Summer Snippets

 Summer has arrived and I have to say it is not a season that Larry and I really look forward to and we still have three months to go. The heat seems to create unwelcome fatigue and apathy with the added bonus of puffy feet and ankles!! Sadly our state is suffering another drought - apparently the worst for the last 15 years. Living in a rural community it is very evident both in local chatter and viewing the surrounds. We feel for the farmers and can only hope they are able to continue. So now I have had a grumble it's time to say hello to friends both near and far. I still get emails from time to time enquiring about access to my patterns. I have many scanned digitally that I am more than happy to share but I am no longer providing them to my wholesaler. But do continue to enquire and I will try my best to please! I'm not designing new patterns at the moment but I do continue to stitch as I find it restful ...even on a hot day! My recent pieces were made as prize giveaways for our village Christmas dinner. The angel pattern came from the latest Inspirations Magazine and I ended up making nine of them to give away.......

Since my last post Larry has completed his first round of weekly immunotherapy, so now he waits for the next hospital admission on January 9th so the next treatment plan can be decided........

I'm still trying to get through the never ending stash of fabric so I managed several more hospice quilts, 52 cutlery holders that were requested for the village dinners, and even some new shirts for the wardrobe....

I made the shirts way too big so they now have either darts or pin tucks so they don't look quite so baggy like the photos......

Recently a neighbour asked if I could make his wife a table runner that he could give her for Christmas. He was unsure what he wanted but decided on Autumn tones. This is the result and those of you who have done the Bee Mindful Quilt might recognise some of the appliqué (including the blue wren on the tea towels that you saw earlier in this post). I decided to make some placemats to match the runner as well.....

At the end of October Wade turned seven, so we decided to have a picnic in the parklands to celebrate, and it was also a venue where he could experience tree climbing. This was a first for Wade and he managed the challenge exceedingly well. We were all a little nervous on the ground but Maisie who has done it before encouraged and helped him each step of the way especially when the tasks became more challenging........

As each challenge increases the safety nets disappear and the climbs become higher. The way Wade and Maisie both handled that final log was incredible to watch...........

On the home front (apart from the stitching), we've enjoyed beach walks (not as many as we should and we forget it is only a 5 minute car drive away!), and we have had a bumper crop of sweet smelling sweet peas that we are now collecting the seeds from......

Just last night I did a two hour workshop making a wreath. Being Christmas most participants followed that theme, but some of us decided on a wreath that can hang all year round. It will be interesting to see how it dries in the coming weeks. The venture was in an space that was redeveloped by the daughter of the late Mark Pearse, a local potter and artist, and her late Mother who was also an artist, and where Mark produced his ceramics. It is a credit to Ruth to have created this amazing space in their memory and is now called Lot 50......

Photo Source

And the result of my two hour workshop that is now hanging on the front door.............

I think that is it for now so I hope my next post in Autumn leaves the drought and heat behind us. We hope you enjoy the Christmas break doing what you like to do and may 2025 be a year of good health and happy memories for all x