Challenging

Sisters can be challenging, as well as lovely.  When Heather and I visited the V & A Quilt Exhibition in 2010, we bought 3 fabrics, the same, and set to finish a challenge quilt to be finished/revealed for Heather's 60th birthday.  In the intervening years, we have done these on our own, with the results being a complete surprise to the other.

So here they are!

There were some rules.  We had to use the 3 fabric in "recognisable quantities", add any fabrics we liked, be within a size limit, and have a demonstrable link to the exhibition.  I will leave it to Heather to explain the design of hers, but with Cynthia's encouragement, here is the inspiration for mine (on the left).  The pattern follows the likeness of a quilt in the exhibition called the Rajah Quilt.  Or should I say, just a section of it.  In the days of transportation, a Quaker led society, led by Elizabeth Fry, was promoting the improvement of the females being transported to Australia.  Leaving Woolwich in the UK, they were provided with fabric, and thread, and on the long journey to Van Diemens' Land, the women made a (very) large quilt top. 

My small token follows the pattern as the quilt grew from the centre to the outside border.  I interpreted the birds as being "Bluebirds over the White Cliffs of Dover".  As the journey progressed down, I have South African fabric purchased some years ago in Cape Town, and I understand the women were able to sell some of their handiwork in Cape Town.  The journey continues, and I have some waves flowing across the quilt.  The final designs at the bottom are worked in aboriginal print fabric, symbolising their arrival in the new land.

All good quilts have to have a mistake in them and this particular mistake (although there are probably others) was on the back:

 

I had the convict women sailing into Sydney, but they actually sailed to Tasmania. 

 

And this blog has been sitting in my drafts for over a year.  Time to get this blog moving!  And challenge others to start one.

 

Maz



Melbourne, with sisters

By now it is clear that I am a very infrequent blogger.  So infrequent, in fact, that every time I do a new blog, the software changes. 

So this is to tell the story of a lovely weekend in Melbourne.  With Heather as a host, in her superbly located apartment on St Kilda Road. Only a few pics, but such a lovely time.  I think that having Morris & Sons & Dymocks in the same location started the weekend well.  On a knowledge scale of 1 to 10 on knitting, Heather is up in the 8-9 region.  Lois is in the lower scores, and I am not much above her.  So, much to be learned from Heather there.

Down in the bookshop, I would have Lois in the higher ranking scores on knowledge.  Again, I seem to middle below.  Perhaps it is the role of a younger sister to always be striving to the older ones!  And I wouldn't have it any other way.  My sisters have taught me so very much, and continue to do so.

In the cooking stakes, it seems as though I will be destined to remain in the dark ages, being the one that does not have a Thermomix.  Sigh.  I am just going to have to live with that fact.

Friday night had the gorgeous and tired Jennie join us.  And show and tell for some little things soon to be winging their way to a baby shower in Seattle.

Saturday was an eye opener for me.  We used the Melbourne public bikes - Heather had her own - on a fabulous ride.  Around the "tan", we were at the river, and rode along the banks for about 10km.  It is amazing to be in a lovely park/bush setting right in the middle of a city.  Lois was glad to see the coffee sign after an hour or so, then we made it to the Abbotsford Convent in time for lunch.   The convent has just celebrated it's 10th year as an arts, cultural and community precinct.  We didn't have enough time to see it all, but I would love to go back and have another look. 

Lunch on the lawn.

    Looking at the map, it seems like we wound our way (delightfully) around the Yarra, we took the roads back which was much more direct.  Then the shock.  Melbourne's blue bikes are cheap for the first half hour, but for 4 hours, we could nearly have had a limo for the same price.

Late afternoon had us at the Melbourne Recital Centre for a fabulous early Italian recital, with original instruments and a gorgeous young woman singing mezzo soprano.  Then, dinner at the café in the centre, with this dessert plate.

And knitting, and a movie.  Lovely to relax and share.

Sunday, I walked the Tan track.  Seems like I was the only one going anti-clockwise, but the others were going the other way because it gave them the one hill climb on the track.  So social and relaxing, right near the city.

And some more city, knitting shops, tram rides, and cafes capped off a terrific weekend.

And a final note.  Picked up a booklet at the Abbotsford Convent.  The Good Shepherd nuns arrived in 1863 to establish a Convent for women in need, and purchased what became the convent.  By 1900, it was one of the biggest charitable institutions in the Southern Hemisphere, and at its peak, housed over 1,000 women and children.  There were vegetable and fruit gardens, dairy and poultry farms and a piggery. 

Seems to me that the need for refuges remains as high, and perhaps large scale facilities where people can practice self sufficiency could be an improvement on what we have now.

So, a post.  Promise another soon x