Not yet – Father time !

Howdy all !!!

How bout a birds eye view of some crafties to start us off, eh?

These are the items i’ve been working on… to enter them into the local Western Australia Crafters Show next week! This will be my very first time entering into a show…and boy am i excited.  There is the Waldorf Dolly, which i made from an old t-shirt, and dress made by Grandma who just visited us. Also being entered is the Elephants on Parade Vest ( which is on Ravelry ) .. i just love it. This being my first ever attempt at “GRAPH KNITTING”. (also last ever attempt people, so look good at it.)  Still a work in progress is my  Bias Tape Toothbrush Floor rug – growing and growing. And last but not least, is my beloved crochet baby blanket:: made in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino, edged in Silk Charcoal, and totally delightful to the touch and eyes. It needs blocking. I really don’t like blocking. Can someone please come and block all of my finished projects?? Ah yes.. and thrown in just to make myself look super busy are the ‘Neighborly Vest’ , which i forgot to give to Grandma to armhole pick-up while she was on such a roll (darnit), and my ‘Lucy Attic 24’ crochet bag. Which i do love, and can’t wait to finish and use.

So next up :: the homeschooling front. We’ve been on a two week school holidays here. There are lots of holidays in Australia. Basically you’ll go for 10 weeks and then have two off. I love it. They just don’t take anything too seriously here in Australia, you know. Cause all work and no play.. So it was back to school for us. What did we do? Well,,,, not wanting to get to crazy into heavy stuff on the first day back. The kids worked on making a picture collage. Just look at them, all busy and interested. Drawing, cutting , and pasting. They picked their own themes, drew the pictures, and then glued them onto A4 poster paper. When they were all finished, I got them to tell me a story about it. This is fun and interesting for all age groups. My 3 year old drew all superhero characters and two snakes (an angry snake and a nice one). There was also sticky mud for a trap. My 6 year old made his a sea drawing with a sea snake, algae, and mangrove trees with roots. He named his picture ” MY WORLD ”  and wrote a story to go along with his. This is excellent portfolio work.  (See how my little one insists on dressing up for school each morning with his silk scarf ! mama loves it. )

Ah. Here’s my particular new favorite pasttime. This is going to be a real sweet beauty. It is the ‘spiderweb selvedge quilt’ and I am making mine with a pair of old pink linen pants and of course, selvedges. While granny was here, I got to dig it out and add three new pie squares. This is a simple and satisfying quilt to make, and rather quick. Which is why for the life of me I cannot understand why it is taking me so long to progress on it. Two more pieces yet till i actually have one whole spider web. I suppose with kids and cooking and (not) cleaning and homeschooling, the quilting always gets pushed back. Even though it is such a strong passion for me. * Sad *.  I will leave you with  a cute little writeup from an American Quilting Magazine, found at a thrift shop. Have a great week all.. love love !XX

” NOT YET, FATHER TIME ! “   (by Alice Evanick)

Art is long, and time is fleeting – wrote a poet long ago. Art is long doesn’t have much meaning – Time is fleeting – that i know !! 

Time is fleeting, hurrying, scurrying, Running fast as it can go. While I vacuum, bring in the wash, Fold the clothes, and shovel snow.

Time for quilting, how to find it ? Always something else comes first. Better write or call my mother, Or she’ll surely think the worst !

Wash the floor, and weed the garden, Golf, and cook, and shop , and bowl, Buy the groceries, hit the garage sales, Go see the children in St. Paul.

Homespun chores eat up the minutes – Bring in the wood when weather’s cool. Pack lunches for the children, So they’ll do their best at school.

” Go swiftly walking four miles a day ” Say the books , doctors, and such.  But do these experts leave time for quilting ? Are you kidding ? No, not much !

Face it people, time for quilting Must be grabbed, and squeezed, and stored. We all know the quilter’s motto ::  ‘never close your ironing board!’

Lest the time should ‘fleet’ right by me When I have an hour to spare, I’ll sew those finished blocks together, And smooth them out with special care.

Soon, I must be ‘up and doing’ For my family, friends, and guests. First, let me finish up this stitching, quilting, binding, and the rest.

Now there’s grandchildren, and each one Must have a quilt that’s made with love. No time ever to get ready for that quilt show ‘up above’ !

Then when Father Time does call me To that great quilt show in the sky, I’ll ask for another half a century – I  still have patterns left to try !

I’ll need hours and days and leap years, Four score years, and twenty more, Just to use the scraps I have now – and there’s more material at the store !