ANZAC DAY 2025

It only comes once a year but it is the time I remember my father who served Australia overseas in the Air force during WW2.  He went away a young 22 y.o. and came back broken in body and mind but always believed it was the most important thing he did with his life.  So every ANZAC day I go to the dawn service to remember him and lay flowers in his memory.  (He died of his wounds in his 50's.)

To day it rained.

We all stood there in the rain and remembered.  The young cadets stood there, in the rain, for the whole time, with no complaining but with respect.

As the dim light of dawn came into the sky the hunting eagles swept low over our heads as if they too added their thoughts to ours.

Less we forget.

Quilts

When I had all the teenagers staying last weekend I had requests for some more blankets.  Well, I actually only have one set of blankets.  I bought these for my 'glory box' when I was 18 years old.  I know I had to put them on 'Lay-by' because they were expensive and I had to pay them off.  The thing is 60 years later they are as good as new, only the satin binding on the end needed to be replaced.  (My daughter has picked some up in a Op-shop for a pittance.  Washed and cleaned they are as good as new and very warm).

But back to the teenagers, I pulled out quilts for them and found I only had 2 'ordinary quilts' in my stash.

A string quilt

and a disappearing 9 patch.

All the rest I just couldn't let a teenager loose on.  Remember one of the actors in "How to make an American Quilt" trailing that beautiful quilt in the dirt?  That's what teenagers do and the quilts I haven't given away are embroidered or needle turn applique or art quilts, not for teenagers.  So I need to make some more everyday quilts. Quilts that I don't have a lot of emotional attachment to.  Quilts, that if they are mistreated I won't freak out about.  Quilts I can put in the washing machine.  I have a good stock of doonas but they are for very cold weather.  I need quilts for Autumn and Spring.  I think I will start with another string quilt. 

There is a lot to be said for the unremarkable.

The book has arrived

So my "Essentail Stitch Guides - Canvaswork" has arrived.

It doesn't have the range of stitches that the older books have but the colour photos are so much better.  There is an image of a sampler that has been worked for each stitch.  (I love how this is stitched in one colour.)

And although there isn't the number of different stitches there is plenty here.  The illustrations and instructions are clear.  And they include a line drawing and a picture of the stitched out sample.  Each one of these has a line of the pattern in another colour, great to show contrast.

And then there are illustrations of what you could do for inspiration.

I really like this book.  Well worth the wait.

WIPW

The quilt is finished,

and I made a bag to put it in.

I am ready to start the new knitting as I have finished my test square and I am still sampling tapestry stitches.

Now I have to think about the next quilt.

Easter is over, thank goodness.

Easter can bring beautiful or horrible weather.  I remember being stuck with three kids in a beach side apartment and it rained the whole time.  This year the weather was fantastic and we got the huge storm on the last night.  My family remembered that we live on the sea side and the teenagers decended, with their friends. 

(source: Redlands News.)

Noise, mess, sand, new friends they made jumping off the jetty and lots of noise.  They ate all the food I had on hand and then they were gone.  ( I had forgotten how teenagers eat!)

It was so quiet that a dugong swam into the beach.

School goes back today and peace has descended and I am left with hours of housework ahead of me. They said that they would be back next weekend as that is a 3 day break.  I need to have more food on hand this time.