Country Forum 2019

Every 2 years, the Quilters Guild of SA hold a day in the city for Country Groups to attend, with guest speakers, shops, information tables, and of course food. It is always a great day out to catch up with old friends, and meet new ones, who all have the common interest of quilting.

There were 4 Gum Tree Quilters who attended this year, and we enjoyed our day. Three of us travelled together and one member went with her daughter. It had been on the agenda for us do an extra day and attend the Quilt and Craft Fair which was on in the city from Thursday to Sunday. But with all my time away recently, I made the decision that I could not do it all.

We did travel down the afternoon before so that we did not have such an early start on Saturday morning, and here we are at our accommodation on Friday evening, with our feet up! We ordered Chinese takeaway and spent a relaxing evening, either reading a book, watching TV, or stitching a binding.

 I did take a few photos, but there are lots more on the Quilters Guild of SA facebook page. It was a very interesting day, with the theme of "Preserving the Past". There were many speakers, who spoke on subjects such as Textile Preservation and Conservation, Antique quilts, Quilting Vintage Linens, Provenance and Labelling quilts.

The stage was lined with a great collection of Traditional quilts and Anne Marie is introducing speakers,

....... there were about 200 ladies in attendance...........

Chris O'Brien spoke on Quilting Vintage Linens, and showed some of her amazing work in the photo below. Now this is something that is on my "bucket" list that I want to do one day! It is a fantastic way to preserve old linens in a new way.

Heather Ford spoke on Provenance, and the importance of labelling your quilt. (This is one task I am not real good at, unless the quilt is being shown in an exhibition.) Note to self - do better!

This is Joan and her daughter at morning tea...................

..........and Pat and Marie waiting for the afternoon session to start.

 ....and it was lovely to catch up again with Deidre, from the mid north of the state, who I met a couple of years ago, and who told me that she checks my blog every morning for another post! The wonder of blogging, where you "know" someone, who you might never have met in person!!
Thankyou Deidre, for reading and great to meet you again.

After a short stop in Murray Bridge to see Dad, we arrived home about 9pm. I was really tired, but do confess to picking up the book I had been reading the night before and finishing the story, so it was rather late when the light went out, and thus very late when I woke up this morning. And although I love to read, it is the reason that I don't often pick up a book, because I need to read to the end to see what happens in the story!!

Today I have pottered around, and done some gardening, pruning and watering, and spent a lot of time on the computer sorting photos from years ago. Last week I sorted the slides from 1974 to 1980 and took them to a place in Adelaide on Friday to be scanned to a disk. I also need to do some backups of the photos. I might sit down now and read some more of that book, before bedtime. And tomorrow is is back to Max for some of the day, and a couple of errands down the street. Next weekend I even have time at home (!!) and then the retreats start again.

Bye for now,
Blessings, From Jude