Gum Valley Patchwork

No WPP required

Just a quick post to say that I didn't have to run away and hide or ask to be put in a witness protection program after yesterday's TBT.

I guess after 34 years Russell is used to me and he just goes with the flow!

Linda  :)

TBT#14

Okay I promised you a great photo and here it is......

I was a giggly teenager in love with my boyfriend.....and I think you can see why in this photo! It was taken at Mum & Dad's in Timboon when we were 18, behind Russell's 1976 Ford Escort.....his first car.

Now I am off to hide somewhere because Russell doesn't read my blog until someone posts a comment......so ready set go!

Linda    :)

Research, reading and reminiscing

On Monday I spent about 4 hours with my mum going through old photos and letters to use in my 'Elenor Jean' Pattern Booklet. The time flew by so quickly, and I headed home with so many great photos that it will be so hard to exclude any of them. I also brought home a large folder full of old letters written mostly by my great grandfather and great grandmother (mainly) between 1909 - 1916. I am so thankful that my Grandmother kept all of these as they are so interesting to read.......so much so that I spent 3 hours doing exactly that last night. It really pays sometimes to be a hoarder.....lol!

I am slowly making my way through writing the pattern part of the book which should be finished by the end of the week......and then I will start on Elenor 'Jean' McLean's story.

While mum was searching through the family photos she came across some great ones for me to use on my TBT's. I can't wait to share tomorrow's photo with you all.......it has an extra treat and it's probably my favourite one so far! Someone might not be too impressed........intrigued?......make sure you pop back tomorrow!

Linda      :)

I heart carrots

Imagine my surprise when pulling up some carrots for dinner last night when this cutie came out of the ground.

I was so excited........Russell not so excited!

Linda   :)

 

Happy Australia Day

While Australians around the country are celebrating Australia Day in their own special way over this long weekend, we have our own tradition in our family. Well it's not really my tradition but it certainly is Russell's.......it's the Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic held at Premier Speedway in Allansford. Every year Russell attends the racing......leaving at lunchtime and arriving back home at midnight or beyond (last night he crawled into bed at 3am). When I was young and silly I would also attend, sitting beside my boyfriend Russell while getting lumps of clay flung at me by the passing cars. That era soon passed and I preferred to stay at home even though it did involve milking the cows on my own. Now I just wave him goodbye as he drives off, and I get the tv remote all to myself! Yesterday was a little different though. Russell asked me if I could make a pav and send it over for him and his fellow speedway friends to enjoy. No problems.........so off to the speedway went 10 plastic containers with 10 pieces of pavlova inside.

Packed into an esky with plastic spoons and ice blocks.

Russell said they all loved it, but it did draw some funny looks from people seated around them when they started eating them......lol!

Happy Australia Day everyone!

Linda    :)

Brave or stubborn?

Fourteen months ago I blogged about Lister's first encounter with a Tiger Snake. A few weeks after that first episode he alerted me to a snake at the shop with his furious and quite different barking. You can imagine my trepidation when last night I heard that same barking once again. I went downstairs and out the back door to find Lister in the middle of the lawn standing over this....

He was very pleased with his kill, but I was worried and was really hoping that he hadn't been bitten in the process. After disposing of the snake, I took Lister inside with me so that I could keep a close eye on him.....and if needed whizz him off to the vets at the first sign of poisoning.

He slept soundly on the rug as I watched television and did my stitching. The occassionly snoring told me that he was okay.....as well as the occasional fart!!!......which I certainly did not need! I was even more relieved this morning when he was bouncing around ready for his usual morning walk.

I certainly hope that he doesn't make this a frequent activity.........as next time he might not be so lucky to escape unbitten.

Linda   :)

Holiday inspiration

Do you look at things differently as a quilter? I know that I do. When I watch movies or tv shows, my eye always picks out the patchwork quilt on the bed or over the couch. I find myself saying to Russell...."look a patchwork quilt".....which I did the other night while watching 'An American Werewolf in London'.

I also love looking at the patterns in tiles and mosaics.......thinking about how great they would look in a quilt.

While everyone else in the tour is taking tourist photos and I pointing the camera to the floor  and taking snaps which often include my toes!

(Malaysia, February 2012)

I found inspiration on the walls at the Royal Palace

(Bangkok, February 2012)

And in Kansas City, Gail had to 'rescue' me as I nearly walked off the footpath as I was pointing the camera up in the air!

(Kansas City, USA, May 2012)

I quickly had to take this snap of the floor tiles in a cafe before Hannah got too embarrassed about her crazy mum!

(Santa Monica, USA, Aprl 2014)

So I am wondering if I am the only person who has photos like these mixed in amongst their holiday snaps........

Linda     :)

 

 

 

 

'Elenor Jean' pattern booklet

Three months might seem to be enough time to complete a task........but when that task is writing a new pattern book it's not a long time at all.....especially with an AQC launch promised!

I had planned to make a start in December and now with the end of January looming I have finally made a start on the first draft. The keyboard is getting a work out and the backspace button is getting it's fair share of the action.

 

Some parts of the book will be the same as my 'Dear Prudence' booklet....unavoidable when you have to talk about techniques, fabric etc......and of course my profile.....I am still the same old me.....just a new photo with a few lot more grey hairs featured. Parts will be deleted altogether and new sections added in. With help from my mum, there will be photos and letters from my Grandmother's past. And I am recreating the centre section of 'Elenor Jean' in 1/2" hexagons as an added extra.

Different combinations of the fabrics.......showing the scale of using larger hexagons. I have made more progress since this photo was taken and am enjoying stitching hexagons again after a break of a couple of months.

I am hoping to will have all of it done by the middle of February........then to meet with the graphic designer......exciting and scary......again!

Linda    :)

 

 

TBT#13

While looking for something in that 'Safe Place' I came across a few more photos for my TBT posts.....so I am afraid you will have to put up with them for quite a bit longer! One of those photos was this one which was taken with our Pop. He was Dad's father and lived in Melbourne so we didn't get to see him very much.

We all lined up and had a snap taken on this day. Hemlines were short.......especially Cathryn's!

Linda    :)

PS. I never found what I was looking for either!

Cute as can be

I have got a lot of flannel arriving in the shop in the next couple of months......giraffes, dinosaurs and zoo animals.......there are panels, blocks, borders and coordinating prints. So when Vicki told me about an easy pattern for a Self Binding Baby Receiving Blanket (or a Bunny Rug as we used to call them), I decided to use Mr Google and have a go. It is a youtube video put out by the Missouri Star Quilt Company.

 

Now while Jenny says that you can make them in about 10 minutes, it took me quite a bit longer than this for my first one. I used some of the Dog Gone Cute Flannel and some coordinating orange flannel for the back. I am so happy with the way it came out.

Unlike Jenny, I pinned before I did the decorative stitching around the edge....just to make sure it didn't move around. It also gave me a chance to have a play with some of the stitches on my new Bernina.......another reason it took me longer than 10 minutes......I was trying to find a nice one to use with the variegated thread.

I had a little bit of left over dog print so I appliqued one of the pieces onto a bib for a matching set.

Now I can't wait for the new flannel to arrive so I can make some more! They would make great gifts for a new baby......easy to make......in about 30 minutes!

Linda    :)