Currently reading...

The Effects of Light by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore

Another library book (I lurv my local library!!!) that I picked up because it looked interesting. I have a hit rate of about 60% doing this. Meaning about 60% a readable and enjoyable and 40% leave me thinking thank goodness I didn't pay for this!!

But while I have you here, I do want to talk a bit about my previous book. I was always aware that there were things in our history that had been covered up, was always uneasy with the idea that the settlement of this country was peaceful and the indigenous population put up little or no resistance. The thing about this book is it isn't accusatory. It isn't all look at all the bad things the white man did. What it does say is why did the white, non indigenous population feel the need to cover this up? Interestingly enough, the original settlers were more than open about what was going on - they talked about warfare and the attacks from both sides. Several of the expressed the view that attacks from the indigenous population was to be expected - they acknowledged they were taking land that was not theirs, often by force. But by the 1960's, white Australia was covering this up, white washing it and saying it wasn't that bad. Why?? This passage from the book really bought it home for me:

If, as Minister Ruddock argued [in 1998] there was no war, how can we explain the bloodshed, how can we accoutn for the bodies? If Aborigines did not die in long-drawn-out, low-level, sporadic warfare, they must have been murdered...They were not executed by the state as a result of the operation of the law except in those few situations where martial law was declared. They were killed singly or in groups in every part of the country. Their killers were soldiers, police troopers, both black and white, and private settlers. If there was no war then thousands of colonists were murderers and thousands more were accessories.


Why do we find it so hard to acknowledge this. Admit the land was taken by force, that blood was shed and there was open defiance towards white settlers. Why do we cling to the idea of peaceful settlement of this country? Are we trying to pretend we are better than those societies who openly admit they took land by force? Because if we are, then we need to wake up to the fact that our blindness to what really happens blocks any real chance we have of reconciliation in this country.

As I said before, this book isn't about saying how bad the white population is, it's simply about acknowledging what actually happened.

Giveaway!!

I'm joining Ginger Monkey's stash busting give away!!

Basically it means me and a whole heap of other bloggers will be hosting a give away on February 4. Click on the button below (or in my side bar) and pop over to Ginger Monkey to see who else is taking part!

Currently reading...

Why Weren't We Told: A personal serach for the truth about our history by Henry Reynolds

I'm actually fairly interested in Australian History but it's difficult to find good, well written (ie. not dry, academic works.) material. This is another book I stumbled across in the library and tells the story of Henry Reynolds search for the true history of the conflict between white and indigenous Australians. He named the book after a question he is frequently asked when he talks about this area of history. The more I read, the more I realise so much has been brushed over or left out. Personally I feel it is akin to the Japanese only teaching certain parts of World War 2. Until we acknowledge that white Australia's treatment of the Indigenous people of this land has left a large and rather horrible legacy, we can't expect to achieve reconciliation. Kevin Rudd's landmark apology early last year was a great starting point. This book was written before then and I can't help but think that Henry Reynolds was one of the people cheering the loudest on the day. In an age where we frequently lament the quality of history education in our schools, I think it's important that we do continue to ask "Why weren't we told?"

Swap goodness!

I joined Ginger Monkey's FQ swap and earlier this week I got a lovely little package in the mail!!
There was this lovely little bag with...two FQ's and some lovely ribbon.

It's lovely Katy! I especially love the apple FQ and think the bag will be perfect for storing my thread spools in.

I have stuff here to package up and send back, hope she likes it!

Stash Sunday

A day late, but still here.

I'm finding as I do this a lot of my stash is already allocated to projects - it's just finding the time to do them! So, once again, this fabric was bought with a project in mind. It will become a quilt for a friend's little boy who is sports mad. In fact it's for the older brother of the quilt I'm making with the Prints Charming rockets that keeps causing me agony!
I only need nine different prints, so one of these will be dropped - not sure which one though.

Currently reading...

A love Story - Denene Millner and Nick Chiles


I'm not sure I agree completely with their guiding philosophy which is:

"If it is to remain a sustaining force in our lives, Black Love must be nourished, it must be cherished, it must be protected, it must be celebrated. In our writing and in our living, this idea is never far from our thoughts"(Source: http://www.celebrateblacklove.com/)

Personally, I think if you took the work black out, it would be great. The book looks interesting though. It's one I saw at the library and it piqued my interest enough to pick it up and add it to my bundle.

Hmmmm, I'm tempted.

Another one of my great passions is reading, so it's not surprising I am tempted by this. So lets see what I can come up with so far.

1. Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire - JK Rowling
2. Defending Gary: Unraveling the mind of the Green River Killer - Mark Prothero and Carlton Smith
3. Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix - JK Rowling
4. Falls the Shadow - Sharon Kay Penman


Currently reading

The Vile Village - Lemony Snicket
Now fair enough, 3 are considered children's books, but two of them (the Harry Potter's) are fairly hefty!. So, why not? What's another challenge between friends! Off to add a new list to the side bar!

An official finish!

Straddie was lovely, but gosh it's good to be home! Nice to be clean every night and nice to sleep in a bed that isn't on the ground!

While we have been back about a week, I've had computer problems so have been unable to post. Hopefully my wonderful husband has sorted them all out and I'm back to normal from now on!!

May Britt sent me an email which, unsurprisingly, said the BOM was not counted as a finished item! As I said, not surprising, but surely I get points for trying?? I have however, finished my first thing for the year!

Just in time for the return to school, I have completed the Christmas present for Luke's teacher from last year. Luke returns to school on Tuesday and I will be presenting this to Miss M with great apologies for the lateness!
It's my first bag, and hopefully not my last! It's not perfect, (please don't look to closely at the applique!) but it was made with love. The instructions for the lining made no sense to me, so I made up my own! Hopefully it holds together long enough for her to get it home!

I'm also making progress on K's quilt. Yoy may remember from this post I wa unsure of where to go next. Luckily I found another 2 FQ's of the Prints Charming fabric so ended up with this.

I plan to now do a border of stars featuring a red and remainders of the Prints Charming and star fabric. Stay tuned!

We interrupt this sudden burst in blogging...

...while we go here.(Photo credit: clare&joe)

Yep, we're off to Stradbroke Island for a week of mayhem and fun camping! Be back on the 16th!

Bye!

Monthly check up

So I had this idea today when sewing. It all started because I opened a drawer and found a UFO I had not added to my "On my sewing table" list. This actually should be an "In my sewing cupboard" list since my sewing table is also the dining room table (which lives on the deck)and has to be cleared when I'm not using it! Anyway, I digress! So, I thought what I would do each month is go through the list and report on where I'm up to and what needs to be done. All in the hope that I shall make some progress this year!

So currently on my list are:

• Blackboard Quilts - This is an idea I picked up from our EB Dolls Quilt Swap. Ingrid made a fantastic little quilt using blackboard fabric. I thought it would be a great seller at our local markets, so ordered some fabric! I have nine cut and bordered, but they need applique labels. You know, things like "Things to do" or "Shopping list". I'm terrified of applique, so they are currently languishing in the bottom drawer.

• F's Baby Quilt - In utero, this baby was called Fred. He now has a name, but I don't know how his mum feels about it being published, so I should rename this K's quilt! I've made a start and am really happy with it. I then ran out of inspiration! A call for help went out and some ideas came forth. I managed to pick up another two FQ's of the Prints Charming fabric yesterday, that I am really hoping are in the car somewhere, 'cause they ain't in the house! (problem with living on an island with your car on the mainland - no quick running out to check!) Am thinking I will do another half panel top and bottom and then border with red stars re AJ's suggestion! She has also offered the star pattern, I just need to work out what size I need!
  

• Miss M's bag - I'm in the middle of hand quilting this! Again, not big on hand quilting, but it's going well. May take it camping with me next week (it's washable!) Hoping to be able to add this to the finished list by months end.
  

• Sampler Quilt - there is a story to this quilt. You can read it here. Notice the date on the post and something about finishing it before years end??? I have a border fabric for it, but am not sure I like it. It's something I was talked into by the staff at a fabric shop. Either way, this one has to get finished this year!

• Luke's Frog Quilt - Ah, my ongoing project! I have 15 9 patch blocks left to make and then I can cut them up and sew them back together to make a disappearing 9 patch back. My plan is for this to be on his bed by winter.

So that's my first monthly check up. Hopefully by next month there will have been some movement!

BOM 7 and my first finished project???

I managed some sewing time today and got to do my 7th BOM for my Mystery Designer BOM.



It's called Sawtooth Patchwork Block by Debbie Beaves and to tell you the truth, it's the one I have been least inspired by. I'm not sure why, but it's just not doing it for me.

Now, I have added this to my "completed for January" list, because it's a little mini project that I aim to complete each month to make sure I keep up with the whole BOM thing. However, I'm not sure if it truly qualifies for a ticket in this months draw. I will be happy to let May Britt and Kris make the final ruling.

Anyway, since I am over half way through the blocks for the Mystery Designer BOM, I thought we would have a bit of a look back!

BOM 1 - Cross Stitch by Brenda Riddle.BOM 2 - Star Struck by Sandy Gervais.
BOM 3 - Peace in Flight by Joanna Figuroa.

BOM 4 - Double Treats by Bunny Hill Designs.

BOM 5 - Peppermint Star by Vicki Bellino


BOM 6 - Sunrise Star by Margot Languedoc.



All in all, I'm pretty happy with them so far. I wait with anticipation each month for the new block to arrive and have yet to be disappointed. I have learnt so much, especially about half triangle squares and square in a square blocks. If you had asked me when I first started how to make any of these, I would have had no idea! I really feel I am learning some tricks.

I'm also trying to develop a new habit of tidying away the previously worked on project before starting on the next. I did this today when I packed away all the cutting materials (mat, cutter, rulers etc) and put the scraps away before doing a few more 9 patches for Luke's frog quilt. When it came time to pack up for good, it was so quick and easy. BTW, I have 35 9 patches done, only 15 left! Then I can cut them up again!!

HELP!!!

So I spent this afternoon starting the top of the quilt for my friends baby, (who has, by the way, arrived safe and sound,although is yet to be named.) I got this far.



It is currently 21 x 19 inches. I need it to be cot quilt sized and have few ideas where to go from here! To make matters more complicated, I want the orientation to be as it is above. ie. the side that is currently the longest, needs to become the shortest. I have minimal of both the fabrics left, although I have another star one similar to the current sashing that has space ships on it. In fact, you can see the fabric I mean here in the bottom row, next to the stuff I did use.

I have thought of making another two half panels, with the star fabric with spaceships,surrounded by the prints charming fabric and attaching them to the top and the bottom of the existing block. This would solve my length issue, but I don't have enough of the Prints Charming fabric left to do it.

So what I need it ideas?? Any and all accepted - please!!!

New Years Resolutions

OK, so maybe I haven't made the best start by doing this four days late, but better late than never!!
I already have a list of things I need to get done, so lets start with those.

A friend of mine is having a baby tomorrow! This is her second and since I never made anything for her first, I thought I should do one for each of them. The older boy, M will be getting a quilt that appeared in Australian Patchwork and Quilting, Vol 17, No 2. It's called It's Puzzling and is based on a Sudoku puzzle. M loves sports so is going to be 9 different sports fabrics. The baby (which is also a boy) is going to get a quilt of my own (very simple!) design, based on some Prints Charming fabric which has rockets on it.

Next is the end of this year Christmas (whoops!) presents for Luke and Kira's teacher and daycarers. This is one bag, one quilt and one not sure yet! I have made a start on the bag and I have least decided what I'm doing for one of the others, but as for the third.... Luckily none of them are currently planning to leave the school or centre so I do have some time!

The third is a quilt for the daughter of a friend of mine who is not well. G is 8 and in need of a lung transplant. At the moment, she spends a lot of time in hospital, so I thought I would make a quilt with pictures of her family so when she goes into hospital, they are always with her. Once I get the photos off her dad, this quilt will be my priority. G likes pinks and purples so some of the fabric featured in my latest Sunday Stash will be for this project.

There is a secret project that myself and a friend hope to get done this year as well. The recipient does read this blog, so no details! Won't even tell you who I am working with as it may give too much away! They know who they are though!

The last on my current to do list are ongoing projects. I received my latest block for my BOM so that will get done in the not to distant future and there is the ongoing project of Luke's frog quilt. As you may or may not remember, I plan to do a disappearing nine patch for the back of his quilt. I'm over half way through the nine patches, then comes the cutting and resewing before sandwiching and quilting! I also want to try a variety of things that I can sell at the local markets. The markets are held 4 times a year (Australia Day, Easter, Flinders Day and Christmas market). I'd like to have stuff to go at the Flinders day market which is Julyish and the Christmas markets.

So that's my first 10 for the year! I also want to participate in another EB Doll's quilt swap and may even get brave enough to enter another swap! I will also continue to participate in Mama to Mama projects.

I plan to continue Stash Sunday as well, at least until my stash runs out. Mind you if I keep buying, that won't happen in a hurry!

I am also taking on my first blogging challenge. May Britt over at Abyquilt has challenged us to complete one project a month! I figure I'll give it ago - like many, starting is not my problem, finishing is! So keep an eye out for my monthly finished project.

Gosh, long post. no photo's but lots of links! Off to add my projects to my want to do list and the the project a month logo!

Stash Sunday

Pinks and Purples this week!




As you can see, quite frequently when I spot a pink I like, if it also comes in purple, I get that too! Most of this is earmarked for projects, some was bought for a project I am no longer going to do and the rest for stash!

Hope you had a great Christmas and new year!