Gum Valley Patchwork

Because I'm me

It's the last day of autumn and although winter is just about here, there is still the chance of some nice fine days in June. There is still a lot to do in the garden before it gets too wet underfoot and the new garden bed I started the other day is not progressing very far. I spent today playing catchup cleaning at the Shop - sweeping and washing the floors. It got me thinking about how housework is a never ending task. You get it all neat and tidy, spend all that time and then you have to do it all over again the next day! At least when you finish a quilt it's done and you can start on something totally new. And when I die how will people remember me? Will it be because I swept the floors everyday or will they remember me for the quilts I make, the volunteer work I do, my garden or because I'm me.

Linda         :) 

Stone the crows

Damn magpies! The lovely little darlings have decided to pull out quite a few of the oz box cuttings that I have put in at the shop. I haven’t actually caught them in the act but I know it’s them! I guess I’ll just have to keep replacing them until they take root and anchor into the ground. Another bird that has caused me a few problems in the garden is the crow (or little raven). About 6 weeks ago I arrived at the shop and there on a patch of half dead lawn were about 30 crows. They were having an absolute ball – ripping up clods of dead grass and eating the red headed cockchaffer grubs just under the surface. On one hand they were doing a fabulous job of getting rid of this 'impossible to kill' grub, but on the other hand my lawn was destroyed. That afternoon the crows moved to the western side of the orchard and started ripping that area up too. Being the optimist that I am, I saw it as an opportunity to establish a new garden bed and to extend the orchard. So today I set about to rake the dead clods off the surface, placed an edging down and started mulching it ready for some trees and shrubs to go in. The garden and shop are quite exposed to the howling south westerly winds so the trees will hopefully provide some protection. While I was raking the new garden bed 2 little blue wrens were hopping about catching lots of small insects. As I stood there mesmorised by them, one juvenile male hopped within 6 inches of my foot. They are such sweet little birds and quite a number have made their home in my garden. Sometimes however they don't always stay outside in the garden. I had one curious little female blue wren inside the shop one day, and only a month ago I had a Willie Wagtail fly in the front door and straight upstairs into the classroom!

This evening we had a visit from a guy selling aerial photographs. He has taken several of our farming property as well as a very nice one of the shop. We have ordered some, and I will have the one of the shop on display after the 12th June. It shows how fantastic the vegetable garden looks, but also shows what the crows did to my lawn. Damn crows!

Linda           :)

Clever Duckies

It is always so exciting to get quilts back from being quilted. Usually I try and do my own, but with a backlog of unfinished class samples I bit the bullet and sent 3 quilts off to get done. Along with my 3, Hannah had a large quilt she had pieced out of the Shangri La fabric – so off it went too. Wendy and Margaret from Clever Ducks Quilting in Colac did a fabulous job and I’m sure that they will be over run with work in the near future. Hannah was rapt in her quilt but not so keen now to tackle the binding! I tried to take some photos, but the quality wasn’t good - but here's a closeup shot anyway.

I’ll get the bindings on, hang them and then post the full photos.

I have spent the day in Melbourne taking a friend down for a MRI. Neither she or her husband drive in the city so I volunteer to be their chauffeur when necessary. They are a lovely couple and I always enjoy their company. It is however always a long day so bed will look very good tonight.

Linda       :)

20 blocks finished

I’ve done it! I have finished the last 2 blocks, making 20 in total.  Now I will start working on drafting up the patterns – the most tedious part of the whole project. I have learnt by experience and now I write everything (measurements and method) down as I go. This makes it a little easier but it is still a time consuming job. I can't wait until the bolts of fabric arrive next month so that I can put the whole quilt together. Not sure where the finished quilt will end up but I'm sure it will find a home somewhere.

The shop was quiet today so I managed to bake another 8 apple pies. I make my own pastry in bulk using the food processor. None of this rubbing butter in with your fingers - I haven't done that since my high school home economics class.

It’s a lot easier and I get a bit of a production line going. I also have 2 ovens in the kitchen so I can cook 4 pies in each at the same time.

I'm off to Warrnambool tomorrow to do a nursery crawl. I have quite a few plants that I need to buy for the shop garden and one of the nurseries has a sale on. Not sure whether I should take the ute or the car though!

Linda     :)

 

Apple Pies

I was making good progress this morning on the apple pie front until a phone call. It was a friend who wanted to have a sewing afternoon – how could I say no! It was fantastic to catch up and chat about everything and anything as well as doing some sewing. So after she left it was back on with the apron and into it. The result - 8 pies ready for the freezer.

I’m planning to make another 8 tomorrow and that should just about do us. While I was waiting for them to cool down I started cutting out the fabric for the final 2 blocks of the ‘Peace on Earth’ Blocks of the Month Sampler Quilt. I’m working out the details at the moment and will post them when it is finalised.

Linda      :)

Poppies for Linda

It certainly was chilly today. I decided to make an early start on mowing the lawns at the shop and by the end of it the fingers were tingling. But at least they look neat and tidy.

I was recently asked what my favourite flower is. Mmmm that’s a hard question for a keen gardener. But if I were to pick one it would be poppies.

I have planted a row in front of the shop and they are just starting to bloom. They brighten up the dull winter days with their yellow, orange & cream flowers. For my 40^th birthday my mother made me a quilt – "Poppies for Linda" – which is on my bed. She entered it in the Victorian Quilters Quilt Showcase and won best amateur quilt.

Poppies would be closely followed by roses. They are so tough and have thrived with no summer watering. It was very special when Lenora gave me a rose – Sweet Memories – as a gift after my father passed away. I have hesitated planting it as I wanted to put it somewhere where I would see it everyday. Yesterday I found that spot – right near the front door of the shop so in it went. Thanks Lenora.

I also had all good intentions of turning my huge pile of homegrown apples into pies today but that just wasn’t to be. I like to make them in bulk and then freeze so that we can enjoy them during the cold winter nights. Hubby loves them with ice-cream and maple syrup, but I love custard. Maybe I’ll get a chance tomorrow!

Linda     :)

The Vegie Garden

It was vegie garden day today. I was determined to make a serious attempt at getting it all organised. Last year a friend – Kylie – gave me some of her broccoli seedlings. Well they grew great and set seed everywhere and voila I had about 20 new broccoli plants come up. So they were transplanted into a new garden bed today, and into the next bed went about 120 golden shallot seedlings that popped up from last year too. Kylie and I did another trade the other day – I gave her a few scraps of fabric for her Suffolk Puff Quilt (like the one featured behind me in my profile photo) and in return she gave me some winter vegies in pots. They were planted out today and look fabulous – all ready to grow.

While I was trimming up the rhubarb I found a couple of friends hiding in amongst the leaves.

I love frogs – always have, always will.

I even trimmed and tidied up the herb garden in the centre of the vegie garden.

Better go - having Roast Lamb & vegies for tea - followed by stewed rhubarb!

Linda     :)

Posh fabric not Posh Beckham

Unfortunately it’s that time of the month again……no not that time of the month ……..herd test time! For the untrained in dairy talk this is when we take samples from our milking cows (through special collection meters and flasks) to send away for analysis. The results will tell us how many litres the cows are producing as well as their butterfat and protein test. We have done this 10 times a year for over 20 years. Most farmers will say it leads to a lot of disagreements in the dairy, but I think we have a good system worked out and we rarely ‘fight’.

I’m in the process of selecting fabric to make a quilt for a friend. It is often difficult when making something for someone else – what happens if they don’t like it? Will they use it? I have heard some horror stories about quilts given as gifts and then them ending up in the dog’s kennel – how heart breaking. On the other end of the scale I made a good friend a quilt as a thank you and his Mum won’t let him use it – she brings it out to show people and then puts it away. I’ll have to make him another one – but this time for him to use!

I’ve decided to go with the POSH range by Chez Moi. I ordered the full range of Posh and was lucky to secure 31 out of the 32 bolts, and it arrived at the end of March. Apparently the distribution company had more orders than they could fill and some retail outlets missed out on part of their orders. Now I just have to decide which colours in the range to use!

I have also purchased 3 bolts of fabric which have gone straight into the Specials rack.

At only $12 per metre these would make great backing fabric, and the green & blue blend in quite nicely with the Posh range too. I always try to add new fabrics to the Specials rack as bolts are sold so keep you eye on them when visiting the Shop.

Linda       :)

A taste of Winter

We have experienced a taste of winter this weekend with yesterday not very pleasant at all. We catered for a function at the Surf Club at Port Campbell last night and the view of the port was a stark contrast to the last time I was there. The seas were very rough and there was not a bikini in sight!

It was an earlier start in the shop today as a busload of visitors from Camperdown arrived just after 10am for a look around. A busy morning was followed by a quiet afternoon so I was able to finish getting ready for the ‘Material Girls Club’ for tomorrow. There are eight ladies that come to the shop one afternoon a month (for 5 months) and make a project to take home – finished! I have everything precut so it’s just sew, sew, sew. After the class they enjoy a cuppa in the tearooms (which is included in the cost). So far we have made the ‘Sweetie Pie Table Runner’ and the ‘Daisy-a-Day Cushion’. Here is a sneak peek at the project for tomorrow.

I have discovered ‘spring bars’ and have designed this little bag using one. It would be ideal for my digital camera and Hannah has put her order in for one too.

I have also made 2 more blocks ……..

and only have 2 more to go.

Linda      :)

Burn or Rust

Do you ever have the feeling that life is just so hectic that you’ll be going somewhere one day and you’ll meet yourself coming back the other way? Today was a bit like that, and I don’t expect the next two days will be any different. I have found though that I do work better under pressure and most things get done (eventually). To quote Neil Young – ‘It’s better to burn out than it is to rust’ and I’m sure that I’ll never rust!

I did manage to squeeze in an hour of sewing this afternoon and completed 2 more blocks. I’m up to 16 so only four more to go.

Better keep chasing my tail......... 

Linda     :)