Just a little Shopping

Black thread  - that’s what I needed for my traveling stitchery project.  Luckily we found out where the LQS was and I made a quick visit.  I was after Perle No 5 in black, and luckily they had some.  Then while browsing around,  found some nice stripy fabric which could work well as the borders on my Noah's Ark stitchery.  Or not, perhaps I should have waited till this project was completed to see if it would go well with the stitchery blocks.  Never mind, I’ve bought it now.

My purchases

I’m not expecting to make our South Island Trip a Quilting Shop Hop, but I’m sure I’ll come across a few shops which will pique my interest.  The Sewing Store at Blenheim had a great range of fabrics and tools and I received nice friendly service.  Always a must have bonus for me as I'm sure we have all been in shops where the friendly service has been sadly lacking.

Inside The Sewing Store

I’m sure you would like an update on our South Island Adventure.  We drove off  the Inter Island Ferry at 5.30AM, drove 8km to Koromiko,  opened the gate, chose a site, kept the car and van hooked up, pulled the blinds and curtains and climbed into bed.  We were so tired, but Gemma took a while to settle down, no doubt still a little anxious after her time alone in the caravan for several hours crossing Cook Strait.

Gemma is outside after a bit of shut eye

This is a pretty camp, surrounded by beautiful mature native totara trees.   For book lovers like me, this camp has a rather quirky book swap set up.  The books are inside an old fridge, with a power cord seemingly plugged into the totara tree.  I had a book to swap, and came away with a couple more.  In my view there is nothing worse that not having book to read at bedtime.  The birds were singing in the trees all day long, and across the road came the occasional bleat of sheep in the paddocks.  I loved the look of this old barn, certainly rustic, and it has it’s own type of beauty, I think.  We sent several hours during the afternoon sitting outside,  just relaxing, and chatting to the campers next to us.  .

At Koromiko Camp

The following morning was wet, and we moved on to Blenheim.   After choosing a site, settling in, and paying our camp fees, we had a quick lunch then set out to find a laundromat.  May as well spend a couple of hours doing the laundry on such a wet day, we reasoned.  The laundromat was busy, and one customer came in and commandeered five large washing machines!  She did mention that her machine at home had broken down and a  new one was not available till well after Christmas.  Seems she will be looking forward to many more visits while waiting for her new machine to arrive.

The next coupe of days we went exploring, and discovered an  “Old English Pub” for lunch.  Stepping inside, we were warmly welcomed indeed.  With thick ceiling beams, a large brick fireplace, and plenty of brass and jugs everywhere, the Cork and Keg certainly had an English country pub ambiance.

The Cork and Keg

We placed our lunch orders, and sat out in the beer garden, sheltered with plenty of sun umbrellas and a large sun shade.  Our lunches arrived, popcorn shrimp for me, something I’d never had before, and buffalo wings for him, and Robin indulged in a large glass of Guinness.  I’m not really a beer drinker but I can remember having the occasional small Guinness myself when we traveled around Ireland some years ago – it seemed the thing to do at the time!

In the Beer Garden

What’s that sign we spotted driving back to camp?  Fresh strawberries were for sale – just what we needed.  Not only that, but strawberry snow freeze ice-creams too.  The car park was packed, and happy customers sat outside licking their ice-creams.  And if they were anything like me, trying to finish the ice-cream before it all melted and ran down my hand.

A giant strawberry, and Robin waiting with the ice-creams

Gemma had been wandering in and out of the caravan on her lead, but the caravan next to us had a young terrier dog which got excited when Gemma poked her nose outside.  We waited till they went out in their car, before letting her outside in peace.  Otherwise, she is happy to rest inside, and particularly likes to snooze inside the lap top bag while I am busy blogging.  She is such a big help!

Relaxing, that’s what cats do best

Number One on the List

What UFO to work on this week?  The roll of the dice tells me it is number one on my list, the second neutral strings quilt I’m making from my supply of previously stitched neutral strings blocks.  There are still enough blocks left in the bag to complete a third cot quilt – so you can see I had a good supply of them tucked away.  Its all layered and pinned up, ready to go, so I’ll see how I get on with the quilting this week.

Ready for quilting

I’m really pleased that I’ve achieved the three items on my “Getting out of Lockdown” list.    I managed to get an appointment with my hairdresser last week.  Like most of the country, I was overdue for a visit and things were getting a little shaggy.  Second on the list was a hankering for a nice cup of coffee.  We met a few friends for lunch at a café on Friday, but sadly, the anticipation after all these weeks for the coffee was not met by the actual product.  It was nice enough, but not really what I had rembered and hoped for.  And seeing all those other people at the café was a bit scary after sticking to our own little bubble of two for so long.  There were six of us at our table, all well separated from other diners, according to the rules, but it was strange to look around the room seeing all those strangers.

Last on my list was a trip to the library, which happened today.  I was very impressed with the entry system to get into the library.  No sign in sheets, but a staff member was stationed there and took my details straight on to the tablet, keeping it private from others following after me.  Then someone else signed me out when I left, carrying several exciting books home.  I had run out of reading matter and was plodding through a not so interesting paper back, so I’m happy to have books now more to my liking.  I found a few from some authors I particularly like, so I’m a happy camper!

I’ll enjoy reading these

With one earthquake felt on Monday morning, followed by a second one today, we have to hope that the "Big One" is not coming.  In between there are lots of little earthquakes, usually too small to be felt.  These small ones are good, we are told, as they release pressure.  New Zealand is not called "The Shaky Isles" for nothing!

Home Sweet Home

We were up bright and early with the alarm set for 4.00am on the morning for our trip home from Oz.  A quick shower, dressed, including a pair of long compression socks each.  I was recycling my white  “hospital operation socks”, if they were good enough last year for surgery, they’ll certainly do for a three hour or so flight home.  With bags packed, a quick look around the hotel room to make sure we didn’t leave anything behind, we were waiting downstairs on the footpath to be collected for our shuttle ride to the airport at 5.00am.   After offloading our cases, we went through Customs and I was selected as a “random” for testing for explosives.  The flight over the sea was uneventful, with just a little turbulence, and soon we were flying into Wellington, looking out over the harbour as the plane swung around to make it’s approach.

We collected the car from the Long Term car-park, loaded the bags and headed for home.  We had a great holiday, but it’s always nice to return home safely.

My best buys of the holiday were bargain priced indeed.  Such as the pair of jandals I purchased at the Night Markets in Cairns, and my lovely blue sunhat, also from Cairns – neither items I had thought to take with me.  The hat was really necessary in the hot sunshine – it may have been winter over in Oz but the sun was rather fierce, and then I could squish it up to put in my bag between times.  And after walking all day, it was so nice to take my sandals off once we returned to our accommodation, and slip those cool jandals on my hot feet.  And Robin’s favourite purchase was his Akubra hat.

My new jandals and two new hats

I always need a book to read, even while on holiday, and I love nothing better than a book about the turbulent Tudor times.  Wolf Hall is all about the rise and fall of Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII and all the other major players of the times.

Nothing beats a good book at bedtime

Although I never took any hand stitching with me, I did take my blocks made with Australian fabrics.  These may well look familiar, as I took them away last year to Australia when we went on the Ghan rail trip and only used half of them.  Each night I would get my Micron ink pen out and write down where we were staying, trips we had taken, and sights we had seen.  Even memorable meals – after all, a holiday is always about trying new and exciting food, isn’t it.  I can’t wait to get the blocks all stitched together

Australian quilt blocks

We had such fun, travelled to new places, saw all sorts of interesting things and had wonderful adventures.  Australia is such a vast country, so very different to New Zealand.  We had a wonderful holiday, but it’s great to be home again. 

Friday Finish

After working on UFO number 4 most of the week, it is finally finished.  Round and round I went, adding borders – narrow ones, wider ones, and a bright pink one to finish off.  At last the top is complete.  Mind you, this is a very old UFO – those candlewick blocks were packed away in my suitcase when we travelled around England for three months way back in 1999.  I sat and stitched them in the evenings after a hard day’s sightseeing.  And all those blocks really deserve to be made into a finished top, after waiting so long.  And like a new baby being born, it deserves a name of it’s own.  Can’t keep calling it “UFO number 4” or “the candlewick top” for ever.  With splashes of bright pink which remind me of summer raspberries against the various shades of cream, how about “Whipped Cream and Raspberries”?

Quilt top finished at last

Patterns for the centre twelve candlewick blocks were selected from my two books by Alma Schabe.

These twelve blocks surround “Ribbons and Lace” a pre-marked mini which I stitched some time after we had returned home from our trip.

And I was so pleased when Sew Wot friend Moira brought along some eight candlewick blocks to one of our mornings.  She was having a clear out and looking to pass them on, and I was so happy to take them off her hands.  I have used four of Moira’s blocks in the corners of the quilt top.

Now the top is finished it will have to wait for a trip to the quilter – it is much too big for me to handle the quilting at home.  I’m all tuckered out – I’ve been sewing like crazy this week.  But its a great feeling to get another one of those UFOs ticked off my list!

Blowing in the breeze

A little Stitching then a little ripping out

Many stitchers have dabbled in candle-wick stitching in the dim, dark past it seems.  As I did, many years ago, before my blocks got packed away in the wardrobe.   It is nice, easy stitching, and can get as creative as one likes.  I never mastered any of the more creative stitches, such as satin or feather stitch, so my blocks are very simply sewn indeed.  My designs came from two books I have by Alma Schwabe, and I chose romantic designs featuring hearts, flowers, birds and the occasional butterfly.

Then I stitched a pre-printed mini “Ribbons and Lace” with my candle-wicking thread.  The idea was to use this as the centre of my quilt, and arrange my other twelve blocks around the outside.

Ribbons and Lace panel for the middle

And that’s where my candle-wick project has reached a bit of a stand still.  I added a couple of borders around the centre panel, and decided that one has been cut too wide.  So I’m going to sit on my comfy chair, stitch ripper in hand, and remove them, while the torrential rain is beating on the roof.  Unpicking is not much fun, so I’ll probably need a coffee too.  But it is no use continuing if I’m not happy with how this project looks, is it?  Hopefully, I’ll have more to show for my efforts tomorrow.

Relaxing with a great new Book

Look what the postman brought me –the book which everyone is talking about in blog land.  I’ve just received  my very own copy of Crafted Applique, by Lara Buccella.  I entered a competition on Cynthia’s blog called “Quilting is more Fun than Housework”, what a great name.  I was so thrilled when Cynthia got in touch to tell me that I had won a copy of this book.

Delivered by the postman

I’m all set to relax on my Lazy Boy (recliner) chair, with a coffee close to hand, and start reading my new book.  It certainly arrived at a very opportune time, as I’ve just returned home from an overnight stay in hospital after my second breast cancer surgery.  A review of my scan showed another small area of concern, and the surgeon advised another small op, just to be sure.  Can’t complain about my medical care, and I’m just so pleased that the team is so vigilant.

So what better way for some R&R than to sit and read an exciting new book, or even, just relax and doze off for a while.  Here’s me on my return home, hospital bracelet still firmly attached, and my neck and chest slathered in bright pink antiseptic paint.

Happy to be home again, pink neck and all

Parcels in the Post

It’s always exciting getting parcels in the post, and I was expecting a little gift from my pen-friend Carol before Christmas, but it didn’t arrive in time.  While we were away over New Year, we had arranged for the Post Office to stop and hold our mail.  And sure enough, on our return, the missing parcel was delivered.   It wasn’t really missing, of course, just held safely until we arrived back home.

Christmas gift from Carol, of South Dakota

Carol had sent me two patterns, both from Chickadee Hollow Designs.  One was a little miniature, Baby Steps, featuring four patch blocks and embroidery.  The other was a pattern for Butterfly Memories, and Carol had included a great selection of 1930s squares for the butterflies.  She also writes such lovely newsy letters too, so it is always a joy to hear from her.

Another recent arrival was this lovely new book I had ordered, Splash of Colour, by Jackie Kunkel.  I don’t buy many quilting books, but was really taken with what I had read about it.  Lots of lovely projects, and it is quite interesting to see that all quilts have been made in two colour-ways, which can give quite a different look. 

My new book

It is certainly so much more fun to receive a parcel or two, rather than a pile of bills, wouldn’t you say.

Getting Ready for the Big Day

The years have rolled by, and it seems hard to believe that my little girl was born nearly 50 years ago.  Tomorrow is the big day, when the birthday quilt will be presented.  But first I needed to stitch the label on the back.  It was such a lovely Spring day today  that I sat outside in the sunshine to complete this last task.  Muffy came outside to join me for a few minutes, but now she is such an old cat, really prefers the comforts of being curled up inside.

Stitching the label on the back of the quilt

There were a few spare blocks left over so I added them to the quilt backing. 

The back of the quilt

All wrapped up for the birthday lunch tomorrow

There will be an extra gift as well.  I organised a photo book on the internet using photos from baby days, school days, teenage years, up to the present time.  A bit like “This is Your Life”, and it’s all about her, as it should be on such a big occasion.

   Photo book

We are meeting up tomorrow for a family lunch – I do hope she likes her new quilt!

New Book in the Mail

Look what the postman brought me – a new book.  I had only ordered it a few days ago, so was very pleased it arrived so promptly.  My new book is called “Adding Layers”, by Kathy Doughty of Material Obsessions.

Kathy likes to do things big and fast.  Or as she says, quick and easy results which fit into a busy life.  I can see several designs which have taken my fancy.

But……..sadly, there is a downside.  Clearly, I had not done my homework properly before rushing off and ordering this book.  The pattern I really want to make is “Soul Searching”  from another of Kathy’s books, Making Quilts, the Promise of Joy.  This is a delectable mountain type of block, using 4 blocks arranged in groups of the same colour.    I know the block is made up of 2 1/2inch strips.  Can someone help me please?  I just need to know how long to cut each light and dark strip to make a quarter of the block.

Treasures at the Library

August is Family History Month and the Historical Society have set up some lovely displays in my local library.   So I was delighted to come across some gorgeous vintage goodies of yesteryear.  The Crawford Family christening gown and petticoat were found in a secret drawer inside an old Scotch chest when the children were orphaned in 1908.  It is thought that the garments were hand made by the nuns and that they have possibly been shortened at some time.

Crawford Family christening gown and petticoat

This display shows what every well dressed lady would wear to a night out at the opera.  With her set of opera glasses, long white gloves, a gold bracelet, a pretty shawl and a lace hanky, she was all set for a grand night out.  These items were brought to New Zealand from Australia by Amelia Wonnocatt in the early 1900s.

A night at the opera

Also belonging to Amelia Wonnocott was this lovely Royal Albert tea set.  I can just imagine her presiding over the tea trolley as she served her visitors with afternoon tea.

Royal Albert tea set

There was several of these beautiful little hand embroidered envelopes on display.   These were purchased by soldier Enoch Eastham while he was in France during WW1, and sent home to his wife in England.

Hand embroidered envelopes from France 

It was a real treat to look at these lovely treasured items at the library.  As a real book lover, I go there every week or so to get my fix of reading material. My choice today was: one royal historical novel, one about a killer virus circling the world, and two serial killer detective books.  That will keep me going for a wee while. 

A little Stitching and a lot of Reading

I’ve still had time to do a little stitching, even though we have been rushing between Otaki and Levin for weeks now, checking up on our house building, and making all sorts of arrangements.  I’m working away on a (free download) Red Brolly stitchery design and it’s coming along slowly.  Mind you, with all this hot weather lately, I don’t always feel like doing much stitching in these warm temperatures.

Red Brolly design

I always have a book in my hands, no matter the weather.  As a new member of the rather grand, brand new Levin library, I’ve been there several times to check out some reading matter.  I’ve just finished reading one of Jennifer Chiaverini’s Elm Creek Quilts novels.  Most of the series I’d read previously, but found  “The Wedding Quilt” tucked away on the shelves.    Each chapter traces the history of individual characters of Elm Creek, but the actual wedding quilt doesn’t make an appearance till the final chapter.  A good easy read, and makes a change from the “serial killer” type of books I usually devour late into the night.

The Wedding Quilt book, by Jennifer Chiaverini, sitting on my caravan quilt

Finding my way around the new Library

Do all quilters love books too, or is it just me?  I’ve been issued with my brand new library card for the striking new Levin library and called in today to make my first selection.  I’m still finding my way around the shelves, and this is what I’m taking back to the caravan with me.

I chose a nice new C J Box book – just love to read about the character Joe Pickett and his life as a game warden in the wilderness of Wyoming.  Eliza’s Gift, by Rachel Herron was on a display table with all sorts of romantic books especially for Valentine’s Day.  Not my usual “serial killer” type of novel that I read, but nice and light-hearted, and truthfully, I’ve read about 100 pages already this afternoon!  Then I found an Elm Creek Quilts novel which I hadn’t yet discovered, so that came back with me too.  Then friendly librarian showed me how to zap my books out at the self service desk, so I’m all set.  There’s nothing like a pile of good books to read, is there?

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Going to Bed with Jack

“Are you taking that book to bed again?” Robin asked recently.  It wasn’t actually the same book, but I must admit I’ve got a “bit of a thing” for author Lee Child’s character Jack Reacher.  So whenever I find one I haven’t read, Jack comes to bed with me at night!  I’ve read quite a few, and managed to track down the very first book, “Killing Floor”.  I really wanted to know how Jack started out, and what makes him tick.

The first Jack Reacher novel

In this book Lee Child presents Jack Reacher for the first time, as the tough ex-military cop of no fixed abode: a righter of wrongs, a stoic, ice-cool drifter and former military investigator, the perfect action hero. (The “Thinking Woman’s Hero”, I read somewhere.  Can’t really claim to be a thinking woman, but I certainly love reading). This  is the debut novel by Lee Child, first published in 1997, and won the Anthony Award and Barry Award for best first novel.

As much as I love the the books, and the character, I just don’t think I will be able to sit through the recently released movie, which has Tom Cruise cast as Jack Reacher.  Come on now, Jack is described as a rough, tough 6ft 5in, well built hero.  How could Tom Cruise, a short, small built man,  be cast in the movie as my hero?  Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher – no way.  I’m NOT going to see the film, I’d only come away laughing.  So I’ll settle for getting yet another book from the library, and taking Jack to bed again!

And if anyone is interested, I’ve consumed 48 books in 2012, and nine of them were Lee Child/Jack Reacher novels.  Other authors which I’ve read over the year are James Patterson – 4, Sean Black – 2, Lisa Gardner – 2.  I also quite like to read historical royal novels and particularly enjoyed The Lady of the Rivers and The King Maker’s Daughter, both by award winning Philippa Gregory, and The Golden Prince, by Rebecca Dean,   And yes, I do read quilt inspired books too, and read The Goodbye Quilt by Susan Wiggs and both Sonoma Rose and The Union Quilters, by Jennifer Chiaverini. Added to the list were the weighty Dublin, by Edward Rutherfurd, Lady Chatterley’s Lover, by D H Lawrence (a surprise gift from my daughter) and the New Zealand West Coast novel Heart of Gold, by Jenny Pattrick.  I can’t wait to join the local Levin Library when we move into our new home, but can’t do this straight away.  As I understand, I will have to take proof of residence.

So what has been your favourite read over the last year?  And I wonder if anyone else shares my passion for Jack?

Dreams at the Book Club

I’m one of those people who feel lost without a book or three to read.  In fact, I find it hard to understand why some people never read much at all.  To each their own, I suppose.  Since I’ve stopped work I rather enjoy going along to the Book Club at our local library each month.  The librarian who runs our lively little group sets the topic, and we all go and peruse the shelves looking for something to suit.  This gets us out of our comfort zones, and we are exposed to authors and subjects which we probably wouldn’t have chosen.

This month’s subject was “Armchair Travellers”.  After a little thought, I chose a travel book on the Grand Canyon.  Since our visit to Niagara Falls several years ago, I had often thought that seeing the Grand Canyon would really complete our appreciation of the natural wonders of USA.   One day, perhaps – we will just have to keep buying those lottery tickets!  Another in our group chose a book about “The Rose Red City of Petra”, a place she would dearly love to visit, and others mentioned their favourite places, bus tours, train trips as well.  We can all dream, can’t we?

After our local library was extended a year or so ago, new gardens were designed and many trees and shrubs planted.  The young magnolia trees are in bloom, and they look so pretty.  These slender trees will grow and mature over the years, and their spring blossoms will continue to delight visitors to the library for many years, I’m sure.

Young magnolia tree

It’s been a good year

I’ve been checking back, and can proudly announce that 2011 was a reasonably productive sewing year for me.

I’ve made two large bed quilts for family members – a burgundy and cream cobblestone quilt for my niece Lisa’s belated 40th birthday, and a shaggy floral quilt to celebrate 50 years of marriage for my sister Kathleen and her husband.  Then another shaggy lap quilt for a friend who had a major health scare. 

“Remembering Graeme” was a wall quilt made for my friend Kathryn using pieces of Graeme’s shirts and ties and other various items.  I also made a table runner for Kathryn utilising some lovely silky paisley fabric from Graeme’s dressing gown.  And for another friend who collects buttons I stitched a cushion featuring a jar of buttons. 

Smaller items included two table runners, and a padded book cover.  Then there was the tablecloth made from a collection of New Zealand fabrics, and my library bag makeover with stitchery panels. 

I did quite well with Christmas projects this year, and started off early last January when I made my second  Rudolf the Reindeer stocking, just so Robin and I could have one each.  Later in the year I stitched a set of six Christmas placemats for my daughter, then another two for us to use in the caravan.  The two Snowman felt gift bags were fun to stitch for my grand-daughters, I  also rather enjoyed making my “Tree of Christmas Cheer” with it’s stitchery panel.

Knitting also featured last year – a black and white scarf for a birthday gift, and I finally completed the edging on a knitted baby blanket, which I will tuck away till needed by a new arrival.

I’m also quite proud of making plum jam, grape jelly, kiwifruit jam, and lemon honey during the year.

And for the book readers out there, for the first time ever I kept a list of books read during the year, a grand total of 68 books.  28 were thrillers with James Patterson and Lee Child figuring prominently amongst my favourite authors.  The balance is made of of biographies, animal stories, quilting books, history and cookbooks.

With quilt club meetings, stitching groups and my monthly book club meetings, it’s certainly been an interesting year.  And for 2012, there are still quite a few UFOs hanging about waiting for me to be getting on with!

One of my many UFOs

Holiday Read – St Holst

I have been reading “A Home Grown Cook”, by biography by Alison Holst, who is affectionately known as St Holst in our household.  This unassuming Kiwi woman first appeared on New Zealand television many years ago to show home cooks how to prepare healthy, affordable and tasty family meals.  Who can remember Chef Graeme Kerr of the Galloping Gourmet cooking shows who used a plethora of high priced and exotic ingredients which were out of the range of most of us?  His show was a bit much for ordinary Kiwis to cope with, and we embraced Alison's style and down to earth presentations.  Alison Holst tells of her family history, idyllic childhood and how her cooking career progressed.  From tutoring, television appearances, to representing the Egg Board and Meat Board, she took her cooking skills throughout New Zealand and overseas.  She has also been a prodigious fundraiser for charities.  Alison Holst was awarded the Queen’s Service Medal in 1985, and appointed Commander of the British Empire for Services to Home Science in 1987.  In 1997 she received an Honorary Doctorate of Science from the University of Otago, and in 2011 was made Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

The chapter “Cakes and Quilts” tells how Alison started quilting after seeing a Toronto friend’s quilts.  A trip to the local quilt shop was a revelation, and Alison purchased fabrics and stitched her own designs of appliqué blocks during her long hours of travelling.   She designed the blocks to tell the story of her life and family, the Maple Leaf block to honour her first visit to Canada, and a block with scones and a tea pot in memory of her Mother.  The strawberries were for daughter Kirsten who picked the fruit during a holiday job, and a rooster in memory of all the family chooks.  Alison appliquéd two figures in centre of her quilt, herself and her beloved husband Peter, depicted gathering the bounty from their garden.

Hand appliquéd quilt made by Alison Holst

Alison Holst has produced 99 cookbooks to date, and a quick check in my kitchen shows that I have 9 of them.  A couple of them are falling to pieces, a sign of a well used cookbook indeed.  And wrapped up for Christmas was a nice new addition to my cookbooks, “100 great ways to use slow cookers and crockpots”, by Alison Holst and her son Simon.  Many thanks to grand-daughter Megan for this gift, it will be much used, I am sure.

Look what I got for Christmas

We have had a change in our holiday weather and the hot sunny Wairarapa sunshine has been replaced by heavy rain.  So the shorts and sandals have been replaced with warmer clothing,  shoes and socks and the gazebo has been forsaken.  It was a good time to visit Pukaha Mount Bruce and get a peek at the rare white kiwi chick.  Pop over to our other blog at www.romanyrambler.blogspot.com and read all about this rare and beautiful fluffy white baby.

Library Bag Makeover

I love our local library, and usually pop in a couple of times a week.  The library buys a selection of new books each week, and I like to see what is on offer.  Any new books by my favourite authors or others that take my fancy can be ordered for $1 each and I take advantage of this service.  This saves me from having to keep looking for them on the shelves. I purchased a Book Bag from the library some months ago and it is certainly handy to keep my library books all together in one place.  But……..these bags were all the same, and I decided to give mine a “makeover”.  My bag started off like this.

My library bag

Flicking through some magazines, I came across a stitchery pattern featuring books which would work quite well with a change or two.  “Scrappy Vintage Favourites”  was the name of a quilt featuring stitchery blocks and designed by Michelle Ridgeway.  This pattern was published in Creating Country Threads, vol 10, no 9.   I stitched the names of a few of my favourite authors on the book spines, added a narrow border, and stitched the panel on the bag.

My library book stitchery panel

For the other side I stitched a heart with the words “I love to read”.  Then I undid the stitching holding the handles in place, added the floral band to the top of the bag, then stitched the handles back.  I’m rather pleased with how my “personalised” library bag turned out.

  The other side of the bag

Yesterday was the monthly Book Club meeting and the theme was “Kiwi Made”.  This could be books written by a New Zealand author, or something about New Zealand, fiction or non fiction, the choice was ours.  To me, Barry Crump is a real Kiwi bloke who writes books, and I talked about one of his which I had only just discovered, called “Scrap-Wagon” – quite a light read I thought.  My second choice was written by Barry’s brother Colin Crump, “In Endless Fear”, an autobiography which tells of the the horrendous violence the whole family endured at the hands of their cruel father.  Colin Crump decided that the thing he most wanted in life was “not to be like his father”. One of his aims in writing this book was to explain to Barry Crump’s sons why his brother Barry, their father,  turned out the way he did, who with his upbringing, was never going to be happy living the family life in the suburbs.  When relationships went wrong for Barry, he just “went bush”.  Even though this book was hard to read in places, I can certainly recommend it, and I was moved to tears by the story.  Well worth a read for those who want to gain an appreciation of the early years of Barry Crump, New Zealand’s  original “Good Keen Man”.