Sevens and Stonestead

Look what I found at the bus stop in Petone when I called into Go-Bang for my coffee on Friday!!  I asked permission, which was granted, and I even asked what team they were supporting - Yeah, right.  I was told, ever so politely, that it's not actually about football........

They could have been the inspiration for my recently completed top and back - whoopee, all the bits and pieces are used up -

No way, those colours are all wrong - red, not orange!  Anyway, you get the idea.

Saturday was a day and a half; prison teaching in the morning went very well with two very able helpers, another newbie and different designs being tried - a good morning with chat and laughter.  Then lunch at Kaizen, which turned into a very long affair when another friend joined us, all good until I tried to use my phone!  What's this? no service until the account is paid!!  This necessitated a quick dash into the office........

Mea culpa! it's the office mobile account and when I paid online I put the account number in the reference box instead of the code box [or vise versa] anyway the money was sitting in their suspense account.  We got it sorted and the first message was from my son [also my boss] saying if I was doing nothing special, come to dinner and bring your other son - which I did - never one to turn down my daughter-in-law's cooking or their large screen and Sky sport!!

So I was very late home and too tired to write my blog.

Sunday was another full on day, starting rather later than planned because the weather was unsettled and had been solid rain all the day before so we weren't sure the exhibition was still on.

What a great setting under the trees for the quilts, Devonshire tea/coffee next door and the shop with its distinctive range of fabrics - what more could one want?

Here are some of the quilts, in no particular order-

No surprise that I love hexagons, this is hand pieced by Joan Bray.

In complete contrast, "Starburst Uprising" by Jan Nankivell - I am such a fan of straight line quilting.

As you can see this is the back, the quilt is "Time of the 9 Patch" by Sharon Siacci and I love to see old linens used for the label.

We were invited to vote for our favourite quilt and after much thought, I opted for No. 14, "Cushions, Curtains and cut up stuff" by Adrienne Dreaver-Hill -

Sitting at a table placed under the beautiful trees, were Elizabeth and Jan, fund raising for the Shut-in Stitchers.

That's Jan, obviously enjoying a joke.  They are selling these amazing threads, the proceeds of the sales go to the quilting programme, as you can see from the label. The majority of the supplies we need are donated by quilters from all over, but we do need money to buy batting, boards, rulers, threads, pins etc. etc. and as these two ladies are no longer able to come into the prison, this is their much appreciated way of helping still.  We keep a photographic record of the quilts made, so I took along my albums to share.  You can imagine how many photos there are!

While I was at dinner with the family, the subject of English grammar came up - I probably criticised something on the TV - so a lively discussion was enjoyed - yes I agree the language is constantly changing but that doesn't mean all changes are for the better.  I cannot be comfortable with a plural for "you", then a word meaning query was raised so I gave my opinion (ahem) and asked for the dictionary - and look what my son handed to me -

It's the 1980 Edition and I covet it!!  I was allowed to bring it home.....  It is wonderful!  There is a Manual of Information on modern English usage and, oh you should see this - The Secretaries' Guide - how to do everything from setting out letters, how to address MPs and clergy etc. etc.  - the section on personal appearance finishes with this gem - "A pretty and charming woman, neatly dressed, is an asset to any office".  "Mad Men"  indeed!  It so takes me back to my training at Portsmouth Commercial College and my years of working in the UK!!

Also, of course, it has a section of Popular Quotations, so I will share some of these with you now I have exhausted my school diary.

I have chosen the binding for my wonky hexagon quilt -

It is machine sewn on and trimmed and tomorrow when I meet with some quilty friends, I shall hand sew it on the back - then the big decision, what next??

My goodness, the first quote from Webster is "No one knows what it is that he can do till he tries" Publilus Syrus.

Nice talking with you and I do so hope I can get back before too long - so much to share!!

June

Lake Te Anau, Picture quilt and Prison

Maybe I should call this one "Inspiration for Embroidery" - I remember a class or course with that title some years ago or is it a book? anyway there are many various textures in this shot.

I think if I had to tackle it now I would use several techniques - on second thoughts I'll stick to using fabric and colours I love to make quilts.


My granddaughters used to love making pictures using fabric paints on calico.  When they had quite a collection ready we auditioned fabrics for borders and then put the blocks on my bed to arrange the layout.

I should have remembered Floyd considers my bed is his territory -

I volunteered to sew the blocks together and they chose the backing from my vintage stash -

I think I got the bottom row the wrong way round, can't have two Grandmas together - where's the unpick?

Here's the backing fabric

The session at Arohata Prison yesterday went very well; the class was smaller than it has been because several of the women have been released and they were the ones who had been coming for a long time.  The newbies are settling in well and I had special fun showing how to make four patch blocks from two squares, then half square triangles and a couple of variations - it was just one of those teaching moments you grab!

I also took along two quilt tops, lent to me by Heather, which she had made using only cotton shirts she had bought at Op Shops.  Jenny has pictures of them on her blog of the 23 November, Stitching Monday.  I want to encourage the women to continue with their quilting when they go home and show what can be made if they cannot afford the more expensive quilting fabric.

Next week I shall take along some of the samples from the class I teach.  One of the very basic blocks is the double four patch - here is one I had great fun making using dozens of my five inch squares and every red I could find -

This is draped over my design wall with the sunlight hitting the top right corner

Some familiar fabrics in this part........ but maybe less familiar are these next two - these are from my vintage stash and I would really like to know more about them,

I love the clean lines and bright colours of this and the next one -

Such strong lines and geometric shapes, you can almost hear the stamp of the feet in the dance?  Not something I am in a hurry to cut into - but then I don't see me wearing it either........

Remember the Spreading Chestnut Tree?

Well I am so glad I photographed it when I did because it is no longer on that spot.  The construction of the new Civic Square is well under way and this tree appears to have been a casualty.....collateral damage, isn't it called?

Unless of course it was moved......

At least it is immortalised on my blog!!!


I am off to my book club meeting this afternoon. I have read "The Life of Pi" - first time reading off the kindle app on my iPad - so the whole thing is a new experience and I am looking forward to it.

My little diary is so full of worthy sayings, "Rebuke with soft words and hard arguments" - could that be a hint about the meeting this afternoon??

Thanks for reading my blog and for your comments.

June