I'm On Holidays..............

Where do I start? Last night brought out the inner rock chick (should I say boiler?) at a Deep Purple concert in Melbourne.  I've got to admit that I've never been a real hard core fan, (that's Kevin in this household and he's passed it on to his children), but I really enjoyed myself (and knew quite a few of the songs so clearly somethings rubbed off).  I couldn't help myself, I indulged in a little dancing, clapping and singing along and had a thoroughly great night. 

In the words of Natalie Bochenski from Brisbanetimes.com.au "Seeing Smoke on the Water played live is one of those bucket list moments; that riff is so ingrained in our collective music consciousness, I can’t even imagine a world before it existed. It’s like the chords were always in the wind; Deep Purple just wrote them down".  So what next for the holiday?

Today it's back to Ballarat where we've based ourselves over the past week, before we move on tomorrow to travel the Great Ocean Road.  I've fallen in love with Ballarat and the area around here - stately old buildings, wonderful rolling hills, trees and vegetation so incredibly beautiful large and profuse! Fortunately, because I'm told it's not always like this, the weather has been very co-operative for a Queensland such as I and mostly has been quite warm!  The Art Gallery is amazing and I've visited a few times now - currently on display  is Next Gen 2013 - the annual review of VCE artworks and I can only say I just can't believe the talent in this area and the support they are given through this.  If you happen to be visiting this area before 24 March it is well worth a visit.

Entrance to Ballarat Botancial Gardens

Importantly, however you wouldn't believe just how many patchwork shops there are around here and I've visited them all.  What can I say Ballarat Patchwork, Mill Rose Quilting - and their wonderful restaurant next door, Eureka Patchwork, Gails Patchwork Emporium, Threadbear at Castlemaine, the delightful Button shop at Buninyong I've visited them all (some more than once) and am leaving lighter in the pocket but thrilled with what I've gained.  Gorgeous fabrics & patterns and most importantly I've met some genuinely friendly, lovely ladies and gentlemen only too happy to share and help in any way they can.

Since attending a couple of classes with Margaret McDonald at AQC a few years ago, I've kept an eye out for any mention of her work.  I couldn't believe it when I visited Threadbear and she had two lovely quilts on display (where she teaches).

Sadly, I must return to the real world (which enables me to take holidays) sometime and can't do the classes!

Another huge highlight of my trip to date was being able to see the Golden Textures Art Quilt Exhibition at Maryborough.  Sadly I wasn't allowed to take photos.  It included works from Margaret McDonald, Brenda Gael Smith, Alison Schwabe, Diane Firth, Susan Mathews and more!  Their work is truly inspiring, so again if you have a chance be sure to get to see it. Not to mention it's a delightful drive passing through Creswick & Clunes to get there.  Incidentally there's a to die for lolly shop at Clunes (to help pass the time travelling).

Enough for now, I've got some exploring to do, I'll post in a few days.  Hope everyone's doing well at home.  Bev

 

Collaboration….

For some time now, I’ve joined a few other like minded friends on the second Wednesday of each month to sew.  This month, thanks to episodes of Downton Abby, Packed to the Rafters and Castle I actually have two completed quilts to share.  The picture  below is a quilt Melanie put together a few years back, always intending to hand quilt.  Yada Yada, she passed it on to me when she had to move and finally acknowledged she just didn’t have time to finish it.  My friend Evol quilted it and I completed the binding during the aforementioned programmes and now it’s destined as gift, as all quilts from this group to someone in the community.

   

Here’s another picture to show off the quilting.

This next quilt we put together a few months back.  Evol quilted and Daphne completed the binding (probably during the aforementioned programmes as well).  I’ve blogged about it before… and it is lovely to see them completed before they are passed on.

Sewing today was at my friend Peggy’s beautiful home and I couldn’t resist snapping a quick shot from her front door, just to share.  Peggy’s home is full of colour and the many collections – including quilts she’s put together over the years, it really is a feast for the eyes!  I look at the picture and just want to go in and explore!

WIP ..Taking Shape ….

 

Bit more progress made on my Gypsy Wife BOM from Amitie lately.  It’s ironic that just when I’ve finally caught up (and I know because I saw the bank statement that another package is on the way), that I have to take it down and put it away for a month or so because….wait for it….I’m going on holidays!  I don’t leave for another week or so, sadly that’s only 3 home days - the remainder being work days, to get my house,  garden and especially my dogs ready for the lovely lady who will be housesitting for us.

 

We’ll be away for almost a month.  Initially we’re packing the caravan and heading to Ballarat for the SWAP meet, and I’m very excited because this is an area that I’ve wanted to explore for quite some time. Towards the end of our time away we’re helping our daughter move from Brisbane to Sydney to start a new job.  My head is spinning at the thought of all those as yet unknown Patchwork Shops and wonderful places I’m going to encounter along the way!  The RACQ trip planner tells me it will be at least 6500 kilometres, not including any sightseeing or detours encountered along the way!  Most importantly if anyone reading this knows of a good shop or two along the way, please be sure to let me know!!!!

Before  I go, to keep me on track this year and hopefully finish some of those projects I have in the cupboard, I’ve joined – Dawn and Wendy’s Sew It’s Finished UFO Challenge, and while I have nothing to post at the moment I will do before too long.

Cheers, Bev

Can You Believe January 2013 is almost done?

It must be a thing about age, but gee this year already is flying!  Over the past couple of weeks I managed a day to get together with a few friends to work on this quilt.  Instructions are from the book Kaleidoscope the Smart Way by Sharon Sebrow and it’s certainly proving to be an interesting way to make this quilt.  I’m hoping to get the border on it before we meet up again in a couple of weeks.

Other than this I found time over the weekend to make a few more blocks for my Gypsy Wife quilt.  I’ve now completed to the end of Month 9 and will start on more ‘filler’ blocks for Month 10 today.

Finally, my thoughts are with all Australians currently experiencing such extreme weather conditions and now flooding, this wonderful country of ours certainly isn’t behaving nicely of late! 

SSCS Gift from Wendy

For some reason blogger has decided to stop letting me post photos from my computer, so to get around it I’m writing this in Windows Live Writer.  I don’t know if it’s good or bad - I know I’m not alone in not wanting to make changes, especially with tools, familiarity is good!

Anyway that’s my gripe for the day.  I did manage to get a picture of the gifts Wendy sent me, taken outside on a sunny day the quilting really stands out doesn’t it.  The little quilt will hang most happily next Christmas and as I mentioned in the previous post, I especially love the scarf and am looking forward to the weather cooling a little so I can wear it.

Over the Christmas break I did get a couple of opportunities to sew, so continued progress on my Gypsy Wife quilt (BOM from Amitie).  This photo doesn’t do it justice with the blocks on the wall like this but you can get the idea.  I’m enjoying doing it – a little at a time and now I’m only two months behind!

I particularly like the fabrics for the block in the middle photo – they’re not something I would normally choose or put together.  The picture on the right are actually Farmers Wife blocks that I made a while back and then decided I didn’t like the background of greys. The colours and patterns compliment this project, so I’ve added to some of the blocks to increase their size and will use them here.  I’m enjoying the freedom of just playing and I’m really looking forward to receiving the final two months instructions which tell me how to put it together.  I suspect I’m going to have a lot of playing to get it to work.

This next photo is a quilt my friends and I got together in December to put together.  The pattern is Bounce from Miss Rosies Quilt Co and I just love it!  I’ll take a much better photo when it’s finished, but five of us got together raided our stashes and this is the result.  The fabrics we used are from the pansy era back in the 1990’s and we’re especially happy to make such a contempory quilt using them!  This quilt will eventually be gifted as are all the quilts we make, but gee it gives us a lot of pleasure working to put them together!

Anyway, that’s it for now – I think I have time to just get another block done for the Gypsy Wife before I start work if I go now.  Hope this finds everyone safe and well.

Delivered...SSCS Parcel/'.

Happily for me the Postman was busy this week and delivered my lovely SSCS gift from Wendy in USA.  Being particularly challenged with both crochet and knitting needles, I especially love the scarf Wendy made for me.  I will enjoy wearing it when it finally starts to cool down a little.  I have a lovely photo to share, but blogger and I seem to be at odds today (this is the third time I've tried to post today) so it will have to wait intil it's playing nicely....My sincere thanks go to Wendy who made me such lovely gifts and to Chookyblue for the inspiration she brings and her patience and skill in organising the swap.

I'm off to visit family to the next couple of days so I will try to post again when I return.

Finally, my thoughts are with all Australians suffering through these past heatwaves and now shocking bushfires.  Please stay safe whereever you are.

Regards, Bev