Rummage

'Tis the season. The small people have parties to attend and require new frocks. I made this one yesterday and made up the pattern as I went along. Next time I'll modify it a bit but I'm pleased with the way it turned out. However we shan't discuss the 'Cherry Incident' that occurred barely 2 minutes after the photo shoot.

xx Hope your weekend was delightful.

I love to read, love, love, love it. I dream of weekends when I pause only to sip my tea or turn a page. I remember those books that stopped the traffic - no meals, no ablutions, nada until the last page was turned. The desolation when the narrative was over and there was nothing more. I wish I could read like that again.
I will read like that again, some day. For now I need short narratives, less complex plots, less characters, less names to remember. So I was delighted to discover Persephone Books, in their own words:

"Persephone prints mainly neglected fiction and non-fiction by women, for women and about women. The titles are chosen to appeal to busy women who rarely have time to spend in ever-larger bookshops and who would like to have access to a list of books designed to be neither too literary nor too commercial. The books are guaranteed to be readable, thought-provoking and impossible to forget."

I like the sound of that. And I love their book design and overall aesthetic - the dove grey covers and the fabric endpapers from the likes of textile design luminaries such as Lucienne Day are stunning. Go and check out their website here.
xx
PS I'd love to tell you that the photo shows the small person climbing up to get a book but she was actually caught red-handed in the biscuit tin.

Have a gorgeous weekend!

 
 

I had a mild nervous breakdown at the news that applique might be involved in this month's quilt square. I've always thought that a post-doctoral fellowship is required for embarking on such a thing. The other bad news for me was that it had to be a 'thing' as opposed to an abstract, wobbly, nebulous non-thing (my forté).

Rashida stipulated a house, so I thought I would go all out with a chateau. And whaddyaknow? applique isn't that bad afterall. Of course, this isn't the real-deal applique  with exquisitely tucked in edges and blind stitching but I'm happy. In fact I was heading back to the machine to attempt a St Petersburg dome but I thought better of it, one should not tempt fate.

xx

Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women or White Ribbon Day as it is known here in Australia. If you have the time, please watch this, thanks.
x

hopeyouarewell.me?impeachy.whoneedsanymorethan45minutessleepisay. notthislittleblackduck.nosir.thesmallestpersonhasgoneoffsleepaltogetherandshes
takingmealongfortheride.
heressomephotosbecausemythoughtshavebecomesomewhatillegible.theend.

As a child I loved tinned beetroot on just about anything but perhaps best of all on an old fashioned hamburger from the local take away. It has always been to me one of the cheeriest of vegetables, spelling sunshine and drowsy afternoons at the beach. I didn't even mind the soggy sag of the beetroot sandwich left too long in the lunchbox.

I'd love to say that growing my own beetroot has been a revelation. But secretly, and not just for nostalgia's sake, my heart is still with the tinned variety.

I cut a baker's dozen of beetroot yesterday, some of which went into lunch, some into snacks (beetroot sliced finely and roasted on low for several hours in the oven) and some into my first Russian Linen square. Here are the results:
 

Further embellishment to come.
x

I'd be lying if I said that recent events haven't left me feeling a little blue. Not in an 'off to top myself' kind of way, more just an ache, a residual sadness.

Feeling like this doesn't concern me anymore, neither does admitting to it. In the past I would have run a thousand miles before making such a confession. Why, I am not sure, afterall sadness is a part of the human continuum like any other emotion. Shunning it just sends it underground which is when things start to get ugly.

These days when I feel a little blue I like to sit with it, watch it, make my peace with it. Beyond any other learning in my adult life this lesson has been the most profound. Do I sound like a self help manual? Let's just say Anthony Robbins has nothing on me.

What I really wanted to talk about was a lovely project Leah has organised for a bunch of women to have their merry way with a set of Russian teatowels. And I'm big on teatowels as you might know.

I've decided that in light of all that has happened, my project would revolve around my garden.
life lived/life lost/love/loss/renewal

I've cut the linen into 16 pieces, each of which will be dyed using only what comes from my backyard. I'll show you the results of my first attempt tomorrow, but for now, here's a few hints:
 

Thought I'd give the blog some Christmas jazz, hence the red and the green. Even if I'm now a card carrying, going-to-hell-in-a-handbasket atheist.
One can still be festive.

I had a hell of a headache yesterday and a lot of petulant behaviour to deal with (mine, not the two year old's), and it suddenly came to me at about 9ishpm that I hadn't had any green tea all day. There I was thinking how fabulously herbal I've become sipping on my organic bancha and the sneaky bugger has been loading me up with caffeine on the sly. I may as well go back to the macchiato laybacks on the quarter hour.

Hope it's a glorious weekend for you.
x
PS the last two photos aren't mine. They are from the latest Dinosaur Designs cattledog. This is not what I'd call a veiled hint, Frenchman, if you're listening. Currently trying to grow my arms so that I can wear all of those cuffs simultaneously.

PPS If you are living in Canberra you should go to the Canberra Upmarket tomorrow. Lots of crafters are involved including the lovely Nina of 'Canberra's Got Style'.

Another square done and now I am up to date with my One Quilt responsibilities. I've started to think about fabrics and colours for my quilt month which is coming up fast. It's such a nice thing to think of a quilt coming together from all over the world. I hope some of the girls who have pieced theirs together will post photos soon.

I've got a shop update happening hopefully before the weekend, with some nice stuff, interestingly very much in keeping with the colours of this square. I'll keep you posted.
xx