Our Aussie Adventures

The binding is now stitched down and I’ve added the label, so it’s finally finished, a quilt recording our Aussie Adventures.  Made with fabrics showing Australian flora and fauna,  these blocks, together with my Pigma pen,  came with me on our rail trips over three years.   We boarded the Ghan rail trip from Adelaide to Darwin in 2016, and returned in 2017 to ride the rails on two vintage rail car trips out from Cairns.  Then earlier this year, 2018, we returned to Australia to do the other great Aussie train ride, the Indian Pacific, which runs from Perth to Sydney.  Sadly, after several hours on board this train and enjoying lunch in the dining room, our first meal of the trip, it was announced that due to a derailment further up the line, the track had been torn up and our trip could not go ahead. As well as our rail trips we explored far and wide, into the outback, towns and cities, rivers and beaches and the mighty Uluru (Ayers Rock).  There was so much to see in this mighty continent, but with the time available, we only scratched the surface.

The pattern I used was “Dainty Confections” from the book Triangle-Free Quilts, by Judy Hopkins, adding extra sashing strips between the blocks.  And the cute machine embroidered koala stitched by my Aussie pen friend Janet became the label.

There was still quite a bit of Aussie fabric left over, so I pieced it together to make the backing.

The back of the quilt

So here it is, hanging above the sofa, my Aussie Adventure quilt.  Just like a fabric diary, it records all the exciting things we did on our trips.  The plan is to rebook on the Indian Pacific trip next year, so here’s hoping it goes off without a hitch.

Memory quilt

Another Road Trip

Our trip to Hamilton was to get some repairs done on our caravan.  We stopped at Jukebox Diner for lunch, always a favourite place for a casual meal.  We both enjoyed a Coco Cola “Spider” with our lunch.  As I told Robin, he is not the first fellow to tempt me with this beverage.  Many years ago, in my Youth Club days, my boyfriend Barton (later my first husband)  and I used to enjoy a Spider after we had been rock’n’rolling the afternoon away, that’s going back quite a few years!  And I just had to stop and say hello to Elvis!

Jukebox Diner in Hamilton

The next day we had to be up bright and early for the workmen to take our caravan into the factory for repairs at the extra early time of 6.30am!  With a spare day to fill in, first port of call was to find a café in the city which was open for breakfast.  We ordered bacon and eggs for him, and scrambled eggs for her, followed by coffee, and spent a leisurely time eating our breakfasts and reading the papers.  With a day to fill in waiting for the repairs to be completed we took a trip out to Raglan on the coast.  A visit to the local museum was very interesting and exceptional value at just $2 each.   I’m always interested in the beautifully stitched clothing from the early colonial days, and spotted some vintage sewing machines as well.

Seen at the Raglan Museum

On the way back to Hamilton we made a short diversion to see the Bridal Veil Falls – we had last been to see them way back in the mists of time, so long ago that we had almost forgotten. I bravely walked down hundreds of steps along the track, and then all the way back to the top again – well it certainly felt like that many. The Bridal Veil Falls drop 55m into a 5m deep pool at the bottom.  It’s certainly not the biggest waterfall we have seen, but so pretty in the bush setting, and we were joined by a steady stream of tourists along the track.

Bridal Veil Falls

After the caravan repairs were completed we hooked up again and spent the night out in the country at Putaruru.  We awoke to the most glorious sun rise, blazing with beautiful morning hues.  So out I padded into the fresh morning air, camera in hand, to capture this sight before the colours faded away.  I’m not sure which photo I like best, (probably the second one with the softer tones) which do you prefer?

Sun rise at Putaruru

With all this travelling going on, I’ve only had time for a little stitching.  But it all helps, doesn’t it.

Holiday Project – Finished

It’s a bit sad, isn’t it.  Here we are, mid March, and I’ve  only just completed my first finish for the year.   But….. to be truthful, we have barely arrived back home after our long caravan trip away, exploring the South Island of New Zealand.   I prepared umpteen memory blocks using New Zealand themed fabric and packed them way with my Pigma pen.  As we toured around for 10 weeks or so I diligently used the patches as a type of fabric diary, writing each evening on the plain cream squares where we had stayed, places we had explored, and attractions visited.  During the week I started assembling the blocks, and finally completed all the rows.

After a lot of pinning and stitching the top was together, and the borders added.  Luckily I had enough of the smudgy green fabric for the borders, with just a little strip left over.

The top is done

But we all know that the job isn't over till the top is quilted.  This is going to be used as a table cloth, I decided, so I used light pellon as the batting.  The quilting was simple, with some stitch in the ditch to hold it all together.

Once again, I was fortunate to have just enough of one of the New Zealand themed fabrics to use as the binding, hand stitching the back edge down while Robin was engrossed in a rugby game on TV last night.  A few extra patches were utilised on the back.  And here it is, finally finished.

The completed table cloth

There are lots of lovely fabrics used, showcasing our native birds.  The kiwi, fantail, kereru, and the world’s only alpine parrot, the kea.  Then there are trees and ferns, kaka beak flowers, and the  crimson pohutakawa blossoms, which appear in summer, giving this tree the name of the New Zealand Christmas Tree.

The inspiration for this design was taken from my book Triangle-Free Quilts, by Judy Hopkins, using the pattern, Spruce Root Basket.

Looking back, it seems that making this type of holiday memory quilt is getting to be a habit, and this is the second quilt I have made to commemorate travelling around the South island. We had a three month trip in 2012 and the result of that trip was a Rail Fence memory quilt.  Read my earlier blog about the quilt here

South Island Traveling Rail Fence, 2012

Hi-de-hi campers, it’s time to go home

Our seemingly never ending caravan trip around the South Island has come to an end.  After 80 days away, it was finally  time to head home.  This snap was taken at the Picton Lookout, and you can just see the Inter Island Ferries behind us.

At Picton

Should be a calm trip

Finding ourselves a table aboard, we settled down to the journey.  Things got interesting when the Captain announced that a drill was taking place.  After several blasts of the siren, staff members came with life jackets to show how to put them on, and answer any questions.  Other scenarios took place, a life boat drill, and a (supposed) fire in the engine room,  reminding us on the loudspeaker that this was only a drill for staff training taking place.  Just as well it was a drill, because my heartbeat certainly got raised when the Captain started calling out, “Abandon ship, abandon ship” very loudly!

Views from the trip

Our journey from Picton to Wellington

We arrived home to a huge pile of mail, including our Census Forms which had to be dealt with pronto. The caravan is unpacked, and the caravan fridge needed a really good clean after it had been assaulted by a jar of pickled onions which tried to escape!  Several loads of laundry have been done – it’s not as if I neglect this task while on holiday.  But washing, like rust, never sleeps.  And I had been to umpteen different laundries while away on our trip, including this one with the interesting sign outside.  There is no mistaking what that is!

 

This way to the launderette

So now we are home again, I’m hoping to reacquainted with my sewing machine again.  Perhaps tomorrow.

Last few Days on Holiday

It’s hard to believe that our loooong South Island holiday is almost at an end.  We are currently at our last stop, Koromiko, for two days before we board the Interisland Ferry.  And I’m relaxing outside doing a little afternoon stitching.  This is a nice roomy place to camp, and the property is surrounded with huge Totara trees, one of our beautiful native trees.  The bird song is amazing, and so nice to listen to as I’m sitting outside under the sun shade.

As far as stitching goes, I’ve started on another New Zealand botanical block.  But I’m feeling all “stitched out” on these and have put it aside for a while.  I had planned it as a long term stitchery project, after all, so it doesn't matter if I put it aside for a while.

Another botanical bock

Instead, I’m doing a little hand quilting on my Winter Quilt Festiva panel, for a change.

Winter Quilt Festival

I’m pleased the weather has warmed up again. Over the last few days when we were staying at Blenheim the rain came down and the ground was just a mud bath – not nice at all to slosh through.  There was a washing machine available so I did a load this morning and brought it with me to hang up here.  So that makes me a happy camper indeed.  There is nothing nicer than laundry drying in the sun shine, is there?

Drying in the sun shine

Most of the places we have been staying at have a “Swap a Book” area, where you recycle your books or magazines and pick up something new to read.  Here the books are housed in an old fridge, which appears to be plugged into a power point on the tree.  Many visitors are fooled by this, we have been told, and some have been seen trying to plug their appliances into the power point!

It’s a trick, of course

We will be enjoying our last couple of days on holiday, and then we will be aboard the Cook Strait ferry on Saturday.  And it goes without saying that we are hoping for a nice smooth crossing.

Kowhai Circlet

I put the finishing stitches in my Kowhai Circlet block today.  This is number three of the nine botanical blocks I plan to make.  Designed as applique patterns by the very talented Jenny Hunter for the New Zealand Quilter magazine, I have decided to do my blocks as stitcheries.

Kowhai Circlet block

Regarded by most New Zealanders as our national flower, Kowhai are among the most beautiful of our flowering trees.   They produce tubular flowers that are around 3-5 cm long and are a favourite of tui, bellbirds and silvereyes who feed on the nectar. Once established, they flower over a long period in late winter and early spring. The flowers are bright gold yellow – hence the name, which means “yellow” in Maori.

Tui  in a kowhai tree

Another Quilting Shop

Quite by accident, we stumbled across another quilt shop on our travels.  “June’s Room” has only been trading for about three years, so was not here when we last visited Nelson six years ago.  I had a look around while Robin sat on the handy seat outside on the verandah.

What a delight of colour inside the rather plain shop front.  Beautiful fabrics, knitting yarn,kits and patterns,  and I rather liked the embroidered “chocolate” tea towels with the cute sayings.  There was a gorgeous range of batiks, I’m always rather drawn to them, and lots of black and whites, which are always very popular.  June was a very elegant lady who told me she had taught sewing for many years.

June at June’s Room

So what else have we been up to on our holiday?  Before the storm arrived we enjoyed a week in Golden Bay, right at the top of the South Island, and traveled as far as the road would take us.  We had never been to Cape Farewell before, and  we trudged up the hill to the lookout point, joining the other tourists all looking over the rail at the  rather impressive sight in front of us.  The sea was surging in endless waves and over the rocks.  We looked down to the seals far below.  Some were sunning them selves on the rocks.  And another group were gently bobbing about in the waves, they didn’t seem to be feeding, just enjoying themselves and having fun.

Cape Farewell

On another unsealed road we traveled up hill and down dale, and over the multitude of causeways, finally arriving at the pretty little Kaihoka Lake.  There was a swimmer in the water, cooling off on another hot day, and kayakers paddling around.  It looked a lovely place to go for a picnic and enjoy playing around in the water.

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Driving over yet another causeway, and Kaihoka Lake

Back in Nelson again, which is known as the “Sunshine Capital of New Zealand” because of all the hours of sunshine it enjoys.  Just up the road is the remains of a huge Tasmanian Blue Gum tree, known as the Otterson Gum.  Following a branch falling down, it was discovered that there were major structural problems and this notable tree was felled in 2005 at the age of 158 years.  It’s hard to imagine just how tall this mighty tree must have been before it was cut down, the stump itself is huge.

At the stump of the Tasmanian Blue Gum

With only a week of our holiday to go now, we are slowly making our way back to Picton to cross over on the ferry.  Returning to Nelson gives us the chance to catch up with Robin’s sister Kaye once again before we move on.

Stitching during the Storm

She may have been downgraded by the weather people, but Cyclone Gita still packed a punch.  To prepare for her arrival on Tuesday we moved from the Golden Bay area  to Marchwood Park camp in Motueka. and hunkered down.   The heavy  rain arrived on Tuesday morning, noisily beating down on the caravan roof.  The puddles started to join up into a rather large lake outside our van, across the roadway, and across the camping area to the side of us. Then the winds arrived, sudden gusts kept shaking the van, and I for one was certainly worried what the night would hold.  We cooked and ate the evening meal, watched the TV news, seeing the devastation which Gita had brought to some areas of the country.   Eventually as the evening drew on, the wind started to die down a bit, perhaps Gita was moving on?

Heavy rain all day

During our day tucked up inside the van we checked the news and weather reports on TV, read some blogs, flicked through a magazine,  and I did a bit more on my stitching.  My bits and pieces are tucked  away in my sewing pouch.  I diligently stitched on for a while, but I must admit it was hard to settle with worrying about the storm.

The following day we woke to sunshine and counted our blessings.  The lake of water had drained  away, none of the large trees on site came crashing down around us,  and the the strong winds hadn’t toppled any vans.  We had certainly escaped the worst of the weather.  But the news was grim – Ex Cyclone Gita had caused chaos across central New Zealand – roads closed, flights grounded and a state of emergency has been declared in Christchurch, Buller, Westland, Selwyn, Tasman, Taranaki, and Grey District.

We very fortunate to have  made the return journey from Golden Bay over the Takaka Hill in Monday, as it is now impassable, the road badly damaged and closed with 16 slips.  Helicopter footage showed the Takaka Hill road cluttered with mud, debris and fallen trees.  The damage will take several days to clear. Food supplies for Golden Bay's 5000 locals and 1000 stranded tourists will be delivered by sea tomorrow.

One of the many slips on the Takaka Hill

On a lighter note – let me tell you a family story.  This town has a historical connection to the maternal side of my family.  A young man on the Green side of the family jumped ship at Motueka and supposedly hid under the voluminous skirts of the publican’s wife while the search was on for the absconder.  Once the ship had set sail he was free to start a new life in the colonies and did quite well for himself in business, married and had quite a large number of children.  There is even a local street named after him.   And how about this blast from the past - this is a photo from our previous visit here six years ago when we tracked down my “family street sign”.  Do I look six years younger?

My “family” street sign, named for an early relative

Stitching Kowhai Leaves and Road Trip Tales

I’ve been stitching away on the third of my New Zealand botanical bocks.  This one is called “Kowhai Circlet” with a whole lot of small kowhai leaves to be stitched.  So far  I’ve done half of them, together with the circlet, and the various stems.  Once all the leaves have been completed, I can start on the pretty bright yellow kowhai flowers.   But as I’ve said before, every little bit helps.

 

Weeks into our road trip, I’ve come to the conclusion that I get more stitching done if I leave my stitching bag out on the sofa, instead of putting it away in the cupboard each night.  Out of sight means out of mind, as it’s turned out.  Having my bag to hand, it is just so easy to pick it up on a sunny afternoon and start stitching, rather than to go looking for the bag when it has been put away.  Does that make sense to you?

As for holiday news – we are continuing to slowly move northwards.  The climb towing the van up the steep Takaka Hill (800m high) was slow and a little nerve-wracking, when we met a large truck coming around a tight corner straight towards us.  Some of those corners were real hair pins but the driver (if not the navigator) kept his cool, and kept on keeping on.  The views, as to be expected, were magnificent.  Mountain after mountain, one behind the other, as far as the eye could see.

Trip over the Takaka Hill

We went to visit a very special place, the Pupu Springs.  Te Waikoropupū Springs (their full name) are the largest freshwater springs in New Zealand, the largest cold water springs in the Southern Hemisphere and contain some of the clearest water ever measured.  The entrance way has carved posts, and information panels telling of the springs and their special meaning to the Maori people.  We walked along a track through native forest, along an easy path and boardwalk.  The bush ringed pool is absolutely beautiful, full of the clearest of water bubbling up to the surface.  A little further around the boardwalk was the Dancing Sands Spring, where the bubbling water moves the white sandy bottom of the pool around, making the sand really look like it is dancing.

Pupu Springs

There was a lot to explore in this area, places we hadn’t been before.  One day we decided to visit Totaranui, to see what was there.  Our trip started with driving through a hole hacked out of the rock,  and then we were on our way.  We reached the end of the sealed road and turned onto a 10km wiggly unsealed road to take us down to Totaranui on the coast.

On the way to Totaranui

There is a huge DOC campground at Totaranui, which is on the edge of the Abel Tasman National Park.   The place was teeming with walkers, all keen to walk the tracks throughout the park.   We watched as crowds of campers milled about down on the beach, getting off and on the water taxis, as they lugged heavy back packs.  We were surprised at just how many keen young people there were ready to tackle these tracks over the mountains.

Water taxis at Totaranui

The Abel Tasman National Park was named to honour Abel Tasman who visited New Zealand way back in 1642 but did not actually land here.  We stopped to view the imposing Abel Tasman Monument on the hillside, and were entertained by the antics of a cheeky weka, another flightless New Zealand native bird,  as we walked up the path.

Cheeky weka and the Abel Tasman Monument

Another interesting visit was to  Labyrinth Rocks.   The Labyrinth is a world class example of karst limestone topography, we read.  We walked along narrow passages, ducking under trees, with towering rocks all around us.  About 25 million years ago the land was lifted out of the sea, and the tremendous forces taking place caused a series of cracks through the rocks, allowing rainwater to enter.  After millions of years the small cracks have widened to become the canyons in the labyrinth.

Labyrinth Rocks

I’ll leave you with pictures of a memorial mosaic bench on the beach we found at a beach.  It seems to be made in the memory of a young woman who had passed away, by four friends.  It really was a work of art and incorporated commercial tiles, together with mosaics made from pottery, glass and beads.  You can imagine the time, effort, creative endeavor and love  these girls put in to making such a wonderful memory of their friend.

In memory of Kelly

The scenery is wonderful in this part of the country – we  are currently exploring the northern tip of the South Island, known as the Golden Bay area.  Have been here briefly some years ago, so it is great, this time, to take longer and have such a good look around.