I know, I know - it has been along time since I posted (almost two weeks).
It has been hot (again) though we did have a bit of rain last week, lovely cooling refreshing rain. And more forecast for later in the week. I hope it buckets down, everything is so dry and thirsty. And the tanks took a beating with five extra Beez here the other week, too. (Have you been to see them yet? Check the entry below for their link. AND keep an eye out for their appearance on Spicks and Specks, too).
I am not very good with hot weather, I have just been crawling on to the coolest bed (downstairs with mud brick walls on three sides and lots of books insulating the fourth, as well as my studio with tonnes of insulating fabric above... And then I read. I also dream of making things. Have dragged out some patterns for a few frocks I would like to make. Given that two of them are Issey Miyake patterns - which take about 120 metres of material for their clever folded construction - it may be some time before they are made.
If ever...
In lieu of actual sewing I found this wonderful and instructive 1948 vid on Youtube:
and this is the second episode:
I agree - she needs to lose that loser BF ("I have a wonderful idea Betty - why don't you and the girls hold a fashion show to raise funds for new crap THE BASKETBALL TEAM?" Why not raise funds so they can buy more material???? Or buy alcohol to go with the girlie party, or an overlocker, or a full length mirror?
See you when the cool change happens...
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Friday, 29 January 2010
Busy busy busy!!!!
I have been so busy the last week or so...
Have had The Beez from Berlin staying with us. They were playing at Newstead Live! festival last weekend but were heere for longer. An absolute delight to have around - and better still! they are returnign whilst on their travels.
They are performing all over the East Coast of Oz, and then some - Adelaide (Spiegeltent) and Darwin, and up to Brissie, Toowoomba etc. Check out the link above for gig dates and get along.
Terribly good - slick and tight performers of everything from very serious (I think) German and Russian songs to farcical skits of all sorts of classics...
AND - they will be on Spicks and Specks some time soon.
I remade a frock of Jula's - it was too cosy under the arms with a way too modest neckline.
So I recut it, and fortunately had more wide dark blue cotton ric-rac in my stash to match the 1960s stuff around the hemline.
This is Jula in her remade 1960's frock. She plays bass in the band, and has a Masters in Theology... (Oooh that sounds like a dating thing - she doesn't need a date!)
And here she is on stage:
Check out the boots... 
Have had The Beez from Berlin staying with us. They were playing at Newstead Live! festival last weekend but were heere for longer. An absolute delight to have around - and better still! they are returnign whilst on their travels.
They are performing all over the East Coast of Oz, and then some - Adelaide (Spiegeltent) and Darwin, and up to Brissie, Toowoomba etc. Check out the link above for gig dates and get along.
Terribly good - slick and tight performers of everything from very serious (I think) German and Russian songs to farcical skits of all sorts of classics...
AND - they will be on Spicks and Specks some time soon.
I remade a frock of Jula's - it was too cosy under the arms with a way too modest neckline.
So I recut it, and fortunately had more wide dark blue cotton ric-rac in my stash to match the 1960s stuff around the hemline.
This is Jula in her remade 1960's frock. She plays bass in the band, and has a Masters in Theology... (Oooh that sounds like a dating thing - she doesn't need a date!)
And here she is on stage:
Check out the boots... 
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
Decorating
Since I bought this place - the very first home I ever owned - I just delight in being able to hammer nails into walls or paint stuff, or knock out walls. All the things frowned upon by landlords...
Yesterday I had a little painting frenzy. Actually both things I painted are furniture so the grumpy landlord thing wouldn't have applied anyways...
Last year Smellie 3 used to work in a hardware shop in the City. They finally sacked him - FOR BEING TOO HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!! (True).
He got me some super cheap paint before he left.
No wonder they couldn't sell this can - it is CHEERFUL YELLOW! (not it's title, just the colour of it).
I painted the back of the linen closet which faces in to the lounge from the bathroom, and also the back of the book case in the bathroom.
I didn't take a Before pic - but it was bare dark masonite, very gloomy.
Now it exudes light!
I also added a wool blanket in the same acid yellow to the back of the couch (stop looking - it isn't in this shot), and how about that wonderful 1970s Marimekko material? It has the same yellow in it.
So does the little kimono.
Which has a story.
We had a Japanese student stay with us 7 years ago. And the next year he came back, and his family asked if there was anything I really wanted. So I asked for some scraps of silk kimono.
But instead of a scrap bag they sent this. It is from the late 1930s and belonged to Hiroki's grandmother when she was about 8. It is gorgeous. The sleeves have three layers - pale pink and scarlet peeping through.
Next job will be the pantry cupboards - I bought another TV cabinet on eBay the other day. That is it now - just to make shelves and some doors and drag them in to the pantry. Fabulous!
Yesterday I had a little painting frenzy. Actually both things I painted are furniture so the grumpy landlord thing wouldn't have applied anyways...
Last year Smellie 3 used to work in a hardware shop in the City. They finally sacked him - FOR BEING TOO HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!! (True).
He got me some super cheap paint before he left.
No wonder they couldn't sell this can - it is CHEERFUL YELLOW! (not it's title, just the colour of it).
I painted the back of the linen closet which faces in to the lounge from the bathroom, and also the back of the book case in the bathroom.
I didn't take a Before pic - but it was bare dark masonite, very gloomy.
Now it exudes light!
I also added a wool blanket in the same acid yellow to the back of the couch (stop looking - it isn't in this shot), and how about that wonderful 1970s Marimekko material? It has the same yellow in it.
So does the little kimono.
Which has a story.
We had a Japanese student stay with us 7 years ago. And the next year he came back, and his family asked if there was anything I really wanted. So I asked for some scraps of silk kimono.
But instead of a scrap bag they sent this. It is from the late 1930s and belonged to Hiroki's grandmother when she was about 8. It is gorgeous. The sleeves have three layers - pale pink and scarlet peeping through.
Next job will be the pantry cupboards - I bought another TV cabinet on eBay the other day. That is it now - just to make shelves and some doors and drag them in to the pantry. Fabulous!
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
The Traveller Returns
One of my nieces went to Denmark 12 months ago as a Rotary Exchange student.
Sunday night we went to Melbourne Airport to wait for her return.
Lew, Floss, Frosty and I waited, leaping every time the doors from Customs and Immigration opened!
Caitlin was 15 when she left, and very nervous and frankly a skinny child...
This woman returned to us!!!!
She has had a fabulous time in Denmark, and is planning to return for her Uni studies...(and she put on 12 kgs and grew a foot taller!)
This is the Travelling Quilt I made for her to take away with her. It is Aussie quilt labels with red or blue triangle edges on each block then gold or green sashing.
Friends and family wrote on lots of the labels, and she says the quilt is now covered with memories of her travels.
Welcome home Caity!!!!
Sunday night we went to Melbourne Airport to wait for her return.
Lew, Floss, Frosty and I waited, leaping every time the doors from Customs and Immigration opened!
Caitlin was 15 when she left, and very nervous and frankly a skinny child...
This woman returned to us!!!!
She has had a fabulous time in Denmark, and is planning to return for her Uni studies...(and she put on 12 kgs and grew a foot taller!)
This is the Travelling Quilt I made for her to take away with her. It is Aussie quilt labels with red or blue triangle edges on each block then gold or green sashing.
Friends and family wrote on lots of the labels, and she says the quilt is now covered with memories of her travels.
Welcome home Caity!!!!
Busy Sunday!
I did so much on Sunday that I am only now getting to the computer...
It was The Sweetheart's Dad's 88th birthday.
He went in to Happy Paddocks Nursing Home* a few months ago after a fall and 6 weeks in the Royal Melbourne Hospital. He is a good old bloke - trotted off to hippydom in his 50s, grew his hair, got into Substances (*possibly*) and became a potter. A wonderful potter.
On a scale of kerosene to ten, Happy Paddocks rates about 12. It is terribly elegant, lovely antique furniture, classy prints, huge arrangements of silk flowers (that from a distance look real, are dusted frequently, and swapped around so the residents believe they have fresh flowers every week...), water features and marble at the entrance, even a concierge.
And terribly expensive.
Dad was a Rat of Tobruk and then fought in New Guinea and consequently has a Veteran's Affairs Gold Card which makes it possibly for him to be in this place.
I made a quilt for him when he moved into Happy Paddocks.
His partner Barbara is a beautiful, elegant woman. She used to be a stewardess in the 60s with Lufthansa, and has a bucketload of German effiency and style. She goes to visit him almost every day (train, two trams and some walking), and on Sunday organised a fabulous afternoon tea (would we have expected anything less????). Her own baked cheesecake, chocolate mud cake, fruit cake (that was all fruit), nibblies, as well as champagne, real coffee, tea. And organised a private room for the event.
I made a quilt for Barbara. It was going to be a Christmas present but with everything else I just didn't get it finished even though I started it in November. Far more sewing than I expected actually, even though it was quilt As You Go. Those 1" strips... And I also hand stitched all the strips on the back over the raw edges. (Excuses, excuses...).
Here is the quilt:
And here is Barbara after she finished being overwhelmed (she teared up!). That is Dad in the foreground with one of my handsome step-boys:
And she HUGGED me! Isn't she gorgeous? She was born in 1932, I hope I look as beautiful when I am heading towards 80. Tho I know enough about genetics to realise that there isn't much chance of having any of the genes of a step-mother. And a double de facto one at that...
* Not it's real name...
It was The Sweetheart's Dad's 88th birthday.
He went in to Happy Paddocks Nursing Home* a few months ago after a fall and 6 weeks in the Royal Melbourne Hospital. He is a good old bloke - trotted off to hippydom in his 50s, grew his hair, got into Substances (*possibly*) and became a potter. A wonderful potter.
On a scale of kerosene to ten, Happy Paddocks rates about 12. It is terribly elegant, lovely antique furniture, classy prints, huge arrangements of silk flowers (that from a distance look real, are dusted frequently, and swapped around so the residents believe they have fresh flowers every week...), water features and marble at the entrance, even a concierge.
And terribly expensive.
Dad was a Rat of Tobruk and then fought in New Guinea and consequently has a Veteran's Affairs Gold Card which makes it possibly for him to be in this place.
I made a quilt for him when he moved into Happy Paddocks.
His partner Barbara is a beautiful, elegant woman. She used to be a stewardess in the 60s with Lufthansa, and has a bucketload of German effiency and style. She goes to visit him almost every day (train, two trams and some walking), and on Sunday organised a fabulous afternoon tea (would we have expected anything less????). Her own baked cheesecake, chocolate mud cake, fruit cake (that was all fruit), nibblies, as well as champagne, real coffee, tea. And organised a private room for the event.
I made a quilt for Barbara. It was going to be a Christmas present but with everything else I just didn't get it finished even though I started it in November. Far more sewing than I expected actually, even though it was quilt As You Go. Those 1" strips... And I also hand stitched all the strips on the back over the raw edges. (Excuses, excuses...).
Here is the quilt:
And here is Barbara after she finished being overwhelmed (she teared up!). That is Dad in the foreground with one of my handsome step-boys:
And she HUGGED me! Isn't she gorgeous? She was born in 1932, I hope I look as beautiful when I am heading towards 80. Tho I know enough about genetics to realise that there isn't much chance of having any of the genes of a step-mother. And a double de facto one at that...
* Not it's real name...
Saturday, 16 January 2010
Socks for Thailand...
My Next Sister Down, Elspeth, and her DD the Youngest just spent three weeks volunteering in an orphanage in northern Thailand (she is a super nurse who did health tests on the kids etc).
She has a request.
If you have an Aldi near you and can help out, please give her a shout. Her email is elspethlily@gmail.com
(Elspeth is in Buderim, some of you have met her along the way!).
Thanks heaps!
Date: 2010/1/16
Subject: Socks for Thai orphanage
Hi.. just doing a quick check around the country...do you happen to have an Aldi store near you...? If so, are you able drop in and see if there are any of their grey school socks (pack of 7 for $6.99)..preferably med (size 13-3)and large(size 2-8) are the ones we need the most of..( some small will be ok too).
They have bright coloured toes and heels and are on page 6 of current catalogue...
I am trying to find 180 pairs for 90 children!!!
They are on special this week....started on Thurs..let me know if you can ...just buy them on the spot as they will disappear quickly.. I can reimburse you
and the Head Office of Mercy International is helping me too.
Caloundra only had 6 packs so I bought those and Qld Aldi is trying to get some more but are not linked to other states.
Hope you can find some or maybe you have a contact who can.. let me know if you have any success
Love Elspeth xx
PS I am not going to worry about reimbursement, it is a small contribution to helping the world be a better place.
She has a request.
If you have an Aldi near you and can help out, please give her a shout. Her email is elspethlily@gmail.com
(Elspeth is in Buderim, some of you have met her along the way!).
Thanks heaps!
Date: 2010/1/16
Subject: Socks for Thai orphanage
Hi.. just doing a quick check around the country...do you happen to have an Aldi store near you...? If so, are you able drop in and see if there are any of their grey school socks (pack of 7 for $6.99)..preferably med (size 13-3)and large(size 2-8) are the ones we need the most of..( some small will be ok too).
They have bright coloured toes and heels and are on page 6 of current catalogue...
I am trying to find 180 pairs for 90 children!!!
They are on special this week....started on Thurs..let me know if you can ...just buy them on the spot as they will disappear quickly.. I can reimburse you
and the Head Office of Mercy International is helping me too.
Caloundra only had 6 packs so I bought those and Qld Aldi is trying to get some more but are not linked to other states.
Hope you can find some or maybe you have a contact who can.. let me know if you have any success
Love Elspeth xx
PS I am not going to worry about reimbursement, it is a small contribution to helping the world be a better place.
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