Collecting and sewing

Thanks for all your messages and emails (and even a phone call~!), about my previous post - some of you are very observant!! I am not and never will be a perfectionist and I have a very bad habit of laying out my work 'by eye'. I know I should have had my pattern under my background with the lightbox showing me where everything should go......not me!! (do as I say in the book - not as I do!!). I mostly use my eye and presto - mistakes! But I have decided to leave the mistakes - too lazy to do it all again. I have even been known to throw something out rather than unpick it - what a bad girl!

Today in our morning paper there is a story that will touch your heart. Maxine Millbrook from Cardwell (one of the worst affected regions in Queensland), says Cyclone Yasi has "broken my heart and I am 86 and can't start over again". She goes on to share her losses and includes the fact that the only pair of shoes she has is the pair she is wearing. Her lounge is now a beach, covered in sand with all her belongings destroyed. But miraculously two cross stitch samplers that she worked of her dogs remained hanging on the wall. AND........you will not believe this...."But one of my most special things is my sewing machine and that is still sitting on the table, virtually untouched". What a special lady.

So it made me think of how precious our sewing machines are to us as well. I am sure that would be something that would have to stay behind in a rush evacuation, but maybe these small sewing treasures that I collect on my travels would just fit in my bag?

I know over the coming months many of us will be busy sewing quilts for the survivors up North and also making up sewing kits for our fellow stitchers.
Bless you Mrs Millbrook XX