Learning about India

Once a month a local church has a special evening or day meeting for local women to come and share and fellowship together. There is usually something special happening on that day and last week they focused on India. One of our local families has a son, daughter in law and 2 grandchildren who have lived in India for more than 20 years. They are presently home in Bordertown for family celebrations, and also sharing with local churches about their work in India.

Another Bordertown lady has also spent time in India recently, and she also shared about her experiences in Varanasi.They both dressed for the occasion in their Indian clothes.
Thousands of widows in India are abandonded by their own children. In Varanasi alone, there are 10,000-30,000 widows. A lot of them are illiterate.

The pamphlet below describes how the widows are learning skills so that they can survive. They make jewellery, papercrafts, and learn to sew, and make bakery goods. Some of the jewellery,scarfs and other things were on sale that morning, and many ladies purchased goods.

 It is so humbling to hear about the reality of life in that country. It really puts things into perspective when you hear about so many, who have so little. A lot of the things we worry over, or stress about, are really so very petty when you hear about the lives of others.

 This cushion cover, which was all made by hand, came home with me, and I just need to find an insert to go inside it.

We all had a try at making something that they eat in India, (like a flat bread), that I can’t remember the name of! These were then cooked, and eaten with the curries and rice for lunch. And some ladies even tried it Indian style, where you don’t use knives and forks!!

After lunch we heard from another local lady who is making kits of sanitary supplies for girls all over the world. This as part of an organisation called Days for Girls. It is a bit of a shock to think that there are women that don’t have access to feminine supplies as we know it. They can’t go to school or work at that time of the month. The ladies present on Saturday helped to package the supplies that have been made, which are being sent to India.

It was a very interesting and informative meeting. A real wakeup call to us who live in such luxury.Thankyou to all those who are helping others in any way they can. There are some very special people in this world.

Blessings, From Jude

More quilts

Blogger is still playing funny, and I can't even log into the page on my desktop computer. For some strange reason I can still get into my blog on my laptop, so will post some quilt photos while the going is good!

First up is a mystery quilt made by Julie, in a class with Faye. I love the colours with the black background.

 This quilt was made by Jill, and is to go on the bed in her new caravan that is arriving very soon. Then Jill will be travelling to Queensland to see family. This is Jill's first quilt, and she has done a very good job. Very simply custom quilted.

Time to get back to some more Mystery quilts. I have finished all the cutting and writing the instructions, and waiting for my checking lady to arrive. Then it will be time to reprint the instructions and package up all the little cases ready for next weekend. I can't wait to see them all ready and lined up. Will be back with a photo when I have got that far.


Blessings, From Jude

I am still here

Last night I spent ages writing a post and putting up lots of photos and when I hit publish there was an error!! You might have heard me from your place. (Well not really, but I was not happy). So I switched the computer off and went to bed, hoping that things might work in the morning. But, no such luck.
It has been awhile since I posted direct from my blog page, as it took ages for the photos to download. So then I used Picasa, which worked really well. Until one day, that told me there was a problem with my cookies, or something like that!
So then I found Windows Live Writer, and have used that for quite a long time, well, until last night! Now it tells me that there is an error! Don't know what to do now.
I have been aware that it is over a week since I last blogged, and thought I would do that last night, before I had an email, or a phone call reminding me. And I had lots of things to post about too. Been writing a list. You may just get a brief outline this morning, with very few photos until I sort things out, if I can.
(Even if you don't want to know what's newsfromjude, I still want to get it online so that I have a record of happenings for my book). Computers are great when they do what you want, aren't they?

It has been another very full week again.

Since my last post I have been "up" the highway a couple of times.

First was a trip to Murray Bridge (2 hours away) for a funeral. Funerals are usually sad occasions, to say good bye. And this one was sad in the fact that my mother's cousin has been very sick in the last year of his life. But it is good to know that now he is in pain no longer, and he has gone to be with His Lord. He was farewelled by family and friends in a service of celebration for his life of 79 years.
Funerals usually are also an occasion to catch up with family and friends that you don't see much, or have not seen for years, and this was certainly that for me. In spite of the sadness, it was also a great day of reminiscing with many people from my childhood years.

On Monday I had my annual appointment for my mammogram, and I am pleased to say that I have reached the 7 year milestone! This checkup is usually booked one year in advance, and each visit the same ladies seem to attend. It is good to see familiar faces each year, and we sit in the waiting room, all with our pink gowns on, and compare notes about our treatments etc. And then you give the "thumbs up" on the way out if you get an all clear result.

Last week was the AGM of our local patchwork group. I have been nominated in the same position as last year, and the few years before that. It is not a too hard job! (Don't think that is very good English, but you get the meaning!) I am Programme Coordinator, so organise classes from visiting teachers for the group. This weekend it is our annual retreat at a nearby campsite. Cockatoo-Downs-Farmstay is where we are off to. This used to be called Pendleton Farm and has recently been taken over by new owners.

Early in May I reported on the shirt workshop that was taught by Kerryn Brand. Yesterday I had a visit from Marie, who was wearing her new shirt! This was made with fabric that Marie Indigo dyed.  I took this photo to send to Kerryn to see the results, but thought I might share it with you too.

I might finish off this post now, and come back later with more newsfromjude. I have lots of photos of the meeting I went to on Saturday to show you, but I can seen it will take awhile to post them. I have also had visitors at The Sanctuary, and managed to finish a few quilts this week. And there will be more news on the progress of the Paper bag Mystery quilts.

Have a great day, and catch ya soon.

Blessings, From Jude

The Thorngrove Manor quilt

I have been meaning to do a post about this quilt since April, when AQC was held in Melbourne. In 2014 Michele Hill received the Rajah Award at AQC. The winner of this award has a display of their quilts at AQC the following year.
 If you click on the following link,  http://williammorrisandmichele.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/aqc-2015-part-1.html,you can read Michele's post about this. I would have liked to be in Melbourne to see Michele’s display. I have seen a lot of her quilts on show before, but there was one quilt I was especially interested in. The Thorngrove Quilt was one I had not seen hanging. Early in 2014 Michele was asked to design and make a quilt for the bed in the King’s Chamber at Thorngrove Manor. (If you click on the link above, you will be able to see photos of Thorngrove Manor and it’s rooms).
Michele was working to a deadline to finish this quilt, and during a conversation, I offered to help her by basting it ready for her to quilt. It is a large quilt to do on a domestic machine. One thing led to another, and I did a bit more than baste, and crosshatched a couple of the borders as well. Michele finished it off with her beautiful feathers as a background in the rest of the quilt. This was all done so quickly at my end, that I only had photos of the quilt on the machine, and the table, and no time to spread it out on my bed as I usually do. And the quilting had not been finished anyway. I had not seen the quilt after it was finished and bound, except in photos that Michele posted. Even though I did not get to Melbourne to see it hanging, Michele has allowed me to post her photos. The lighting did not show the quilting, but the quilt looks fantastic hanging.

This photo is the sign explaining Michele’s work and why she won the award. I hope you can read it.

And this sign was the Thorngrove Manor Quilt description. (And it is exciting to see my name along side Michele’s!)

The quilt just looks fantastic. The colours just shine on the black background. I love that centre!

And this is the quilt back on the bed at Thorngrove Manor.

And this is the quilt on my table, just before it was delivered back to Michele to finish.

Thankyou Michele for the privilege of working on your quilt.
Blessings, From Jude

Sue’s quilt

This is the DWR quilt that I recently finished. Sue was pleased with the parcel she received in the mail. I thought I had taken a photo of the back, but can’t find it, so must have only thought about doing it!


Blessings, From Jude

Mosaic Magic Retreat

 

As the week is almost half over, I thought I better report in with newsfromjude.

A lovely group of ladies met at The Sanctuary last weekend for the Heather Ridley Mosaic Magic workshop. We welcomed some new, and some returning ladies. They all turned out some amazing work, which were all very diverse in their colours and choices.

Friday evening was getting to know each other and settling in time. Some had travelled a distance to join us. The weather was cool enough for a cozy, warm fire.

Saturday morning all were ready to go and this photo was after lunch. (Sorry it is such a funny angle, you need to turn your head a bit!)

The weather was nice enough to eat lunch in the pergola each day. The sun was peaking through at times.

The next 2 photos are Heather’s class samples.

The following photos show the variety of colours and flowers that were chosen by the girls.

This was after lunch on Sunday, when the whole class, and the teacher went off to an op shop in the local hall. They were not gone long, and were soon back at work.

This was Heather’s collection of sheer fabrics which are added to the designs somewhere strategic.

A picture of concentration, and you might expect that the glasses on the head, should be on the eyes?? Chris says that her eyesight is changing, and she does not need them for close up work so much anymore.

And poor Margaret, who needed a new globe for her machine. I was asked on Saturday if I had a spare globe for a Pfaff, but said no. It was not until Sunday afternoon that the light went on in my head, that there was a light in the cupboard that would help her to see what she was sewing!!! I shall plead to not feeling all that well during the weekend, as the head cold had set in. Well, that’s my excuse anyway! I spent most of the weekend at my house, trying not to share my wog around. The teacher was struggling with a lost voice as well.

The group photo of the girls with their work. I probably should have taken this in the morning so they did not have the sun in their eyes, but the show and tell was not ready for the photo earlier. All so very different. The cream one in the middle, is to be the centre piece for an heirloom quilt that Helen is making.

The beds are remade, the washing done, and house cleaned ready for the next group. It is back to the quilting room, the book work and the last of the Mystery quilts. The head cold is starting to clear, although I must confess to an afternoon snooze. Working on custom quilts again this week. I managed to do a couple of allovers during the weekend.

It is sad when the girls all go home, but I am planning for the next one that is not far away. It was lovely to have Heather and husband John stay with me for the weekend. John spent his days at our local golf course. Heather is such a sharing, encouraging teacher, and the girls all enjoyed the class. Heather dyes a lot of her own fabrics, and we have one of our own local girls who also dyes her own. Marie and Heather spent some time together on Monday morning playing with screen printing and sharing knowledge with each other.

I have some more interest in Embellished quilts classes, so will have more details of that in due course. And a few other weekends that will be added to the Scheduled retreats page soon.

Better get back to the bookwork, and I need to do an annual report for our group’s AGM this week. There is also planning for our group retreat at Cockatoo Downs Farmstay soon. And this week I also have a trip to Murray Bridge for the funeral of my mother’s cousin and family friend and neighbour. I have scheduled some posts for the next couple of days as well.

Blessings, From Jude

This week

has been another one full of “stuff” happening. After the Mother’s Day trip on Sunday, I had another special day celebrating my birthday on Monday. I am not counting anymore, but had a lovely day. Lots of phone calls and visitors and lunch out with friends. Even some well wishers who burst into song! Thankyou everyone. I am so blessed.

Monday morning also meant a trip to the post office to send the next 2 quilts back to their owners. First is Gypsy Kisses, made by Helen, which I showed you a bit of last week, which had simple custom quilting.

This was made by Lois, and she wanted lots of allover quilting. I used the pattern Simply Feathers, and a gold thread. Their were lots of shiny fabrics in the centre blocks.

And this quilt, made by Sue, was a bit of fun, with the surfboards and Kombi Vans appliqued in between the chevron rows. Sue is going to quilt this herself, and just wanted me to baste it.

And Raelene has made 2 of these quilts for her grand sons. Very simple design, but effective and I used a panto called Popcorn. And oldie, but a goodie. I used to use it lots when I did the paper pantos, but only recently purchased the digital version.

A few weeks ago, a quilting friend from NSW asked on facebook, whether anyone would like some fabrics and laces that she had been given from a bridal shop. I was interested, as I can see a crazy block heirloom quilt being made in my future. I already have a good stash of laces and a few fabrics, and did not know just what she actually had. But this week a bag of goodies arrived at my door, and it only cost me the postage! What an exciting delivery! It was packed to the max!

Gorgeous laces, ribbons and tulle, and bling, and bridal fabrics! And the girls that came sewing today for the monthly Angels day agreed with me. You can see Pat sorting and checking out what there was.

There was a good gathering today, but I forgot to get the camera out until most of the ladies had left. (That could be because I trying to finish a quilt, and had a big pot of soup cooking on the stove, ready for the weekend retreat catering). The girls made a special day of it, and all brought a plate of lunch to share, and we even had a birthday cake with candles (and I must not forget some more singing!)  My celebrations have lasted almost a week, starting with lunch last Friday with Michele and Larry.

Below are 2 of the angels, and my apologies to the rest of them, who had gone home.

I have also been working on the Mystery quilts, and can see the end in sight soon. My checking lady has been in again today. So I have quite a few ready for the final reprint.

I am fighting a cold this week, and consuming lots of honey and lemon drinks, which help a lot. Tomorrow will be in the kitchen doing the last of my preparation for the weekend retreat catering. There are 9 lovely ladies coming to Heather Ridleys Mosaic Magic retreat.  I shall duly report further on that over the weekend. They are coming from over the border in Victoria, Naracoorte, Millicent, Adelaide and local. I am looking forward to seeing what fabrics they all bring.

Catch ya later,

Blessings, From Jude