WIPW

I am finding it hard to do anything very much, still.  The virus has just about finished but has left me with fatigue, so I sit and read or sleep.

I have set myself the task of making some more bowl cosies.  These are for my cleaning lady, who is a real friend.  She has a non verbal autistic daughter, along with two teenage sons.  She has to watch Amy, her daughter, with her food, so being able to give her food she can hold without burning herself on the plates or the food, is essential.

I am going to quilt them using my walking foot on my machine.  On second thought, these are about the right size that I could practice with my quilting templates.  I don't have to think, just follow the template.  Problem is I will have to re-learn how to use them all over again.

I think I threw my learning piece away!

But I have been looking for an excuse to buy some of Pauline Rogers quilting templates.

These you just sew with your feed dogs up and follow the line.  AND she has a You Tube channel where you can watch and then sew.  I have known Pauline for over 30 years and know that these things will work just as she says.  (I now have to wait for the post for them to arrive.)  I might just stay with what I know for the time being.  These are the fabrics I intend to use.

I am struggling along with my knitting but a little each day will see me get there, I hope.

New Artist

I am on the mailing list of a small gallery in Brisbane and I get updates on all their exhibitions.   Since my retirement and "down sizing" my home I just don't have room to hang all my collection.  The pictures are stacked in the back of nearly every wardrobe for lack of space.  So, I am no longer adding to this bundle.  But, if I was, I would love the work of this artist.  I missed the opportunity to meet her because of illness, but Oh, I love her work.  Her name is Jane Guthleben  and I am pleased that most of the work in this exhibition is sold out, I was so tempted.

Even if I don't buy any of her work I just love her use of colour and find it inspirational.

Here is a link to her gallery.

I love the way she uses different colours in her background.

The Oud

Joseph Tawadros is a larger than life Australian/Eygptian musician who has changed the way I appreciate music and musical instruments.  I had never heard of the Arabic Oud until I heard him play. It opened a whole new world of music for me.

This is an interview with him from the TV show the Project.

 

This is some background on the instrument.  (This  video is all about playing the instrument and how it relates to western music.)

 

It has taken some time but....

I bought a bundle of old embroideries from the markets in Solola in South America when I was there a number of years ago.  I had no idea what I was going to do with them.  I did wash one of them back in 2019 and thought it was too good to go back into the cupboard, but that is where it ended up.  A few days ago I got it out again and decided that I would use  it in a cushion.

The problem with the piece was that it wasn't square, that fabric was hand woven and there was no way to get it straight.  So this embroidery piece isn't quiet square, but you can't see that when it is sitting on a chair.  I am pleased with that little bit of piping around the embroidery it just picks up the blue in the birds and I do love those birds.

I found a piece of patchwork fabric which had a grey design printed onto a black background.  The problem with the hand dyed and hand woven fabric is that you can never match that black, you don't have to with the grey design there . 

This piece now has another life.

WIPW

Not only have I now finished the binding on my scrap quilt.  I made this from the scraps left over from the piecing.

I have also finished the quilt bag, made from all the left overs.  I like to make a bag for each quilt from the materials I used in that  quilt because when you pack it away at the end of winter it is easy to find in the cupboard when you need to get it out again.

These include the blocks that I made mistakes on.

 

But I am having trouble programing my old sewing machine  (30 years old) to do the label.

I now have 3 queen sized quilts to make so am on the lookout for designs for the other two.  I found some vintage looking fabric for my daughters quilt.

I am going to use this French General fabric for my sister's quilt.

And I have no idea what I will use for my niece.

 

As I now have 2 machines set up in my workroom I need another machine cover for the second one.  I love this old machine but I think I need to have it serviced again.

This is the pattern I will use.  I have some of those butterflies on the pocket already made in my stash, I just hope the colours all match. This pattern is a cover and doubles as a mat.

I am trying to not use my hand too much and keep it in it's splint but it doesn't seem to do much.  I now realise that I have been putting up with weakness and pain in this hand and wrist for all the years since I got Ross River Fever, I just blocked it out until the level of pain made itself felt more urgently.

Dior Fashion Show

Not only are the fashions great the set this season is amazing.  But I don't think that sock look is me.

 

 

The Art and Science of Ernst Haeckel

I find it so frustrating when I hear about a book that I think I might like and I can't find it in the library, not my local one or the one in the city.

This has been the case with "The Art and Science of Ernst Haeckel". 

He was a contemporary of Charles Darwin and in fact they did meet.  His illustrations are quite stunning and I think many would provide a great resource for embroidery design.

I have found a web source where I can view some of these pictures on "The Guardian" web page of all places and I could BUY the book from Amazon.

One interesting thing about this man was that he coined many of the words used in science today.  Some of these include ecology, phylum and stem cells.  I might invest in this book, problem is where will I put it?

You can view another article about his work at:

The Modern Met.

and this is a quick flip through of the book at You Tube.

 

 

A song from a long time ago.

This song is from so long ago and is said to be the oldest song that is known.  Read the notes that go with it, very intersting.

 

 

Where I live

It is time for the Ekka again and that means that spring is just around the corner.  I have to admit that I am a bit worried about what this comming summer will bring in the way of weather.  All the undergrowth is very dry and we have not had the normal rainfall that one would expect by this time of year.

I would expect to see great swaths of 'feral flowers' though the bush, but not this year.  I have only been able to gather one bunch of Fressias.   But the perfume permeates the whole house and they are beautiful.

I also came across this fellow sunning himself down on the beach.  He could be an aboriginal painting!

So there are still lots of blessings to be found.

WIPW

I have finished all the pin cushions.  Each embroidery has a magnet at the back of it to make it needle holder as well.

And I have finished another quilt, binding still to be done.  (This will be a gift or a donation.)

I am really pleased with the quilting pattern.

More knitting of Tea Cosyies in progress.  I still have all the decoration to go on these but I am pleased with the fit.  I still have another 5 to do.

Now I have to clean this sewing room.