Binding, Knitting and Reading

I've pleased to have finished the quilting on the final  (third) quilt I'm  making for a special family.  I really struggled with the quilting, and couldn't understand why the tension was wrong and the machine was really struggling.  My  Bernina had just come back from a service so should have been running fine.  Eventually, after rethreading yet again, I decided to change the fancy embroidery thread I was using to standard cotton.  What a revelation, no tightness in the tension, no strange noises, and the final quilting line ran smoothly.  When I sent my machine for a service I told them that the pick up thread area was really tight, but just send ordinary thread along.  Guess the moral of the story is, my machine doesn't like that fancy thread!  I'm a slow learner, and struggled with the quilting all along.  

But now the binding is on, and I can enjoy hand stitching it down.  Today is a wonderful calm, sunny Autumn day in my part of paradise.  I sat outside on the patio with my box of trusty binding clips, and started stitching the binding down along the first side.  Such an enjoyable pastime. 

Binding time on a sunny May afternoon

Just like my quilting projects, I seem to have multiple knitting projects going on as well.  I've almost finished stitching up a little toddlers jumper, using the last of the natural coloured brown wool, which was hand spun by my late friend Merilyn.  After looking through my button jars and not finding anything suitable, I'll be off to buy some brown buttons this week.  I'm pleased that I've still got a couple of balls of Merilyn's white/cream wool left which I will use in my 12ply winter socks, knitted with some 4ply sock yarn.

Just finishing the stitching 

And just because I could, I started something new.  With just one 50gr ball of this blue wool left after knitting a toddler jacket a while ago, there seemed to be enough left for a donation beany.  I'm doing a bigger size than I usually make so I hope there is enough, otherwise I'll just have to pull it out and start again, a size smaller.

Blue beany

My summer cotton top that I'm knitting has come to a standstill.  I need to sit down and work out the front neck shaping - because the pattern I'm using is a summer cardigan, not a top.  I'm sure with a bit of concentration and taking some notes it will be OK.

I need to get back to this project next

As you know, I love to read, and there is nothing I like better than a fast paced book about serial killers.  After discovering Angela Marsons books featuring DI Kim Stone, I'm devouring every one in the series in the library that I can find.  There was  so much going on, multiple murders of young sex workers, an abandoned  baby, and modern day slavery all taking place at the same time.  

And for a change of pace, I've recently finished Phillipa Gregory's books two and three in her Fairmile series.  Book two is set in Venice, where dark deeds take place, in America where the early settlers and indigenous people are headed for war, and back in England in the docklands.  Book three tells of the uprising against Roman Catholic King James, and the sugar slave trade in Barbados.  All written with Phillipa Gregory's flair for historical story telling.  To me these were "Can't put down" type of books.

A trip to the library tomorrow is a must, I've finished my books!  I'll be getting withdrawal symptoms.  

Handwork and Books

 I've been doing a bit of this and a bit of that all week.  Remember those blue stars and hearts I've been working on for a secret project?  I've finished stitching the binding down on the stars, just need to do the binding on the hearts now.  I'm not sure when I will be meeting up with the recipients to hand these over though, could be a while.  But I'll keep them safe and sound and share photos when they finally go to their new homes.

I've also done a bit more knitting on my summer top.  This generally gets worked on in the evenings while I'm watching TV, usually during the commercial break as I like to concentrate on the programmes.  So it is growly slowly, one row at a time.

It's coming along slowly

And I've been doing a little big hand stitching on my beautiful Land and Sea Panel today - this has been neglected for much too long.  There is so much of interest to work on, I'm currently stitching around an orca.  And of course there are plenty of birds, fish and background just waiting to be stitched.  I'm working on this as a long term project.

Stitching around the orca

Of course, I've been reading too.  I had a reading emergency recently when I was out of library books, and couldn't get to the library straight away.  So I had a look through the book shelves and selected one of Robin's books, so I didn't get withdrawal symptoms.  Something completely different for me,  The War of the Running Dogs, by Noel Barber.  This told the story of the Malayan War, and how the communists were defeated.  I have to admit I knew nothing at all about this war, I was a child during those years, left school and started my first job in 1960.  That's a long time ago, isn't it.

An interesting and informative read

I finally made it to the library, taking my library bag with me.  I remember stitching this panel quite some years ago when we still lived in Upper Hutt.  Oh look,  some of my favourite authors and I added Wuthering Heights too!

My Library Bag

Two books from the library came home with me, and were devoured.  I enjoy reading Lynda La Plante's character of Jane Tennison, a woman police officer climbing up the ranks, not an easy task, made harder with jealousy and opposition from her male colleagues.  Robin Cook's medical mysteries are often about a dangerous killer virus or something similar sweeping the world.  Charlatans was a little different and told the story of the dirty dealings of lucrative health supplement business, and the steps they would take to protect their business.  

Two recent reads from the library

So that's what I've been up to lately, stitching, knitting and reading.

Chookshed Challenge, RSC, and Books

 I'm taking part in the Chookshed Challenge again this year, and have listed ten projects to work on.  Some of the ten had been started and put aside, and some are new projects on my wish list.  Number 3 was  chosen for January, which for me is a blue and lemon cot quilt.  There is just the quilting to be done on this one, the top has already been stitched, layers pinned, and the binding made.  Blue is also the chosen colour this month for Rainbow Scrap Challenge in January, so this project ticks both boxes. 

Ready to be quilted

I remember starting this quilt when the Ukraine War started.  Quilters worldwide were stitching blue and yellow quilts which were the colours of the Ukraine flag.  I had already made the blue and yellow nine patch blocks, in fact I think they were left overs from yet another UFO.  So I set them on point with a lemon background, added a pale blue border, prepared some binding, and promptly set it aside!  Sadly, the story of my quilting life.

But luckily, this UFO made it to my 2026 Chookshed Challenge list as number 3, which was the number selected for January.  Time to get quilting.  I decided on a cross hatch design and got to work.  Then added the binding.   I took the quilt along to a craft afternoon, and hand stitched the binding down to the back.  

This lovely little cot quilt will be donated to The Nest Collective sometime soon.  Perhaps I'll wait till I have another one finished as well.

Blue and white check backing

Several of the blogs I follow list which books they have read each month, so I thought I would do that too.  You may or may not be interested, but I'm an avid reader and the thought of not having any books to read fills me with dread.  Most of my reading is done in bed at night, and when reading a Jack Reacher book, he is one of my heros, I often used to tell Robin I'm going to bed with Jack!  (A bit of a play on words, as before I met Robin over 42 years ago I used to go out with a guy named Jack.)  No Jack Reacher this month though, but these are the books I've read, and enjoyed, in January.  And just to let you know, I particularly enjoy reading about serial killers, and always hope that  the baddies will get their comeuppance at the end!

Play Dead, by Angela Marsons, featuring DI Kim Stone.

City of Bones, by Michael Connelly, featuring Dectective Harry Bosch.

The Glass Room, by Ann Cleaves, featuring DCI Vera Stanhope.

These three lead characters, I realise,  all had a flawed beginning in life.  Kim Stone's mother left her two young children chained to a radiata and Kim's toddler brother died, and Kim ended up in care.  The mother of Harry Bosch was murdered when he was a child and he was taken into care as well.  And Vera Stanhope's mother died when she was ten, and she was raised by her rather shady father.  All three characters live alone, moved up the police ranks and solve murders, fighting  to  put the baddies away.  I also enjoyed the Vera TV series,  and she and the other characters comes to life so vividly in the books.

Livid, by Patrica Cornwell, features another strong character,  Kay Scarpetta.  Kay is the Chief Medical Examiner and has her fair share of troubles, some of them political as well as attacks on her life, as she solves her cases looking after and examining the dead bodies which end up in her care.  Kay is married to a FBI Profiler, another very interesting character.

And lastly, I read The Disappeared, by C J Box, featuring Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett.  This series is a little different for me, but very enjoyable.  Joe is a quiet man, busy keeping the hunting rules enforced, but comes across his fair share of  mysteries and murders as well.  This character is happily married, but often has political interference to his job.

So that's what I've read and enjoyed this month.  I love my local library!

A Rainy Day in Summer

 I awoke to rain, rain and more rain today.  It's the middle of summer so why so much rain?  But as everyone says, it's got to be good for the farmers, and the home gardeners too.  It was raining so hard that the rain drops were running down the window, and Gemma was fascinated with the movement.  Perhaps she can catch one of these things, whatever they are.  But try as she might, those little critters, as she thought, just kept rolling down the window, oblivious to her paw batting away, trying to catch them.  

She can't catch the raindrops

I went up town to have morning tea with an old friend, and yes, it was still training hard.  When I had just parked the car, there was a knock on the window.  A lady informed me that my petrol cap was open.  Oops, I had put fuel in the car the other day and obviously had forgotten to close and lock it.  Over the last year, I have been using petrol vouchers for fuel. Robin had been given quite a few in appreciation of a voluntry  job he had done for a number of years, and for this fill I had just used the last of them.  So it will be back to paying with  the credit card from now on.  

Just used the last of the vouchers

I went inside to the cafe and awaited for my old school friend Robyn to arrive.   There was plenty to catch up on since I'd last seen her, and we enjoyed a hot coffee and something nice to eat.  Not that I needed anything to eat, and I keep reminding myself that when I'm out for coffee.  We said our goodbyes and then the next stop was the adjacent library.  What's this - quilts on display.  My club, Town and Country Quilters, had a display of smallish quilts, there wasn't any space for any big bed quilts here.  Hopefully, this display will attract a few new members, our membership had fallen during Covid and lock downs and hadn't recovered.

Members quilts at the library

Time to head home for lunch, and the rain was still falling.  If it's raining, I tell myself, it must be soup time.  I always have some tucked away in the freezer, for a soup emergency, and I had defrosted a container that morning.  Yummy soup for lunch. this one was creamy cauliflower, zucchini and golden kumara.  Just what I needed.

Soup for lunch

It will be a quiet afternoon for me, tucked up snug and cozy as the rain continues to come down.  Maybe I should get on to the job of mending a couple of items needing attention.  Why oh why do I keep putting these small jobs off?  I know it won't take to long once I get started.  Perhaps you are the same?

Busy Days

It's the lead up to Christmas and the days are still so busy.  On Monday the first thing on my list was a visit to the library, as I had found out that the local library would be closed for two weeks over the holiday period.  Oh dear, what if I run out of books to read!  So I called in and collected three more, just in case.   The library was nicely decorated and had quite a Christmas vibe, very nice indeed.

Letters for Santa go in the red box

I think that arm chair is for Santa

With enough reading material to last me for a while, I then headed off to my Monday craft group.  This was to be the last get together for the year and we were all taking something for a shared lunch.  I decided to make some fresh fruit kebabs with strawberries, grapes and marshmallows.

Easy to make and so yummy indeed

There were all sorts of goodies to share, sandwhiches, quiche, cheese and crackers, Christmas fruit mince tarts, strawberries galore with dipping chocolate, plenty for everyone.

Lunch is served

After our delicious lunch, we all settled back into our projects.  There was knitting, diamond art, drawing, plus a small cuddly brown teddy was being assembled, all ready to meet an expected grandchild who was arriving very soon.  It was nice to wander around the tables and see what everyone was working on.  I took along knitting and hand quilting to work on.  Carolyn had made us all a little Christmas angel and we got to choose which one took our fancy from the box.  I decided on a pretty white sparkly angel with silver legs.  That was so kind of her, and mine is now safely home with me and hanging up, spreading her Christmas angel wishes around my home.

I chose a sparkly white and silver angel

Today, Tuesday, dawned very wet indeed.  What happened to Summer?  I had one more social occasion on the calendar, to celebrate a belated birthday lunch with my friend Dot.  Her birthday was several weeks ago, and it took us all this time to find a date which suited us both.  As I mentioned, it was a wet and miserable day indeed, and the cafe had Seafood Chowder on the menu, a mutual favourite, so that is what we ordered.  

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and I'm staying home, there is no need for me to brave the Christmas shopping crowds again.  I have a little baking to do, some gifts to wrap, then I will be all ready for Christmas Day.  

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, have a wonderful day, and if you are traveling, stay safe on the roads.  I do feel a bit nostalgic seeing all those caravans and motorhomes taking off for the summer holidays.  

Textiles from around the World

What could be a more stunning reminder of holidays abroad than a beautiful collection of textiles from far flung places?  Our local library had an exhibition showing some of Judy Turner’s treasures collected over many years of travels.  Her collection started when she travelled to Beijing with the British Foreign Office in the 1960s. 

Embroidery over striped fabric from Guatemala

Added to over the years, she collected textiles as she travelled through Asia, India, and Africa. She is particularly interested in the cultural role the textiles play in their country of origin.  The beautiful dyed, printed, woven and embroidered textiles  have deep significance to their owners and are thought to convey protection or good fortune.

The Marsh Arab red rug made in Southern Iraq glowed with colour.  This traditional rug was woven by men and embroidered by women.  Judy Turner commented that Saddam Hussein drove the Shi’a Moslem Marsh Arabs out of their traditional home and lifestyle in the delta region of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.  The survivors have dispersed to refugee camps.

Marsh Arab rug from Iraq

The Toran at the top of the picture is hung over the doorway on special occasions to bring good luck and prosperity.  The embroidered cloth underneath is known as a Dharaniyo is designed to hang in front of a pile of folded quilts and household items  to make the room tidy.  Wouldn’t all quilters worldwide want one of these beauties?  Both items made in Kutch, north west India.

Toran and Dharaniyo from India

From Nigeria came the Status Robe, assembled from many narrow strips joined both horizontally and vertically to make the garment.  Both the weaving and the elaborate embroidery are the work of men.

Nigerian Status robe

This pretty fabric is actually an 8.5 metre turban length from Rajasthan, north west India.  The fine muslin was tie dyed and can be twisted and wound into a neatly fitting turban.

Tie dyed turban length

This is just a small part of what was displayed – all very beautiful and exotic.  Judy Turner points out that in many communities art is not a picture on the wall, but a beautiful, intricately made textile.  These are appreciated for the skills of the maker, and  the meaning behind the patterns, and are handed down over the generations.

Symposium Suitcase Exhibition at Levin

The touring Suitcase Exhibition has stopped off at our local Te Takere Library at Levin.  What a great opportunity to see a variety of small quilts selected from recent Symposium Exhibition.  I have been several times to feast my eyes on these lovely works of art, and here is just a taste of what was on show.  The overall winner of the NZ Suitcase Exhibition was “Opulent and Elegant”, by Valda Sutton, who adapted the design from the book Turkish Motifs, by Cahide Keskiner.

Opulent and Elegant, by Valda Sutton

I love New Zealand inspired quilts and “Aotearoa Blooms”, by Nancy Neilson was inspired by her love of New Zealand flowers, showcasing five original machine appliquéd blocks of native plants.

Aotearoa Blooms, by Nancy Neilson

And still on the New Zealand theme, “Still Being Followed”, by Ruth Wheeler focuses on the plight of the Godwit population which sadly is in decline.  Ruth created her own pattern for the birds, inspired by a newspaper photo.

Still Being Followed, by Ruth Wheeler

You couldn’t help but smile at “Bee Sunny”,  by Mathea Daunheimer.  A tiny appliquéd bee sits on top a beautifully machine quilted sun flower.  The design was inspired by a photo taken by her friend, who lives in Maine, USA.

Bee Sunny, by Mathea Daunheimer 

We are fortunate to have these quilts on show locally for the last few weeks, and they will be moving on to their next destination at the end of the month.  Keep an eye out – they might be coming to a town near you sometime soon.

Hand Crafted Poppies for Anzac Day

It all started when the National Army Museum made the “patriotic call to yarn” to all knitters and crafters throughout New Zealand.  Using patterns provided, the aim was to produce one hand crafted poppy for each person lost - 18,166 poppies in all.   The knitting needles started clicking away and over 30,000 were soon received.   Museum staff have been touched by the overwhelming response and the numerous stories of personal tributes to family members who served. As a result of the response staff decided it was appropriate to extend the initial ‘call to yarn’ with another project named “The Last Post”. This is to become a tribute to all other men and women who have been lost to war and conflict outside World War One and represents a further 12,309 based on the museum’s Tears on Greenstone roll of honour database from all services, Army, Navy, Air Force and Merchant Navy.

Poppy Project Co-ordinator Alison Jones said, “Thank you New Zealand, but it is now time to lay down your needles – Armistice is called on the Patriotic Call to Yarn Project. Please send in any poppies you currently have, we will accept all poppies.”

The poppies have been carefully hand sewn onto specially made hessian panels, and I was thrilled to get to see them on display at the museum's greenstone memorial wall a few days prior to Anzac Day.

The hand crafted poppies were made in all shades of red, with a sprinkling of white poppies here and there, and a few touches of green.  Most had dark centres, as requested, and some had notes attached, no doubt related to the family member they were made for.

Poppies at National Army Museum, Waiouru

Closer to home at our local library, Te Takere, the call went out for crotcheted and knitted poppies for display.  I’m an avid library user and called in to see how the poppies had been displayed.  There was a large panel hanging in the library.  The photo does not do the poppies justice – the colour is really a deep red.

Panel of poppies at the local library

During the First World War, red poppies were among the first plants to spring up in the devastated battlefields of northern France and Belgium. In soldiers' folklore, the vivid red of the poppy came from the blood of their comrades soaking the ground. The sight of poppies on the battlefield at Ypres in 1915 moved Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae to write the poem ”In Flanders Fields”.

Flanders Fields poem by John McCrae

Red poppies in a cross

Poppies have such a special meaning at Anzac Day, and this one in particular, being the 100th Centenary of Anzac Day.  The many poppies contributed to the library have been very well displayed indeed by the hard working staff and volunteers.  

Quilts at the Library

Our local library is very special.  Librarian Linda Fletcher, who runs the monthly Book Club which I attend, has recently had a book launch there of her book “Horowhenua and the Great War 1914-1918”.   This is the culmination of a research project, begun in 2006, to identify all the casualties named on Horowhenua's war memorials.  The book details the lives of all 188 men from the district who died in the war, telling their stories through letters from the front and newspaper obituaries.

To complement Linda’s book launch, the library has been showing a marvellous  collection of quilts with a WW1 theme on loan from the very talented Erilyn McMillan of Palmerston North.  She has a particular interest WW1 through family connections and military service.  Erilyn feels that these stories need to be told, and has done this with her beautiful quilts.

“Dawn Service, Linton Military Camp, Anzac Day”.   The dawn breaks over the Tararua Ranges and lights up the sky.  The camp is portrayed by the iconic Phoenix Palms and a soldier in his lemon squeezer hat stands with his head bowed in contemplation. 

Dawn Service, Linton Military Camp, Anzac Day

“The Western Front – a snapshot of our darkest days”.  Made of of “postcards”, this quilt illustrates the use of tanks, gas, and the terrible knee high mud the soldiers had to live,  fight and die in.  Sadly, Erilyn discovered through her research that many of the soldiers died by “other causes”, by firing squad.  

The Western Front

“Lest We Forget”.  Memorials arouse deep motions, and the local war memorial says much about the beliefs and values of New Zealanders.  Figures of soldiers, arches, gates, obelisks and clock towers, even clock towers, all play their part in remembering the fallen.  With touches of green leaves and the fallen red poppies, this lovely quilt in tones of grey is a lovely memorial indeed.  

  Lest we forget

“The Nation’s Most Gallant Sons”.  The starting point was making the face of Victoria Cross recipient, Cpl Willie Apiata, the only living member, using just four fabrics.  Erilyn then decided to honour all of the VC recipients.  The first to receive this award was Charles Heaphy, the only VC awarded to a member  of the Colonial Forces during the New Zealand Wars.  Erilyn printed the faces of the other recipients onto paper towels, encased with netting, and the Victoria Cross was printed on organza, all stitched over a pieced background.

The Nation’s most Gallant Sons

“Gallipoli”, the title of this quilt is made up of daisy fabric, and represents the “Daisy Patch” on the peninsula.  As the New Zealanders prepared to charge, fellow soldiers asked, “You’re not going to charge across the daisy patch, are you?”    “Of course we are”, the Aucklanders answered.  “God help you”, was the reply.  Erilyn machine stitched barbed wire, sand bags, stones and wind, all part of everyday life for the men.

Gallipoli

“Private James Duncan”.  This quilt is made to honour Eriyn’s grandfather, who served on the Western Front in the Medical Corps.  His military story is pictured on body tags, and the medal ribbons are the original silks from his ribbons, which have been replaced with new ribbons.  This very personal piece of work features photos, badges, and buttons, and a copy of the Certificate of Service.  What a wonderful family heirloom.

Private James Duncan

The Last Post”  is a military bugle or trumpet call to signal the end of the day.  It is also played at ANZAC services and at military funerals.  The raw edges of the fabric were left frayed to convey the feeling of edginess, a shiver down the spine, and a tear in the eye, just as it can do at the Dawn Service on Anzac Day.  Erilyn made the bugler small we often only hear the music, and not see the musician.

The Last Post

“In Flanders Field” – what is more iconic than the images of poppies?  Erilyn depicts this so beautifully with her quilt.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below

In Flanders Field

Erilyn likes to work in this one particular size for her WW1 quilts and they are full of details and exquisite quilting.  She has ideas for a few more stories to be told in this series of WW1 quilts, she told me.  Then she will probably start on a WW2 series – there are many stories to tell from this time in history too.