. I even had them the next night!

Doors Open

Graeme's Rotary Club have an annual "Doors Open" day, when we can get in to see inside buildings not usually open to the public.
In previous year I have been working so this year was the first time I have been able to participate, except for the first year when I saw inside the Synagogue that is only 2 doors up from the shop.
I saw inside the Buddhist Centre,which used to be a Methodist Church, City Park Radio, which is the beautiful old cottage that was built for the park caretaker, the Masonic building, Trinity Church (used to be Methodist too- what is it with us Methodists?) and the Gorge Caretaker's cottage.
I also went to Esk Market and bought bikkies, had coffee and muffins at the cafe behind Albert Hall, walked through the park taking photos and in between all that, came home and got in washing and ironed all that needed doing.

I tried to decide what to show to represent today and chose the Gorge Cottage. I drive past it at least twice a day. The Launceston City Council own it and it's used for visiting artists to live in as part of Artists in Residency programs.

My Antique Quilts

Today I took my antique quilts to the meeting of the Tasmanian Quilting Guild for "Show & Tell".
I could feel them exhaling as they were draped over the stage! I don't think most of them have seen the light of day for quite some years- part of the preserving process!

None of them have an exciting story to tell, none have a label, none are made by a master quilter but they all have a caring home at the moment.
I'm not sure what will happen to them later, will I ever have a tax problem so that I could "give" them to an institution. Wouldn't that be nice - to have a tax problem I mean! As my grandfather used to say "if you have to pay it means you must have earned it". Cold comfort when I first worked I can tell you!

Scatterday Q

Scatterday Q, originally uploaded by FranW.

Yes I know, I'm early but tomorrow is a busy day with Tas. Quilting Guild's AGM, I have to chair the election of office bearers (I hope they have all nominations in for all spots - one for each would be tidy) and I am also giving a Show & Tell of my antique quilts. It's good to air them, goodness knows how long it is since they've been dragged out of their storage trunk and cupboard! My friend Jill is going to take photos for me, so stay tuned.
It's the letter Q this week, easy peasy if you're a quilter. Isn't this a lovely "Q" with its big long flourish (can I call it a curly-Q?)under the rest of the letters in the Quadrant Mall sign in Launceston?

Music - Quartet, Quavers and of course Quilt fabric. I had a lovely time using Microsoft's "Picture It!" (2000 version at least) to cut out this circle. (Small things)

Clothing - Quilted jackets - yes, they're all mine, made starting about 20 years ago. I think 3 still fit, thank goodness the fashion was to make them roomy. Do you notice a colour theme here?

Square things - plenty of quilts in the cupboard, but I thought of my square rulers. There are 7 there and one missing, for the life of me I can't find the 4½" little one LOL!
The top left is the Salem brand, remember those? They were first, but became defunct as they didn't have 1/8th markings on them and we discovered that we needed eighths for "Half Square Triangles"
Another unused one is the metric one, designed by Margaret Rolfe. Australians resisted fiercely changing to metrication for quilting, as most of our books and patterns were still produced in America. The two rulers with masking tape on them are Bias Square rulers and the 3 red ones on the right are from "Sew Easy". I use this brand all the time and can do just about anything with 15", 12" and and the long one!

I don't like Omnigrid as I find them too busy with yellow and black markings (but I find them useful for left handed quilters) and just can't get the hang of Matilda's flourescent variety with the laser cut lines!

I've just remembered where the smaller one is, there could even be more, but I won't boor you any more.

Banjo and Nic, September 2007

Off for a 4 hour cycling-sightseeing trip of Berlin.

It was such a long tour -sightseeing is so tiring!

Early morning mist

A clear beautiful morning with whisps of cloud in the valley.

I went to Hobart again yesterday, leaving very early with G. as he had a meeting. It was a good chance to visit Thelma again, as her husband is still in Royal Hobart after more heart surgery.

We also had lunch with Rob. He steered us towards a great place - a shop that has coffee, flowers, ladies clothes, shoes and handbags.

Meal was great and "dessert" was expensive! (that was had after G and R left to get the chook food from the car) (R inherited 3 chooks with the new rental property and G thought they looked hungry - chooks came quickly when G threw some grass through the fence LOL)

I forgot about the camera tucked in my bag until we left town, so I shot a picture through the car window of the suspension bridge at Bridgewater.

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Mum's Quilt

I've been asked for a picture of the quilt I gave to my mother-in-law.

Cobblestones, a very simple block, all precut ready for some mindless sewing at the Tas. Quilting Guild's retreat at Poatina in May.

One I can do, sewing and talking at the same time.

The search for the perfect Parmigiana

This is not it!

....and then there are the prunings !

The plants are all in and this pile of prunings was too much to ignore.

We used to save it all for bonfire night, but that was a long time ago.

Spring iz Sprung

My creation, originally uploaded by FranW.

It must be in the air, the gardener (DH) thought that he's like to put a few shrubs in down the back yard. I have had the same idea, but I didn't want to mention it because then I'd be responsible for their upkeep!
With a bit of advice from his mum (who is a good gardener) we headed off to Beck's (plant-world and hardware store) and luckily ran into the lovely Natalie who'd done classes with me. She showed us some great ones for bird life, so instead of the 2 he thought would be nice, we came home with 6 native shrubs and 10 pansies . :-)

Today's Blog has been bought to you by the letter "R"

My creation, originally uploaded by FranW.

Ragged Rhodo's -Plantworld- of course I wouldn't find anything exciting in my garden, so it was an excuse to visit mother in law's garden. I would have been able to show several species of Oxalis and onion weed, pity it wasn't "O" this week!
Rabbits- Childhood- from a Dick Bruna book that Nic had 32 years ago. Banjo was born in Amsterdam, which was Dick Bruna's home and there are many shops dedicated to his characters, mainly Miffy, the lovely white rabbit.
Roundabout Art, taken just up from home at the Trevallyn Roundabout. It didn't take long from it's installation that some bogan decided it needed a bit of white paint! grrrr.

He's baaacckkkkk!

He arrived home early clutching this bunch of ferrals!

He stopped off at the roadside and using the nail scissors from his first-aid kit, cut them for me.

I suppose it's good to know I am in his thoughts?

Meanwhile, another new BOM is due at The Quilt Patch, "Oriental Traditions" by Kaufman.

We have the shop's kit and my fingers are beginning to twitch again :-)

While the Tom Cat's away.....

I've had another mini-retreat, home alone! I love them. I've been wanting to try a convergence type quilt for ages, ordered the book but it didn't arrive so I borrowed the one from LPQ's library. Convergence Quilts by Ricky Timms was second on my list of things to try as I really needed to make the bright batiks up first, so yesterday I scratched around and found 4 fabrics that I liked enough to sew with, but wouldn't be broken hearted if it didn't work out. (If you get the drift?)

In between times I finished the ironing, cleaned out the bottom bathroom drawer and the bench beside the kitchen phone. (planned) Left-overs for tea, and all I have to do are the borders. I think that will do for a while, I will lay it out on the bed and gaze at it for a while so I can get on with the next project.

Batiks

Once the decision's been made, the sewing doesn't take long! 30 - 10" squares equals this.
Half Log Cabin design, randomly cut (well it was evenly cut but not pre-planned) and then trimmed back to be one size. Fabric moved along the lines of blocks in "Stack A New Deck".
Lovely crisp bright batiks.

Nic and Banjo on train in Norway

Nic & Banjo on train, originally uploaded by FranW.

Happy Father's Day Nic ! A lovely Father's Day surprise arrived, a few new photos of my son and grandson. They both look well and happy.

Father's Day

It's Father's Day today, here is a shot of 3 proud fathers.
Great Grandfather Frank, Father Nic and Grand-dad Graeme with the small person who made it all possible for them to enjoy that title.
The shot was taken December 2006, so Banjo has grown considerably in the last 8 months!
We had a Father's Day brunch with Graeme's family - his father is in hospital at the moment, but we still had plenty of fathers/grandfathers there.
We also had Ruby- 6 weeks and Ada -3.5 yrs which made the day lively!