The past few days have been rather quiet and lacking in adventure…. The weather is wonderful and Long Prairie is in the bloom of summer. The lilacs in the gardens are sending out their heady perfume, the trees bright green and the undergrowth seems to grow an inch or two each day.
From the windows here, we have watched rabbits, raccoons and all manner of birds… woodpeckers, wild canaries and even a brilliant red jay…
I’m learning the intricacies of film editing, podcast broadcasting and designing a super new web page… I’m set up here in the Gazebo with two computers… two cameras and at times a cloud of confusion which is punctuated by a good movie and coffee…
I’ve had time to wade through some wonderful books. Anne Knudsen from Breckling Press my publisher gave me the latest book from Nancy Crow… and Joan and I have great delight in reading it… if you get the chance to purchase one, it is a wonderful insight into her creativity and personal journey through her art.
Well it’s 7.30 am and I answered all my letters, and now it’s time for Simply quilts…. What a way to begin a day…
2006/05/31
2006/05/29
Rest Day.
10.30 at night and it's still in the 90's.
I've spent the day resting and working in turn....We've not been out because both Joan and I have allergies....It should be short lived though.....
I've a new computer, an editing program and I'm learning the intracies of film editing and production... I have my first official showing in a few weeks so the pressure is on.
No shopping tours, or bargains for the past few days... But I still have to share with you the great quilts I found.....
I spent the past two days in the cities (Minneapolis and St Paul) and caught the shuttle home yesterday afternoon....
The mall of America was buzzing with people in their summer clothes.... It's the official start of summer and school is now out.
As you drive through the small towns there is evidence of graduation parties everywhere... It's quite a big thing here and families come from miles around to celebrate.
It's Memorial Day tomorrow and a public holiday. Joan and I will go to the service and parade in the morning... It is similar to our Anzac Day.... the sad thing is that there have been several thousand young Soldiers killed over the past few years in Iraq...
I just sat very quietly and watched the racoons feeding in the dim light of the evening... it's still hot and the forecast is for hotter tomorrow....
I've spent the day resting and working in turn....We've not been out because both Joan and I have allergies....It should be short lived though.....
I've a new computer, an editing program and I'm learning the intracies of film editing and production... I have my first official showing in a few weeks so the pressure is on.
No shopping tours, or bargains for the past few days... But I still have to share with you the great quilts I found.....
I spent the past two days in the cities (Minneapolis and St Paul) and caught the shuttle home yesterday afternoon....
The mall of America was buzzing with people in their summer clothes.... It's the official start of summer and school is now out.
As you drive through the small towns there is evidence of graduation parties everywhere... It's quite a big thing here and families come from miles around to celebrate.
It's Memorial Day tomorrow and a public holiday. Joan and I will go to the service and parade in the morning... It is similar to our Anzac Day.... the sad thing is that there have been several thousand young Soldiers killed over the past few years in Iraq...
I just sat very quietly and watched the racoons feeding in the dim light of the evening... it's still hot and the forecast is for hotter tomorrow....
2006/05/27
Di's Vintage Quilt.
I have actually done a little research and added it to my web page if you would like to know more about the Dresden plate design.www.pamhollanddesigns.com
Quilts and Kimonos.
Feed sack quilt top I
purchased. I just love this gal, she pleated the blocks to fit so that her corners matched...
Now Joan had
show and tell too...35 old kimonos she purchased... so here they are on the lounge room floor mixed with the quilts we purchased...
1930's quilt in pristine condition.... it has never been uses.
purchased. I just love this gal, she pleated the blocks to fit so that her corners matched...
Now Joan had
show and tell too...35 old kimonos she purchased... so here they are on the lounge room floor mixed with the quilts we purchased...
1930's quilt in pristine condition.... it has never been uses.
Inspiration.
I think we all have times in our lives when we meet someone who has had an effect on us… They may not be famous, they may not be written up on magazines or be in the media… let’s say it’s just a gut feeling. I feel that way about many of my friends… some I met as a Mother, some as a Tutor… I met my dear friend Joan on a bus in Scotland, and friend Lisa as a quilter in Cyber Space, Di and Della were in Houston during my win…..
Kaye England who encouraged me to go further with my quilting.
My son Matthew and I went to hear the Dalai Lama when he came to Adelaide many years ago, I’ve never forgotten the words he said…. I also traveled to Sydney to meet Mother Theresa. How could this small quietly spoken woman command such a presence….
When I was 15 I went to a lecture by the “Little Woman” Gladys Aylwood.
Standing just 4 ft 8 tall, this small woman talked for several hours about her life in china… she told us the story of how in the 1930’s she went to China to help a Missionary Mrs Larson… but only 8 months after she arrived, Mrs. Larson became sick and died. Now Gladys had no way of getting any income. A few weeks later, the Mandarin of Yangchen came and asked Gladys to become the official foot inspector. This job was to go around and tell people that binding girl’s feet was illegal and then to unbind them. The Mandarin needed someone with big unbound feet. Gladys accepted.
So she went visiting houses and revisiting houses again to check on the girls and people started to get to know her. Two years after she went to China the Mandarin asked Gladys to stop a riot in the prison. Depending only on God, Gladys walked into the prison. The men were killing each other and it was a bloody mess. Gladys commanded them to stop and tell her what was wrong. They were tired of being cooped up and needed food and work. From then on Gladys was known as “Ai-weh-deh” which means “Virtuous one.”
Once she saw a beggar on the road with a very sick child beside her. She bought this child for nine pence, for which she was later called. She fed her and adopted her. Her family grew. One day Ninepence brought in a boy saying that she would eat less in order to keep this boy, later naming him Less. She ended up with some 100 children in her orphanage…. And then her life story became even more interesting…
Why on earth am I telling you this… well today I reviewed the book, “The Inn of the 6th Happiness” the story of her life…. I found it in a book shop and just sat down to read it oblivious to all around me.
Gladys had a profound effect on me at 15…. I figured that in adult hood I would do something similar… well I didn’t become a missionary, that’s a little out of my league, I didn’t run an orphanage or quell a riot in a prison or even spy against the Japanese like Gladys did… but Keith and I do have a great family and with the encouragement of my friends in quilting, I’ve undertaken an interesting career.
Kaye England who encouraged me to go further with my quilting.
My son Matthew and I went to hear the Dalai Lama when he came to Adelaide many years ago, I’ve never forgotten the words he said…. I also traveled to Sydney to meet Mother Theresa. How could this small quietly spoken woman command such a presence….
When I was 15 I went to a lecture by the “Little Woman” Gladys Aylwood.
Standing just 4 ft 8 tall, this small woman talked for several hours about her life in china… she told us the story of how in the 1930’s she went to China to help a Missionary Mrs Larson… but only 8 months after she arrived, Mrs. Larson became sick and died. Now Gladys had no way of getting any income. A few weeks later, the Mandarin of Yangchen came and asked Gladys to become the official foot inspector. This job was to go around and tell people that binding girl’s feet was illegal and then to unbind them. The Mandarin needed someone with big unbound feet. Gladys accepted.
So she went visiting houses and revisiting houses again to check on the girls and people started to get to know her. Two years after she went to China the Mandarin asked Gladys to stop a riot in the prison. Depending only on God, Gladys walked into the prison. The men were killing each other and it was a bloody mess. Gladys commanded them to stop and tell her what was wrong. They were tired of being cooped up and needed food and work. From then on Gladys was known as “Ai-weh-deh” which means “Virtuous one.”
Once she saw a beggar on the road with a very sick child beside her. She bought this child for nine pence, for which she was later called. She fed her and adopted her. Her family grew. One day Ninepence brought in a boy saying that she would eat less in order to keep this boy, later naming him Less. She ended up with some 100 children in her orphanage…. And then her life story became even more interesting…
Why on earth am I telling you this… well today I reviewed the book, “The Inn of the 6th Happiness” the story of her life…. I found it in a book shop and just sat down to read it oblivious to all around me.
Gladys had a profound effect on me at 15…. I figured that in adult hood I would do something similar… well I didn’t become a missionary, that’s a little out of my league, I didn’t run an orphanage or quell a riot in a prison or even spy against the Japanese like Gladys did… but Keith and I do have a great family and with the encouragement of my friends in quilting, I’ve undertaken an interesting career.
2006/05/25
Gruber's and Aunt Annies
There is nothing that can compare with the sight of loons on Big Birch Lake at sunset…. Or the way the clouds reflect in the water under a stormy sky. Green becomes iridescent, blues shimmer and the gold of the sun on the distant hills is in stark contrast to the storm clouds.
Enough of waxing lyrical…. Sometimes I just can’t help myself.
As I write this blog, the mellow light of the standard lamp reflects in the window of the Gazebo… Looking through the reflection on the glass my eyes become adjusted to the dark. There are small lights at the edge of the woods some 10 meters away and I sat for a while and watched two fat raccoons take their supper.
The quilt shops we visited today were Aunt Annies in Avon and Grubers in St Cloud.…Gruber's defies description… If I remember correctly there are about 10 rooms each hosting a different genre of quilting and knitting….I’ve visited many times, but it doesn’t diminish the excitement you feel as you walk through the door… full size shopping trolleys decorated in fabric scraps give you the hint that this store is a little out of the ordinary….
There are 100’s of books for purchase set in genre’s, flowers in one section, history in another, piecing, wool, embroidery and the list goes on. Samples cover every wall, so inspiration is never far away. I didn’t purchase any fabric, I’m only concentrating on one project for the next year or so…..
The owners of Gruber's, purchased a huge building which houses other shops and one of my favorites is an antique mall. I succumbed and bought a vintage crazy patch quilt top made from feed sacks for a mere $22. I love the fabric and it hasn’t been laundered so it’s in wonderful condition. It will be a great fabric archival piece. As I was paying for my purchases the assistant asked my opinion on two other quilts she had out the back….wow…. My heart beat faster….
One is a star quilt, 1930’s, hand pieced and quilted with a thin cotton bat….. It has never been used and it had an appraisal certificate…..!!! that sure found it’s way into my bag….
There was another gorgeous one….buttercup yellow, with flowers appliquéd on it….I need to go into my data base to name the block…I should have taken a photo…. That one was made in the 1940’s, never used, hand pieced and hand quilted…. Appraised. If any one is interested I can sure go back and purchase it….!!!
Di, Joan and I sat outside of Grubers in the foyer and had show and tell and coffee…. Yes, there is a foyer where me can sit and wait for their wives… it’s decorated in country hunting style with a big leather lounge suite, huge fireplace, tall ornamental pine trees and lots of magazines !!!!
That’s the way to make the men oblivious to the spending in the other department!!!
Aunt Annie’s is in the town of Avon, just 12 miles from St Cloud.
Owner Lucy is a talented quilt maker and we were privileged to see some of her landscape and music pieces she had made for a recent show.
Lucy stocks very different fabric, Japanese, African, Australian and decorating fabrics along with the ordinary quilting stock. She had a bag of silk worm cocoons she was about to dye…. So we poured through a book she had that showed how they could be used….
We also visited a huge craft store…. Probably as large as a K Mart… Crafts Direct…. I thought Di was going into shock she was so excited…
Di’s trip is about to end. I’m taking her down to the cities today…. It’s been wonderful sharing my life here with her… I can talk about it at home… I can show pictures.. But it’s not the same as sharing the experience.
Aunt Annie's Quilts and Silks PO Box 359 Avon, MN 56310 320-356-1061 ...
Enough of waxing lyrical…. Sometimes I just can’t help myself.
As I write this blog, the mellow light of the standard lamp reflects in the window of the Gazebo… Looking through the reflection on the glass my eyes become adjusted to the dark. There are small lights at the edge of the woods some 10 meters away and I sat for a while and watched two fat raccoons take their supper.
The quilt shops we visited today were Aunt Annies in Avon and Grubers in St Cloud.…Gruber's defies description… If I remember correctly there are about 10 rooms each hosting a different genre of quilting and knitting….I’ve visited many times, but it doesn’t diminish the excitement you feel as you walk through the door… full size shopping trolleys decorated in fabric scraps give you the hint that this store is a little out of the ordinary….
There are 100’s of books for purchase set in genre’s, flowers in one section, history in another, piecing, wool, embroidery and the list goes on. Samples cover every wall, so inspiration is never far away. I didn’t purchase any fabric, I’m only concentrating on one project for the next year or so…..
The owners of Gruber's, purchased a huge building which houses other shops and one of my favorites is an antique mall. I succumbed and bought a vintage crazy patch quilt top made from feed sacks for a mere $22. I love the fabric and it hasn’t been laundered so it’s in wonderful condition. It will be a great fabric archival piece. As I was paying for my purchases the assistant asked my opinion on two other quilts she had out the back….wow…. My heart beat faster….
One is a star quilt, 1930’s, hand pieced and quilted with a thin cotton bat….. It has never been used and it had an appraisal certificate…..!!! that sure found it’s way into my bag….
There was another gorgeous one….buttercup yellow, with flowers appliquéd on it….I need to go into my data base to name the block…I should have taken a photo…. That one was made in the 1940’s, never used, hand pieced and hand quilted…. Appraised. If any one is interested I can sure go back and purchase it….!!!
Di, Joan and I sat outside of Grubers in the foyer and had show and tell and coffee…. Yes, there is a foyer where me can sit and wait for their wives… it’s decorated in country hunting style with a big leather lounge suite, huge fireplace, tall ornamental pine trees and lots of magazines !!!!
That’s the way to make the men oblivious to the spending in the other department!!!
Aunt Annie’s is in the town of Avon, just 12 miles from St Cloud.
Owner Lucy is a talented quilt maker and we were privileged to see some of her landscape and music pieces she had made for a recent show.
Lucy stocks very different fabric, Japanese, African, Australian and decorating fabrics along with the ordinary quilting stock. She had a bag of silk worm cocoons she was about to dye…. So we poured through a book she had that showed how they could be used….
We also visited a huge craft store…. Probably as large as a K Mart… Crafts Direct…. I thought Di was going into shock she was so excited…
Di’s trip is about to end. I’m taking her down to the cities today…. It’s been wonderful sharing my life here with her… I can talk about it at home… I can show pictures.. But it’s not the same as sharing the experience.
Aunt Annie's Quilts and Silks PO Box 359 Avon, MN 56310 320-356-1061 ...
2006/05/24
Goodies we found
Vintage sewing supplies
An old cloth tape measure
Sewing needles in a salt container!!!!
Time out
I’m having time out and a welcome rest.
Di, Joan and I took off for a small town called Perham, some 50 miles from our hometown of Long Prairie.
Perham is a small town nestled among over 1000 lakes surrounded by rolling hills and woods. It was named after Josiah Perham, the first President of the Northern Pacific Railroad. The railroad arrived in Otter Tail County in 1871 and the town is dominated still by the freight trains that rumble through the centre every half an hour or so.
Its late spring, and the scenery is picture book. Rolling hills, red Minnesota barns nestled in newly ploughed fields and brilliant green grass. The temperature rose to 86 today and we drove past dozens of lakes where the locals are preparing for a Memorial Day long weekend.
First stop was the Bay Window Quilt Shop. I’ve been there on other occasions. The last time was several years ago though… The combined local guilds hold an annual quilt show in an historic village and I was the guest artist… Grass roots quilting….
The bay window is a shop full of surprises… in fact it’s almost like a small department store… each little room is beautifully decorated. Moda seems to be a favorite here and the ranges displayed take your breath away…. Amy Butler, I love her fabrics but I haven’t seen too many of them in Australia. Of course there is Kaffe Fasset, Hoffman Batiks, a huge range of baby minkies and flannels in every hue. just to name a few.
The buildings are old and huge and allows a degree of creative expression in decoration like we never see. I’ll try to make a word picture of one of the café’s. It has high ceilings and a beautifully restored wooden floor. The walls and ceiling were paneled and painted in lime wash antique….. little nooks held intimate eating places…. One that took my eye was dominated by an antique lemon and pink grandmothers flower garden quilt hanging from an old quilt frame on the ceiling… a green distressed fire shelf held cream and white vintage plates and linen… the two small tables were made of recycled timber and the glass table top showed a 20’s pink and green Suffolk puffs block that were made into a giant elongated triangle. For us it was a treasure trove… and it had a wonderful ambience…
Downstairs I found an 1876 embroidery sampler made by Sara Smith, aged 8…. It cost me $18. sigh!!!!
Other delights were found in antique shops…. The collection of sewing goodies shown $9 and the wonderful log cabin quilt for $25….
Di bought vintage postcards and another vintage quilt that was filled with an old woolen blanket…
It’s light here till almost 9.30 so we took advantage of the daylight and took the scenic route home despite a huge storm that overtook us.
Dinner was at the Coach House Restaurant in Alexandria… the special of the evening…. $1 hamburgers that were just delicious… finished of with lemon meringue pie and great conversation.
I’ve spent so much time here, I’m now a local and I have great delight in sharing the things I enjoy with those I care about… My Husband Keith loves visiting here… but with my quilting buddies we let loose in the antique and quilting shops....
Di, Joan and I took off for a small town called Perham, some 50 miles from our hometown of Long Prairie.
Perham is a small town nestled among over 1000 lakes surrounded by rolling hills and woods. It was named after Josiah Perham, the first President of the Northern Pacific Railroad. The railroad arrived in Otter Tail County in 1871 and the town is dominated still by the freight trains that rumble through the centre every half an hour or so.
Its late spring, and the scenery is picture book. Rolling hills, red Minnesota barns nestled in newly ploughed fields and brilliant green grass. The temperature rose to 86 today and we drove past dozens of lakes where the locals are preparing for a Memorial Day long weekend.
First stop was the Bay Window Quilt Shop. I’ve been there on other occasions. The last time was several years ago though… The combined local guilds hold an annual quilt show in an historic village and I was the guest artist… Grass roots quilting….
The bay window is a shop full of surprises… in fact it’s almost like a small department store… each little room is beautifully decorated. Moda seems to be a favorite here and the ranges displayed take your breath away…. Amy Butler, I love her fabrics but I haven’t seen too many of them in Australia. Of course there is Kaffe Fasset, Hoffman Batiks, a huge range of baby minkies and flannels in every hue. just to name a few.
The buildings are old and huge and allows a degree of creative expression in decoration like we never see. I’ll try to make a word picture of one of the café’s. It has high ceilings and a beautifully restored wooden floor. The walls and ceiling were paneled and painted in lime wash antique….. little nooks held intimate eating places…. One that took my eye was dominated by an antique lemon and pink grandmothers flower garden quilt hanging from an old quilt frame on the ceiling… a green distressed fire shelf held cream and white vintage plates and linen… the two small tables were made of recycled timber and the glass table top showed a 20’s pink and green Suffolk puffs block that were made into a giant elongated triangle. For us it was a treasure trove… and it had a wonderful ambience…
Downstairs I found an 1876 embroidery sampler made by Sara Smith, aged 8…. It cost me $18. sigh!!!!
Other delights were found in antique shops…. The collection of sewing goodies shown $9 and the wonderful log cabin quilt for $25….
Di bought vintage postcards and another vintage quilt that was filled with an old woolen blanket…
It’s light here till almost 9.30 so we took advantage of the daylight and took the scenic route home despite a huge storm that overtook us.
Dinner was at the Coach House Restaurant in Alexandria… the special of the evening…. $1 hamburgers that were just delicious… finished of with lemon meringue pie and great conversation.
I’ve spent so much time here, I’m now a local and I have great delight in sharing the things I enjoy with those I care about… My Husband Keith loves visiting here… but with my quilting buddies we let loose in the antique and quilting shops....
2006/05/23
Whoopee
Grandaughter... Matilda Rose arrived this morning.... USA time.....2 weeks late and very tired.
This Grandma is sooooo excited......
This Grandma is sooooo excited......
2006/05/22
Knitting needles with lights!!!!!
Quilt Market is over for another year….it’s been an interesting experience.
Di and I spent the past two days on the floor, filming interviews…
Robyn Pandolph, Jackie Robinson, Kaye England to name a few and many of the fabric companies… Moda, Northcott, Timeless Treasures…etc
Di’s a natural…. Except, she’s not too good as announcing, “and now back to the studio” grin…….!
We’ll make a small movie for Di’s Open Day at the end of June…
I’m so excited about my book. It looks wonderful.. It seems to grow each time we review it… at this stage its 250 pages. I chatted with Jenny Beyer, who is also published by Breckling Press, her book is just beautifully presented… and they have just launched a wonderful book by Nancy Crow book. It’s a must for all of you who love strong graphics, wonderful design. Nancy explains her creative process; it’s a rare insight into the mind of one of our most eminent quilters. Look at the URL below.
http://www.brecklingpress.com/Crow_info.htm
Attending market is an exhausting process for those on the floor. There is so much to see and do and you feel brain dead at the end… however, it’s a positive re-enforcement of the future of the Quilting Industry…. I even saw knitting needles with bright lights in the tips for knitting at night!!!! A product of Clover.
I’ve had a sleepless night, my daughter is in labor 1000’s of miles away… our long awaited baby girl is about to join the real world….she’s very late but Daughter Rachael is carrying on the family tradition of extra long pregnancies…
Now we can play for a few days... the bags are packed and we're off to home town Long Prairie for a few days to take in the life of the rural mid west.
Di and I spent the past two days on the floor, filming interviews…
Robyn Pandolph, Jackie Robinson, Kaye England to name a few and many of the fabric companies… Moda, Northcott, Timeless Treasures…etc
Di’s a natural…. Except, she’s not too good as announcing, “and now back to the studio” grin…….!
We’ll make a small movie for Di’s Open Day at the end of June…
I’m so excited about my book. It looks wonderful.. It seems to grow each time we review it… at this stage its 250 pages. I chatted with Jenny Beyer, who is also published by Breckling Press, her book is just beautifully presented… and they have just launched a wonderful book by Nancy Crow book. It’s a must for all of you who love strong graphics, wonderful design. Nancy explains her creative process; it’s a rare insight into the mind of one of our most eminent quilters. Look at the URL below.
http://www.brecklingpress.com/Crow_info.htm
Attending market is an exhausting process for those on the floor. There is so much to see and do and you feel brain dead at the end… however, it’s a positive re-enforcement of the future of the Quilting Industry…. I even saw knitting needles with bright lights in the tips for knitting at night!!!! A product of Clover.
I’ve had a sleepless night, my daughter is in labor 1000’s of miles away… our long awaited baby girl is about to join the real world….she’s very late but Daughter Rachael is carrying on the family tradition of extra long pregnancies…
Now we can play for a few days... the bags are packed and we're off to home town Long Prairie for a few days to take in the life of the rural mid west.
2006/05/21
2006/05/20
The Professional side of quilting
As I walk the floor of the International Quilt Market, I’m reminded of the diversity of this industry. This is the professional area of quilting that is going to continue to feed our industry.
I have five areas to look at. Designer, patternmaker, teacher, author and media.
As a designer… I saw several artists who captured my interest. I like the idea of using wool and cotton in combination. Vintage and history get me excited at the moment and I will pursue those ideas a little further….
Recently there has been an interesting debate about the genre of exhibited quilts…. Art versus traditional. The debate states in part that art quilts are more fabric expression rather than follow the principals of good quilting workmanship…. I guess that’s up for further discussion.
Here at the premier exhibition of the industry, focus on quality workmanship is reinforced…
Wearing my hat as a patternmaker, I look at presentation, content and overall marketability….
Some areas have been re hashed, some are innovative….
Today, I attended a lecture on Education… it re-enforced my own ideas on the methods of teaching.
Focusing on young people to encourage sewing, rather than quilting, is a strong movement here and I for one believe we should introduce it more in schools…
I know there are some mid teen students exhibiting in Sydney this year and I applaud the teachers who have the foresight to introduce the creative side of quilting to young people.
Author and Media. Well as you know my book has had a long pregnancy and is about to be birthed… it’s exciting to see your name on posters and handouts… finally it’s a reality after all the hard work.
DVD’s are exciting too… and I’m quite close to another form of media that will be accessible to everyone free…..
So all in all, it’s just darn exciting.
I have five areas to look at. Designer, patternmaker, teacher, author and media.
As a designer… I saw several artists who captured my interest. I like the idea of using wool and cotton in combination. Vintage and history get me excited at the moment and I will pursue those ideas a little further….
Recently there has been an interesting debate about the genre of exhibited quilts…. Art versus traditional. The debate states in part that art quilts are more fabric expression rather than follow the principals of good quilting workmanship…. I guess that’s up for further discussion.
Here at the premier exhibition of the industry, focus on quality workmanship is reinforced…
Wearing my hat as a patternmaker, I look at presentation, content and overall marketability….
Some areas have been re hashed, some are innovative….
Today, I attended a lecture on Education… it re-enforced my own ideas on the methods of teaching.
Focusing on young people to encourage sewing, rather than quilting, is a strong movement here and I for one believe we should introduce it more in schools…
I know there are some mid teen students exhibiting in Sydney this year and I applaud the teachers who have the foresight to introduce the creative side of quilting to young people.
Author and Media. Well as you know my book has had a long pregnancy and is about to be birthed… it’s exciting to see your name on posters and handouts… finally it’s a reality after all the hard work.
DVD’s are exciting too… and I’m quite close to another form of media that will be accessible to everyone free…..
So all in all, it’s just darn exciting.
2006/05/19
Interesting Parking lot.
I think this is wonderful... a huge wall in the parking lot across from the Hilton.
Lining up fo Sample Spree
Lines of quilters waiting to get those bargains!!
Di studying her schedule.
Quilt Market.
Registration for market began this morning…. The lines of quilters meandered through the convention centre. There was an air of excitement in the air. Everyone studying their program. Today began with School house, a venue where you can go from room to room learning the latest idea and techniques.
How about a calculator for quilters to work out how much fabric you need for a specific project… or if you have a certain amount of fabric, it will tell you what you can make out of it!!!! Amazing.
Now there was a little confusion at first… throughout the venue there were numerous signs like the one I was studying above.
That special convention began tonight just as we were lining up for sample spree… There were over a 1000 ladies waiting for up to 2 hours to get in…. walking in the opposite direction were the delegates of the other convention…. Folks you could sure tell they weren’t quilters… I’ve never seen a dedicated quilter wearing high heels, fish net stockings and their garments slashed to the waist. We could have done some fancy sewing on those dresses I’m sure.
OK, so I had to investigate for myself… I followed the crowd of interesting people down into the basement…..but I was told by the gal on the door in her minimalist black satin outfit, that I had to pay $20 admission…. I asked for a pamphlet… but she stated they didn’t have any…
It looked interesting as I peeked in the door. The first stall had fantasy products…..I wonder what it’s all about.?
Class begins early tomorrow… it’s almost 1.00 am and time to retire.
I will be walking the floor for the next few days looking for interesting things to share with you...
2006/05/18
Quilt Market.
I've woken to the most perfect of mornings. I'm 23 floors above the pavement overlooking downtown Minneapolis.
What awaits outside the window?
Over my music, I can hear the persistent hum of the beginning of work traffic.
Day two here in MN and I'm a little more competent to write than yesterday.
31 hours of traveling and my head felt like cotton wool when I finally arrived at the Hilton.
I caught up with friend Di in the lobby of the hotel, she was going out... But I just wanted to sleep. I was escorted to my room by Chuck the red coated porter. I was surprised to say the least that I had been allocated the Presidential suite. The room is dominated by a huge fourposter bed that I have to climb on a stool to lever myself into.... None of this flopping on the bed folk,... I feel like the Princess and the Pea.
I did ask him to lock the huge boardroom next door.... I had no use for that and it was a little ominous.
The last leg of my trip was interesting, I was squashed between two larger than usual passengers. The lady to my left was of Middle Eastern origin and wore the most beautiful robes. She smelt of cloves and rose water.... but her arms invaded my space and she kept inadvertently changing the songs on my ipod which I had in my upper pocket... Finally I put it in my lap.
Yesterday was a change of pace. A trip to the Mall of America to share all the things I love with friend Di. We had a wonderful day, we returned to the hotel early evening. I retired to work and Di visited with friends.
The Hotel is bustling with Quilting business. As a Tutor I float around the edges of all that and with another day to spare today, I'm going to do some serious photography and filming.
What awaits outside the window?
Over my music, I can hear the persistent hum of the beginning of work traffic.
Day two here in MN and I'm a little more competent to write than yesterday.
31 hours of traveling and my head felt like cotton wool when I finally arrived at the Hilton.
I caught up with friend Di in the lobby of the hotel, she was going out... But I just wanted to sleep. I was escorted to my room by Chuck the red coated porter. I was surprised to say the least that I had been allocated the Presidential suite. The room is dominated by a huge fourposter bed that I have to climb on a stool to lever myself into.... None of this flopping on the bed folk,... I feel like the Princess and the Pea.
I did ask him to lock the huge boardroom next door.... I had no use for that and it was a little ominous.
The last leg of my trip was interesting, I was squashed between two larger than usual passengers. The lady to my left was of Middle Eastern origin and wore the most beautiful robes. She smelt of cloves and rose water.... but her arms invaded my space and she kept inadvertently changing the songs on my ipod which I had in my upper pocket... Finally I put it in my lap.
Yesterday was a change of pace. A trip to the Mall of America to share all the things I love with friend Di. We had a wonderful day, we returned to the hotel early evening. I retired to work and Di visited with friends.
The Hotel is bustling with Quilting business. As a Tutor I float around the edges of all that and with another day to spare today, I'm going to do some serious photography and filming.
In the air.
Are you a people watcher like me?
I wish I had a camera in the Qantas club this morning.
A young man and I sat opposite each other in computer combat.
He was hard to ignore when he was just 3 ft over the table.
He must have been writing a very personal letter, his facial expressions were priceless.
His head fell to one side as he looked winsomely at the screen, wrote a few sentences and then turned his head the other way staring at the screen.
He was unconsciously expressing his feelings through his face. You know what it's like when you spoon feed a baby, you can't help but open your mouth in synchronized encouragement.
I'm writing this in the plane. We've flown over the most amazing scenery, large expanses of desert separated by canyons of black which I imagine is a river.... Now we're passing snow capped mountains under the bluest of skies.
I'm sitting between two young men. The young man on my left and I have had a great conversation about computers....We have been making comparisons bewtween his mac and mine. The other has his PDA and is navigating our route with his GPS.
Technology.... I love it.
PDA. GPS, Imac, Ipod, PC, HDV... terms that some 5 years ago were quite foreign to me. Now they enable me to travel and communicate with home.
It enables me to keep in touch with family, to continue working, to stimulate the mind and simply to travel.
No, Im not the only one who does this, most of my US Tutor peers do the same. I learn something new and exciting each day.
I see by my clock on the computer that it's 8.40 am Adelaide time, so I've been on the road for 26 hours so far. I've completed 3 flights and I've another flight after I reach Chicago.
A short taxi ride and finally I can go to bed.!!!
I am making light of technology, but it's the only way I can work and travel at the same time. On this flight I've been able to go through all the 'waiting to be answered' emails do some writing, research, a little filing and even some drawings while speeding at over 700 kms an hour through the air.
So far there have been no dramas, just darn full planes.
Di Mill and I assisted the Steward to pick up a few trays. We were even offered a drink I and a tip. Di just asked for an upgrade, but he sort of smirked.
There happened to be a straw broom laying on the floor..now why on earth would they have a straw broom and a dustpan in a plane.? So I dusted off the crumbs from a passengers seat who had gone to the loo. I think I was looking for brownie points rather that frequent flyer ones..!!!
I shall be telling this with a sigh somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.
Robert Wood.
I wish I had a camera in the Qantas club this morning.
A young man and I sat opposite each other in computer combat.
He was hard to ignore when he was just 3 ft over the table.
He must have been writing a very personal letter, his facial expressions were priceless.
His head fell to one side as he looked winsomely at the screen, wrote a few sentences and then turned his head the other way staring at the screen.
He was unconsciously expressing his feelings through his face. You know what it's like when you spoon feed a baby, you can't help but open your mouth in synchronized encouragement.
I'm writing this in the plane. We've flown over the most amazing scenery, large expanses of desert separated by canyons of black which I imagine is a river.... Now we're passing snow capped mountains under the bluest of skies.
I'm sitting between two young men. The young man on my left and I have had a great conversation about computers....We have been making comparisons bewtween his mac and mine. The other has his PDA and is navigating our route with his GPS.
Technology.... I love it.
PDA. GPS, Imac, Ipod, PC, HDV... terms that some 5 years ago were quite foreign to me. Now they enable me to travel and communicate with home.
It enables me to keep in touch with family, to continue working, to stimulate the mind and simply to travel.
No, Im not the only one who does this, most of my US Tutor peers do the same. I learn something new and exciting each day.
I see by my clock on the computer that it's 8.40 am Adelaide time, so I've been on the road for 26 hours so far. I've completed 3 flights and I've another flight after I reach Chicago.
A short taxi ride and finally I can go to bed.!!!
I am making light of technology, but it's the only way I can work and travel at the same time. On this flight I've been able to go through all the 'waiting to be answered' emails do some writing, research, a little filing and even some drawings while speeding at over 700 kms an hour through the air.
So far there have been no dramas, just darn full planes.
Di Mill and I assisted the Steward to pick up a few trays. We were even offered a drink I and a tip. Di just asked for an upgrade, but he sort of smirked.
There happened to be a straw broom laying on the floor..now why on earth would they have a straw broom and a dustpan in a plane.? So I dusted off the crumbs from a passengers seat who had gone to the loo. I think I was looking for brownie points rather that frequent flyer ones..!!!
I shall be telling this with a sigh somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.
Robert Wood.
2006/05/14
Mothers Day
It’s Mothers day 2006. I woke early and as one is want to do in the fog of waking from sleep, I reflected on the Mothers linked to my family.
As a Mum, I always think of the birth of my children on Mothers Day… but in our family it tends to be a little different.
I think of my Mum, of course, Shirley Smedley, who turned 80 late last year. Mum had me when she was just 21. I weighed 3 lb and had to be wrapped in cotton wool encased in brown paper because I was delicate…. Things have sure changed!!!!
She’s probably one of the most talented women I know. We just accepted that she could whip up a garment in a few hours when we were teenagers or at 80 do the finest cross stitch that she designed herself on the computer….
So that brings me to my nephew and his wife Annette, who is a new Mum of Triplets… the smallest, was born just 680 grams….. Bless his little heart. He’s struggling a little to catch up to his 1 lb brother and sister.
Keith’s Mum, Gladys…. just 4ft 6” tall. She was a little challenged in the weight department. She passed away several years ago, but I can still see her with her bright red hair. She loved her Osti dresses held encased at the waist by an ever present pinny… unfortunately this allowed her petticoat to hang an inch below her dress and never covered the long undies she wore…. You know the bright pink ones, silky in summer and fleece in winter….
Gladys won an OBE for service to the community, she was a real character.
William Chaisurin, the Mum of my eldest Daughter Susie…. Yes she was called William. Her Mother was a maid to a British couple and liked the name… well she didn’t care if it was a boys or girls name….
William had 10 children and lived in a slum in
Susie has only visited her family once since she arrived in
Susie, now a Mum of two teenagers reflects the values of her childhood as Keith’s and my daughter.
Joshua’s Mum handed him to us when he was 3 weeks old and weighed just 3 lb. She was an unwed mother and suffered from the shame of being so. She was shunned by her immediate family and lived on her Grandmothers veranda for the term of her pregnancy.
I would love to find her now and thank her for her wonderful gift.
Darrin and Michael’s Mum was unable to take care of them from birth… so they lived with their paternal Grandmother, a gentle, quietly spoken elderly aboriginal woman, who was no match for two energetic boys….She wanted the best for the boys but received little assistance until they were placed in our family. They certainly made our life interesting.
Sylvie. The Mother of three of our children, Liseby, Lori and Benjamin. Sylvie lived in
Callie’s Mum must have been exquisite…her beauty reflected in the 6lb bundle I found in terrible conditions in an orphanage in
Now Callie is a Mum herself to our precious Kodi. How lucky we are to be part of their lives.
Sammy’s Mum was just 13…..his father was actually his Mothers’ Father too….!! Sammy was born with severe medical problems and lived in an orphanage in Nyakakanda Sri Lanka…. He came to live with us at 3 but died when he was just five years old.
I often wonder where she is now…. Did she ever marry? I have my doubts….!!
Jinda’s Mother left him at the hospital door and he was bought up in an orphanage in
Jinda (which means sapphire) is our youngest child now 21 years old and a bit of a gem.
On Mothers Day, I think of Bo, the little girl with downs syndrome who lived with us for 3 years, of Phat a refugee from
What did I do on Mothers Day….? Well here I am sitting in the Qantas Club sipping on Baileys on ice and waiting for my plane after 6 days away teaching….
The ladies were amazing, their projects just super and hopefully I will be able to put them up on the blog in a day or so for you all to share……I’ve had the phone on all week waiting for the call to say that my girl Rachael is about to be a Mum…. But it didn’t happen today…. Still there are a few hours left and it’s all very exciting.
Happy Mothers Day.
2006/05/11
Quilting picnic
Pammy doing her stuff
Quilts on the Verandah
Queenslander house that has been transported to the historic village.
Quilts on the fence!!!!
2006/05/09
Queensland Quilters Annual Picnic Day
They came by the bus load laden with eskies of food, quilts folded under their arms, chairs, and the latest projects in bags. Angels was the theme......Some gals wore halos and wings and they were greeted with a gift of a hand made Angel brooch wearing nothing but a smile and a verse...
Mine said "Angels dream beautiful visions of the world"
They streamed into Beenleigh Historic Village smiling and chatting at the anticipation of a day spent with friends in the sunshine.
2 Large canopies were on the central field to give shade and the ladies quickly claimed their 'spots' and sat down to observe the proceeds of the day. It seemed like no time at all and the word was spread that "Morning Tea" was being served. I met a couple of lads of middling age sporting their shorts, boots and aussie hats sitting on the porch supping tea and eating scones jam and cream... they told me they were the workers...!!!!
A steady stream of ladies went up the steps of the old railway station to claim their cuppa and plate loads of home cooked goodies... I'm a vintage junky.... and I filmed the milk jugs covered with the crochet and beaded covers.... there were old fashioned tins of biscuits and the old Bushels tins the tea came in on a shelf above the tables... Bougainvillea in bright pink adorned the floral tables and everyone was smiling.... including me.
The ladies in the kitchen worked at fever pitch to pour the coffee and tea, their pinnies used to wipe away the cream as they piled the red checked covered baskets high with goodies... scones, lamingtons, shortbread creams and slices.
I talked to a few ladies... Marge was 86 1/2 years old and has the reputation for telling the best jokes... she was a "blue angel" and sported home designed blue wings and halo.
I sat down on the outdoor seat and almost put my cup on the possum poo that had been deposited on the table (probably the night before)... there was a large sculpture in the middle of the table where the white ants had feasted.
The Village is made up of dozens of old buildings and is absolutely charming.... I was so frustrated, I forgot my camera. Something I never do, however, I filmed as much as I could with the documentary camera. The 1950's wooden Queenslander with white lace around the quilt laden verandas....the burgundy tin window shades with elaborate patterns cut into the side which served to protect lace curtains from the harsh sun during the heat of the day....
I was in the middle of filming an old tin bath and bush furniture when I heard a siren sound and an announcement over the loud speaker that I was about to give a talk.... whoops!, I sprinted several hundred metres, camera in air and I arrived breathless at the microphone... fortunately they gave me time to go to the loo and have a drink.... before the festivities.
We chatted for 3/4 of an hour.... 300 ladies under the canopies and I wandered around with the microphone...just being honest about my travels and the like.... It was fun, but as I spoke I could hear my voice a few seconds later in the speakers... a strange feeling indeed.
Lunch was the trusty Australian sausage and onion in bread, and the smell was tantalising.... the lads I chatted to previously were the workers but were overcome with the volume of hungry gals and had to rush for reinforcements and more goodies.....
Show and tell and prizes for the best dressed angel was next and it was just wonderful.... what a super day.... 300 ladies who shared a love of quilting with their friends at the Queensland Quilters Annual Picnic Day.
And I had a ball, all in a days work.
Now I've just finished talking to our two year old who thinks I should come home on the plane and "are you happy Grandma".... that sure brings you back to reality....
Classes tomorrow, ongoing business overseas on the internet and a good nights rest to sooth the mild case of sunburn from today....!!!!
I wish you could have all been there.
Mine said "Angels dream beautiful visions of the world"
They streamed into Beenleigh Historic Village smiling and chatting at the anticipation of a day spent with friends in the sunshine.
2 Large canopies were on the central field to give shade and the ladies quickly claimed their 'spots' and sat down to observe the proceeds of the day. It seemed like no time at all and the word was spread that "Morning Tea" was being served. I met a couple of lads of middling age sporting their shorts, boots and aussie hats sitting on the porch supping tea and eating scones jam and cream... they told me they were the workers...!!!!
A steady stream of ladies went up the steps of the old railway station to claim their cuppa and plate loads of home cooked goodies... I'm a vintage junky.... and I filmed the milk jugs covered with the crochet and beaded covers.... there were old fashioned tins of biscuits and the old Bushels tins the tea came in on a shelf above the tables... Bougainvillea in bright pink adorned the floral tables and everyone was smiling.... including me.
The ladies in the kitchen worked at fever pitch to pour the coffee and tea, their pinnies used to wipe away the cream as they piled the red checked covered baskets high with goodies... scones, lamingtons, shortbread creams and slices.
I talked to a few ladies... Marge was 86 1/2 years old and has the reputation for telling the best jokes... she was a "blue angel" and sported home designed blue wings and halo.
I sat down on the outdoor seat and almost put my cup on the possum poo that had been deposited on the table (probably the night before)... there was a large sculpture in the middle of the table where the white ants had feasted.
The Village is made up of dozens of old buildings and is absolutely charming.... I was so frustrated, I forgot my camera. Something I never do, however, I filmed as much as I could with the documentary camera. The 1950's wooden Queenslander with white lace around the quilt laden verandas....the burgundy tin window shades with elaborate patterns cut into the side which served to protect lace curtains from the harsh sun during the heat of the day....
I was in the middle of filming an old tin bath and bush furniture when I heard a siren sound and an announcement over the loud speaker that I was about to give a talk.... whoops!, I sprinted several hundred metres, camera in air and I arrived breathless at the microphone... fortunately they gave me time to go to the loo and have a drink.... before the festivities.
We chatted for 3/4 of an hour.... 300 ladies under the canopies and I wandered around with the microphone...just being honest about my travels and the like.... It was fun, but as I spoke I could hear my voice a few seconds later in the speakers... a strange feeling indeed.
Lunch was the trusty Australian sausage and onion in bread, and the smell was tantalising.... the lads I chatted to previously were the workers but were overcome with the volume of hungry gals and had to rush for reinforcements and more goodies.....
Show and tell and prizes for the best dressed angel was next and it was just wonderful.... what a super day.... 300 ladies who shared a love of quilting with their friends at the Queensland Quilters Annual Picnic Day.
And I had a ball, all in a days work.
Now I've just finished talking to our two year old who thinks I should come home on the plane and "are you happy Grandma".... that sure brings you back to reality....
Classes tomorrow, ongoing business overseas on the internet and a good nights rest to sooth the mild case of sunburn from today....!!!!
I wish you could have all been there.
2006/05/07
A few of the favourite things in my kitchen.
George the cat, pictures I collected in the Victoria and Albert and collaged.Vintage quilts. Dried hydrangers, stockings from old quilts that stay up all year, my collection of old kitchen scales and the settee by the fire. !!!!
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