Field of Quilts YES

My friend B********less Kathy made this lovely wallhanging when I moved into my studio (affectionately known as 'the donga'. It sits there reminding me of our friendship. Thankyou Kathy.I've quilted a few of these. They are quite cute.
Lots of applique.

Field of Quilts VIII NOT

I'm getting good at Roman Numerals. That's just another thing that I have difficulty with - although I'm finding as I getting older things are easier. Roman Numerals were difficult, Italian was diabolical. My early years of Primary School were in Darwin at a great school called Larrakeyah. One of my class mates was called Peter and he was of Italian descent soooo Mrs La P. (Peter's mother) decided that as we were children and she was Italian that she would offer her services and we would learn another language. Well not this little black duck. I have since found out that I do not do languages well - English is at times difficult - although my Mother was brilliant, it didn't wear off on me. Her youngest Grandson, Henry looooves language and it fascinated by anything in a foreign language. Ever watched Harry Potter in other languages, Henry has.

I'm writing this as I always find that it takes a little while for Blogger (bless it) to upload, download, just for ******** sake LOAD. After all that Blogger (I'm now calling it Bugger) has decided that it can't load. I'll try again.

I was very lucky where I grew up, however I think(hope) that most people think that. We moved to Darwin when I turned five. We travelled up from Sydney to Darwin via road and on that Australian icon called the Ghan. Although I think that the Ghan has undergone somewhat of an overhaul and is no way like it was when we travelled on it over 30 years ago. I remember having to sleep in the bottom bunk with my Dad, topped and tailed, with his rather big feet very close to my face. I had my fifth birthday in Alice Springs on the way up and my favourite present was a pair of frilly lavender knickers. They were sparkly and scratchy and had rows of frills on the bum. They were gorgeous and I felt so lucky having a pair of knockers like that, that I just used to wear them on their own. I could do that in Darwin.

Oh well B***** isn't playing so I'll just have to publish w/o pictures and save them for another day. Have a good one.

Field of Quilts VII

Time for some more pictures of the FOQ - just when you thought that it was safe to come back - there's more. These are the photos that I have stockpiled while I wait for me to get my act together to sort out the camera situation.

I thought that this was very interesting as the floral centre pieces had been stencilled and then surrounded by all those triangles. Little pieces of pieced fabric impress me. I know, I don't get out enough

A lovely blue and white lover's knot with some exquisite applique in the borders - very tasteful.

I think that these are all the rage at the moment. There were two at the FOQ. Living where I do, I am not really up with all the latest trends in patchwork and quilting. However these seem quite nice.

I have to wrote this as Blogger wouldn't allow me to upload pictures earlier this morning. Yesterday Roland and I went to a Reserve just south of the Serpentine River where it crosses the Albany Hwy. A bit of a trek ~40kms to see an old baiting camp. Now what they baited I have no idea and as our local historian bloke didn't come, we undoubtedly missed lots of hysterical facts. We found an old well cover up with pig mesh so that we could see the rock lined walls and the diameter. This well would have been dug by hand either by convicts or Chinese. Either way very hard yakka. The river at that point is a delta, forgive me I'm improving on my geographical terms SLOWLY, so there is ample opportunity for tadpoles and froglets(tadpoles so very nearly frogs however just slightly impeded by a tail that is as long as them. The melaleucas are fairly thick on the ground and kangaroos have made very thin tracks through the river to the other side. We stopped as the water was steadily climbing up our boots. The wildflowers were simply gorgeous - very understated, however so beautifully made and minute at times they were breathtaking. All this is to try and make people understand the exquisiteness of all that we saw and a few photos would clinch the image perfectly.

I have just had a bit of a cruise around and read other blogs and at times I feel that my blog is but a 'ppffft' of wind. Heavy issues of the environment are discussed, with great detail, and people with disabilities that govern their every breath. And I rabbit on about the beauty of some flowers and the generalness of my life. I'm sounding slightly Monty Pythonish so I'll stop. It's all relative.

How Time Flies

Our adventure to Hyden and surrounds was TWO WEEKS ago. My word the days have just blurred, it's like being on one of those spinning playground toys that were all the rage when I was a kid. Heavy as buggery to turn, however when they eventually got going they would spin forever.

This is Henry, the youngest Sweetie, 'surfing' on Wave Rock just like he had to do.

And this is the fantastic snake(dugite) that we encountered at the Chook (chicken) display at the Wave Rock Zoo. We were fortunate to walk in the back door of the enclosure and not the front as we would have walked straight into this marvellous, although dangerous creature and the Wave Rock epic might have ended differently and somewhat quickly. The snake was more interested in getting into the chook pens, not for the chooks, but for the mice that opportunistically live there feeding on the spilt grain. We dispatched Henry to get help, and Roland and I watched and were there to stop people from entering through the front. The snake oozed ever so slowly through the smallest gap under one of the wire doors and then proceeded to find a mouse by digging in the sand. A snake digging, what a sight. No hands, but designed so that they can stick their head forward and then bend their head and then hoick the sand out. AND then again and again and again until there is a way for them through the soil. It's tail was the true barometer of what it was doing. The snake entered about half it's body length into the hole, at that stage it's tail was twitching in anticipation, and then it went straight when it struck and then began twitching again as it, I presume ate the mouse. Unfortunately the snake died - I was hoping for the environmentally friendly calico bag and then relocation away from humans. God knows there are enough uninhabited hectares out there.

Just another Mother and Sons Adventure. Got to have them.

Travelling in the School Holidays

We went to Wave Rock just outside the town of Hyden in West Australia. On the way we went through Crossman, Williams, Narrogin, Wickepin, Jitarning, Kulin onto Hyden and then Wave Rock. On the way home we went through Kondinin, Corrigin, Yealering, Pingelly and then Crossman and HOME.

I judged the quilts at Kulin for the Bush Races that were being held that weekend.

The Rock is totally and utterly awesome and we were just so delighted to be there. We explored every nook and cranny and discovered that there is a GOLF COURSE on the south side of the rock. Which is fine, however one of the tees has been set low down on the Rock. So I did my indignant chook (chicken) rendition to my oldest son, who has developed the glazed look really well after only a few months practice, about taking away from the rock, and need I say more. Well I did, but it didn't get me anywhere. I also discussed the golf tee with the oldest Sweetie, when we were back home, and he said (wait for it) that some of the aura of the rock had now been given to the golf course. I had the glazed look then. !@#$$%%^

Henry had always wanted to 'surf' the wave. Unfortunately I have downloaded the wrong photo. Just pretend that he is there 'surfing'.

Field of Quilts VI

Three more to keep your interest up.

This is one of a pair that I made for my sons. Aptly called 'Toy Story I' and 'Toy Story II'. The boys are now so over Toy Story and find anything to do with it embarrassing. The stories that I concocted, to make piece and quilt these two quilts in the lead up to Christmas, were creative. They (the youngest Sweeties) said that they were for them and I replied that a mother had paid me an amazing amount of money to make these two quilts for her extremely precious boys and that I couldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. They seemed happy with my reply and then when I gave them on Christmas day Roland, the oldest tuned to me and with a steady gaze said 'I knew'. They loved them for a while and that was all that mattered.

This one was interesting in that cathedral window effect was created by placing a square of wadding and fabric in the middle of a circle and then sewing the curves of the circle down. The resulting squares were then whipped stitch together on the back. It was very heavy but created a lovely effect.

I just thought that this was a striking Irish Chain away from the normal fabric choices

Field Of Quilts V

Another taste of the FOQ. This quilt was rather pretty and the applique was well done.

This was a quilt that I made a while ago and quilted it one my shortarm quilting machine. It is a photo quilt that I made for Roland, the middle sweetie. There are some great photos on it - gee he was a lovely toddler and he has continued it through. I'm a little biased as you can guess.

;-)))))
This was the one that was meant to be in the previous post. I don't know if the maker made it out of scraps, however it would be a great pattern that could use those strips up quickly.


Blogless Kathy came down on a bus with another 11 quilters. I know so many Kathys, and the two favourites are known as Kathy Here and Kathy There. Blogless Kathy is Kathy There. I treated all the Sweeties to lunch at the FOQ - it was just great to see them and for them to wander round the quilts and see some of our family quilts hanging up in the fresh air. Anyway there I was sitting selling the food vouchers to all and sundry, I had already had a chat with Kathy There, and the middle Sweetie comes running up with great excitement and says 'Kathy There's HERE'. It was great to see her in the flesh and have a natter and a little walk around the stalls and some of the quilts. All too soon Kathy was on the bus and on her way home.

Field of Quilts IV

Another three quilts. Why am I doing them in little spurts? Firstly Blogger takes so long and secondly, my camera died so I'm using the backlog of photos that I took until I can buy another camera.

There was a hiccup with the operator, so now there are pictures of only two quilts. Sometimes Blogger really pushes my buttons. I really did push a button too many times and the picture went into the ether.

Poppies - I love poppies. I don't know why, I just always have. I grow them in my garden and so excited when they start to flower. The ones in the quilt look like the ones that we call Icelandic Poppies.

A close up of this one as the applique is raw edge and I thought that it made a simple star quilt into something special through complimentary colour and some creative quilting.

Field of Quilts III - rude

This is a small quilt that I made as a Challenge at the Southern Cross Country Quilters' Retreat that was held in WA, a few years ago. To tell you the truth I can't even remember when it was. I think that it was this century. It won, however as I remember rightly it wasn't well supported. These Bare Naked Deezigns come from Gillian Marshall at www.deezignerquilts.com. There are a variety of them, eight in all, covering all ages known to man and woman.

It is a bit risque, however it explains much of where I am at the moment. Do you find that I look a bit of a mess, a bit disheveled. I wonder why? All the plates are in the air and soon I'll be taking up mosaics to use up all the pieces.

A real show and tell - if only it was that easy.

Did the Earth Move For You?

I was happily in bed this morning listening to a Faith Addis's book Green Behind the Ears (yes I can read) when the earth moved. It was exceptional in that it was too early for a mine blast and also that there was no noise to go with it. This is the report that was released -



The quake in WA's southern Wheatbelt affected towns and properties in a 140 kilometre radius. (User submitted: Mari Walker)
Map: Kojonup 6395
An earthquake, which authorities describe as the biggest in four decades, has been recorded in Western Australia's southern Wheatbelt.
The quake measured 4.8 on the Richter scale and was centred just south of Katanning.
It was felt by people hundreds of kilometres away, from the nearby towns of Katanning and Kojonup all the way to Perth.
Retired Kojonup farmer Chris Evans says he noticed the quake just before 8am.
"The floor moved quite noticeably through the whole house," he said.
"I was sitting in the office chair on carpeted floor and I could feel it moving up and down."
Broome Hill resident Grant Taylor, whose house suffered minor damage, says he heard a deafening boom just before 8am.
"Mainly down one end of the house. There are some big cracks in the brickwork," he said.
GeoScience Australia's duty seismologist, Spiro Spiliopoulos, says it is the largest quake to hit the Great Southern in decades.
"It is the biggest earthquake in about 40 years so it is unusual in that regard," he said.
Dr Spiliopoulos says tremors were even felt in some high rise buildings in Perth, more than 270 kilometres away.





So there you go - just when I think that life is so ho hum, the earth moves and everything has a different slant. We are only here by the grace of geology. Just my humble heathen opinion so don't shoot me yet.

Another Quilt Finished

Just a few photos that I took before I gave the quilted product back to it's owner.

Field of Quilts II

Here are some of the quilts that were at the Field of Quilts.

This quilt and the following one, were equal first in the Viewer's Choice award.

This quilt was HUGE.

This was my favourite. I like that scrappy, patched together look. The border has been cut so that the swaggy things all faced outwards and the serpentine border is just magic. The top has been quilted with a variety of treatments, making the eye travel over the surface looking for the differences and similarities.

I think that this is what they are calling an English wedding quilt. Quilted a few of these and they tend to be 'mothers' ie they are BIG

Field of Quilts

The annual Field of Quilts was another great success. This event initially was held in a field of lavender about 10kms out of town, which was really lovely, however as it was run by the Boddington Arts Council, the logistics of it all were hard. It is now held in the vacant block next to the Arts Council and is still lovely. Here are some general photos of the day - photos of specific quilts will be in other entries.





Setting up and hanging the quilts in the early morning.

Some of the stalls.

Our very good friend Janice talking to another friend Carmel, probably having an illicit cigarette in amongst the greenery.

Nearly done.

Hanging the bigger quilts. This was quite chaotic as this was the first year that we have had trouble with the lines - they started to fall over! There were bodies running everywhere holding up quilts and pulling on wire. It all calmed down when more star pickets were bashed in, at the end of the rows, that were longer and able to stay in the ground. Phew.

The lovely Liz F at the end of the day packing up the final quilts ready to be sent back to their rightful owners. This room, two hours prior, was overflowing with quilts waiting to be packaged up and returned.