Gum Valley Patchwork

TBT

TBT (Throwback Thursday) is something that I have enjoyed watching and following on friends facebook pages for some months now. Old photos of sometimes hard to recognise faces.....but they all hold special memories for the people sharing them. I recently attended a work reunion so I have decided to use this as my kick off for my own TBT Blog posts. Sometimes they will come with stories.....sometimes not......but either way I hope that you enjoy my trip (and fall) down memory lane. And remember it's okay to laugh at the photo.....because I do!

So back to the reunion. Only a couple of weeks ago I stumbled across a fb group for past workers at the SECV at Clements House in Flinders Street Melbourne. I was excited to see faces and names that I recognised........as an 18 year old, I left home in the country to start my first job in Melbourne at the State Electricity Commission as a Clerical Officer. My stumble was perfect timing as a reunion had been organised for Friday 24th October and I arranged to attend. To say I was nervous was an understatement.......yes I know a lot of you probably wouldn't believe that I am not all that comfortable in a group with strangers. But there were people who were attending that I really wanted to catch up with.......most I hadn't seen in about 30 years. It was held upstairs in Chloe's Bar in the old watering hole of the Young & Jackson's Pub.....with about 100 past employees the noise was deafening with the chatter as we all desperately were trying to read name tags and recall them from years ago. As I only worked in Credit Control and the Customer Service departments for 3 years, my recall wasn't as good as others.........some hadn't changed at all.........some had less hair......most had glasses.......some a little less thin.........and some obviously weren't as old as I thought they were!

So here is my TBT photo......a young 19 year old enjoying lunch and drinks at Hosies Bar in Elizabeth Street (which I am told is now a rather undesirable place unless you like topless barmaids and strippers!)

I left Clements House in 1984 to return home, and I worked at the SEC in Colac up until November 1987 when I left to have Emma. I look back on those 3 1/2 years in Melbourne fondly and cherish the memories that I have and the friendships that remain with me today.....including Andrew. We write every year at Christmas.....his is the first card I get every year....lol!

Both a little greyer too!

Linda    :)

A little bit of eye candy

'Good Company' by Cori Dantini for Blend Fabrics is due to arrive soon.......

Foxes, Owls, Hedghogs, Squirrels, Birds and Acorns

......something a little different in a gorgeous way.

'Butterfly Hollow' by Moon Cookie Designs will be a little longer before it arrives, unfortunately it's not due until  next March.

Another pretty design like her previous 'I Heart You' range......check out these pretty dresses using one of the prints.

and the blenders are great too.

While the Dino Flannel range is due to arrive in February,

the 'Jungle Jubilee' Flannel will be here in April / May.....

a panel and coordinating prints will make it easy to whip up a snuggly quilt in time for winter.

There are lots more ranges due to arrive over the coming months ('Paradise' by Jason Yenter; 'Pocketful of Daisies' Lynette Anderson; 'Field of Lilies' by Jan Patek, plus more) so make sure to call in and check out what's new in the shop.

Linda   :)

'Bluebird Lane' Block of the Month

Sometimes when you see a quilt you just know that you have to make it. This is what happened to me when I first saw Natalie Bird's new Block of the Month 'Bluebird Lane'........and it wasn't even finished! I loved the first couple of Blocks and I knew that Natalie wouldn't disappoint....and she hasn't. So I ordered the patterns (and blogged about it here) and I have started making up the sample that my Block of the Month kits will look like.

I have been cutting as I have been stitching so participants will get the same fabrics that I have used.

I will also supply a colour photo (each month) so that you know where the fabrics are used in each block,

and make notes of anything that I think you need to know or things that I have done differently.

 

I have been using the Fusible Applique Paper for my applique (which I love!), but you can use needleturn, freezer paper, or blanket stitch if you like.....the choice if yours!

I only have a limited number of kits available and once they are sold I won't be able to make any more up. The price is $30 per month plus P&H for 10 months. For those of you who have already placed your order....thank you! I expect to start the first mailout in the first week of November. If you haven't signed up yet and would like to, you can place your order online here, or contact me to arrange your details etc.

Back to stitching Block 4!

Linda   :)

Please note that when signing up for BOM's it is a commitment for the full program.....in this case the full 10 months. If you think you will 'lose interest' and just expect to be able to cancel, please think again!

 

Trellis Quilt Class

Last year I purchased this pattern from Karen Griska and started my own version of her fantastic scrappy quilt.

I have in fact made the whole quilt from my stash, and even though I am still hand quilting it (oh why did I decide that that would be a good idea!), the binding will also come from leftovers. I asked Karen if I was able to run it as a class and she agreed......of course all participants will get their own copy of the pattern. I have rescheduled this class from it's original date in early October, and it is now being held on Friday 31st October, 11am - 3pm at the Shop. The cost of the class is $25 and I have a couple of vacancies. So if you would like to come along let me know and I can send you out the requirements list.

Linda   :)

Back to Melbourne again

It has been 7 weeks since we left our home and cows behind and in some ways we do miss it. But we have settled in well to our new lifestyle and things are about to get busy for Russell as he starts working for a local contractor driving tractors for the coming harvest season. So before he got too busy we made another trip to Melbourne to help Emma & Ryan out by laying a concrete slab for their garden shed. So while they were at work we prepped the site.

We were lucky that the side block is still vacant so we removed a panel from the fence and the truck was able to back right up to the site.....no heavy wheelbarrows!

After a bit of work we had the surface screeded off and just had to wait for the concrete to go off before Russell could trowel it off.

By 5pm it was all done and I was allowed to go back to Bunnings for some 'me' shopping.....Russell decided to wait in the ute for me.....BIG MISTAKE.....lol!

We stayed the night and headed off early the next morning to beat the traffic on the Monash......did get caught up a little but we were glad that we left at 5.50am and not any later. Once we got on the Westgate we were heading against the traffic so it was easy going all the way.

It is really nice being able to do these things without having to worry about organising a relief milker months out.......something we are looking forward to doing more of....particularly next year!

Linda   :)

 

Now it feels like Spring.

Spring has been a little slow to take off this year, and it has only been in the last few days that the apple trees have burst into blossom.

The smell is divine and the bees have been super busy today with the sun warm and the wind low.

My Huonville Crab Apple is also out in blossom, and although it isn't a very old tree I am hoping that I might get some of the scarlet red fruit....flesh and skin....to make some crab apple jelly later on.

The ten different varieties of Cider Apples are in various stages of leaf & blossom, and will keep the bees busy for a few months by the time the last of them has flowered.

I missed out on pruning my roses this year (just a little bit going on!) but I'm sure that they will flower just the same. Meanwhile these little cyclamens that I popped in last year are providing a splash of welcome colour.

Linda    :)

Perfect Persimmon

'Persimmon' by Basicgrey has arrived and is finally unpacked and on display.

It is fun when new fabrics arrive and I get to set up a new display.

Lots of precuts are available.....Layer Cakes, Jelly Rolls, Charm Packs, Moda Candy, along with fat 1/4 bundles and singles.

and of course all 42 fabrics are available on the bolt.

I am currently making a quilt from this new fabric range using a pattern I purchased at Quilt Market in the US back in May......I have been very patient waiting for it to arrive and am loving the way it is turning out. I will show you all when it is finished.

Linda    :)

A very special UFO

I was invited to be the guest speaker at the Timboon Senior Citizens gathering in mid July. I spoke about 'Prudence' and 'Elenor Jean' and I answered their questions, and afterwards many came up to talk personally with me. One eldery lady explained to me how she once started patchwork but only got a small amount done. Mrs B then told me that she still had it in a box and that she should probably just throw it out because she would never finish it. I didn't hesitate when I 'pleaded' with her not to throw it away, and that I would love to have it! So a couple of weeks ago Mrs B passed this box onto my Mum who passed it onto me.

I opened it up to find this inside. 

Oh my goodness me......tacked pieces, stitched pieces, fabric cut and ready to be used.

Even shapes cut from very old Weeties packets and the reel of thread.

The design was drafted on the back of an old receipt from Cole & Doolan, General Storekeepers, Timboon, Phone 13.........dated 11th November 1966.....but I think the fabrics might be older than that.

For the time being it will be kept safely in the shoebox, but I do plan on finishing this project off.......even if it is almost 50 years after it was started.

Linda   :)